UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Science and Technology MCQs on dial-up internet, Artemis Accords and more (Week 123)

QUESTION 1

With reference to the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), consider the following statements:

1. It is a climate pattern affecting the Indian Ocean.

2. During a positive phase, cold waters are pushed to the Western part of the Indian Ocean.

3. The IOD does not influence the local weather.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

The sea surface temperatures recorded along the equatorial Pacific Ocean in June ranged between 0 and 0.4 degree Celsius. The coupled ocean-atmospheric system in the tropical Pacific Ocean reflected ENSO neutral conditions.

The Indian Ocean Dipole is a climate pattern affecting the Indian Ocean. During a positive phase, warm waters are pushed to the Western part of the Indian Ocean, while cold deep waters are brought up to the surface in the Eastern Indian Ocean. This pattern is reversed during the negative phase of the IOD. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct.

The IOD influences the local weather. During the positive phase of the IOD, the high temperatures along the coast of Africa cause heavy rains and droughts in Australia. During a negative phase the high temperatures and rainfall patterns are reversed. The sea-level changes associated with the IOD can also lead to increased threats of coastal flooding and associated impacts. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov)

QUESTION 2

With reference to the dial-up internet, consider the following statements:

1. It is a form of accessing the internet using a computer’s modem and a home telephone line or landline.

2. It was accompanied by characteristic beeps and digital screeches.

3. It was a way of exchanging messages and files between computers using the UNIX-to-UNIX copy protocol (UUCP).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— AOL’s remaining dial-up internet customers will sign off for the last time as the company is permanently shutting down the service that brought the internet to millions in the US during the early 1980s and 90s.

— The origins of dial-up internet service is rooted in Usenet developed in 1979 by two graduate students at Duke University in the United States. It was a way of exchanging messages and files between computers using the UNIX-to-UNIX copy protocol (UUCP). Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— Dial-up internet is a form of accessing the internet. It uses a computer’s modem and a home telephone line or landline to connect to the internet at 56 kilobits per second or less, which are painfully slow internet speeds by today’s standards. Access to the web via dial-up internet was accompanied by characteristic beeps and digital screeches. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.

— CompuServe was among the first companies to begin “offering a dial-up online information service to consumers” in 1979. AOL’s dial-up internet service made its debut in 1991, as per a report by Gizmodo.

— However, by 1995, dial-up internet was being left behind in favour of faster cable internet service that relied on existing cable TV infrastructure.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

NVS-03, NVS-04 and NVS-05 are the satellites related to:

(a) Navigation services

(b) Communication services

(c) Weather-related services

(d) Lunar satellites

Explanation

— ISRO will launch three navigation satellites for its Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) by next year, according to a reply in Parliament by the Union MoS for Space Dr Jitendra Singh.

— The first of the three, NVS-03, is scheduled to be launched by year-end. The other two, NVS-04 and NVS-05, will be launched after that “with a gap of six months,” as per data.

— The IRNSS was envisioned as a seven-satellite constellation that could provide navigation services over the Indian landmass and a radius of 1,500km around it.

— So far, 11 satellites have been launched for the IRNSS constellation. Of these, two failed to reach the intended orbit. In what was ISRO’s 100th launch, NVS-02 was sent to space in January this year, but the further orbit raising manoeuvres needed to put the satellite in the proper orbit could not be completed because of a technical glitch.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

The term ‘tripledemic’ refers to the simultaneous circulation of three respiratory viruses. Which of the following respiratory viruses is not included in tripledemic?

(a) COVID-19

(b) Influenza

(c) Respiratory syncytial virus

(d) Respiratory adenoviruses

Explanation

— As the UK prepares for a possible ‘tripledemic‘ this autumn and winter, health experts are concerned about the simultaneous spread of three respiratory viruses. As the cold season approaches and respiratory illnesses become more prevalent, India may experience similar issues.

— According to Dr. Vibhu Kawatra, a pulmonologist, paediatrician, and allergy expert in Delhi, “the term ‘tripledemic’ refers to the simultaneous circulation of three respiratory viruses: COVID-19, influenza (the flu), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)”.

— This circumstance puts pressure on healthcare resources because all three viruses can cause an increase in hospitalisations, particularly among vulnerable populations such as the elderly and those with underlying health issues.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

With reference to the neutron stars, consider the following statements:

1. They are superdense astrophysical objects formed at the end of a massive star’s life in a supernova explosion.

2. They constantly lose energy by emitting gravitational waves until they eventually collide and merge.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Neutron stars are superdense astrophysical objects formed at the end of a massive star’s life in a supernova explosion. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Sometimes, neutron stars orbit each other in binary systems.

— These systems constantly lose energy by emitting gravitational waves until they eventually collide and merge. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Researchers may now examine the physical characteristics of the universe’s most severe states because of these mergers. For instance, heavy metals like gold are formed under the circumstances of these high-energy collisions.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 6

What is the aim of PM-WANI?

(a) To promote exclusive high-speed broadband connections for government offices.

(b) To replace all existing mobile networks with a single government-run network.

(c) To provide free Wi-Fi in public places nationwide.

(d) To provide free rechargeable points for cellphones in public places across the country.

Explanation

— The Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) scheme, launched by the government earlier this year, aims to provide free Wi-Fi in public places nationwide, enabling citizens to access the internet while traveling.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 7

Consider the following:

1. The motion of lift from an airfoil, the air is deflected downward by the airfoil’s action, and in reaction, the wing is pushed upward.

2. The motion of a spinning ball, the air is deflected to one side, and the ball reacts by moving in the opposite direction.

3. The motion of a jet engine produces thrust and hot exhaust gases flow out the back of the engine, and a thrusting force is produced in the opposite direction.

Which of the above mentioned motions are examples of Newton’s Third Law ?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

Newton’s Third Law: Action & Reaction

— Whenever one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object exerts an equal and opposite force on the first.

— All three are examples of action and reaction involving aerodynamics.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(source: www1.grc.nasa.gov)

QUESTION 8

With reference to Artemis Accords, consider the following statements:

1. They provide a common set of principles to enhance the governance of the civil exploration and use of outer space.

2. There are seven nations, along with NASA, in coordination with the U.S. Department of State, that are signatories to this accord.

Which of the statements given above is/are true?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

According to http://www.nasa.gov,

— NASA, in coordination with the U.S. Department of State and seven other initial signatory nations, established the Artemis Accords in 2020. With many countries and private companies conducting missions and operations around the Moon, the Artemis Accords provide a common set of principles to enhance the governance of the civil exploration and use of outer space.

— As per data, there are 56 signatory parties on 24 July, 2025.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 121)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 123)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 122)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 122)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 122)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 122)

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