UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Science and Technology MCQs on lunar eclipse, Project Kuiper and more (Week 126)

QUESTION 1

With reference to the lunar eclipse, consider the following statements:

1. During a lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow obscures the Moon.

2. Compton scattering is the phenomenon that explains the crimson glow of the Moon during an eclipse.

3. Lunar eclipses happen only at the new moon phase.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— September is all set to offer some dazzling celestial events for skywatchers. The month is expected to feature a total lunar eclipse on September 7-8.

— There are two types of eclipses: lunar and solar. During a lunar eclipse, Earth’s shadow obscures the Moon. During a solar eclipse, the Moon blocks the Sun from view. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Lunar eclipses occur at the full moon phase. When Earth is positioned precisely between the Moon and the Sun. Solar eclipses occur only at the new moon phase, when the Moon is positioned between Earth and the Sun. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Types of Lunar Eclipses

— Total lunar eclipses: The Moon moves into the inner part of Earth’s shadow, or the umbra. Some of the sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere reaches the Moon’s surface, lighting it dimly. Colors with shorter wavelengths ― the blues and violets ― scatter more easily than colors with longer wavelengths, like red and orange.

— Partial lunar eclipse: An imperfect alignment of Sun, Earth and Moon results in the Moon passing through only part of Earth’s umbra. The shadow grows and then recedes without ever entirely covering the Moon.

— Penumbral eclipse: The Moon travels through Earth’s penumbra, or the faint outer part of its shadow. The Moon dims so slightly that it can be difficult to notice.

— Rayleigh scattering is the phenomenon that explains the crimson glow of the Moon during an eclipse. As sunlight travels through the Earth’s atmosphere, particles scatter the shorter wavelengths of light in different directions, causing the red and orange tones to bend around the planet and fall on the Moon, giving it the renowned blood moon appearance. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: science.nasa.gov)

QUESTION 2

With reference to the earthquakes, consider the following statements:

1. Shallow quakes are generally less dangerous as they carry less energy when they emerge to the surface.

2. Deeper quakes spread farther as seismic waves move radially upwards to the surface.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— An earthquake occurs when the plate has moved far enough and its edges unstick on one of the faults. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) says that “the location below the Earth’s surface where the earthquake starts is called the hypocenter, and the location directly above it on the surface of the Earth is called the epicentre”.

— Shallow quakes are generally more dangerous as they carry more energy when they emerge to the surface, when compared to quakes that occur deeper underneath the surface. While deeper quakes do indeed spread farther as seismic waves move radially upwards to the surface, they lose energy while travelling greater distances. Shallow earthquakes generally have a depth of between zero and 70 km. Hence, statement 1 is not correct and statement 2 is correct

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

Consider the following statements about the Bombay Blood Group:

1. It is known as the ‘hh’ or ‘Oh’ blood group.

2. It has an abundant H antigen.

3. It can easily form A or B antigens for the ABO blood group system.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— The Bombay Blood Group (BBG) is an uncommon blood type found in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, in 1952.

— It is also known as the ‘hh’ or ‘Oh’ blood group; it lacks the H antigen, which is the precursor to the A and B antigens found in the more prevalent ABO blood group system. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct.

— As a result, regardless of genetic makeup, individuals cannot produce A or B antigens for the ABO blood group system. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— BBG patients create anti-H antibodies, which react against red blood cells containing the H antigen, making transfusions difficult. They can only get blood from other BBG patients because transfusions from other groups, particularly O, might induce severe reactions.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Consider the following statements about Project Kuiper:

1. It is an initiative jointly undertaken by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the European Space Agency.

2. Project Kuiper aims to explore the Kuiper Belt and study trans-Neptunian objects.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Amazon is to launch the first 27 satellites for its Project Kuiper internet network next week, marking a long-awaited start to the company’s plan to create a huge constellation to challenge Elon Musk’s Starlink system. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— Project Kuiper is an effort that aims to improve worldwide broadband access by deploying a constellation of over 3,000 low-Earth orbit satellites. Its objective is to provide fast, cheap broadband to unserved and underserved regions all around the world. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

“WISPIT 2b” was recently in the news. It is:

(a) Asteroid

(b) Comet

(c) A crater on the Moon

(d) Newly forming planet

Explanation

— Astronomers have captured an extraordinary image of a young planet forming around a star about 430 light-years from Earth. The planet, named WISPIT 2b, is a gas giant roughly the size of Jupiter and just 5 million years old—a cosmic newborn compared to our 4.6-billion-year-old solar system.

— The planet is actively accreting material while carving a channel through the protoplanetary disc of gas and dust surrounding its host star, WISPIT 2. This marks the first confirmed discovery of a planet within a multi-ringed protoplanetary disc, complete with several gaps and channels.

— WISPIT 2b is also only the second young planet confirmed to orbit a star similar to a young Sun. It was observed using the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile’s Atacama Desert. The system’s protoplanetary disc spans a vast region—about 380 times the Earth-Sun distance—making it a unique laboratory for studying how planets and discs evolve.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 124)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 126)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 125)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 125)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 125)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 125)

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