UPSC 1999 › Science & Technology

26 questions · 1999 · answers as per the UPSC key

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Topics: Physics (7)Health & Diseases (5)Biology (4)Biotechnology & Genetics (4)Materials & Engineering (2)Chemistry (1)Computer & Information Technology (1)Energy & Environment (1)Infrastructure & Industry (1)

Assertion (A): Information technology is fast becoming a very important field of activity in India.

Reason (R): Software is one of the major exports of the country and India has a very strong base in hardware.

(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
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Answer: (c) A is true, but R is false

In eye donation,

which one of the following parts of donor’s eye is utilised?

(a) Iris
(b) Lens
(c) Cornea
(d) Retina
Show answer
Answer: (c) Cornea

Consider the following

statement: An ordinary light bulb has a rather short life because the I. Filament wire is not uniform. II. Bulb cannot be evacuated completely. III. Wires supporting the filament melt at high temperatures.

Which of the above statements are correct?

(a) I and III
(b) II and III
(c) I and II
(d) I, II and III
Show answer
Answer: (b) II and III

Match the hormones in List I with items in List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:

List I I. Adrenaline II. Estrogen III. Insulin IV. Pheromones

List II A) Anger, fear, danger B) Attracting partners through sense of smell C) Females D) Glucose

Codes:

(a) I-C, II-A, III-D, IV-B
(b) I-A, II-C, III-B, IV-D
(c) I-A, II-C, III-D, IV-B
(d) I-C, II-A, III-B, IV-D
Show answer
Answer: (c) I-A, II-C, III-D, IV-B

Neem tree has acquired industrial importance as a source of

(a) biopesticide and anti-fertility compound
(b) anti-fertility compound, biofertilizer and anti-cancer drug
(c) biofertilizer, biopesticide and anti-fertility compound
(d) anti-cancer drug, biopesticide and biofertilizer
Show answer
Answer: (a) biopesticide and anti-fertility compound

Match List I (Drugs / Chemicals) with List II (Their uses) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:

List I I. Atropine II. Ether III. Nitro-glycerine IV. Pyrethrin

List II A) Local anaesthesia B) Heart trouble C) Dilation of pupil D) Mosquito control

Codes:

(a) I-A, II-C, III-B, IV-D
(b) I-A, II-C, III-D, IV-B
(c) I-C, II-A, III-D, IV-B
(d) I-C, II-A, III-B, IV-D
Show answer
Answer: (d) I-C, II-A, III-B, IV-D

Match List I (Naturally occurring substances) with List II (Elements) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:

List I I. Diamond II. Marble III. Sand IV. Ruby

List II A) Calcium B) Silicon C) Aluminium D) Carbon

Codes:

(a) I-C, II-A, III-B, IV-D
(b) I-D, II-B, III-A, IV-C
(c) I-B, II-A, III-C, IV-D
(d) I-D, II-A, III-B, IV-C
Show answer
Answer: (d) I-D, II-A, III-B, IV-C

Indian farmers are unhappy over the introduction of “Terminator Seed Technology” because the seeds produced by this technology are expected to

(a) show poor germination
(b) form low yielding plants despite the high quality
(c) give rise to sexually sterile plants
(d) give rise to plants incapable of forming viable seeds
Show answer
Answer: (d) give rise to plants incapable of forming viable seeds

Consider the following statements regarding a motor car battery: I. The voltage is usually 12 V. II. Electrolyte used is hydrochloric acid. III. Electrodes are lead and copper. IV. Capacity is expressed in ampere-hour.

Which of the above statements are correct?

(a) I and II
(b) II and III
(c) III and IV
(d) I and IV
Show answer
Answer: (d) I and IV

Match List I (Quantity) with List II (Units) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:

List I I. High speed II. Wavelength III. Pressure IV. Energy

List II A) Mach B) Angstrom C) Pascal D) Joule

Codes:

(a) I-B, II-A, III-C, IV-D
(b) I-A, II-B, III-D, IV-C
(c) I-A, II-B, III-C, IV-D
(d) I-B, II-A, III-D, IV-C
Show answer
Answer: (c) I-A, II-B, III-C, IV-D

Which one of the following genetic diseases is sex-linked?

(a) Royal haemophilia
(b) Tay Sachs disease
(c) Cystic fibrosis
(d) Hypertension
Show answer
Answer: (a) Royal haemophilia

For which one of the following is capillarity not the only reason?

(a) Blotting of ink
(b) Rising of underground water
(c) Spread of water drop on a cotton cloth
(d) Rising of water from the roots of a plant to its foliage
Show answer
Answer: (b) Rising of underground water

Consider the following statements: I. If a person looks at a coin which is in a bucket of water, the coin will appear to be closer than it really is. II. If a person under water looks at a coin above the water surface, the coin will appear to be at a higher level than it really is.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) I and II
(b) I alone
(c) II alone
(d) Neither I nor II
Show answer
Answer: (a) I and II

Lathyrism is caused by excessive consumption of

(a) Kesari dal
(b) Mustard oil
(c) Polished rice
(d) Mushrooms
Show answer
Answer: (a) Kesari dal

Barium in a suitable form is administered to patients before an X-ray examination of the stomach, because

(a) barium allows X-rays to pass through the stomach on account of its transparency to X-rays
(b) barium compound, like magnesium sulphate helps in cleaning the stomach before X-ray examination
(c) barium is a good absorber of X-rays and this helps the stomach to appear clearly in contrast with the other regions in the picture
(d) barium salts are white in colour and this helps the stomach to appear clearly in contrast with other regions in the picture
Show answer
Answer: (c) barium is a good absorber of X-rays and this helps the stomach to appear clearly in contrast with the other regions in the picture

Endoscopy, a technique used to explore the stomach or other inner parts of the body is based on the phenomenon of

(a) total internal reflection
(b) interference
(c) diffraction
(d) polarisation
Show answer
Answer: (a) total internal reflection

Strips of two metals A and B are firmly joined together as shown in the figure. On heating, A expands more than B does. If this joined strip is heated, then it will appear as:

(a) As shown in figure (a)
(b) As shown in figure (b)
(c) As shown in figure (c)
(d) As shown in figure (d)
Show answer
Answer: (b) As shown in figure (b)
This question uses a table or figure from the original paper that is not reproduced here.

When ants bite, they inject

(a) glacial acetic acid
(b) methanol
(c) formic acid
(d) stearic acid
Show answer
Answer: (c) formic acid

Cobalt-60 is commonly used in radiation therapy because it emits

(a) alpha rays
(b) beta rays
(c) gamma rays
(d) X-rays
Show answer
Answer: (c) gamma rays

Low temperatures (Cryogenics) find application in

(a) space travel, surgery and magnetic levitation
(b) surgery, magnetic levitation and telemetry
(c) space travel, surgery and telemetry
(d) space travel, magnetic levitation and telemetry
Show answer
Answer: (a) space travel, surgery and magnetic levitation

Consider the following statements:

I. Glass can be etched or scratched by diamond. II. Glass can be etched or scratched by hydrofluoric acid. III. Glass can be etched or scratched by aqua regia. IV. Glass can be etched or scratched by concentrated sulphuric acid.

Which of these statements are correct?

(a) I and IV
(b) II and III
(c) I and II
(d) II and IV
Show answer
Answer: (c) I and II

Assertion (A): To dilute sulphuric acid, acid is added to water and not water to acid.

Reason (R): Specific heat of water is quite large.

(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Show answer
Answer: (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Assertion (A): Insect-resistant transgenic cotton has been produced by inserting Bt gene.

Reason (R): The Bt gene is derived from a bacterium.

(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Show answer
Answer: (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Assertion (A): Dolly was the first cloned mammal.

Reason (R): Dolly was produced by in-vitro fertilization.

(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Show answer
Answer: (c) A is true, but R is false

In a business concern, there are four functions, namely, Production (PR), Finance (FN), Personnel (PS) and Marketing (MK). The Customer (C) may also play a role in the prosperity of the concern. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:

List I – Pie Diagram I. II. III. IV.

List II – Statement A) Customer is the controlling factor B) Marketing is an integrating factor while customer is the controlling factor C) Marketing is the controlling factor D) Marketing is more important than others E) Marketing is as equal a function as the others

Codes: a) I-D, II-C, III-A, IV-B b) I-E, II-D, III-A, IV-B c) I-D, II-C, III-B, IV-E d) I-E, II-D, III-B, IV-A

(a) I-D, II-C, III-A, IV-B
(b) I-E, II-D, III-A, IV-B
(c) I-D, II-C, III-B, IV-E
(d) I-E, II-D, III-B, IV-A
Show answer
Answer: (c) I-D, II-C, III-B, IV-E
This question uses a table or figure from the original paper that is not reproduced here.

A hunter aims his gun at a point between the eyebrows of a monkey sitting on a branch of a tree. Just as he fires, the monkey jumps down. The bullet will

(a) hit the monkey at the point aimed
(b) hit the monkey below the point aimed
(c) hit the monkey above the point aimed
(d) miss the monkey altogether
Show answer
Answer: (a) hit the monkey at the point aimed