UPSC 2002 › Science & Technology

29 questions · 2002 · answers as per the UPSC key

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Topics: Biology (9)Physics (5)Space Technology & Astronomy (5)Chemistry (4)Health & Diseases (3)Biotechnology & Genetics (2)Science & Technology History (1)

A solid cube just gets completely immersed in water when a 0.2 kg mass is placed on it. If the mass is removed, the cube is 2 cm above the water level. What is the length of each side of the cube?

(a) 12 cm
(b) 10 cm
(c) 8 cm
(d) 6 cm
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Answer: (b) 10 cm

With reference to the latest developments in stem-cell research, consider the following statements:

  1. The only source of human stem cells are the embryos at blastocyst stage.
  2. The stem cells can be derived without causing destruction to blastocysts.
  3. The stem cells can regenerate themselves in vitro virtually forever.
  4. Indian research centres also created a few cell lines which can be developed into many types of tissues.

Which of these statements are correct?

(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(b) 1, 2 and 3
(c) 1, 2 and 4
(d) 3 and 4
Show answer
Answer: (d) 3 and 4

In the year 2001, NASA launched a spacecraft to Mars named

(a) Mars Climate Orbiter
(b) Mars Global Surveyor
(c) Mars Odyssey
(d) Mars Polar Lander
Show answer
Answer: (c) Mars Odyssey

Among living organisms,

which one of the following is the most responsible factor for bringing about the origin of a new species?

(a) Isolation
(b) Mutation
(c) Natural Selection
(d) Sexual Reproduction
Show answer
Answer: (a) Isolation

Ticks and mites are actually

(a) Arachnids
(b) Crustaceans
(c) Insects
(d) Myriapods
Show answer
Answer: (a) Arachnids

With reference to the blood in a normal person, which one of the following statements is correct?

(a) Compared to arteries, veins are less numerous and hold less of the body’s blood at any given time
(b) Blood cells constitute about 70 % of the total volume of the blood
(c) White Blood Cells (WBC) are made by lymph nodes only
(d) The blood has more platelets than WBC
Show answer
Answer: (d) The blood has more platelets than WBC

Which one of the following statements is correct?

(a) The boiling point of an aqueous solution is higher than that of pure water
(b) Addition of solutes to a solution causes an increase in its water potential
(c) The vapour pressure of the water in a solution is lower than that of pure water
(d) When a solution is separated from water by a semi permeable membrane, water movement can be prevented by applying pressure to the solution
Show answer
Answer: (b) Addition of solutes to a solution causes an increase in its water potential

Consider the following plants:

  1. Bougainvillea
  2. Carnations
  3. Cocoa
  4. Grapes

Which of these plants are propagated by stem cuttings?

(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer
Answer: (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Consider the following natural phenomena:

  1. Terrestrial heating
  2. Reflection of light
  3. Refraction of light
  4. Diffraction of light Due to which of these phenomena is mirage formed?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 4 only
Show answer
Answer: (c) 1 and 3

In the context of the organic evolution, the loss of limbs of snakes is explained by the phenomenon of

(a) use and disuse of organs
(b) adaptation to living in burrows
(c) natural selection
(d) inheritance of acquired characters
Show answer
Answer: (a) use and disuse of organs

When one gene controls two or more different characters simultaneously, the phenomenon is called

(a) Apomixis
(b) Pleiotropy
(c) Polyploidy
(d) Polyteny
Show answer
Answer: (b) Pleiotropy

With reference to the human body, consider the following statements:

  1. The production of somatotropin goes up when a person exercises.
  2. Men’s testes produce progesterone.
  3. Women’s adrenal glands secrete testosterone.
  4. Stress causes the adrenals to release very little cortisol compared to usual.

Which of these statements are correct?

(a) 2 4 3 1
(b) 1 3 4 2
(c) 2 3 4 1
(d) 1 4 3 2
Show answer
Answer: (d) 1 4 3 2

Consider the following statements:

  1. Light of longer wavelength is scattered much more than light of shorter wavelength.
  2. The speed of visible light in water is 0.95 times its speed in vacuum.
  3. Radio waves are produced by rapidly oscillating electrical currents.
  4. To detect over-speeding vehicles, police use the Doppler effect of reflected short radio waves.

Which of these statements are correct?

(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 4
(d) 3 and 4
Show answer
Answer: (d) 3 and 4

The world's highest ground-based telescopic observatory is located in

(a) Colombia
(b) India
(c) Nepal
(d) Switzerland
Show answer
Answer: (b) India

In a bisexual flower, if androecium and gynaecium mature at different times, the phenomenon is known as

(a) Dichogamy
(b) Herkogamy
(c) Heterogamy
(d) Monogamy
Show answer
Answer: (a) Dichogamy

Match List I (Oxidation number) with List II (The element) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:

  1. Oxidation number of Mn in MnO₂ B. 3 —
  2. Oxidation number of S in H₂S₂O₇ C. 4 —
  3. Oxidation number of Ca in CaO₂ D. 6 —
  4. Oxidation number of Al in NaAlH₄

List I (Oxidation number) — List II (The element) A. 2 —

(a) A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
(b) A-4, B-3, C-1, D-2
(c) A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1
(d) A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1
Show answer
Answer: (a) A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2

Foot-and-mouth disease in animals, a current epidemic in some parts of the world, is caused by

(a) Bacterium
(b) Fungus
(c) Protozoan
(d) Virus
Show answer
Answer: (d) Virus

A hollow sphere of radius R, a hollow cube of side R and a thin circular plate of radius R, made up of the same material, are all heated to 20 °C above room temperature. When left to cool in the room, which of them will reach the room temperature first?

(a) Circular plate
(b) Cube
(c) Sphere
(d) All of them will reach the room temperature at the same time
Show answer
Answer: (c) Sphere

Which one of the following statements is correct?

(a) All echinoderms are viviparous
(b) Round worm has no circulatory system
(c) In bony fishes, swim bladder is usually present
(d) In cartilaginous fishes, fertilisation is internal
Show answer
Answer: (a) All echinoderms are viviparous

Assume that the moon takes exactly 30 days to complete the cycle and also assume that it rises in the East exactly at 6.48 p.m. on the first day. On the fourth day, at what time will it rise?

(a) 8.24 p.m.
(b) 9.12 p.m.
(c) 10.00 p.m.
(d) 11.48 p.m.
Show answer
Answer: (b) 9.12 p.m.

Match List I (Scientists) with List II (Achievement) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:

  1. Developed transgenic plants with Agrobacterium T-DNA
  2. Discovered endonucleases
  3. Discovered reverse transcriptase
  4. Discovered polymerase chain reaction

List I (Scientists) A. Arber and Smith B. Feldman C. Mullis D. Temin and Baltimore

List II (Achievement)

(a) 2 1 4 3
(b) 1 2 4 3
(c) 2 1 3 4
(d) 1 2 3 4
Show answer
Answer: (a) 2 1 4 3

Which one of the following statements is correct?

(a) Prions are the smallest free-living cells
(b) The cell wall of Mycoplasmas is made up of amino sugars
(c) Viroids consist of a single-stranded RNA molecule
(d) Rickettsia’s lack cell wall
Show answer
Answer: (c) Viroids consist of a single-stranded RNA molecule

With reference to Indian satellites and their launchers, consider the following statements:

  1. All the INSAT-series of satellites were launched abroad
  2. PSLVs were used to launch IRS-series of satellites
  3. India used the indigenously built cryogenic engines for the first time for powering the third stage of GSLV
  4. GSAT, launched in the year 2001, has payloads to demonstrate digital broadcasts and internet services

Which of these statements are correct?

(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 4
(d) 1 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (c) 1, 2 and 4

Assertion (A): Drinking of whisky increases the frequency of urination.

Reason (R): Alcohol intake speeds up the secretion of vasopressin in the body.

(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually 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

Assertion (A): With the increase of temperature, the viscosity of glycerine increases.

Reason (R): Rise of temperature increases kinetic energy of molecules.

(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually 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: (d) A is false but R is true

Assertion (A): Synthetic detergents can lather well in hard water.

Reason (R): Synthetic detergents form soluble calcium and magnesium salts with hard water.

(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually 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 individually true and R is the correct explanation of A

Assertion (A): Artificial satellites are always launched from the earth in the eastward direction.

Reason (R): The earth rotates from west to east and so the satellite attains the escape velocity.

(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually 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

Assertion (A): Human diet should compulsorily contain Glycerine, Serine and Tyrosine.

Reason (R): Essential amino acids cannot be synthesised in the human body.

(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually 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: (d) A is false but R is true

Assertion (A): An iron ball floats on mercury but gets immersed in water.

Reason (R): The specific gravity of iron is more than that of mercury.

(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually 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