UPSC CAPF Archives

11. Zero price elasticity of demand means

Zero price elasticity of demand means

whatever the change in price, there is absolutely no change in demand

for a small change in price, there is a small change in demand

for a small change in price, there is a large change in demand

for a large change in price, there is a small change in demand

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2019

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Zero price elasticity of demand means that the quantity demanded of a good or service does not change at all, regardless of the change in its price. This is a case of perfectly inelastic demand.

– Price elasticity of demand (PED) measures the responsiveness of quantity demanded to a change in price.
– PED = (% Change in Quantity Demanded) / (% Change in Price).
– If PED = 0, the numerator (% Change in Quantity Demanded) must be 0, implying no change in quantity demanded.

Demand is considered inelastic if 0 < PED < 1 (quantity demanded changes proportionally less than price). Demand is considered elastic if PED > 1 (quantity demanded changes proportionally more than price). Demand is unit elastic if PED = 1 (quantity demanded changes proportionally the same as price). Perfectly elastic demand (PED = infinity) means consumers will buy an infinite amount at a specific price but nothing if the price increases even slightly.

12. Which one of the following is NOT correct ?

Which one of the following is NOT correct ?

The Average Revenue and Marginal Revenue curves of a perfectly competitive firm are perfectly elastic

The Marginal Revenue curve of the monopoly firm is above its Average Revenue curve

In the long-run, a competitive firm earns only normal profits

In equilibrium, the Marginal Cost Curve of the monopoly firm may be rising, falling or constant

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UPSC CAPF – 2019

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For a monopoly firm, the demand curve it faces is the market demand curve, which is typically downward sloping. The Average Revenue (AR) curve is identical to the demand curve. Because the monopolist must lower the price on all units sold to sell an additional unit, the Marginal Revenue (MR) from selling that extra unit is less than the price (AR). Therefore, the MR curve for a monopolist lies *below* the AR curve, not above it.

– Perfectly competitive firms are price takers; their demand curve is horizontal (perfectly elastic), and AR = MR.
– Monopolists are price makers; their demand curve is downward sloping.
– For a downward-sloping demand curve, MR is always less than AR (for Q > 0) and lies below the AR curve.
– In the long run, perfect competition allows for free entry/exit, leading to normal profits.
– A monopolist maximizes profit where MR=MC, and the MC curve can have various slopes in the relevant range.

Statement A is correct for a perfectly competitive firm’s individual demand curve. Statement C is correct for perfect competition in the long run. Statement D is correct; a monopolist’s MC curve can be rising, falling, or constant where it intersects MR, as long as the second-order condition (MC cuts MR from below or MR is falling faster than MC) for profit maximization is met.

13. According to the Law of Diminishing Returns, in a production function

According to the Law of Diminishing Returns, in a production function when more and more units of the variable factor are used, holding the quantities of a fixed factor constant, a point is reached beyond which

the marginal revenue will diminish

the average revenue will diminish

the marginal product will diminish

the marginal product will increase

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UPSC CAPF – 2019

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The Law of Diminishing Returns (also known as the Law of Variable Proportions) states that when one input into the production process is increased while all other inputs are held constant, the marginal product of the variable input will eventually decrease. This point is reached after the initial stages where marginal product might increase due to specialization.

– The law applies when at least one factor of production is fixed and at least one is variable.
– It focuses on the physical output, specifically the marginal product of the variable factor.
– Marginal product is the extra output produced by adding one more unit of the variable input.

The law of diminishing returns describes a short-run phenomenon where some factors are fixed. It relates to the productivity of the variable input, not directly to revenue concepts like marginal revenue or average revenue, although diminishing marginal product can eventually lead to diminishing returns in terms of revenue depending on the market structure and prices.

14. Pollens are produced in

Pollens are produced in

Corolla

Style

Stigma

Anther

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UPSC CAPF – 2019

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Pollens, which contain the male gametes of flowering plants, are produced within the anthers. The anther is the part of the stamen, the male reproductive organ of a flower.

– The stamen consists of a filament and an anther.
– The anther contains pollen sacs where pollen grains develop.
– Pollen grains are released from the anther for pollination.

The corolla is made up of petals, which are often brightly colored to attract pollinators. The style and stigma are parts of the pistil (or carpel), the female reproductive organ. The stigma is the receptive tip where pollen lands during pollination, and the style is a stalk connecting the stigma to the ovary.

15. In plant cells, the turgidity and rigidity is provided by

In plant cells, the turgidity and rigidity is provided by

ribosomes

mitochondria

golgi apparatus

vacuoles full of cell sap

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UPSC CAPF – 2019

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Turgidity and rigidity in plant cells are primarily provided by the turgor pressure exerted by the vacuole against the cell wall. The large central vacuole in plant cells stores water and cell sap. When the cell absorbs water by osmosis, the vacuole swells, pushing the cytoplasm against the cell wall. The rigid cell wall prevents the cell from bursting, resulting in a firm, turgid state.

– Turgor pressure is the pressure exerted by the cell contents (driven by the vacuole) against the cell wall.
– The cell wall provides structural support and prevents bursting.
– Together, turgor pressure and the cell wall make the plant cell turgid and rigid.

Ribosomes are involved in protein synthesis. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell, producing energy. The Golgi apparatus modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids. None of these organelles directly provide turgidity or rigidity to the plant cell in the same way the vacuole and cell wall do.

16. The increase in length of stems and roots in plants is due to

The increase in length of stems and roots in plants is due to

lateral meristem

intercalary meristem

apical meristem

secondary growth

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UPSC CAPF – 2019

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The increase in length of stems and roots in plants is primarily due to the activity of apical meristems, located at the tips of shoots and roots. This growth is known as primary growth.

– Meristems are regions of actively dividing cells in plants responsible for growth.
– Apical meristems are located at the shoot apex and root apex and are responsible for primary growth (increase in length).
– Lateral meristems (vascular cambium and cork cambium) are responsible for secondary growth (increase in girth or diameter).
– Intercalary meristems are located between mature tissues (e.g., at nodes of grasses) and contribute to elongation in those specific regions.

Primary growth results in the formation of primary tissues (epidermis, ground tissues, primary xylem, and primary phloem). Secondary growth, mediated by lateral meristems, results in the formation of secondary tissues (e.g., wood and bark), leading to an increase in thickness, common in woody plants. While intercalary meristems cause elongation, the overall increase in length of the main axis of stems and roots is driven by apical meristems.

17. Rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) looks rough under the microscope bec

Rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) looks rough under the microscope because of the attachment of which one of following cell organelles to its surface ?

Centrioles

Plastids

Lysosomes

Ribosomes

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2019

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The rough appearance of the Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER) under a microscope is due to the presence of ribosomes attached to its cytoplasmic surface.

– The Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is a network of membranes throughout the cytoplasm.
– There are two types: Rough ER (RER) and Smooth ER (SER).
– Ribosomes are responsible for protein synthesis.
– Ribosomes can be free in the cytoplasm or attached to the ER membrane.
– The attachment of ribosomes gives the RER its characteristic “rough” appearance.

Proteins synthesized on ribosomes attached to the RER are typically destined for secretion, insertion into cell membranes, or delivery to other organelles like lysosomes. The RER is involved in protein folding, modification, and transport. Centrioles are involved in cell division. Plastids (like chloroplasts) are involved in photosynthesis or storage. Lysosomes contain digestive enzymes. None of these attach to the ER to make it appear rough.

18. Which one of the following will happen if the medium surrounding the c

Which one of the following will happen if the medium surrounding the cell has a higher concentration than the cell ?

The cell will gain water

The cell will die

There will be no change

The cell will lose water

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UPSC CAPF – 2019

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If a cell is placed in a medium with a higher solute concentration than its cytoplasm (a hypertonic solution), water will move out of the cell into the surrounding medium by osmosis.

– Osmosis is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration (or from higher water potential to lower water potential).
– A hypertonic solution has a higher solute concentration and thus a lower water potential compared to the cell.
– Water moves from the cell (higher water potential) to the hypertonic medium (lower water potential).

If the surrounding medium had a lower concentration (hypotonic), the cell would gain water. If the concentration were equal (isotonic), there would be no net change in water movement. Losing water in a hypertonic solution can cause the cell to shrink (crenation in animal cells, plasmolysis in plant cells). Extreme water loss can lead to cell death, but the immediate effect described is water loss.

19. Which one of the following statements is correct ?

Which one of the following statements is correct ?

Bacteria contain cytoplasm but viruses do not

Bacteria contain mitochondria but viruses do not

Viruses contain mitochondria but bacteria do not

Viruses have a cell membrane but bacteria do not

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2019

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Bacteria are prokaryotic cells that contain cytoplasm enclosed within a cell membrane and usually a cell wall. Viruses are acellular entities; they consist of genetic material (DNA or RNA) enclosed in a protein coat (capsid) and sometimes an outer envelope, but they do not have cytoplasm or cellular organelles like mitochondria.

– Bacteria are living, single-celled organisms (prokaryotes).
– Viruses are non-living particles that require a host cell to reproduce.
– Prokaryotes (like bacteria) have cytoplasm but lack membrane-bound organelles like mitochondria.
– Viruses lack cellular structure, including cytoplasm, cell membrane, and organelles.

Option B is incorrect because bacteria do not have mitochondria (membrane-bound organelles). Option C is incorrect because neither viruses nor bacteria have mitochondria. Option D is incorrect because bacteria have a cell membrane, while viruses do not have a cell membrane in the cellular sense (though some have an envelope derived from host cell membrane).

20. Which of the following pairs of list and contents is/are correctly mat

Which of the following pairs of list and contents is/are correctly matched ?

1. State list : Public health and sanitation
2. Union list : Citizenship, naturalisation and aliens
3. Concurrent list : Legal, medical and other professions

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1 only

1, 2 and 3

2 and 3 only

3 only

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UPSC CAPF – 2019

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All three pairs listed are correctly matched according to the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, which distributes legislative powers between the Union and States through the Union List, State List, and Concurrent List.

– The Seventh Schedule contains three lists: Union List (subjects on which Parliament can legislate), State List (subjects on which State Legislatures can legislate), and Concurrent List (subjects on which both can legislate).
– Public health and sanitation is explicitly mentioned in the State List.
– Citizenship, naturalisation, and aliens are exclusively under the Union List.
– Legal, medical, and other professions are listed in the Concurrent List, allowing both the Parliament and State Legislatures to legislate on these matters.

Entry 6 of the State List deals with “Public health and sanitation; hospitals and dispensaries.” Entry 17 of the Union List covers “Citizenship, naturalisation and aliens.” Entry 26 of the Concurrent List covers “Legal, medical and other professions.”