UPSC CDS-1

31. Which one of the following islands is of volcanic origin ?

Which one of the following islands is of volcanic origin ?

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Reunion island
Andaman & Nicobar islands
Lakshadweep islands
Maldives
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Reunion island is of volcanic origin.
– Reunion Island is an active volcanic island located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. It was formed by a volcanic hotspot.
– The Andaman & Nicobar Islands are primarily island arcs formed by the collision of the Indian and Burmese tectonic plates (part of the Sunda Arc). While volcanic activity exists in the region (e.g., Barren Island, Narcondam Island), the archipelago as a whole is not solely of volcanic origin in the same way as a hotspot island like Reunion.
– Lakshadweep Islands and Maldives are coral atolls, formed on submerged volcanic foundations but the visible landmass is due to coral growth.
Mount Piton de la Fournaise on Reunion Island is one of the world’s most active volcanoes.

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32. Which of the following statements is / are correct ? 1. The earth is

Which of the following statements is / are correct ?

  • 1. The earth is nearest to the Sun at Perihelion, which generally occurs on January 3
  • 2. The earth is farthest away from the Sun at Perihelion, which generally occurs on July 4
  • 3. The earth is farthest away from the Sun at Aphelion, which generally occurs on July 4
  • 4. The earth is nearest to the Sun at Aphelion, which generally occurs on January 3

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1 only
2 and 4
1 and 3
1 and 2
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Statements 1 and 3 are correct.
– Perihelion is the point in the Earth’s orbit where it is nearest to the Sun. This generally occurs around January 3rd each year.
– Aphelion is the point in the Earth’s orbit where it is farthest from the Sun. This generally occurs around July 4th each year.
– The slight eccentricity of the Earth’s orbit causes this variation in distance, although it is not the primary reason for the seasons (axial tilt is).
Statement 2 is incorrect because Perihelion is when the Earth is nearest, not farthest. Statement 4 is incorrect because Aphelion is when the Earth is farthest, not nearest.

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33. The Mahatma Gandhi National Marine Park is located in :

The Mahatma Gandhi National Marine Park is located in :

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Pirotan Island
Rameswaram
Ganga Sagar Island
Port Blair
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The Mahatma Gandhi National Marine Park is located in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
– The park is also known as Wandoor National Park.
– It comprises 17 islands and the open sea surrounding them.
– It was created to protect marine life, including corals and nesting sea turtles.
Pirotan Island is part of the Marine National Park in the Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat. Rameswaram is an island town in Tamil Nadu. Ganga Sagar Island (Sagardwip) is in West Bengal, in the Ganges Delta.

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34. Consider the following statements : Most of the coal and the ferrous

Consider the following statements :

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  • Most of the coal and the ferrous group of minerals in India occur in the south of the Vindhyas.
  • The peninsular India once formed part of the super-continent which included Australia, Antarctica, Africa and South America.

Which of the statements given above is / are correct ?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
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Statement 1: India’s major coal reserves belong to the Gondwana system, found in river valleys like Damodar, Mahanadi, Godavari, and Son. These areas, including Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana, are largely located in the peninsular region, which is south of the Vindhya range. Similarly, the rich ferrous mineral deposits (iron ore, manganese) are concentrated in the peninsular plateau region, covering states like Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, and Goa, all located south of the Vindhyas. Therefore, most of the coal and ferrous group of minerals in India occur south of the Vindhyas. This statement is correct.
Statement 2: According to the theory of Plate Tectonics and the concept of Gondwanaland, the supercontinent that existed millions of years ago consisted of the landmasses that are now South America, Africa, Madagascar, Arabia, India, Antarctica, and Australia. The peninsular part of India was indeed a part of this supercontinent before it broke up and the Indian plate moved northwards. This statement is correct.
Since both statements are correct, the answer is C.
India’s major mineral belts (coal, ferrous minerals) are primarily located in the ancient peninsular block, which was historically part of the Gondwanaland supercontinent.
The Gondwana rocks, rich in coal, are found predominantly in the fault-bounded basins of the peninsula. The iron ore belts are also located in the highly stable and ancient shield areas of the Indian peninsula. The theory of continental drift and plate tectonics explains the past configuration of the Earth’s continents, including the formation and breakup of supercontinents like Gondwanaland and Pangaea.

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35. Vitamin B₁₂ deficiency causes pernicious anemia. Animals cannot synthe

Vitamin B₁₂ deficiency causes pernicious anemia. Animals cannot synthesize vitamin B₁₂. Humans must obtain all their vitamin B₁₂ from their diet. The complexing metal ion in vitamin B₁₂ is :

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Mg²⁺ (Magnesium ion)
Fe²⁺ (Iron ion)
Co³⁺ (Cobalt ion)
Zn²⁺ (Zinc ion)
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Vitamin B₁₂ is also known as cobalamin. Its name is derived from the fact that its structure contains a central cobalt atom coordinated within a corrin ring system. The complexing metal ion in vitamin B₁₂ is Cobalt, typically in the Co³⁺ oxidation state.
Vitamin B₁₂ is named cobalamin because it contains a cobalt ion.
Magnesium (Mg²⁺) is found in chlorophyll. Iron (Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺) is found in hemoglobin and myoglobin. Zinc (Zn²⁺) is a cofactor in many enzymes.

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36. Which one of the following vitamins has a role in blood clotting ?

Which one of the following vitamins has a role in blood clotting ?

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Vitamin A
Vitamin B
Vitamin D
Vitamin K
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Vitamin K plays a crucial role in blood clotting (coagulation). It is essential for the synthesis of several clotting factors (proteins) in the liver, including factor II (prothrombin), VII, IX, and X, as well as protein C and protein S. These factors are involved in the cascade of reactions that lead to the formation of a blood clot.
Vitamin K is necessary for the synthesis of proteins involved in the blood clotting process.
Vitamin A is important for vision, immune function, and cell growth. Vitamin B vitamins (a group) are involved in various metabolic processes, energy production, and nerve function. Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption, bone health, and immune function.

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37. Which one of the following statements is not correct?

Which one of the following statements is not correct?

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Sound waves in gases are longitudinal in nature
Sound waves having frequency below 20 Hz are known as ultrasonic waves
Sound waves having higher amplitudes are louder
Sound waves with high audible frequencies are sharp
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Let’s evaluate each statement:
A) Sound waves in gases are longitudinal in nature: Correct. Sound waves in fluids (gases and liquids) are longitudinal, meaning the particles of the medium vibrate parallel to the direction of wave propagation.
B) Sound waves having frequency below 20 Hz are known as ultrasonic waves: Incorrect. Frequencies below the normal human hearing range (approximately 20 Hz) are called infrasonic waves. Ultrasonic waves are sound waves with frequencies above the normal human hearing range (approximately 20 kHz).
C) Sound waves having higher amplitudes are louder: Correct. The amplitude of a sound wave is related to its intensity, and intensity is perceived as loudness. A higher amplitude corresponds to higher intensity and thus a louder sound.
D) Sound waves with high audible frequencies are sharp: Correct. Frequency corresponds to pitch. Higher frequency means higher pitch, and sounds with high pitch are often described as sharp or shrill.
The statement that is NOT correct is B.
Sound frequencies below the audible range (20 Hz) are infrasonic, and frequencies above the audible range (20 kHz) are ultrasonic.
The audible range for humans is typically considered to be from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, although this range can vary individually and decreases with age.

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38. Which one of the following statements is correct ? The velocity of sou

Which one of the following statements is correct ? The velocity of sound :

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does not depend upon the nature of media
is maximum in gases and minimum in liquids
is maximum in solids and minimum in liquids
is maximum in solids and minimum in gases
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The velocity of sound depends on the properties of the medium through which it travels, particularly its elasticity and density. Sound travels fastest in solids because the particles are closely packed and interactions are strong, allowing vibrations to propagate quickly. It travels slower in liquids and slowest in gases, where particles are farther apart and interactions are weaker. Thus, the velocity of sound is maximum in solids and minimum in gases.
Sound travels fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases.
Factors like temperature also affect the speed of sound within a given medium. For example, the speed of sound in air increases with temperature. However, the general ranking of speeds in solids, liquids, and gases holds true under typical conditions.

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39. Genetically modified (GM) crops contain modified genetic material due

Genetically modified (GM) crops contain modified genetic material due to :

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  • introduction of new DNA
  • removal of existing DNA
  • introduction of RNA
  • introduction of new traits

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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1 and 2 only
1, 2 and 3
3 and 4
1, 2 and 4
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Genetically modified (GM) crops are created by altering the genetic material (DNA) of a plant. This modification is achieved through various techniques, most commonly by introducing new DNA sequences (transgenes) that confer desired traits (e.g., insect resistance, herbicide tolerance). Modification can also involve altering or removing existing DNA sequences using gene editing tools. Therefore, the introduction of new DNA and the removal of existing DNA are direct causes of modified genetic material in GM crops. Introduction of RNA (statement 3) is not the primary method for creating stable genetic modification in the genome, although RNA interference techniques derived from GM methods can use RNA to regulate gene expression. Introduction of new traits (statement 4) is the intended outcome or result of the genetic modification, not the cause of the modification itself. Hence, the modification is primarily due to the introduction of new DNA and/or removal/alteration of existing DNA.
Genetic modification involves making changes to the organism’s DNA, which can include adding new DNA or altering/removing existing DNA.
Other genetic modification techniques include targeted mutagenesis, gene editing (like CRISPR-Cas9), and cisgenesis (introduction of genes from the same species). The core principle remains the alteration of the organism’s genetic material (DNA).

40. In artificial insemination (AI) process, which of the following is / a

In artificial insemination (AI) process, which of the following is / are introduced into the uterus of the female ?

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Egg only
Fertilized egg
Sperm only
Egg and sperm
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Artificial insemination (AI) is a fertility treatment that involves placing sperm directly into a woman’s uterus (intrauterine insemination, IUI), fallopian tube, or cervix, with the goal of achieving a pregnancy. This procedure bypasses the need for sperm to travel from the vagina through the cervix into the uterus. Only sperm are introduced in artificial insemination. Fertilization (union of egg and sperm) occurs naturally within the female reproductive tract after the sperm introduction.
Artificial insemination specifically involves the introduction of sperm into the female reproductive tract.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a different process where eggs are retrieved from the woman, fertilized with sperm in a laboratory dish, and the resulting embryo(s) are then transferred into the uterus. Options A, B, and D describe parts of natural conception or IVF procedures, but not typical artificial insemination.

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