UPSC Geoscientist Archives

1. Which of the following features are found in cells of meristematic tis

Which of the following features are found in cells of meristematic tissues in plants?

Cells active with thick cellulose walls

Cells active with little cytoplasm and thin cellulose walls

Cells active with dense cytoplasm, thick cellulose walls, and no nuclei

Cell active with dense cytoplasm, thin cellulose walls and prominent nuclei

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Option D correctly describes the features of cells found in meristematic tissues.

Meristematic tissue consists of actively dividing cells responsible for growth in plants. These cells are characterized by dense cytoplasm, thin cellulose cell walls, and prominent nuclei, which are features necessary for high metabolic activity and rapid cell division.

Meristematic tissues are typically located at growing points, such as the tips of roots and shoots (apical meristems), or in layers responsible for increasing diameter (lateral meristems like cambium). The thin cell walls allow for easy expansion during growth, and the dense cytoplasm and prominent nucleus indicate a cell that is metabolically active and preparing for or undergoing division. Vacuoles are typically small or absent in meristematic cells.

2. Plastids, in which materials such as starch, oils and protein granules

Plastids, in which materials such as starch, oils and protein granules are stored, are called:

Leucoplasts

Chromoplasts

Chloroplasts

Chromatophores

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Plastids in which materials such as starch, oils, and protein granules are stored are called Leucoplasts.

Plastids are a type of organelle found in plant cells and some eukaryotic algae. They are broadly classified based on the pigments they contain. Leucoplasts are non-pigmented plastids primarily involved in the storage of food substances like starch (amyloplasts), lipids/oils (elaioplasts), and proteins (aleuroplasts).

Chromoplasts contain coloured pigments (like carotenoids) giving colour to flowers and fruits. Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll and are responsible for photosynthesis. Chromatophores are pigment-bearing cells (not necessarily organelles like plastids) found in animals and some plants for purposes like camouflage.

3. Which one of the following correctly represents RER?

Which one of the following correctly represents RER?

Endoplasmic reticulum having no ribosomes attached to its surface

Endoplasmic reticulum having ribosomes attached to its surface

Endoplasmic reticulum with rounded vesicles

Endoplasmic reticulum with Golgi appears on its surface

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RER stands for Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum, which is characterized by having ribosomes attached to its surface.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a network of membranes throughout the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. It exists in two forms: rough ER (RER) and smooth ER (SER). The presence of ribosomes on the outer surface of the membrane distinguishes RER from SER. These ribosomes are involved in the synthesis of proteins, particularly those destined for secretion or insertion into membranes.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER) lacks ribosomes and is involved in lipid synthesis, detoxification, and calcium storage. Vesicles are often formed from the ER, but are not the defining characteristic of RER. The Golgi apparatus is a separate organelle involved in further processing and packaging of proteins and lipids synthesized in the ER.

4. When 10 g of calcium carbonate is decomposed completely, then 5.6 g of

When 10 g of calcium carbonate is decomposed completely, then 5.6 g of calcium oxide is formed along with the generation of carbon dioxide. Mass of the carbon dioxide formed is:

4.4 g

5.6 g

4.6 g

4.8 g

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The mass of the carbon dioxide formed is 4.4 g.

According to the Law of Conservation of Mass, the total mass of the reactants in a chemical reaction is equal to the total mass of the products. In this decomposition reaction, Calcium Carbonate (CaCO₃) decomposes into Calcium Oxide (CaO) and Carbon Dioxide (CO₂).

Given: Mass of reactant (CaCO₃) = 10 g. Mass of one product (CaO) = 5.6 g. Let the mass of the other product (CO₂) be ‘m’. Applying the Law of Conservation of Mass: Mass of CaCO₃ = Mass of CaO + Mass of CO₂. 10 g = 5.6 g + m. m = 10 g – 5.6 g = 4.4 g.

5. Name the scientist who was NOT associated with the work of periodic cl

Name the scientist who was NOT associated with the work of periodic classification of elements?

Dmitri Mendeleev

Robert Bunsen

Johann Wolfgang Dobereiner

John Newlands

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Robert Bunsen was NOT primarily associated with the work of periodic classification of elements.

Dmitri Mendeleev is credited with developing the modern periodic table. Johann Wolfgang Dobereiner proposed the Law of Triads, an early attempt at classification. John Newlands proposed the Law of Octaves, another early attempt. Robert Bunsen was a chemist famous for inventing the Bunsen burner and his work in spectroscopy, which led to the discovery of elements like Cesium and Rubidium, but his main contribution was not to the theory or system of periodic classification itself.

While Bunsen’s work in spectroscopy was crucial for identifying new elements that fit into the periodic table, his focus was on analytical chemistry and identification rather than the systematic arrangement of elements based on their properties.

6. The dye in black ink can be separated by the method of:

The dye in black ink can be separated by the method of:

evaporation

fractional distillation

dialysis

chromatography

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The dye in black ink can be separated by the method of chromatography.

Black ink is typically a mixture of several different coloured dyes. Chromatography is a technique used to separate components of a mixture based on their differential partitioning between a stationary phase and a mobile phase. Different dyes in the ink travel at different rates through the stationary phase (like paper), causing them to separate.

Evaporation is used to separate a soluble solid from a liquid. Fractional distillation separates liquids with different boiling points. Dialysis separates particles based on size using a semipermeable membrane. Chromatography is the standard method for separating different coloured dyes in ink.

7. Which one of the following is NOT an example of colloids?

Which one of the following is NOT an example of colloids?

Milk

Jelly

Tincture of iodine

Fog

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Tincture of iodine is NOT an example of a colloid; it is a true solution.

A colloid is a heterogeneous mixture where the solute particles are dispersed uniformly throughout the solvent. The particle size in colloids is typically between 1 nm and 1000 nm. True solutions have particle sizes smaller than 1 nm.

Milk is an emulsion (liquid dispersed in liquid). Jelly is a gel (solid dispersed in liquid). Fog is an aerosol (liquid dispersed in gas). All of these are types of colloids. Tincture of iodine is a solution of iodine in alcohol, where iodine dissolves completely forming a homogeneous mixture at the molecular level.

8. The scattering of a beam of light by colloidal particles is termed as:

The scattering of a beam of light by colloidal particles is termed as:

Thomson effect

Raman effect

Tyndall effect

Compton effect

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The scattering of a beam of light by colloidal particles is termed as the Tyndall effect.

The Tyndall effect is the scattering of light as a light beam passes through a colloid. The individual suspension particles scatter and reflect light, making the beam visible. This effect is exhibited by colloids and fine suspensions, but not by true solutions.

The Thomson effect and Compton effect relate to the interaction of radiation (light or X-rays) with electrons and charged particles, respectively, but not specifically the scattering by colloidal particles. The Raman effect involves inelastic scattering of light by molecules, resulting in a change in frequency.

9. Number of states of matter known so far is:

Number of states of matter known so far is:

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The number of states of matter commonly known and taught in a general science context is considered to be 5.

The three classical states of matter are Solid, Liquid, and Gas. Beyond these, Plasma is widely recognized as a fourth state, and the Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) is considered a fifth state.

Plasma is an ionized gas existing at high temperatures. BEC is formed at temperatures near absolute zero. Other states of matter exist under extreme conditions (e.g., neutron-degenerate matter), but 5 is the most common answer when these options are presented.

10. Which one of the following statements is correct about camphor and amm

Which one of the following statements is correct about camphor and ammonium chloride?

Both of them are inorganic compounds

Both of them are organic compounds

Both of them undergo sublimation

Camphor is an element but ammonium chloride is a compound

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Both camphor and ammonium chloride undergo sublimation.

Sublimation is the process where a substance transitions directly from the solid to the gas state, without passing through the liquid state. Both camphor and ammonium chloride exhibit this property under appropriate conditions.

Camphor (C₁₀H₁₆O) is an organic compound. Ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) is an inorganic compound. Therefore, statements A, B, and D are incorrect. Camphor sublimes readily at room temperature, while ammonium chloride sublimes upon heating.