UPSC Geoscientist

41. Which one of the following expressions has dimensions of energy (here

Which one of the following expressions has dimensions of energy (here V is the voltage across a resistor of resistance R and I is the current through the resistor, and t is the time)?

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V<sup>2</sup> / I t
V<sup>2</sup> / R t
I<sup>2</sup> / R t
I<sup>2</sup> / V t
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Energy is defined as the capacity to do work. In electrical circuits, energy dissipated or transferred is often related to power and time. Power (P) is the rate of energy transfer, so Energy (E) = Power (P) × time (t). For a resistor, power can be expressed as P = V²/R or P = I²R or P = VI.
Option A: V²/I t – The dimensions of V/I are R (resistance), so V²/I t is dimensionally (V/I) * (V/t) * t = R * (V/t) * t. This doesn’t directly yield energy dimensions.
Option B: V²/R t – V²/R represents power dissipated in a resistor. Multiplying power by time (t) gives energy. Thus, (V²/R) × t has the dimensions of energy.
Option C: I²/R t – I²R represents power dissipated in a resistor. I²/R is dimensionally Current² / Resistance, which is not power. I²R * t would be energy.
Option D: I²/V t – I²/V is dimensionally Current² / Voltage. This does not represent power.
– Energy = Power × Time.
– Power in a resistor = V²/R = I²R = VI.
– Dimensions of Energy = [Force × Distance] = [MLT⁻² × L] = [ML²T⁻²].
Checking dimensions formally:
V has dimensions [ML²I⁻¹T⁻³]. R has dimensions [ML²I⁻²T⁻³]. I has dimensions [I]. t has dimensions [T].
Option B: (V²/R) * t = ([ML²I⁻¹T⁻³]² / [ML²I⁻²T⁻³]) * [T] = ([M²L⁴I⁻²T⁻⁶] / [ML²I⁻²T⁻³]) * [T] = [ML²T⁻³] * [T] = [ML²T⁻²], which are the dimensions of energy.
Option C: (I²/R) * t would have been energy. I²/R * t as written in option C is [I²] / ([ML²I⁻²T⁻³] * [T]) = [I²] / [ML²I⁻²T⁻²] = [M⁻¹L⁻²I⁴T²].

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42. What is Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) as per the National Education Po

What is Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) as per the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020?

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ABC enables credits awarded to students for one programme from a recognized higher education institution to be transferred or redeemed by another higher education institution
ABC is the bank account of the students for direct transfer of scholarship
ABC is the newly created institution for providing credits to academic institutions for building infrastructure
ABC is an autonomous banking system dealing with the financial management of higher education institutions under NEP, 2020
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The Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) is a virtual repository or digital storehouse that contains the academic credits earned by students from recognized Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). As envisioned by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, ABC facilitates the transfer and redemption of these credits across different HEIs, allowing students flexibility in their educational pathways.
– ABC is a credit transfer mechanism.
– It stores credits earned from registered HEIs.
– It allows redemption and transfer of credits between HEIs.
– Part of NEP 2020’s push for flexible learning.
ABC was formally launched by the UGC in July 2021. It is managed by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The aim is to promote multidisciplinary education and provide students with the option to combine credits from different institutions and disciplines, thereby creating their own degree or certificate program.

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43. According to the National Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) constr

According to the National Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) constructed by the NITI Aayog, the education dimension is represented by parameters pertaining to

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  • school attendance
  • years of schooling
  • literacy rate in the region

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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1 only
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
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The National Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) constructed by the NITI Aayog uses the Alkire-Foster methodology and is based on three dimensions: Health, Education, and Standard of Living. Each dimension has specific indicators. The Education dimension is represented by two indicators:
1. Years of Schooling: A household is deprived if no member aged 10 years or older has completed six years of schooling.
2. School Attendance: A household is deprived if any child aged 6 to 14 years is not attending school.
Thus, ‘school attendance’ and ‘years of schooling’ are the parameters for the education dimension. ‘Literacy rate in the region’ is a related concept but is not one of the specific indicators used in the NITI Aayog’s MPI education dimension according to the methodology document.
The Education dimension of the NITI Aayog National MPI is measured by ‘Years of Schooling’ and ‘School Attendance’.
The Health dimension uses ‘Nutrition’ and ‘Child and Adolescent Mortality’ indicators. The Standard of Living dimension uses ‘Cooking Fuel’, ‘Sanitation’, ‘Drinking Water’, ‘Electricity’, ‘Housing’, and ‘Assets’ indicators. Each indicator is given a specific weightage within its dimension and contributing to the overall MPI score.

44. Which one of the following statements regarding Jan Shikshan Sansthan

Which one of the following statements regarding Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) is not correct?

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JSS aims to provide vocational skills to non-literate, neo-literate and person with rudimentary level of education.
JSS is meant for vocational education of women only.
JSS works at the doorstep of the beneficiaries.
JSS receives grants from the government for skill development.
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Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) is a scheme under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. Its primary objective is to provide vocational skill training to non-literate, neo-literate, and persons with rudimentary levels of education to improve their socio-economic status. While empowering women is a significant focus area and JSSs run many programs for women, the scheme is not exclusively meant for women. It caters to all adults in the target group, including men. Therefore, statement B is not correct. Statements A, C, and D accurately describe aspects of the JSS program – targeting the specific educational levels, working closely with local communities (“at the doorstep”), and receiving government grants for their activities.
Jan Shikshan Sansthan provides vocational training to a specific group of adults including both men and women.
JSS operates through NGOs with government grants. They offer a wide range of skill development programs based on local needs and market demand, aiming to provide employable skills and entrepreneurship opportunities. Their focus is on reaching out to marginalized sections of society.

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45. Consider the following statements regarding Janani Suraksha Yojana (JS

Consider the following statements regarding Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) :

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  • 1. JSY is a safe motherhood intervention under the National Health Mission.
  • 2. The objective of JSY is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
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Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is indeed a safe motherhood intervention. It was launched in 2005 as part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), which is now subsumed under the broader National Health Mission (NHM). Its main objective is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by promoting institutional delivery among poor pregnant women. It provides cash incentives for giving birth in a health facility. Both statements accurately describe aspects and objectives of JSY.
JSY incentivizes institutional delivery to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes under the NHM.
JSY integrates cash assistance with delivery and post-delivery care. It focuses on poor pregnant women, with a special focus on women in low-performing states. The scheme targets eligible pregnant women in both rural and urban areas.

46. The reaction of 1,2-dibromoethane with alcoholic KOH yields

The reaction of 1,2-dibromoethane with alcoholic KOH yields

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ethene
ethyne
1-bromo-2-hydroxyethane
1-bromoethene
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1,2-dibromoethane is a vicinal dibromide (bromine atoms on adjacent carbons). Alcoholic KOH is a strong base that promotes elimination reactions (dehydrohalogenation). When 1,2-dibromoethane is treated with alcoholic KOH, a double dehydrohalogenation occurs. First, one molecule of HBr is eliminated to form 1-bromoethene (vinyl bromide). Then, a second molecule of HBr is eliminated from 1-bromoethene to form ethyne (acetylene).
Reaction of a vicinal dihalide with alcoholic KOH results in double dehydrohalogenation, yielding an alkyne.
Step 1: CH₂Br-CH₂Br + KOH (alc.) → CH₂=CHBr + KBr + H₂O
Step 2: CH₂=CHBr + KOH (alc.) → HC≡CH + KBr + H₂O
The final product is ethyne. Ethene would result from single dehydrohalogenation of a mono-halogenated alkane or dehalogenation of a vicinal dihalide using a different reagent (e.g., Zn dust). 1-bromo-2-hydroxyethane would be a substitution product, which is less favored with alcoholic KOH, which promotes elimination. 1-bromoethene is an intermediate in the reaction, not the final product under excess alcoholic KOH.

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47. The electrophile generated in sulphonation of benzene from fuming sulp

The electrophile generated in sulphonation of benzene from fuming sulphuric acid is

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SO₃⁺
SO₃H
SO₃
SO₂H
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Sulphonation of benzene is an electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction. When fuming sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄ containing dissolved SO₃) is used, the active electrophile is sulfur trioxide (SO₃). SO₃ is a highly electron-deficient species due to the electron-withdrawing nature of the oxygen atoms and the formal positive charge on sulfur (though it can be considered neutral overall with resonance structures). It is sufficiently electrophilic to attack the pi electron system of the benzene ring.
The electrophile in the sulphonation of benzene by fuming sulfuric acid is SO₃.
In concentrated sulfuric acid without fuming (less SO₃), the electrophile is still primarily SO₃, generated from the equilibrium 2H₂SO₄ ⇌ H₃O⁺ + HSO₄⁻ + SO₃. However, fuming sulfuric acid has a much higher concentration of SO₃, making the reaction faster. SO₃H and SO₂H are not the active electrophilic species attacking the benzene ring.

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48. Which one of the following reagents is used to carry out the transform

Which one of the following reagents is used to carry out the transformation given below?
CH₃(CH₂)₉COOC₂H₅ → CH₃(CH₂)₉CHO

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DIBAL-H/H₂O
H₂/Pd-BaSO₄
SnCl₂/HCl
LiAlH₄
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The transformation involves reducing an ester (CH₃(CH₂)₉COOC₂H₅) to an aldehyde (CH₃(CH₂)₉CHO). Reducing an ester to an aldehyde requires a specific reducing agent that can stop the reduction at the aldehyde stage, as complete reduction of an ester yields a primary alcohol. Diisobutylaluminium hydride (DIBAL-H) is a reducing agent that, when used at low temperatures and in controlled stoichiometric amounts, can selectively reduce esters to aldehydes.
DIBAL-H is a useful reagent for the partial reduction of esters and nitriles to aldehydes.
LiAlH₄ (Lithium aluminium hydride) is a strong reducing agent that would reduce the ester completely to a primary alcohol (CH₃(CH₂)₉CH₂OH). H₂/Pd-BaSO₄ (Rosenmund catalyst) is used for the reduction of acid chlorides to aldehydes, not typically esters. SnCl₂/HCl (Stephen reduction) is a method for reducing nitriles to aldehydes via an imine intermediate. Thus, DIBAL-H is the appropriate reagent for this transformation.

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49. Which one of the following statements about Fehling’s test is not

Which one of the following statements about Fehling’s test is not correct?

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Fehling's A solution is aqueous copper sulphate.
Fructose gives a positive Fehling's test.
Red-brown ppt of CuO is obtained in the reaction.
Aromatic aldehydes do not respond to this test.
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Fehling’s test is a qualitative test used to distinguish between reducing and non-reducing sugars, and also to detect aldehydes. It involves Fehling’s solution, which is prepared fresh by mixing Fehling’s A (aqueous copper(II) sulfate) and Fehling’s B (aqueous sodium potassium tartrate and a strong alkali like NaOH or KOH). Reducing sugars (like glucose, fructose – due to isomerization) and aldehydes reduce the blue copper(II) ions (Cu²⁺) in Fehling’s solution to red-brown copper(I) oxide (Cu₂O) precipitate. Statement C claims the precipitate is red-brown CuO (copper(II) oxide), which is black. The precipitate formed is red-brown Cu₂O (copper(I) oxide). Therefore, statement C is incorrect.
Fehling’s test involves the reduction of Cu²⁺ ions to Cu⁺ ions, forming a red-brown precipitate of Cu₂O.
Fehling’s test is positive for all reducing sugars and most aliphatic aldehydes. Ketones generally do not give a positive Fehling’s test, except for alpha-hydroxy ketones like fructose, which isomerize under alkaline conditions to aldoses. Aromatic aldehydes, with a few exceptions, do not give a positive Fehling’s test because they are not easily oxidized and may undergo competing reactions like the Cannizzaro reaction in the presence of strong alkali. Statement A and B are correct. Statement D is generally correct for typical aromatic aldehydes.

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50. What is the use of heavy water?

What is the use of heavy water?

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It is used in nuclear reactors as a moderator
It is used in nuclear reactors as fuel
It is used in radiation therapy for cancer
It is used in water softening plants
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Heavy water (D₂O) is deuterium oxide, where hydrogen atoms are replaced by deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen with one proton and one neutron. In nuclear reactors, heavy water is primarily used as a moderator. A moderator slows down the fast neutrons released during nuclear fission to thermal neutron energies, which are required to sustain a nuclear chain reaction, especially in reactors using natural uranium as fuel.
Heavy water acts as a neutron moderator in certain types of nuclear reactors, effectively slowing down neutrons without absorbing them significantly.
Besides being a moderator, heavy water can also serve as a coolant in nuclear reactors. Unlike light water reactors (using H₂O), heavy water reactors can often use unenriched uranium as fuel. While nuclear reactors produce radioisotopes used in cancer therapy, heavy water itself is not used directly in radiation therapy. Water softening typically involves removing hard ions like Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, not a function of heavy water.

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