31. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code

Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists:

List I
(Manufacturing site)

A. Ludhiana
B. Kanpur
C. Varanasi
D. Vijayawada

List II
(Industry)

1. Auto parts
2. Woollen garments
3. Leather
4. Handloom

Code:

A B C D
(a) 1 4 3 2
(b) 2 3 4 1
(c) 2 4 3 1
(d) 1 3 4 2
1 4 3 2
2 3 4 1
2 4 3 1
1 3 4 2
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2015
The correct answer is B. The correct matching is Ludhiana – Woollen garments, Kanpur – Leather, Varanasi – Handloom, Vijayawada – Auto parts.
– Ludhiana is a major center for textile industries, especially known for hosiery and woollen garments.
– Kanpur has historically been a significant industrial city, particularly famous for its leather industry.
– Varanasi is world-renowned for its silk weaving industry, producing Banarasi sarees, which is a form of handloom work.
– Vijayawada, in Andhra Pradesh, is a significant commercial hub and has developed as a center for auto parts manufacturing and related industries in recent decades.
These cities represent important industrial clusters in India, each specializing in different manufacturing sectors based on historical development, resource availability, and skilled labor.

32. Lightning conductors are used to protect building from lightning strik

Lightning conductors are used to protect building from lightning strikes. Which of the following statements is / are true about lightning conductors?

  • 1. Lightning conductors create an electric field at its top so that lightning strikes it preferentially
  • 2. Lightning conductors reduce the effect of the strike by uniformly distributing the charge (current) over the surface of the building
  • 3. Lightning conductors take all charge (current) to deep down in the earth
  • 4. Lightning conductors must be installed at a place taller than the building

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 and 2
3 and 4 only
1, 3 and 4
4 only
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2015
The correct answer is C. Statements 1, 3, and 4 are true about lightning conductors.
– Statement 1 is correct. The pointed tip of a lightning conductor concentrates electric charge, creating a strong electric field. This strong field can ionize the air, making the conductor the preferred point of strike if lightning occurs nearby.
– Statement 2 is incorrect. Lightning conductors provide a direct, low-resistance path to the earth, diverting the lightning current away from the building’s structure, not distributing it over the surface.
– Statement 3 is correct. The conductor system is connected to grounding rods or plates buried deep in the earth, allowing the immense electrical charge from a lightning strike to dissipate safely into the ground.
– Statement 4 is correct. For a lightning conductor to effectively intercept a strike, it must be the highest point of the structure it is protecting.
Lightning conductors, invented by Benjamin Franklin, protect buildings by safely channeling the electrical discharge from a lightning strike to the ground, preventing damage from fire or structural breakdown caused by the current passing through the building itself.

33. The absolute zero, i.e., temperature below which is not achievable, is

The absolute zero, i.e., temperature below which is not achievable, is about:

0 °C
–273 K
–273 °C
–300 °C
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2015
Absolute zero, the theoretical lowest possible temperature, is approximately -273 °C.
Absolute zero is defined as 0 Kelvin (0 K). The Kelvin temperature scale is directly related to the Celsius scale by the formula K = °C + 273.15. Therefore, 0 K is equal to -273.15 °C. The option -273 °C is the closest approximation among the choices.
At absolute zero, particles theoretically cease all fundamental motion. According to the third law of thermodynamics, absolute zero is unattainable in any physical system, although temperatures very close to it have been achieved experimentally.

34. Muscle fatigue is due to the accumulation of:

Muscle fatigue is due to the accumulation of:

Cholesterol
Lactic acid
Lipoic acid
Triglycerides
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2015
Muscle fatigue during strenuous exercise is primarily associated with the accumulation of lactic acid.
When muscles undergo intense activity with insufficient oxygen supply (anaerobic respiration), glucose is broken down into pyruvate, which is then converted into lactic acid. The build-up of lactic acid in muscle tissue lowers pH and interferes with muscle contraction mechanisms, leading to a burning sensation and fatigue.
While other factors like depletion of energy stores (ATP, glycogen), ion imbalances, and central nervous system fatigue also contribute to overall fatigue, lactic acid accumulation is a significant factor in muscle fatigue during anaerobic work. Cholesterol and triglycerides are types of fats, and lipoic acid is an antioxidant coenzyme; none of these are directly responsible for the acute fatigue caused by intense muscle exertion.

35. Which one of the following is not a Green House Gas?

Which one of the following is not a Green House Gas?

Water vapours
Methane
Ozone
Carbon Monoxide
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2015
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is not considered a primary greenhouse gas, unlike water vapour, methane, and ozone.
Greenhouse gases are atmospheric gases that absorb and emit infrared radiation, trapping heat in the atmosphere and contributing to the greenhouse effect. Common greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), water vapour (H2O), and ozone (O3). Carbon monoxide is a significant air pollutant and can have indirect effects on the climate by influencing the concentrations of some greenhouse gases, but it does not directly absorb infrared radiation in the same way as primary GHGs.
While CO is not a primary GHG, it plays a role in atmospheric chemistry, affecting the formation and destruction of other gases like methane and ozone, which are GHGs. However, in lists of direct GHGs, CO is typically excluded.

36. Which one of the following sea routes is the shortest from point to

Which one of the following sea routes is the shortest from point to point?

Kolkata to Yangoon
Kolkata to Chennai
Chennai to Port Blair
Mumbai to Colombo
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2015
Comparing the approximate distances of the given sea routes, the route from Kolkata to Yangon (Myanmar) is the shortest.
Approximate sea distances are:
– Kolkata to Yangon: ~630 nautical miles
– Kolkata to Chennai: ~740 nautical miles (via the coastal route)
– Chennai to Port Blair: ~760 nautical miles
– Mumbai to Colombo: ~840 nautical miles
Based on these distances, Kolkata to Yangon is the shortest among the given options.
Sea routes are typically measured in nautical miles. These distances can vary slightly based on the exact path taken, but the relative shortness is generally consistent.

37. The first Indian Satellite, Aryabhatt, was launched in the year:

The first Indian Satellite, Aryabhatt, was launched in the year:

1972
1975
1976
1979
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2015
India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, was launched on April 19, 1975.
Aryabhata was named after the ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer. It was launched by the Soviet Union from Kapustin Yar using a Kosmos-3M launch vehicle.
The satellite was built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to conduct experiments in X-ray astronomy, aeronomics, and solar physics. It marked India’s entry into the space age.

38. Two long wires each carrying a d.c. current in the same direction are

Two long wires each carrying a d.c. current in the same direction are placed close to each other. Which one of the following statements is correct?

The wires will attract each other
The wires will repel each other
There will be no force between the wires
There will be a force between the wires only at the moment when the current is switched ON or OFF
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2015
When two parallel wires carry electric currents in the same direction, they produce magnetic fields that interact in such a way as to cause an attractive force between the wires.
This is a fundamental principle of electromagnetism: Parallel currents in the same direction attract, and parallel currents in opposite directions repel.
The force per unit length between two parallel wires carrying currents I₁ and I₂ separated by a distance r is given by F/L = (μ₀ * I₁ * I₂) / (2 * π * r), where μ₀ is the permeability of free space. The direction of the force depends on the relative direction of the currents.

39. A brass ball is tied to a thin wire and swung so as to move uniformly

A brass ball is tied to a thin wire and swung so as to move uniformly in a horizontal circle. Which of the following statements in this regard is / are true?

  • 1. The ball moves with constant velocity
  • 2. The ball moves with constant speed
  • 3. The ball moves with constant acceleration
  • 4. The magnitude of the acceleration of the ball is constant

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 only
1 and 3
1, 2 and 4
2 and 4 only
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2015
In uniform circular motion, the speed (magnitude of velocity) is constant, but the velocity itself changes direction constantly. The acceleration (centripetal acceleration) is directed towards the center and its direction also changes constantly, but its magnitude is constant.
Statement 1 is false because the direction of velocity changes constantly, so velocity is not constant. Statement 2 is true because “uniformly” implies constant speed. Statement 3 is false because the direction of centripetal acceleration is constantly changing. Statement 4 is true because the magnitude of centripetal acceleration (v²/r) is constant when speed (v) and radius (r) are constant.
For uniform circular motion, the speed is constant, but there is always an acceleration directed towards the center of the circle, known as centripetal acceleration. This acceleration changes the direction of the velocity vector, thus keeping the object moving in a circle.