IAS Prelims GS Questions and Answers - July 22, 2016

1)   National Mission on Libraries comes under

a. Ministry of Culture
b. Ministry of Human Resource Development
c. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
d. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Ministry of Culture

Explanation:

  • National Mission on Libraries i.e High Level Committee has been set up by Ministry of Culture, Government of India in pursuance of National Knowledge Commission recommendations for sustained attention for development of Libraries and Information Science Sector.
  • The scheme consists of four components.
    1. Creation of National Virtual Library of India (NVLI)
    2. Setting up of NML Model Libraries,
    3. Quantitative & Qualitative Survey of Libraries
    4. Capacity Building
  • The purpose of National Virtual Library of India is to facilitate a comprehensive database on digital resources on information about India and on information generated in India, in an open access environment.


2)   Presently, in India the Uranium is being imported from

1) Brazil
2) Kazakhstan
3) Canada


a. 1, 2
b. 1, 3
c. 2, 3
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: 2, 3

Explanation:

  • There are currently twenty one (21) reactors with an installed capacity of 5780 MW.
  • Of these, eight (8) reactors with aggregate capacity of 2400 MW are fuelled by indigenous uranium.
  • The remaining thirteen (13) reactors with a capacity of 3380 MW are under IAEA Safeguards and use imported uranium.
  • Presently, the Uranium is being imported from the Russian Federation, Canada and the Republic of Kazakhstan.


3)   Which of the following is/are uses of Strontium-90?

1) Treatment of bone cancer
2) Radioactive tracer
3) Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators


a. 2, 3
b. 1, 2
c. 1, 3
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

  • The radioactive decay of strontium-90 generates a significant amount of heat. It is used as a heat source in many Russian/Soviet radioisotope thermoelectric generators, usually in the form of strontium titanate.
  • Sr-90 finds use in industry as a radioactive source for thickness gauges.
  • Sr-90 finds extensive use in medicine as a radioactive source for superficial radiotherapy of some cancers. Controlled amounts of Sr-90 and Sr-89 can be used in treatment of bone cancer.
  • It is also used as a radioactive tracer in medicine and agriculture.


4)   Which of the following satellites is/are correctly matched with their countries?

1) LAPAN - Indonesia
2) BIROS - Germany
3) Dove satellites - Canada


a. 1, 2
b. 2, 3
c. 1, 3
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:

  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched 20 satellites in a single launch mission on-board Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle ‘PSLV-C34’ from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
  • These satellites are (i) Indian CARTOSAT-2 series of satellite; (ii) 2 University/academic institute’s satellites namely SWAYAM (College of Engineering, Pune) & SATHYABAMASAT (Sathyabama University, Chennai) and 17 satellites of foreign customers.
  • Seventeen satellites of foreign customers from 4 countries were launched. These satellites are LAPAN-A3 (Indonesia); BIROS (Germany); M3MSat & GHGSat-D (Canada); and SkySat-Gen2-1 & twelve Dove satellites (USA).


5)   The Indian plate is moving towards

a. North-West
b. North-East
c. North
d. East
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: North-East

Explanation:

  • The Indian plate is moving towards northeast at a rate of about 5 cm/year. This natural process of the Indian Plate movement has been studied using GPS (Global Positioning System) measurements.
  • In the north, the Indian plate collides with the Eurasian plate. The relative convergence between the two, causes earthquakes in the Himalayan region.
  • Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has published several guidelines and building codes for construction of earthquake resistant structures and for retrofitting of existing buildings.
  • These guidelines are in wide circulation amongst the public and the administrative authorities responsible for the design and construction of earthquake resistant structures in earthquake prone areas.


6)   Nuclear Wastes are generated in which of the following forms?

1) Solid Form
2) Liquid Form
3) Gaseous Form


a. 2, 3
b. 1, 2
c. 1, 3
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

  • Nuclear waste in gaseous, liquid and solid forms is generated during operation & maintenance activities of nuclear facilities.
  • Gaseous waste is treated at the source of generation. The techniques used are adsorption on activated charcoal and filtration by high efficiency particulate air filter.
  • Liquid waste streams are treated by various techniques, such as filtration, adsorption, chemical treatment, evaporation, ion exchange; reverse osmosis etc., depending upon the nature, volume & radioactivity content.
  • Solid Wastes are segregated and volume is reduced using various technologies like compaction and incineration. The solid/solidified waste is packaged in suitable containers to facilitate handling, transport and disposal.


7)   What is criticality in relation to Nuclear Power Plants and nuclear energy?

a. Nuclear reactor is showing signs of decreased nuclear activity
b. A sustainable and steady chain reaction is achieved
c. There is uncontrollable chain reaction within the nuclear reactor
d. The Nuclear reactor is malfunctioning in some way.
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: A sustainable and steady chain reaction is achieved

Explanation:

  • When the atom-splitting reactor of a nuclear power plant is operating normally, it is said to be “critical” or in a state of “criticality.”
  • When a reactor’s neutron population remains steady from one generation to the next (creating as many new neutrons as are lost), the fission chain reaction is self-sustaining and the reactor's condition is referred to as "critical".
  • When the reactor’s neutron production exceeds losses, characterized by increasing power level, it is considered "supercritical", and when losses dominate, it is considered "subcritical" and exhibits decreasing power.
  • Recently Kudankulam Unit-2 has attained first criticality.


8)   Which of the following are generated in nuclear reactors and not available naturally as radioisotopes?

1) Caesium - 137
2) Iodine - 131
3) Radon - 222


a. 1, 3
b. 1, 2
c. 2, 3
d. All of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:

  • Many artificial radionuclides of technological importance are produced as fission products within nuclear reactors. E.g. Caesium – 137, barium - 137m, Iodine – 131, etc.
  • Some radionuclides, for example cobalt-60 and iridium-192, are made by the neutron irradiation of normal non-radioactive cobalt and iridium metal in a nuclear reactor, creating radioactive nuclides of these elements which contain extra neutrons, compared to the original stable nuclides. Sodium-24 is another such example.
  • Many years ago radium-226 and radon-222 sources were used as gamma-ray sources for industrial radiography.
  • Because both radium and radon are very radiotoxic and very expensive due to their natural rarity, these natural radioisotopes have fallen out of use over the last half-century, replaced by artificially created radioisotopes.