Question 1

Consider the following types of vehicles:
1. Full battery electric vehicles
2. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
3. Fuel cell electric hybrid vehicles

How many of the above are considered as alternative powertrain vehicles?

Accepted Answer

Only two. * A powertrain is the system in a vehicle that generates power and delivers it to the wheels (engine, transmission, drivetrain, axles, differentials, etc.). * All three vehicle types are considered alternative powertrain vehicles because they use non-conventional propulsion systems compared to traditional internal combustion engines (ICE). * I. Full battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are powered entirely by electricity stored in batteries and use non-ICE systems. * II. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs) use hydrogen fuel cells to generate electricity to power electric motors. * III. Fuel cell-electric hybrid vehicles combine a fuel cell with a battery or other electric storage system.

Question 2

With reference to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), consider the following statements:
I. All types of UAVs can do vertical landing.
II. All types of UAVs can do automated hovering.
III. All types of UAVs can use battery only as a source of power supply.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

All the three. * Statement I is incorrect: A type of drone known as a fixed-wing drone utilizes rigid wings, a fuselage, tails, a propeller, and a motor to cover long distances at high speeds. Unlike multirotor drones, they cannot do vertical landing and require a runway or a net. * Statement II is incorrect: For the same reason, traditional fixed-wing drones cannot perform automated hovering at specific points in the air. * Statement III is incorrect: UAVs come in many configurations, including high-endurance military UAVs (e.g., Predator drones). Due to power and endurance limits (as the energy density of batteries is lower than fuel), long-range or military UAVs cannot rely solely on batteries.

Question 3

In the context of electric vehicle batteries, consider the following elements:
I. Cobalt
II. Graphite
III. Lithium
IV. Nickel

How many of the above usually make up battery cathodes?

Accepted Answer

Only two. * Element I is correct: Cobalt is commonly used in cathodes of batteries like Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LCO) and NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) to improve energy density and battery life. * Element II is incorrect: Graphite is the most common material used in the anodes, not the cathodes, of lithium-ion batteries. * Element III is correct: Lithium is present in both cathodes and electrolytes, forming compounds like $LiCoO_{2}$ or $LiFePO_{4}$ in the cathode. * Element IV is correct: Nickel is used in cathodes (like NMC and NCA) to enhance energy density and storage capacity. * Therefore, three elements usually make up battery cathodes.

Question 4

Consider the following substances:
I. Ethanol
II. Nitroglycerine
III. Urea

Coal gasification technology can be used in the production of how many of them?

Accepted Answer

Only one. * Coal gasification converts coal into syngas (CO and $H_2$), which acts as a feedstock for chemical and fuel production. * Option 1 is correct: Syngas from coal gasification can be fermented using specialized anaerobic microorganisms to synthesize ethanol. * Option 2 is incorrect: Nitroglycerine is a vasodilatory drug used primarily to relieve anginal chest pain and is not produced using coal gasification technology. * Option 3 is correct: Coal gasification can be used to produce ammonia, which is then utilized to manufacture urea fertilizers (e.g., the integrated coal gasification-based urea plant at Talcher, Odisha). * Therefore, coal gasification can be used to produce two of the substances.

Question 5

Consider the following statements:
I. It is expected that Majorana 1 chip will enable quantum computing.
II. Majorana 1 chip has been introduced by Amazon Web Services (AWS).
III. Deep learning is a subset of machine learning.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

II and III only. * Statement I is correct: The Majorana I chip utilizes Majorana fermions to pioneer topological quantum computing, which promises greater architectural stability and lower error rates. * Statement II is incorrect: The Majorana I quantum chip was developed and launched by Microsoft, not by Amazon Web Services (AWS). * Statement III is correct: Deep learning is a specialized subset field within machine learning that uses multi-layered artificial neural networks for complex pattern data processing.

Question 6

With reference to monoclonal antibodies, often mentioned in news, consider the following statements:
I. They are man-made proteins.
II. They stimulate immunological function due to their ability to bind to specific antigens.
III. They are used in treating viral infections like that of Nipah virus.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

I and III only. * Statement I is correct: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are laboratory-engineered proteins created to mimic the immune system's natural defense properties. * Statement II is correct: Produced from a single clone of B-cells, they are explicitly designed to bind tightly to specific targeted antigens found on viruses, cancer cells, or bacteria. * Statement III is correct: They are widely used to treat cancers, autoimmune disorders, and dangerous viral infections, including COVID-19, Ebola, and the Nipah virus.

Question 7

Consider the following statements:
I. No virus can survive in ocean waters.
II. No virus can infect bacteria.
III. No virus can change the cellular transcriptional activity in host cells.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

All the three. * Statement I is incorrect: Viruses are highly abundant and active in ocean waters; marine viruses (especially bacteriophages) are the most numerous biological entities in the ocean and can survive in seawater for extended periods. * Statement II is incorrect: Bacteriophages are viruses that specifically infect, replicate within, and kill bacterial cells. * Statement III is incorrect: Viruses regularly manipulate the host's gene expression and cell transcriptional machinery upon infection to favor viral replication and block host defenses. * Therefore, none of the statements are correct.

Question 8

With reference to 'Direct Air Capture', an emerging technology, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It can be used as a way of carbon sequestration.
2. It can be a valuable approach for plastic production and in food processing.
3. In aviation, it can be a source of carbon for combining with hydrogen to create synthetic low-carbon fuel.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Accepted Answer

III only. * Statement I is correct: Direct Air Capture (DAC) extracts CO2 directly out of the ambient atmosphere, which can then be permanently sequestered in deep geological formations. * Statement II is correct: The captured atmospheric carbon can be used as an industrial chemical feedstock to manufacture carbon-based materials like plastics, and used in food processing fields (e.g., beverage carbonation or preservatives). * Statement III is correct: In aviation, DAC-captured CO2 can be combined with green hydrogen via Power-to-Liquid (PtL) processing to synthesize low-carbon e-fuels, which help decarbonize long-haul flights.

Question 9

GPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) uses a system of ground stations to provide necessary augmentation.
Which of the following statements is/are correct in respect of GAGAN?
I. It is designed to provide additional accuracy and integrity.
II. It will allow more uniform and high quality air traffic management.
III. It will provide benefits only in aviation but not in other modes of transportation.

Accepted Answer

I only. * Statement I is correct: GAGAN is designed to enhance the accuracy and integrity of GPS signals over the Indian airspace, improving positioning accuracy to 1-2 meters. * Statement II is correct: GAGAN improves navigation reliability, allowing for more uniform and efficient air traffic management. * Statement III is not correct: Although developed primarily for aviation, GAGAN also benefits other sectors like railways, road transport, maritime navigation, agriculture, and disaster management.

Question 10

Consider the following statements:
Statement I: Some rare earth elements are used in the manufacture of flat television screens and computer monitors.
Statement II: Some rare earth elements have phosphorescent properties.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and Statement II explains Statement I. * Statement I is correct: Rare earth elements like europium, terbium, and yttrium are standard components utilized in manufacturing flat-screen TVs and computer monitors. * Statement II is correct: These elements possess distinct phosphorescent (luminescent) properties, meaning they emit visible light when excited by energy. This property directly explains why they are used to generate vivid colors in display screens, making Statement II the correct explanation for Statement I.

Question 11

Consider the following statements:
I. Indian Railways have prepared a National Rail Plan (NRP) to create a 'future ready' railway system by 2028.
II. 'Kavach' is an Automatic Train Protection system developed in collaboration with Germany.
III. 'Kavach' system consists of RFID tags fitted on track in station section.

Which of the statements given above are not correct?

Accepted Answer

I and II only. * Statement I is not correct: The National Rail Plan (NRP) prepared by Indian Railways aims to create a 'future ready' system by 2030 (aiming to increase the railway freight share to 45%), not 2028. * Statement II is not correct: Kavach is an Automatic Train Protection system developed completely indigenously by the RDSO in collaboration with the Indian industry, not with Germany. * Statement III is correct: The implementation of Kavach involves fitting Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags throughout the track length and station sections to track train positions. * Since statements I and II are incorrect, option (a) is the final answer.

Question 12

Consider the following space missions:
I. Axiom-4
II. SpaDeX
III. Gaganyaan

How many of the space missions given above encourage and support micro-gravity research?

Accepted Answer

Only two. * Mission I supports research: Axiom-4 is a private mission to the ISS that carries and supports microgravity research experiments related to materials science, medicine, and biology. * Mission II supports research: SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) is an Indian mission evaluating autonomous docking, where microgravity environmental effects are actively studied. * Mission III supports research: Gaganyaan is India's crewed spaceflight program where executing microgravity research in life sciences and space medicine is a primary objective.

Question 13

Artificial way of causing rainfall to reduce air pollution makes use of:

Accepted Answer

silver iodide and potassium iodide. * Artificial rain (cloud seeding) is commonly conducted using silver iodide (Agl) and occasionally potassium iodide (KI). * These chemical compounds function as highly effective cloud condensation or ice nuclei, allowing water droplets to coalesce and precipitate as rain to clean the air.

Science & Technology: 2025 PYQ.

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