Q88. There is some concern regarding the nanoparticles of some chemical elements that are used by the industry in the manufacture of various products. Why? 1. They can accumulate in the environment and contaminate water and soil. 2. They can enter the food chains. 3. They can trigger the production of free radicals. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Consider the following statements: 1. Other than those made by humans, nanoparticles do not exist in nature. 2. Nanoparticles of some metallic oxides are used i

With reference to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are used in making many consumer products, consider the following statements: 1. PF

When reference to carbon nanotubes, consider the following statements: 1. They can be used as carriers of drugs and antigens in the human body. 2. They can be m

In the context of solving pollution problems, what is/are the advantage/advantages of bioremediation techniques? 1. It is a technique for cleaning up pollution

Why is there a concern about copper smelting plants? 1. They may release lethal quantities of carbon monoxide into the environment. 2. The copper slag can cause

The acidification of oceans is increasing. Why is this phenomenon a cause of concern: 1. The growth and survival of calcareous phytoplankton will be adversely a

Magnetite particles, suspected to cause neurodegenerative problems, are generated as environmental pollutants from which of the following? 1. Brakes of motor ve

Microbial fuel cells are considered a source of sustainable energy. Why? 1. They use living organisms as catalysts to generate electricity from certain substrat

Due to some reasons, if there is a huge fall in the population of species of butterflies, what could be its likely consequence/consequences? 1. Pollination of s

Why is there a great concern about the ‘microbeads’ that are released into the environment? (a) They are considered harmful to marine ecosystems. (b) They are c

There is a concern over the increase in harmful algal blooms in the seawaters of India. What could be the causative factors for this phenomenon? 1. Discharge of

Brominated flame retardants are used in many household products like mattresses and upholstery. Why is there some concern about their use? 1. They are highly re

With reference to agriculture in India, how can the technique of ‘genome sequencing’, often seen in the news, be used in the immediate future? 1. Genome sequenc

What can be the impact of excessive/inappropriate use of nitrogenous fertilizers in agriculture? 1. Proliferation of nitrogen fixing microorganisms in soil can

With reference to the use of nanotechnology in the health sector, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Targeted drug delivery is made possible b

Consider the following statements: 1. Coal ash contains arsenic, lead and mercury. 2. Coal-fired power plants release sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen int

What are the reasons for the people’s resistance to the introduction of Bt brinjal in India? 1. Bt brinjal has been created by inserting a gene from a soil fung

In the context of mitigating the impending global warming due to anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide, which of the following can be potential sites for ca

What is the use of biochar in farming? 1. Biochar can be used as a part of the growing medium in vertical farming. 2. When biochar is a part of the growing medi

Recently, there has been a concern over the short supply of a group of elements called ‘rare earth metals’. Why? 1. China, which is the largest producer of thes

With reference to ‘fly ash’ produced by the power plants using coal as fuel, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Fly ash can be used in the pro

Consider the following statements: 1. Agricultural soils release nitrogen oxides into the environment. 2. Cattle release ammonia into the environment. 3. Poultr

Consider the following statements: 1. Biofilms can form on medical implants within human tissues. 2. Biofilms can form on food and food processing surfaces. 3.

Lead, ingested or inhaled, is a health hazard. After the addition of lead to petrol has been banned, what still are the sources of lead poisoning? 1. Smelting u

For the measurement/ estimation of which of the following are satellite images/remote sensing data used? 1. Chlorophyll content in the vegetation of a specific

Consider the following statements: 1. Genetic changes can be introduced in the cells that produce eggs or sperms of a prospective parent. 2. A person’s genome c

Consider the following statements regarding mercury pollution: (a) Gold mining activity is a source of mercury pollution in the world. (b) Coal-based thermal p

With reference to ‘stem cells’, frequently in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Stem cells can be derived from mammals only. 2. Ste

What is/are the advantage/ advantages of zero tillage in agriculture? 1. Sowing of wheat is possible without burning the residue of the previous crop. 2. Withou

What would happen if phytoplankton of an ocean is completely destroyed for some reason? 1. The ocean as a carbon sink would be adversely affected. 2. The food c

Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are used to create digital displays in many devices. What are the advantages of OLED displays over Liquid Crystal displays

‘RNA interference (RNAi)’ technology has gained popularity in the last few years. Why? 1. It is used in developing gene-silencing therapies. 2. It can be used i

Which of the following statements is/are correct? Viruses can infect 1. Bacteria 2. Fungi 3. Plants Select the correct answer using the code given below.

With reference to food chains in ecosystems, consider the following statements: 1. A food chain illustrates the order in which a chain of organisms feeds upon e

Consider the following pairs: | Commonly used/consumed materials | Unwanted or controversial chemicals likely to be found in them | | :--- | :--- | | 1. Lipsti

Consider the following activities: 1. Spraying pesticides on a crop field 2. Inspecting the craters of active volcanoes 3. Collecting breath samples from spouti

Graphene has been frequently in the news recently. What is its importance? 1. It is a two-dimensional material and has good electrical conductivity. 2. It is on

With reference to Neem tree, consider the following statements: 1. Neem oil can be used as a pesticide to control the proliferation of some species of insects a

With reference to agricultural soils, consider the following statements: 1. A high content of organic matter in soil drastically reduces its water holding capa

Mycorrhizal biotechnology has been used in rehabilitating degraded sites because mycorrhiza enables the plants to 1. Resist drought and increase absorptive area

Steel slag can be the material for which of the following? 1. Construction of base road 2. Improvement of agricultural soil 3. Production of cement Select the

What is the role of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the water purification systems? 1. It inactivates/kills the harmful microorganisms in water. 2. It removes all

What is the importance of using Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines in India? 1. These vaccines are effective against pneumonia as well as meningitis and sepsis. 2.

In which of the following are hydrogels used? 1. Controlled drug delivery in patients 2. Mobile air-conditioning systems 3. Preparation of industrial lubricants

Recombination DNA technology (Genetic Engineering) allows genes to be transferred: 1. Across different species of plants 2. From animals to plants 3. From micro

With reference to the food chains in ecosystems, which of the following kinds of organism is/are known as decomposer organism/organisms? 1. Virus 2. Fungi 3. Ba

Which of the following statements are correct about the deposits of ‘methane hydrate’? 1. Global warming might trigger the release of methane gas from these dep

Which of the following statements is/are correct? Virus can infect 1. Bacteria 2. Fungi 3. Plants Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Consider the following which can be found in the ambient atmosphere: 1. Soot 2. Sulphur hexafluoride 3. Water vapour Which of the above contribute to the warmi

Consider the following statements: The satellite Oceansat-2 launched by India helps in 1. estimating the water vapour content in the atmosphere. 2. predicting t

Consider the following statements: The nation-wide ‘Soil Health Card Scheme’ aims at: 1. Expanding the cultivable area under irrigation. 2. Enabling the banks t

Consider the following statements: DNA Barcoding can be a tool to: 1. Assess the age of a plant or animal. 2. Distinguish among species that look alike. 3. Iden

To meet its rapidly growing energy demand, some opine that India should pursue research and development on thorium as the future fuel of nuclear energy. In this

With what purpose is the Government of India promoting the concept of “Mega Food Parks”? 1. To provide good infrastructure facilities for the food processing in

It is possible to produce algae based biofuels, but what is/are the likely limitation(s) of developing countries in promoting this industry? 1. Production of al

A team of scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory including those from India created the heaviest anti-matter (anti-helium nucleus). What is/are the implic

The scientific view is that the increase in global temperature should not exceed 2°C above the pre-industrial level. If the global temperature increases beyond

The efforts to detect the existence of the Higgs boson particle have become frequent news in the recent past. What is/are the importance/importances of discover

What are the possible limitations of India in mitigating the global warming at present and in the immediate future? 1. Appropriate alternate technologies are no

Consider the following statements: 1. The boundaries of a National Park are defined by legislation. 2. A Biosphere Reserve is declared to conserve a few specifi

Human activities in the recent past have caused the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but a lot of it does not remain in the lower at

In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of the Air Quality Index? 1

Which of the following are some important pollutants released by the steel industry in India? 1. Oxides of sulphur 2. Oxide of nitrogen 3. Carbon mono

Which of the following can be found as pollutants in the drinking water in some parts of India? 1. Arsenic 2. Sorbitol 3. Fluoride 4. Formaldehyde 5.

Due to improper/indiscriminate disposal of hold and used computers or their parts, which of the following are released into the environment as e-waste

Acid rain is caused by the pollution of environment by (a) carbon dioxide and nitrogen (b) carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide (c) ozone and carbon dio

Photochemical smog is a resultant of the reaction among (a) NO2, O3 and peroxyacetyl nitrate in the presence of sunlight (b) CO, O2 and peroxyacetyl n

Improper handling and storage of cereal grains and oilseeds result in the production of toxins known as aflatoxins which are not generally destroyed b

The organisms “Cicada, Froghopper, and Pond skater” are: