Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon – October 19

All the Statement above is correct

• The theory goes that the thruster on the proposed EmDrive, shaped like a cone, can produce momentum by bouncing around electromagnetic waves in its interior. As these waves hit the larger end of the cone, the photons produce a tiny, tiny force that causes the small end to accelerate in the opposite direction.
• In particular, electricity is converted into microwaves, and the microwave photons are fired into the metal cone cavity. It is called EmDrive because it uses electromagnetic propulsion to drive it.
• No propellant is used in the conversion process. Thrust is produced by the amplification of the radiation pressure of an electromagnetic wave propagated through a resonant waveguide assembly

Both the above statement are true for INSPIRE program rather than VAJRA Scheme

Important fact about VAJRA Scheme:

VAJRA (Visiting Advanced Joint Research) Faculty Scheme is a dedicated program exclusively for overseas scientists and academicians with emphasis on Non-resident Indians (NRI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) / Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) to work as adjunct / visiting faculty for a specific period of time in Indian Public funded academic and research institutions.

The Scheme recognizes the value of collaborative research as a crucial element for information sharing among researchers for updating and acquiring knowledge and skills, and also to draw different perspectives to solve a shared problem.

Cryogenics – the study and use of materials at extremely low temperatures

Application of cryogenic involves

Cryosurgery-

• Use of extreme cold produced by liquid nitrogen (or argon gas) to destroy abnormal tissue

Magnetic resonance imaging :

• Complex application of NMR where geometry of the resonances is deconvoluted and used to image objects by detecting the relaxation of protons that have been perturbed by a radio-frequency pulse in the strong magnetic field. Mostly used in health applications

Blood Banking:

• Certain rare blood groups are stored at low temperatures, such as −165 °C

Cryonics which involves storing dead body is not scientifically accepted as application of cryogenics by National Institute of scientific standards and principles

Statement 1 is incorrect because SAMAR is launched by IMD (Indian Meterological Department)

Statement 2 is correct:  System of Aerosol Monitoring and Research (SAMAR) which will help the country in studying concentration of black carbon in atmosphere due to air pollution and its impact on climate.

Important note:

Aerosols are a subset of air pollution that contains gases, fumes and dust in harmful proportion. Aerosols particles can be both solid and liquid which also affects environmental visibility. The SAMAR, equipped with many sophisticated equipments including 12 sky radiometers, will study aerosols’ different properties and determine how it impact the climate over a longer period of time. At present, country has to depend on other countries’ research for this purpose

Hyperelastic Bone or HB is a breakthrough in reconstructive surgery. It is a new synthetic material that can be implanted under the skin as a scaffold for new bone to grow on, or used to replace lost bone matter altogether.

The hyperelastic bone, is  made from a naturally occurring mineral called hydroxyapatite. Hydroxyapatite — a form of calcium found in bone and already used in reconstructive surgeries — is extremely brittle, but the researchers mixed it with a polymer to add flexibility. They then 3D print bone graft from this new, promising material and tested it in various experiments.

Option 2 is incorrect because Ladakh was chosen among 3 regions for the study under this programme.The other two were Kutch and Lonar Crater.

The objective is for participating scientific researchers, educators and students to visit remote and extreme environments in different parts of the world and conduct astrogeological/biological experiments, make observations and learn about the origin, sustenance and adaptation of living organisms within such biosphere.

• Option 3 is incorrect because the policy seeks 100% use of fly ash generated from thermal power plants and biogas plants for construction activities.
• It facilitates use of fly ash to make bricks, blocks, tiles, wall panels, cement and other construction materials.
• The policy extends use of fly ash to 300 kms radius of power plant from earlier 100 kms radius of power plant. It will help in environment protection and save soil excavation.
• It also will make available raw material for construction at low cost to help ‘Housing for All’ projects.
• It will also help create new employment opportunities in the power plant sector and pave way for prosperity by generating Wealth from Waste.