Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon – January 10, 2019

Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) constituted the Political Council and the Executive Council of the NCA. The Executive Council gives its opinion to the Political Council, which authorises a nuclear attack when deemed necessary. While the Executive Council is chaired by the National Security Advisor (NSA),the Political Council is chaired by the Prime Minister. The Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) of India is the authority responsible for command, control and operational decisions regarding India’s nuclear weapons programme. The Strategic Forces Command (SFC) which forms part of the National Command Authority (NCA) has been added to the Second Schedule of the Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005. In this regard, Union Government has issued a notification mentioning SFC has been brought under sub-section (2) of Section 24 of the RTI. The Section 24 of the RTI exempts security and intelligence establishments from its purview.

Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are digested in the intestine, where they are broken down into their basic units:

• Carbohydrates into sugars
• Proteins into amino acids
• Fats into fatty acids and glycerol The body uses these basic units to build substances it needs for growth, maintenance, and activity (including other carbohydrates, proteins, and fats). These nutrients also differ in how quickly they supply energy. Carbohydrates are the quickest, and fats are the slowest.

Ocean currents can be generated by wind, density differences in water masses caused by temperature and salinity variations, coriolis force, gravity, and events such as earthquakes.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) was officially launched at World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos after it received $460-million to develop vaccines against 3 emerging highly-contagious and fatal diseases. These three diseases are Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-coronavirus, Lassa fever, and Nipah virus.  CEPI will use this fund to contain outbreaks these 3 diseases before they become global health emergencies.

Statement 1 and 3 is Correct:

An atomic clock keeps time better than any other clock. It is an extremely accurate type of clock regulated by the vibrations of an atomic or molecular system.They even keep time better than the rotation of the Earth and the movement of the stars.

Without the atomic clock, GPS navigationwould be impossible, the Internet would not synchronise, and the position of the planets would not be known with enough accuracy for space probes and landers to be launched and monitored.

Statement 2 is Incorrect:

An atomic clock is not radioactive,it doesn’t rely on atomic decay. Rather, an atomic clock has an oscillating mass and a spring, just like ordinary clocks.

The big difference between a standard clock in your home and an atomic clock is that the oscillation in an atomic clock is between the nucleus of an atom and the surrounding electrons. This oscillation is not exactly a parallel to the balance wheel and hairspring of a clockwork watch, but the fact is that both use oscillations to keep track of passing time. The oscillation frequencies within the atom are determined by the mass of the nucleus and the gravity and electrostatic “spring” between the positive charge on the nucleus and the electron cloud surrounding it.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences inaugurated the Ocean Forecasting System for Indian Ocean countries Comoros, Madagascar, and Mozambique. It was unveiled at the third Ministerial Meeting of Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard EarlyWarning System for Asia and Africa (RIMES) held at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

The Ocean Forecast System will offer, high wave alerts, port warnings, forecast, oil spill advisory services along the ship routes in addition to tsunami and storm surge warnings and help in search and rescue operations. These ocean services are aimed towards safety at the sea. The ocean forecast and early warming information on winds, high wave, currents, tides, sub-surface ocean conditions will cater to users like coastal population, fishermen, tourism sector, coastal defence officials, port authorities, marine police, research institutions and offshore industries of these countries.

Statement 3 is Incorrect: India’s first Hyperloop project will come up in Andhra Pradesh, connecting its city centres, Vijayawada and Amaravati.

Statement 1, 2 and 4: is Correct:

Hyperloop Technology is a system of magnetically levitating capsules (pods) that are sent at high speeds through low-pressure tubes.

Hyperloop Technology is brainchild idea of technology entrepreneur Elon Musk who dubs it as fifth mode of transportation.

Hyperloop envisages a ‘tube modular transport system’ that runs free of friction. It is still in trial stages in different countries.