UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Science and Technology MCQs on FireSat project, sonic weapon and more (Week 102)

QUESTION 1

With reference to the FireSat project, consider the following statements:

1. It is designed to use AI to detect and track wildfires.

2. SpaceX’s Transporter-13 mission has launched this satellite.

3. The satellite has been successfully placed into High Earth orbit (HEO).

4. It has been built by Space X.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Explanation

— A Google-backed effort aimed at utilising satellites to detect and suppress wildfires before they spread has taken another step towards its goal.

— The FireSat project’s first satellite was successfully launched into low Earth orbit (LEO) and has made official communication with engineers at the base. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— This satellite is the first of over 50 in a constellation planned to utilise AI to detect and track wildfires as tiny as a classroom (approximately 5×5 meters). Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The FireSat satellite was launched on March 14 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States, as part of Elon Musk’s SpaceX Transporter-13 mission. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Muon Space, a California-based aerospace business that creates and manages satellites, reportedly constructed the first FireSat satellite to be launched into space. The satellite has six-band multispectral infrared cameras that are specifically designed to spot wildfires from a long distance. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

— FireSat is a collaborative endeavour with Google Research, Muon Space, Earth Fire Alliance, Moore Foundation, wildfire authorities, and others.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

Which of the following is/are the effects of consuming coffee?

1. It reduces the risk of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.

2. It has an anti-fibrotic effect.

3. It has antioxidant properties.

4. It improves lipid oxidation.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 3 and 4 only

(c) 2 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

— Coffee is more than just a morning pick-me-up; it could be one of the most basic strategies to protect your liver.

— Coffee reduces fatty deposition in the liver, inflammation and scarring caused by fat inside the liver, prevents progression of fatty liver disease to cirrhosis, and prevents or reduces the risk of developing liver cancers in cirrhosis patients — this is due to its anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cholesterol, and antioxidant effect, which is primarily caused by chlorogenic acids and caffeine.

— Coffee components boost lipid oxidation, lowering fatty deposits in the liver and avoiding non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) development.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

With reference to the sonic weapon, consider the following statements:

1. These weapons are devices that deliver very loud sounds and are designed to emit painful audible or inaudible sound waves.

2. In 2004, the French military for the first time used these devices.

3. It can be used to act like a voice amplifier.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has disputed that his police deployed a banned ‘sonic weapon’ to disperse protestors in Belgrade.

— Acoustic or sonic weapons are devices that can produce extremely loud sounds over long distances. They can be programmed to produce unpleasant audible or inaudible sound waves. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— These devices can also be used as voice amplifiers, transmitting voice messages or other noises. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— In 2004, for the first time, the US military used speciality equipment capable of projecting loud sounds over vast distances in Iraq. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Such weapons typically include hundreds of contemporary transducers — electrical devices that transform energy from one form to another — to produce extremely concentrated and amplified sound.

Different types of sonic weapons

— Long-range acoustic devices (LRADs): It has an 8,900-metre range for intelligible speech and produces a highly directional “beam” of extremely loud sound that can reach 160 decibels (dB).

— Mosquito: This device emits extremely high-pitched sounds that are audible and uncomfortable to only young people, often teenagers and those in their 20s. It does not affect persons over the age of thirty.

— Infrasonic weapon: This is a modern technology that can emit extremely low-frequency sounds that are inaudible yet can induce pain and disorientation. Experts are still exploring its powers.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Consider the following industries:

1. Brick kiln

2. Salt pans

3. Coir industry

4. Foundries

Which of the above industries’ workers are likely affected by Chronic Kidney Disease?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4

(c) 1 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

— The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Tamil Nadu’s adult population was estimated to be 8.4% by Community Medicine and the Directorate of Public Health. Diabetes and hypertension were identified as the most common causes, accounting for 50% of the disease burden, and obesity was a precursor to both.

— Diabetes and hypertension were prevalent in the study population at 13.4% and 30.6%, respectively, with two-thirds of hypertension and 40% of diabetes diagnosed during enrolling.

— Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Cause (CKDu) affects persons who work in outdoor environments such as agriculture, brick kilns, salt pans, construction, the coir industry, and foundries. The most prevalent relationship between all of these blue-collar employment is acute heat stress and physically hard manual labour.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

With reference to the fentanyl, consider the following statements:

1. It is a potent synthetic opioid drug used as an analgesic.

2. It is less potent than morphine.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— According to the US medication Enforcement Administration (DEA), “fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as an analgesic [for pain relief] and anaesthetic.” Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It is about 100 times more effective than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin as an analgesic.” However, overdosing may trigger “stupor, changes in pupil size, clammy skin, cyanosis [blue skin], coma, and respiratory failure leading to death”. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Opioids are essentially a type of drugs that “derive from, or mimic, natural substances found in the opium poppy plant”, according to the website of US-based Johns Hopkins Medicine. They generate a variety of effects, including pain alleviation and exhilaration, and are highly addictive. Apart from fentanyl, some common opioids include oxycodone, morphine, codeine, and heroin.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 102)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 102)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 101)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 101)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 101)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 101)

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