UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz : July 30 to August 05, 2023

QUESTION 1

With reference to the superconductivity, consider the following statements:

1. It refers to a state in which a material offers maximum resistance to electric current.

2. It can be achieved  at very low temperatures.

3. Mercury was the first material discovered to have conductive characteristics.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 2

With reference to Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects, consider the following statements:

1. The Convention makes the launching country “absolutely liable” to pay compensation for any damage caused by its space object.

2. The Liability Convention deals  with damage caused by space objects to other space assets and not  applies to damage caused by falling objects on earth. 

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 3

Consider the following statements with reference to Article 117 :

1. Article 117 (1) indicates that a Bill that makes provision for any of the matters specified in clauses (a) to (f) of Article 110 (1) can be introduced or moved only on the President’s recommendation and cannot be introduced in the Rajya Sabha.

2. A Financial Bill becomes a Money Bill when it exclusively falls under one of the seven heads listed under Article 117(3), which defines Money Bills. 

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 4

With reference to the Aadhar Enabled Payment System (AEPS), consider the following statements:

1. It is a bank-led model which allows online interoperable financial transactions at PoS (Point of Sale / Micro ATM) using the Aadhaar authentication.

2. It does not allow for consumer-to-business transactions.

3. It allows for Aadhaar to Aadhaar funds transfer.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 5

With reference to the conjunctivitis, consider the following statements:

1. It is the swelling or inflammation of the transparent layer of tissue that lines the inner surface of the eyelid and covers the white part of the eye.

2. Bacterial conjunctivitis is caused due to the long-term presence of a foreign body in the eye, like hard contact lenses.

3. Viral conjunctivitis is most commonly caused by staphylococcal from your own skin or respiratory system.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 6

Consider the following pairs:

(Place)                           (Country)

1. Ouagadougou           Somalia

2. Mogadishu                Mali

3. Bamako                     Eritrea

4. Harare                       Zimbabwe

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 7

With reference to the nuclear fission, consider the following statements:

1. Plutonium-239 is an extremely rare isotope that is commonly used as a nuclear fuel.

2. Fission bombs require an enrichment of 3-4 per cent of U-235 to sustain a chain reaction.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 8

Which of the following nations’ democratic governments was recently deposed by a coup?

(a) Morocco

(b) Ghana

(c) Niger

(d) Senegal

ANSWERS TO MCQs

1. (b)

FYI:

— Two South Korean researchers posted two related papers on the internet, not yet peer-reviewed, claiming that a lead-based compound they had developed had shown superconducting properties at room temperature, under normal pressure conditions.

— Superconductivity refers to a state in which a material offers zero, or near-zero, resistance to electric current. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— A current is nothing but the movement of charged particles, electrons in most cases, in a particular direction. When the electrons move, they collide and interact, with other atoms in the material.

— Resistance involves a loss of energy, mostly in the form of heat. Part of the reason why electrical appliances get heated is this resistance.

— Elimination of this resistance can result in super-efficient electrical appliances, the removal of transmission losses in power cables, and massive gains in energy.

— Superconducting materials show very interesting behaviour under a magnetic field which allows the functioning of systems like the MRI scan machine and the superfast Maglev trains that float above the tracks.

— As of now, superconductivity can be achieved only at very low temperatures, more than 250 degree Celsius below zero, very close to absolute zero which is – 273 degree Celsius. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The first material to have been discovered to show super conductive properties was Mercury, which becomes a superconductor at close to 270 degrees Celsius below zero. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— Most of the other materials commonly used as superconductors – Lead, Aluminum, Tin, Niobium, and several others – also become superconducting at comparable temperatures, called critical temperature.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

2. (a)

FYI:

— According to the Australian Space Agency, a large object found on the shores of western Australia has been confirmed to be the debris of an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) rocket.

— ISRO has agreed with the assessment, saying the debris could be from one of its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rockets.

— There are international regulations governing space debris, which include junk falling back on the earth. Most space-faring countries are signatories to the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects.

— This convention is one of the several international agreements that complement the Outer Space Treaty, the overarching framework guiding the behaviour of countries in space.

— The Liability Convention deals mainly with damage caused by space objects to other space assets, but it also applies to damage caused by falling objects on earth.  Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The Convention makes the launching country “absolutely liable” to pay compensation for any damage caused by its space object on the earth or to a flight in air. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The country where the junk falls can stake a claim for compensation if it has been damaged by the falling object.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

3. (a)

FYI:

— The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill is a normal Bill and not a Money bill. It was introduced under Article 117 of the Constitution, which deals with special provisions for Finance Bills.

— In a general sense, any Bill that relates to revenue or expenditure is a Financial Bill. A Money Bill is also a specific type of Finance Bill, that must deal only with matters specified in Article 110 (1) (a) to (g).

— Article 117 of the Constitution deals with the special provisions relating to Financial Bills.

— Article 117 (1) indicates that a Bill that makes provision for any of the matters specified in clauses (a) to (f) of Article 110 (1) can be introduced or moved only on the President’s recommendation and cannot be introduced in the Rajya Sabha.  Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Finance Bills is dealt with under Article 117 (3) of the Constitution are more like ordinary Bills.

— The difference between this kind of Financial Bill and an ordinary Bill is that if the former is enacted, it will involve expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India and cannot be passed by either House unless the President has recommended its consideration.

— A Financial Bill becomes a Money Bill when it exclusively falls under one of the seven heads listed under Article 110(1), which defines Money Bills. Hence, statement 2 is not correct. (NOT Article 117 (3))

— Financial Bills are just like ordinary Bills, and can even be introduced in the Rajya Sabha, amended by it, or be subjected to deliberation by both Houses in a joint sitting.

— A major difference between money and Financial Bills is that while the latter has the provision of including the Rajya Sabha’s (Upper House) recommendations, the former does not make their inclusion mandatory. The Lok Sabha has the right to reject the Rajya Sabha’s recommendations when it comes to Money Bills. 

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

4. (b)

FYI:

— As more frauds related to the Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) come to the fore, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), has turned to artificial intelligence-based systems in a bid to limit the cases — this includes developing technologies around fingerprinting and facial recognition.

— AEPS is a bank-led model which allows online interoperable financial transactions at PoS (Point of Sale / Micro ATM) through the Business Correspondent (BC)/Bank Mitra of any bank using the Aadhaar authentication. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— There are various services offered by AEPS, such as:

Balance Enquiry

Cash Withdrawal

Cash Deposit

Aadhaar to Aadhaar funds transfer. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Payment Transactions (C2B, C2G Transactions). Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

5. (a)

FYI:

— According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), conjunctivitis, “often referred to as “pink eye”, is the swelling or inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin, transparent layer of tissue that lines the inner surface of the eyelid and covers the white part of the eye.” Hence statement 1 is correct.

— Conjunctivitis infections are broadly classified as:

Allergic Conjunctivitis

— It can be caused by common allergens like pollen, or due to the long-term presence of a foreign body in the eye, like hard contact lenses.

Bacterial Conjunctivitis

— Bacterial conjunctivitis is most often caused by staphylococcal or streptococcal bacteria from your own skin or respiratory system. Hence statement 2 is not correct.

Viral Conjunctivitis

— It is most commonly caused by contagious viruses associated with the common cold. It can develop through exposure to the coughing or sneezing of someone with an upper respiratory tract infection. Hence statement 3 is not correct.

Chemical Conjunctivitis

— It can be caused by irritants like air pollution, chlorine in swimming pools, and exposure to noxious chemicals.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

6. (a)

FYI:

— The Russian-African summit with African leaders in St. Petersburg served as a rare opportunity for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet international counterparts.

— Numerous topics were discussed at the summit, including economic, humanitarian and sport issues, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the food insecurity on the African continent took center stage.

— The summit kicked off with Putin vowing free grain supplies for six African nations. According to the pledge, 25,000-50,000 tons of grain will be sent to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic and Eritrea in the coming months.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

7. (d)

FYI:

— Most atoms on Earth are stable due to an equilibrated composition of neutrons and protons in their nucleus. However, in some unstable atoms, the composition of the number of protons and neutrons is such that it does not allow the nucleus to hold itself together.

— Uranium-235, an extremely rare isotope of the heavy metal uranium, is the most commonly used nuclear fuel, as it is one of the few elements that can undergo induced fission. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— This is done by subjecting a U-235 nucleus to neutrons. The nucleus immediately absorbs an extra neutron and consequently becomes unstable — and immediately breaks apart into two lighter atoms, and a few extra neutrons. This process releases what is known as atomic energy.

— The fission of a U-235 atom produces about 2 to 3 new neutrons on average. If these new neutrons are then absorbed by other U-235 atoms, it creates an exponentially growing chain reaction.

— Uranium ore is enriched in order to increase the concentration of U-235. Most nuclear power plants require an enrichment of 3-4 per cent U-235 to sustain a chain reaction. Fission bombs on the other hand need closer to 90 per cent enrichment. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

8. (c)

FYI:

— Recently, Niger’s democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum was ousted in a coup.

— The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) slapped severe sanctions on Niger on Sunday in response to the coup, including a number of border closures.

— People and goods can move again to Algeria, Libya and Chad — which aren’t in ECOWAS — as well as to ECOWAS members Mali and Burkina Faso, who support the coup leadership.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

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