1.

In terms of relative contribution of various greenhouse gases to total global warming, which of the following is having the least %?.

(a) CFCs

(b) Carbon dioxide

(c) N₂O

(d) Methane

   2.

1. It has no electrical charge.

2. It is short-lived.

3. It has a spin of -1.

4. It remains massive even at very high energies.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct w.r.t. Higgs Boson?.

(a) Only 1 statement  

(b) Only 2 statements

(c) Only 3 statements

(d) All the four statements

   3.

The endangered idri idri is found in

(a) Madagascar

(b) Mauritius

(c) Sri Lanka

(d) India

  4.

With reference to Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, consider the following statements:

1. It is an informal multilateral grouping of India, Australia, Japan, and France.

2. It was formalised in 1991 after the Asian BoP crisis.

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

  5.

A high density of a protected animal in a National Park can result into   

(a) emigration

(b) mutualism

(c) predation

(d) intraspecific competition

  6.

Consider the following statements, with reference to the “Blue Ocean event”:

1. During this event the Arctic Ocean becomes ice-free during the summer.

2. This event reduces the amount of sunlight reflected into space

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

   7.

Consider the following statements w.r.t. Solar Radiation Modification:

1. It solves the greenhouse gas emissions problem.

2. It includes the direct injection of sulphates into the atmosphere.

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

   8.

Which of the following are regarded as the main features of the “Rule of Law”?

1. Limitation of powers

2. Equality before law

3. People’s responsibility to the Government

4. Liberty and civil rights

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

  9.

The irritant red haze in the traffic and congested places is due to

(a) oxides of nitrogen

(b) oxides of sulphur

(c) oxides of carbon

(d) oxides of lead

 10.

The primary producers of deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystem are

(a) Polyps

(b) Oscilatoria

(c) Chemosynthetic bacteria

(d) Blue-green algae

 11.

Consider the following statements w.r.t. WACE phenomenon:

1. It is a prominent feature of Northern Hemisphere.

2. It is a pattern of warm surface temperatures over the Arctic.

3. It is associated with upper-level circulation changes that reach into the Indian Ocean sector.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

 12.

Consider the following statements with reference to Global Liveability Index 2023.

1. It is published by the World Bank.

2. It rates living conditions in 193 cities across five categories: stability, health care, culture and environment, education and infrastructure.

3. Vienna in Austria tops the ranking of the most liveable cities in the world in 2023.

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?.

(a) 1 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 1 and 2

(d) 2 and 3

 13.

Which of the following is a “wedge” for reducing the buildup of CO₂ ?.

(a) decrease the fuel economy of billion cars

(b) global dimming

(c) stopping all deforestation

(d) removing carbon capture and storage at power plants

 14.

Which of the following is/are correct statement (s) w.r.t. National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development?.

(a) It is a corporate statutory body.

(b)  It is regulated and supervised by the Ministry of Corporate affairs.

(c) Both (a) & (b) are correct.

(d) Neither (a) nor (b) is correct

 15.

Consider the following statements with reference to the Climate Ambition Summit.

1. India headed the summit.

2. It is UN-backed.

3. Its aim is to uphold the Paris Agreement''s 1.5°C temperature limit.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

 16.

Consider the following statements regarding the Law Commission of India:

1. It is a statutory body.

2. The first Law Commission was established under the Charter Act of 1833.

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

 17.

The greenhouse effect occurs because

(a) greenhouse gases released interact chemically to produce excess heat

(b) carbon dioxide and other trace gases trap infrared radiation in the Earth''s atmosphere

(c) sulfur emissions from smokestacks and volcanoes continue to occur

(d) the gases produced by human activities allow significantly more heat to pass out of the Earth’s atmosphere

 18.

Consider the following statements w.r.t. Pokkali Cultivation:

1. It follows a rotational crop pattern.

2. It is climate- resilient.

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

 19.

1. High price stability.

2. Strong gross domestic product

3. Complete employment

Which of the above phenomenon occur during a Goldilocks scenario?.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

 20.

Consider the followings statements w.r.t. Climate Shift Index (CSI).

1. It was developed by UNFCCC.

2. The CSI levels below 1 indicate climate change.

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

 21.

Warmer temperatures leading to greater evaporation and higher concentration of atmospheric water vapor which leads to warmer air and ocean temperatures is an example of

(a) negative feedback

(b) infrared blockade

(c) UV blockade

(d) positive feedback  

 22.

Global Gender Gap Index is released by

(a) World Bank

(b) World Economic Forum

(c) UN Women

(d) The Human Rights Council

 23.

Spitsbergen is in

(a) Russia

(b) Ukraine

(c) Norway

(d) Sweden

 24.

What is the Wolf Amendment of 2011?

(a) It prohibits NASA from working directly with any China-affiliated organisation.

(b) It is an amendment to Montreal Protocol.

(c) It provides the legal obligations for the international laws related to EEZ.

(d) It recognizes the rights to the refugees during any war situation.

 25.

Which one of the following is not a gaseous biogeochemical cycle in ecosystem?

(a) Sulphur cycle

(b) Phosphorus cycle

(c) Nitrogen cycle

(d) Carbon cycle.

 1.

(a) CFCs – 14%

(b) Carbon dioxide – 60%

(c) N₂O – 6%

(d) Methane – 20%

All the mentioned gases are contributors to global warming, but the relative global warming potential of N2O is 6 percent. Relative global warming potential is the measurement of the amount of heat trapped in the atmosphere by a greenhouse gas over a specific period of time relative to CO2.

c

 2.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/higgs-boson-z-boson-photon-lhc-standard-model-test/article66933432.ece

https://home.cern/science/physics/higgs-boson#:~:text=This%20particle%20had%20no%20electrical,have%20a%20spin%20of%20zero.

C 

 3.

The endangered largest living lemur idri is found in Madagascar. Madagascar is known for its famous lemurs which are currently facing extinction. Lemur idri idri is the largest living lemur found in the wildlife of Madagascar. The major threat to the extinction of lemur is the deforestation and loss of habitats. Lemurs are similar to the other existing primates but they are evolved freely from monkeys and chimpanzees and are adapted to the seasonal climate of Madagascar.

A 

 4.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/whats-the-4-nation-quad-and-where-did-it-come-from/articleshow/91772674.cms?from=mdr

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-growing-appeal-of-the-quad-and-why-china-is-worried-about-it-8674761/

C

 5.

Ø Imagine two oak trees growing next to each other. While it may not seem like it, these two trees are in a constant competition. They both need sunlight, water, and nutrients, and because they are growing so near to each other, they have to fight over those same resources for survival. This competition between members of the same species is called intraspecific competition. This is different from interspecific competition, which is the competition for resources between individuals of different species.

Ø In intraspecific competition, members of the same species may compete for food, shelter, water, and mates. This competition provides a type of control on the population size. If the population grows but the amount of resources stays the same, the resources become limiting. This means that the population can no longer increase in size.

Examples of Intraspecific Competition - Intraspecific competition can be silent, as with the trees mentioned above, or it can be observed in a variety of ways. Bird songs sound very pretty to us, but they are often signals to other birds that they are not welcome in that area. Bird songs are often used to defend territories that contain breeding areas, shelter, and food.

D  

 6.

A “blue ocean event” refers to a situation in which the Arctic Ocean becomes ice-free during the summer, with the sea ice area dropping below 1 million square kilometres. It signifies the absence of sea ice at the top of the world and is considered a significant and alarming consequence of climate change. The event represents a critical tipping point in the Arctic system, as more sea ice melts, it reduces the amount of sunlight reflected into space, leading to further warming and ice loss.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/arctic-ocean-ice-free-summer-2030s-blue-ocean-event/article66988883.ece

C

 7.

SRM does not solve the greenhouse gas emissions problem. It could, however, mask and temporarily reduce its dire effects on the planet. SRM modifies the amount of radiation coming to the earth from the sun through techniques like stratospheric aerosol injection (the injection of reflective aerosol particles into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight away from the earth) and marine cloud brightening (spraying salt or other chemicals or other particles into marine clouds to make them more reflective).

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/risky-geoengineering-should-be-banned-climate-group-says/article67321918.ece

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/what-is-solar-geoengineering/article66539671.ece

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/geoengineering-is-not-a-quick-climate-fix-but-a-costly-gamble/article67244590.ece

B 

 8.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bulldozing-the-law-and-the-constitution/article67191663.ece

C 

 9.

The atmospheric phenomenon of haze occurs when smoke and dust particles get accumulated in relatively dry air. When the smoke and other pollutants in the atmosphere are blocked by the weather conditions, they concentrate and create a kind of cover in the lower part of the atmosphere. This low-hanging cover impairs visibility and can lead to respiratory health problems.

Sometimes in traffic and congested places, a red haze is seen which is highly irritant. It has been found that this red haze is due to the oxides of nitrogen. Nitrogen dioxide is a highly poisonous gas and is deep red in color. When nitrogen dioxide is mixed with aerosols, it causes a reddish brown color of haze in traffic and congested places. The major source of nitrogen oxides is the fuel released from automobiles like cars, trucks etc. It is mainly present in automobile exhaust. When it is released from automobiles into the atmosphere, it gets mixed up with oxygen present in the air to form nitrogen dioxide.

A

10.

The primary producer is an organism which converts the abiotic source of energy in form of stored energy that can be utilized later by it or by other organisms. Primary producers lie at the lowest trophic level in the ecosystem and are the foundation of unidirectional energy flow.

The hydrothermal vents are the fissures on the seabed which geothermally heated the water. These are commonly found near active volcanoes, where the tectonic plates have moved apart in ocean basins. The ecosystem which is found in deep sea hydrothermal vents is somehow different from the ecosystem that is usually found on earth’s surface. Almost all the organisms under deep sea occur independently of the sun, out of which some depend on oxygen which is produced by chemosynthetic bacteria present there. The chemosynthetic bacteria forms a thick layer on the sea bed and attracts many other organisms to feed on them. These chemosynthetic bacteria form the base of the food chain as they are the primary producers of the deep sea hydrothermal vent ecosystem.

Coral reefs are the underwater ecosystem formed by the deposition of corals. Corals are the members of phylum Cnidaria and the deposits which are found under sea are the polyps attached to their substrates. These include jellyfish and sea anemones. The corals secrete hard carbonate exoskeletons which hold and provide support to the corals. Corals are mainly found in shallow tropical waters and sometimes in cold and deep waters also.

Green algae or chlorophyceae are the organisms belonging to the group of algae which are capable of producing their own food. They contain the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll which helps them to synthesize their own food. These are mainly found in freshwater or saline water and sometimes also on land but not in deep seas. These may be unicellular, multicellular or maybe colonial.

Blue green algae, also called cyanobacteria contain the bacteria that are photosynthetic in nature. These bacteria have their own photosynthetic pigment called chlorophyll which they use to synthesize their own food. These are found in fresh water sources or in terrestrial environments. These are known to cause algal blooms in some of the water bodies.

Oscillatoria is a genus that includes simple filamentous cyanobacteria or blue-green algae.

C 

11.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/something-changed-cyclone-formation-1990s-explained/article67329291.ece

D

12.

https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/destination-of-the-week/most-livable-cities-in-the-world-2023-8679205/

C

13.

https://time.com/6213489/remove-carbon-emissions-from-air/

C

14.

It is regulated and supervised by RBI.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/money-and-banking/nabfid-raises-10000-crore-through-listed-bonds/article66972493.ece#:~:text=NaBFID%20was%20set%20up%20in,sustainably%20boosting%20the%20country''s%20economy.

A  

15.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/india-us-china-absent-at-uns-climate-summit/article67329914.ece

B 

16.

The first Law Commission was established during colonial rule in India by the East India Company under the Charter Act of 1833 and was presided over by Lord Macaulay.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-law/law-commission-sedition-law-explained-8645168/

B

17.

http://ete.cet.edu/gcc/?/volcanoes_greenhouse/

B

18.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/costly-labour-preference-for-shrimp-culture-loom-over-pokkalis-future/article66965421.ece

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/farmers-demand-special-package-for-pokkali-rice/article67086933.ece

Pokkali Rice

• It is a salt water-resistant variety that grows tall.
• It is cultivated in the coastal regions of Kerala.
• Pokkali is an ancient farming practice where one season of rice farming is alternated with another season of prawn culture. Hence, pokkali rice is a part of the ‘one fish and one rice’ annual cycle.
• The prawn seedlings feed on the leftovers of the harvested crop, while the rice crop, which gets no other fertiliser or manure, draws nutrients from the prawns’ excrement and other remnants.
• Rice farming and prawn farming are mutually complementary.
• They are useful in climate- resilient agriculture as they can withstands flooding.
• A storehouse of nutrition, they are rich in fibre and protein content, antioxidants with benefits of vitamin E, and minerals such as iron, boron and sulphur
• Pokkali rice has a geographical indication (GI) tag since 2007.

C

19.

A steady-growing economy with moderate inflation and low unemployment rate can be optimal for long-term growth and represents a Goldilocks economy.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-economics/rbi-monetary-policy-economy-goldilocks-8653196/

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/personal-finance/simply-put-goldilocks-scenario/article67183501.ece

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/personal-finance/simply-put-goldilocks-scenario/article67183501.ece

D  

20.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/lowest-emission-nations-hit-hardest-by-unprecedented-heat-in-june-aug-period-analysis/article67288043.ece

D 

21.

https://earthhow.com/climate-feedback-loops/

D 

22.

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/bridging-the-gap-the-hindu-editorial-on-india-and-gender-gap-report/article66997691.ece

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-climbs-eight-places-to-127-in-global-gender-index-says-wef-report/article66994156.ece

B 

23.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/solar-panels-go-into-service-near-north-pole/article67322085.ece

C

24.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/short-history-of-china-rise-as-space-power-8647130/

A

25.

Nutrient cycling ensures the movement of elements within and between the various biotic and abiotic entities in which nutrients occur in the global environment. Another term for nutrient cycling is biogeochemical cycles. There are basically two types of nutrient cycles - (a) gaseous (b) sedimentary cycles. Gaseous cycles have their nutrient reserves in the atmosphere and oceans, like the nitrogen and carbon cycle. The sedimentary cycles like the phosphorus cycle, however have their nutrient reserves in the soil, rocks and minerals;elements are released from the rock and deposited in the sea. The phosphorus cycle does not have a gaseous phase.

· The Phosphorus cycle: Phosphorus is a key component of biological membranes, nucleic acids, and processes for the transfer of cellular energy. To make shells, bones, and teeth, many animals always need massive volumes of this ingredient. Wherein the natural phosphorus reservoir is the rock which, in the form of phosphates, contains phosphorus. In soil solution, minute quantities of these phosphates dissolve as rocks are weathered and are consumed by the plant roots. The materials involved in circulation between biotic and abiotic elements of the biosphere are non-gaseous in sedimentary cycles of matter, and the reservoir pool is the lithosphere, e.g. phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, etc.

· Sulphur has sedimentary as well as gaseous phases. As compared to sedimentary cycles, gaseous cycles are rapid and more perfect.

· In the gaseous form, nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen are present in the atmosphere. The sedimentary cycles are the calcium cycle, the sodium cycle, the phosphorus cycle, the iron cycle, the magnesium cycle, and the Sulphur cycle.

B