Science and Technology


  1. Which city receives the highest cosmic radiation amongst the following?









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    The total annual external dose from sources in soil and cosmic rays in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi and Bengaluru is 0.484, 0.81, 0.79, 0.70 and 0.825 milligray respectively. Gray is a unit for absorbed dose; when the radiation energy imparted to a kg of material is one joule, it is called a gray. Since gray is very large, milligray (one thousandth of a gray), and microgray (one millionth of a gray), are commonly used. Cosmic rays come from outer space. Their intensity at a place depends on the altitude. Cosmic rays alone contribute 0.28 milligray at the first three cities as they are at sea level; the column of air helps to reduce their intensity. At high altitudes, the protection from the column of air is less. The cosmic ray contributions are higher at 0.31 milligray and 0.44 milligray respectively at Delhi and Bengaluru as these cities are at altitudes of 216 metre and 921 metre. Air passengers receive 5 microgray per hour from cosmic rays. Parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu are high background radiation areas (HBRA) because of the presence of large quantities of monazite in the soil. Thorium content in monazite ranges from 8-10.5 per cent. Researchers found that the radiation levels in 12 Panchayats in Karunagappally varied between 0.32 to 76 milligrays per year; the levels in 90 per cent of over 71,000 houses were more than one milligray per year.

    Correct Option: A

    The total annual external dose from sources in soil and cosmic rays in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi and Bengaluru is 0.484, 0.81, 0.79, 0.70 and 0.825 milligray respectively. Gray is a unit for absorbed dose; when the radiation energy imparted to a kg of material is one joule, it is called a gray. Since gray is very large, milligray (one thousandth of a gray), and microgray (one millionth of a gray), are commonly used. Cosmic rays come from outer space. Their intensity at a place depends on the altitude. Cosmic rays alone contribute 0.28 milligray at the first three cities as they are at sea level; the column of air helps to reduce their intensity. At high altitudes, the protection from the column of air is less. The cosmic ray contributions are higher at 0.31 milligray and 0.44 milligray respectively at Delhi and Bengaluru as these cities are at altitudes of 216 metre and 921 metre. Air passengers receive 5 microgray per hour from cosmic rays. Parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu are high background radiation areas (HBRA) because of the presence of large quantities of monazite in the soil. Thorium content in monazite ranges from 8-10.5 per cent. Researchers found that the radiation levels in 12 Panchayats in Karunagappally varied between 0.32 to 76 milligrays per year; the levels in 90 per cent of over 71,000 houses were more than one milligray per year.


  1. The Headquarters of MCF (Master Control Facility) – the nerve centre of the entire spacecraft operations-in India is at









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    The Master Control Facility is a facility set up by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in the city of Hassan in the Indian state of Karnataka. Established in 1982, this facility is responsible for monitoring and controlling the satellites launched by ISRO. This was the only Master Control Facility of ISRO till another one was established in Bhopal in 2005. When ISRO wanted to a control facility, it inspected various sites that were offered to it within India. ISRO chose Hassan as the location (Location on Google Maps) because it was free of noise and encountered less terrestrial transmission than other proposed sites. Low interference was a must since the facility should be able to pick up even very weak signals from the satellite. Currently MCF controls the following 10 satellites: INSAT-2E, INSAT-3C, INSAT-3A, INSAT3E, INSAT-4A, INSAT-4B, INSAT-4CR KALPANA-1, GSAT-8 and GSAT-12. On these 10 satellites 8 are controlled from MCF Hassan and two are controlled form MCF Bhopal (INSAT-3C and INSAT-4CR.)

    Correct Option: D

    The Master Control Facility is a facility set up by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in the city of Hassan in the Indian state of Karnataka. Established in 1982, this facility is responsible for monitoring and controlling the satellites launched by ISRO. This was the only Master Control Facility of ISRO till another one was established in Bhopal in 2005. When ISRO wanted to a control facility, it inspected various sites that were offered to it within India. ISRO chose Hassan as the location (Location on Google Maps) because it was free of noise and encountered less terrestrial transmission than other proposed sites. Low interference was a must since the facility should be able to pick up even very weak signals from the satellite. Currently MCF controls the following 10 satellites: INSAT-2E, INSAT-3C, INSAT-3A, INSAT3E, INSAT-4A, INSAT-4B, INSAT-4CR KALPANA-1, GSAT-8 and GSAT-12. On these 10 satellites 8 are controlled from MCF Hassan and two are controlled form MCF Bhopal (INSAT-3C and INSAT-4CR.)



  1. Where is the satellite launching centre of India located?









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    Sriharikota is a barrier island off the coast of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It houses India’s only satellite launch centre in the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (also known as SHAR) and is used by the Indian Space Research Organisation to launch satellites using multi-stage rockets such as the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. Originally called Sriharikota High Altitude Range (SHAR, an acronym ISRO have retained to the present day) and then Sriharikota Launching Range, the centre was renamed in 2002 after the death of ISRO’s former chairman Satish Dhawan.

    Correct Option: C

    Sriharikota is a barrier island off the coast of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It houses India’s only satellite launch centre in the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (also known as SHAR) and is used by the Indian Space Research Organisation to launch satellites using multi-stage rockets such as the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. Originally called Sriharikota High Altitude Range (SHAR, an acronym ISRO have retained to the present day) and then Sriharikota Launching Range, the centre was renamed in 2002 after the death of ISRO’s former chairman Satish Dhawan.


  1. Which country launched the world’s first satellite dedicated to monitoring Green house gas emission in 2009?









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    The Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite or GOSAT, also known as Ibuki (menaing breath in Japanese) is an Earth observation satellite and the world’s first satellite dedicated to greenhouse-gasmonitoring. It measures densities of carbon dioxide and methane from 56,000 locations on the Earth’s atmosphere.

    Correct Option: A

    The Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite or GOSAT, also known as Ibuki (menaing breath in Japanese) is an Earth observation satellite and the world’s first satellite dedicated to greenhouse-gasmonitoring. It measures densities of carbon dioxide and methane from 56,000 locations on the Earth’s atmosphere.



  1. Kaiga-II plant which supplies electricity is a









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    Kaiga generating station is a nuclear power generating station situated at Kaiga, near the river Kali, in Uttar Kannada district of Karnataka, India. The plant has been in operation since March 2000 and is operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India. It has four units. The fourth unit went critical on 27 November 2010. The two oldest units comprise the west half of the site and the two newer units are adjoining the east side of the site. All of the four units are small-sized CANDU plants of 220 MW.

    Correct Option: C

    Kaiga generating station is a nuclear power generating station situated at Kaiga, near the river Kali, in Uttar Kannada district of Karnataka, India. The plant has been in operation since March 2000 and is operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India. It has four units. The fourth unit went critical on 27 November 2010. The two oldest units comprise the west half of the site and the two newer units are adjoining the east side of the site. All of the four units are small-sized CANDU plants of 220 MW.