Q1011. What was the major downstream effect of Khorana and his colleagues successfully cracking the genetic code?
Science and Technology: RAS Prelims MCQs
1113 RAS Prelims practice MCQs on science and technology are on this page, in 6 chapters. They cover the basics of everyday science, computers and information technology, defence and space technology in India, genetics, biotechnology and nanotechnology, science and technology policies and government programmes, and recent advances with Indian contributors and indigenisation. Each question has an answer and an explanation.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
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Q1012. Jagadish Chandra Bose is widely celebrated for inventing the Crescograph. What is the primary function of this instrument?
Explanation
Jagadish Chandra Bose invented the Crescograph to observe and record the growth of plants. This highly sensitive instrument could magnify plant movements up to ten thousand times, making nearly invisible growth processes apparent. Through this invention, Bose provided empirical evidence that plants react to various external stimuli, establishing a scientific link between the biological responses of plants and animals.
Q1013. J.C. Bose was a pioneer in the generation of millimeter waves. In the electromagnetic spectrum, how do millimeter waves compare to standard microwaves?
Explanation
J.C. Bose was a pioneer in generating electromagnetic waves in the millimeter range, specifically around 60 GHz. These waves have significantly higher frequencies and shorter wavelengths compared to the standard microwaves used in early radio experiments. His work on these high-frequency waves laid the early groundwork for modern technologies like satellite communication, high-speed wireless data, and contemporary 5G networks.
Q1014. Which of the following best defines J.C. Bose’s concept of plant response to stimuli?
Explanation
J.C. Bose’s research revolutionized the understanding of plant life by demonstrating that plants are not passive organisms. He showed that plants respond to external stimuli like light, touch, and temperature through electrical impulses, similar to the nervous systems found in animals. This interdisciplinary approach challenged contemporary views and laid the foundations for the modern field of plant neurobiology.
Q1015. Which of the following statements correctly highlights the modern recognition of J.C. Bose’s work in physics?
Explanation
The global scientific community has formally recognized J.C. Bose’s pioneering contributions to wireless technology. The IEEE designated his 1895 public demonstration of wireless communication using millimeter waves as a historic milestone. This recognition solidifies his role as one of the inventors of radio technology, alongside Marconi and Tesla, particularly for his use of advanced high-frequency electromagnetic waves.
Q1016. Match the instrument or concept in List I with its relevance to J.C. Bose in List II and select the correct answer.
| Instrument/Concept | Relevance to J.C. Bose |
|---|---|
| A. Crescograph | i. Early semiconductor device to detect electromagnetic waves |
| B. Galena detector | ii. Magnifying plant tissue movement up to 10,000 times |
| C. Millimeter waves | iii. Demonstrating parallel electrical responses in living and non-living matter |
| D. Plant physiology | iv. High-frequency radio waves around 60 GHz |
Explanation
J.C. Bose’s diverse scientific contributions include the invention of the Crescograph for magnifying plant growth and the use of galena crystals as early semiconductor detectors. He was a pioneer in generating millimeter waves at frequencies around 60 GHz. Furthermore, his work in plant physiology demonstrated that living and non-living matter can exhibit similar electrical responses to various external stimuli.
Q1017. Which of the following discoveries or inventions is an exception and is NOT attributed to Jagadish Chandra Bose?
Explanation
Jagadish Chandra Bose is known for inventing the iron-mercury-iron coherer and using semiconductor junctions to detect radio waves. He also conducted extensive research on the fatigue of metals and plants. However, Bose- Einstein statistics, which describes the behavior of a specific class of subatomic particles, was formulated by Satyendra Nath Bose in collaboration with Albert Einstein in the 1920s.
Q1018. What was the best technological significance of J.C. Bose’s use of a galena crystal in his radio wave detector?
Explanation
By using a galena crystal to detect radio waves, J.C. Bose created the world’s first semiconductor-based device for receiving wireless signals. This innovation was a significant departure from contemporary vacuum-tube based detectors. His work provided the early experimental evidence for the semiconductor properties of crystals, eventually leading to the development of the transistor and the entire field of modern solid-state electronics.
Q1019. Identify the odd one out among the scientific fields J.C. Bose contributed to during his interdisciplinary career.
Explanation
Jagadish Chandra Bose had a remarkably interdisciplinary career, making foundational contributions to radio physics, plant neurobiology, and semiconductor physics. He successfully applied physical methods to study biological processes and electromagnetic phenomena. While he was a pioneer in many experimental fields, he did not conduct research in synthetic polymer chemistry, which emerged as a major industrial field later in the 20th century.
Q1020. Consider the following statements about Jagadish Chandra Bose:
I. He founded the Bose Institute in Calcutta in 1917.
II. He was a pioneer of Bengali science fiction.
III. He firmly believed that there is no distinct boundary between the living and the non-living.
IV. His research in plant physiology was initially met with resistance by orthodox Western biologists.
V. He exclusively published his research in Indian journals to avoid Western scrutiny.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. He founded the Bose Institute in Calcutta in 1917.
II. He was a pioneer of Bengali science fiction.
III. He firmly believed that there is no distinct boundary between the living and the non-living.
IV. His research in plant physiology was initially met with resistance by orthodox Western biologists.
V. He exclusively published his research in Indian journals to avoid Western scrutiny.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
J.C. Bose was a multifaceted visionary who established the Bose Institute and wrote early Bengali science fiction.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 1011 | (d) Understanding mutations and developing genetic engineering |
| 1012 | (c) To measure the extraordinarily small growth movements in plants |
| 1013 | (d) Millimeter waves have higher frequencies and shorter wavelengths than standard microwaves. |
| 1014 | (a) Plants possess a nervous system analogous to animals and respond via electrical signals. |
| 1015 | (b) The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) recognized his 1895 demonstration of millimeter-wave communication as an IEEE Milestone. |
| 1016 | (b) A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii |
| 1017 | (c) The discovery of Bose-Einstein statistics |
| 1018 | (d) It helped establish solid-state physics and semiconductor technology. |
| 1019 | (c) Synthetic polymer chemistry |
| 1020 | (a) I, II, III, and IV only |
Key facts from Science and Technology
- The RPSC paper is General Knowledge and General Science, so science questions come with a strong dose of applied and recent topics.
- Everyday science questions test the laws and terms of physics, chemistry and biology through examples.
- Defence and space questions pair a missile, satellite or mission with its year and organisation.
- Policy questions ask for the year, the body and the aim of schemes like STIP, the National Quantum Mission and BioE3.
- Health, environment and agriculture are on a separate page, with their own chapters.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Science and Technology?
This page has 1113 practice MCQs on Science and Technology. Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Which chapters does the science and technology set cover?
Six chapters: basics of everyday science; computers, information and communication technology; defence and space technology in India; genetics, biotechnology and nanotechnology; science and technology policies and government programmes; and recent advances, Indian contributors and indigenisation.
Is science and technology part of the RAS Prelims syllabus?
Yes. The RPSC paper is called General Knowledge and General Science, and its syllabus lists science and technology topics along with environment, health, agriculture and government programmes, so questions can come from any of these areas.
How should I prepare science for RAS Prelims?
Revise the concepts by examples, then learn the missions, schemes and scientists with their year and organisation. Attempt each chapter, read the explanations and keep a list of the facts you missed.