Q51. Identify the odd one out regarding the scientific fields heavily influenced by Har Gobind Khorana’s research.
Recent Advances, Indian Contributors and Indigenization: RAS Prelims MCQs
154 RAS Prelims MCQs on recent advances, Indian contributors and indigenisation cover Indian scientists and their work, recent technology and defence indigenisation. C. V. Raman, Ramanujan, Kalam, Bhabha, Khorana, mRNA vaccines, the Bhashini mission, INS Vikrant and defence exports are asked as facts, pairs and statements.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 51–60 of 154 questions
Q52. What was the major downstream effect of Khorana and his colleagues successfully cracking the genetic code?
Explanation
Cracking the genetic code allowed scientists to understand exactly how changes in DNA sequences, known as mutations, can lead to diseases or altered traits. This knowledge provided the necessary framework for genetic engineering, enabling researchers to modify organisms by inserting or changing specific genes. It transformed medicine and agriculture by allowing the production of insulin, vaccines, and genetically modified crops.
Q53. 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.
Q54. 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.
Q55. 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.
Q56. 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.
Q57. 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.
Q58. 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.
Q59. 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.
Q60. 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.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 51 | (a) Plate tectonics |
| 52 | (d) Understanding mutations and developing genetic engineering |
| 53 | (c) To measure the extraordinarily small growth movements in plants |
| 54 | (d) Millimeter waves have higher frequencies and shorter wavelengths than standard microwaves. |
| 55 | (a) Plants possess a nervous system analogous to animals and respond via electrical signals. |
| 56 | (b) The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) recognized his 1895 demonstration of millimeter-wave communication as an IEEE Milestone. |
| 57 | (b) A-ii, B-i, C-iv, D-iii |
| 58 | (c) The discovery of Bose-Einstein statistics |
| 59 | (d) It helped establish solid-state physics and semiconductor technology. |
| 60 | (c) Synthetic polymer chemistry |
Key facts from Recent Advances, Indian Contributors and Indigenization
- C. V. Raman won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for the scattering of light; National Science Day on 28 February marks the discovery of the Raman Effect.
- The IGMDP began in 1983; Kalam promoted PURA, the Provision of Urban Amenities to Rural Areas.
- Homi J. Bhabha is the father of the Indian nuclear programme, and his three-stage plan uses PHWRs, fast breeder reactors and thorium reactors.
- Har Gobind Khorana showed that nucleotide triplets code for specific amino acids.
- mRNA vaccines do not enter the nucleus or alter the genome; the cell breaks down the mRNA after making the viral protein.
- Bhashini uses AI to break language barriers; INS Vikrant (IAC-1) is the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier; India is seeking export orders for ATAGS artillery.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Recent Advances, Indian Contributors and Indigenization?
This page has 154 practice MCQs on Recent Advances, Indian Contributors and Indigenization (Science and Technology). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Why is National Science Day celebrated on 28 February?
To commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect on 28 February 1928 by C. V. Raman. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for his work on the scattering of light.
What does PURA stand for?
Provision of Urban Amenities to Rural Areas, a concept advocated by Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. It aimed to give villages the roads, connectivity and services of towns so that rural development would be balanced.
Do mRNA vaccines change human DNA?
No. mRNA vaccines do not enter the nucleus of the cell or integrate with the human genome. The cell uses the instruction to make the viral protein and then breaks down the mRNA.