True/False – GK Questions

INO (proposed in Theni, Tamil Nadu) will house a 50-kton ICAL detector to study neutrino mass hierarchy and oscillation parameters. Neutrinos are elusive particles that can reveal fundamental physics beyond the Standard Model. [[DST Reports, NCERT Physics Class 12]]

FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) Phase II (2019) supports EV demand incentives, charging infrastructure, and technology development. Critical for reducing transport emissions. [[DHI, MoHUA Reports]]

Herd immunity threshold depends on R₀ (basic reproduction number). Achieved via vaccination or prior infection. Protects vulnerable individuals unable to be vaccinated. Critical concept in public health. [[ICMR, MoHFW Guidelines]]

DSSCs mimic photosynthesis: dye molecules absorb photons, inject electrons into TiO₂ semiconductor, regenerated by electrolyte. Low-cost, flexible alternative to silicon PV; active research area. [[MNRE Reports]]

Flow reactors offer precise temperature/residence time control, easier scale-up, reduced waste, and safer handling of hazardous intermediates. Aligns with green chemistry principles. [[NCERT Chemistry Class 12]]

PMGDISHA (2017) trains rural citizens in digital skills: operating devices, internet usage, digital payments, e-governance services. Key for inclusive digital India. [[MeitY Reports]]

Pumped hydro stores energy by pumping water uphill during low demand; releases through turbines during peak. Accounts for >90% of global grid storage capacity. India has several operational plants. [[MNRE Reports]]

MOFs are porous crystalline materials with tunable pores. Applications: hydrogen/methane storage, CO₂ capture, drug delivery, catalysis. Active area of materials chemistry research. [[NCERT Chemistry Class 12]]

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) calculates distance via time-of-flight of laser pulses. Critical for autonomous vehicles, robotics, topographic mapping, archaeology. [[ISRO, MeitY Reports]]

Batteries (Li-ion, flow) store excess renewable energy for discharge during low generation/high demand. Critical for grid stability as renewable share increases. India targets 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030. [[MNRE Reports]]

AMR arises via mutation, horizontal gene transfer. Misuse of antibiotics accelerates resistance. India's National Action Plan on AMR (2017) addresses surveillance, stewardship, R&D. Critical global health threat. [[MoHFW, WHO Reports]]

Topological insulators have protected surface states due to time-reversal symmetry, enabling dissipationless electron transport. Promising for spintronics and quantum computing. Nobel Prize in Physics 2016. [[NCERT Physics Class 12]]

Docking algorithms (AutoDock, Glide) simulate ligand-protein interactions, scoring binding affinity. Accelerates drug discovery by virtual screening of compound libraries before synthesis. [[NCERT Chemistry Class 12, DBT Reports]]

AR enhances real-world view with computer-generated elements (text, 3D models) via smartphones, glasses. Applications: education, navigation, retail, industrial maintenance. Distinct from VR (fully immersive). [[MeitY Reports]]

Microplastics (<5 mm) originate from degraded larger plastics or microbeads. Found in oceans, soil, air, and human tissues. India banned single-use plastics (2022) to address this crisis. [[CPCB, MoEFCC Reports]]

Amyloid plaques (extracellular Aβ aggregates) and neurofibrillary tangles (hyperphosphorylated tau) disrupt neuronal function. Leading cause of dementia; research focuses on early detection and disease-modifying therapies. [[ICMR Reports, NCERT Biology Class 11]]

Ultrasound (>20 kHz) penetrates tissues; echoes create images (sonography). Also used in cleaning, NDT, pest repellents. Non-ionizing and safe for prenatal scans. [[NCERT Physics Class 11]]

Light-dependent reactions: chlorophyll absorbs photons, excites electrons, splits water, generates ATP/NADPH. Calvin cycle uses these to fix CO₂. Foundation of life on Earth. [[NCERT Biology Class 11]]

Digital twins simulate, predict, and optimize performance of assets (engines, cities, power grids). Enabled by IoT, AI, cloud computing. Emerging application in Industry 4.0 and smart infrastructure. [[NITI Aayog Reports]]

Blue carbon ecosystems store carbon in biomass and sediments at rates higher than terrestrial forests. Conservation supports climate mitigation and coastal protection. India has significant mangrove cover. [[MoEFCC, UNEP Reports]]