Science and technology portion constitutes an important part of CSE prelims.

Weightage of science and technology

• 2015 – 9
• 2014 – 5
• 2013 -13
• 2012 – 9
• 2011 – 18

But the syllabus is vast and standard thing of reading NCERT books does not apply here as it’s very difficult for non science background people to learn NCERT physics, chemistry, biology 12th std. UPSC also does not ask questions of 11th 12th standard and if any such question is asked, don’t even try to attempt that question.

• Having said that, 6th to 8th std NCERT remains important to clear basic concepts or you can just skim through the general science notes of any coaching classes.
• Use your logic to the full for science is nothing if not logical.
• Technology questions are primarily current affairs based and do not require in depth understanding.

Things to be done in these last 2 days

• Just go through science and technology current affairs from June to February
• Go through previous year questions

IAS Pre 2015

1. With reference to the use of nanotechnology in health sector, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Targeted drug delivery is made possible by nanotechnology
2. Nanotechnology can largely contribute to gene therapy

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

• Both the statements seem true
• There is no good reason for any of them to be untrue.
• Targeted drug delivery i.e delivering drug to the site of action not to all organs by some how nano tagging the drug
• Gene therapy again by somehow nano tagging the gene
• 2. With reference to ‘fly ash’ produced by the power plants using the coal as fuel, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Fly ash can be used in the production of bricks for building construction
2. Fly ash can be used as a replacement for some of the Portland cement contents of concrete
3. Fly ash is made up of silicon dioxide and calcium oxide only, and does not contain any toxic elements.

Select the correct answer using the code given below

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3

(d) 3 only

We have done this in environment section

3. Among the following which were frequently mentioned in the news for the outbreak of Ebola virus recently?

(a) Syria and Jordan

(b) Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia

(c) Philippines and Papua New Guinea

(d) Jamaica, Haiti and Surinam

Was very much in news

• Even if you only knew that it affected Africa which I suppose everyone knows, you would be good to go.
• Jordan, Syria in Asia
• Jamaica, Haiti in Caribbean
• Philippines Asia
• You see, the stupid examiner is trying to play with words. Syria sierra, Guinea papua new guinea etc

4. In the context of modern scientific research, consider the following statements about ‘IceCube’, a particle detector located at South Pole, which was recently in the news :

1. It is the world’s largest neutrino detector, encompassing a cubic kilometre of ice.
2. It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter
3. It is buried deep in the ice.

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 only

• Current affairs, was in news
• If you know about neutrino, Indian neutrino observatory, you would know they are set up at places where there is minimum disturbance like deep inside earth
• Now it’s ice cube so a and c seem right
• Neutrino search and understanding of dark natter is realted
• Anyway you should have read the news and no need for these useless tikdams

5. With reference to ‘Near Field Communication (NFC) Technology’, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It is a contactless communication technology that uses electromagnetic radio fields
2. NFC is designed for use by devices which can be at a distance of even a metre from each other
3. NFC can use encryption when sending sensitive information.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1,2 and 3

• Near field so would obviously be contactless. You must have seen this during billing in  grocery stores
• Even a meter meaning long distance, it’s near field so untrue statement.
• 3rd has to be true. it’s such an innocuous statement.
• In any case include 1, exclude 2, reach the answer

6. The term ‘Goldilocks Zone’ is often seen in the news in the context of

(a) the limits of habitable zone above the surface of the Earth

(b) regions inside the Earth-like planets in outer space

(c) search for the Earth-like planets in outer space

(d) search for meteorites containing precious metals

• Was in the news related to exoplanets
• 1st is rubbish
• 4th is also rubbish
• B/w 2 and  you can be confused
• But 2nd – what regions inside earth like planets would be goldilock?
• 3rd is true as earth like planets which are presents in zones called goldilock can be habitable

7. The term ‘IndARC’ sometimes seen in the news, is the name of?

(a) an indigenously developed radar system inducted into Indian Defence

(b) India’s satellite to provide services to the countries of Indian Ocean Rim

(c) a scientific establishment set up by India in Antarctic region

(d) India’s underwater observatory to scientifically study the Arctic region

• Current affairs
• CD newscards
• Or common sense. IndARC – India arctic

8. H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases?

(a) AIDS

(b) Bird flu

(c) Dengue

(d) swine flu

• Was in news, many death in Delhi in the month of Feb, March
• AIDS virus you know is HIV.
• Dengue you know is dengue virus
• Bird flu is h5n1
• Swine flu h1n1

9. With reference to bio-toilets used by the Indian Railways, consider the following statements:

1.The decomposition of human waste in the bio-toilets is initiated by a fungal inoculum.

2. Ammonia and water vapour are the only end products in this decomposition which are released into the atmosphere.

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

• Covered in environment section
• Not by fungi but bacteria
• Why only ammonia and water vapour, what about other gases?

10. With reference to ‘fuel cells’ in which hydrogen-rich fuel and oxygen are used to generate electricity. Consider the following statements:

1. If pure hydrogen is used as a fuel, the fuel cell emits heat and water as by-products.
2. Fuel cells can be used for powering buildings and not for small devices like laptop computers.
3. Fuel cells produce electricity in the form of Alternating Current (AC).

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

• Covered in environment section
• Cells produce dc not AC