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General ScienceMediumAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2021, GS Paper I

Bisphenol A (BPA), a cause of concern, is a structural/key component in the manufacture of which of the following kinds of plastics?

  1. A.Low-density polyethylene
  2. B.Polycarbonate
  3. C.Polyethylene terephthalate
  4. D.Polyvinyl chloride

Correct answer

B. Polycarbonate

Explanation

The correct answer is B, Polycarbonate. Bisphenol A is the main building block from which polycarbonate plastic is made. Polycarbonate is a hard, clear and shatter-resistant plastic once widely used for reusable water bottles, baby feeding bottles, food containers, CDs and spectacle lenses. BPA is also used in the epoxy resins that line food and drink cans. The concern is that BPA can leach out, especially when the plastic is heated or scratched, and it acts as an endocrine disruptor because it mimics the hormone oestrogen. For this reason many countries, including India, have banned BPA in baby feeding bottles. Option A is wrong because low-density polyethylene is made from ethylene alone and is used for carry bags and films. Option C is wrong because PET, used for soft-drink bottles, is made from ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. Option D is wrong because PVC is made from vinyl chloride; its worry is phthalate plasticisers, not BPA. Exam tip: BPA goes with polycarbonate and epoxy can linings; phthalates go with PVC.

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Q1.General ScienceAsked in: NDA · NDA-II 2018, GATMedium

Which one of the following is not used as fertilizer?

  1. A.Ammonium nitrate
  2. B.Ammonium sulphide
  3. C.Ammonium phosphate
  4. D.Ammonium sulphate
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Ammonium sulphide

Ammonium sulphide is an unstable, foul-smelling compound that breaks down to release ammonia and toxic hydrogen sulphide, so it is not used as a fertiliser.

Q5.General ScienceAsked in: NDA · NDA-II 2022, GATEasy

Which one of the following statements about speed and velocity is correct?

  1. A.Speed and velocity both are vector quantities.
  2. B.Speed and velocity both are scalar quantities.
  3. C.Speed is vector quantity and velocity is scalar quantity.
  4. D.Speed is scalar quantity and velocity is vector quantity.
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Speed is scalar quantity and velocity is vector quantity.

Speed tells only how fast a body moves, while velocity also tells the direction of motion, and a quantity with both magnitude and direction is a vector.