Which one of the following has maximum inertia ?
- A.An atom
- B.A molecule
- C.A one-rupee coin
- D.A cricket ball
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, A cricket ball. Inertia depends only on mass, and a cricket ball is the heaviest of the four.
Inertia is the tendency of a body to stay at rest or keep moving uniformly in a straight line unless a force acts on it; this is Newton's first law. The greater the mass, the harder it is to start, stop or turn the body, so mass is the measure of inertia. A cricket ball weighs about 156 to 163 grams, many times more than a coin of a few grams, and an atom or a molecule has a mass so tiny that it is measured in atomic mass units.
A is wrong: an atom has an extremely small mass and so very little inertia.
B is wrong: a molecule, though heavier than one atom, is still far too light to compare with everyday objects.
C is wrong: a one-rupee coin weighs only a few grams, much less than a cricket ball.
Exam tip: inertia is measured by mass alone, not by speed or size; Newton's first law is called the law of inertia.
Practice Questions
View allSyngamy results in formation of
- A.haploid zygote
- B.diploid zygote
- C.non-motile male gametes
- D.motile male gametes
Show answer
Syngamy is the fusion of a male and a female gamete, and since each gamete is haploid, their union gives a diploid zygote.
Read the full explanation →Human insulin molecule is composed of one α-chain having 21 amino acids and one β-chain having 30 amino acids. How many functional insulin genes occur in adult humans?
- A.One
- B.Two
- C.Three
- D.Four
Show answer
Humans have a single functional insulin gene, INS, on the short arm of chromosome 11, and both chains of insulin come from it.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following is the value of one nanometer?
- A.10⁻⁷ cm
- B.10⁻⁶ cm
- C.10⁻⁴ cm
- D.10⁻³ cm
Show answer
One nanometre is 10⁻⁹ metre, and since one metre is 100 (10²) centimetres, it equals 10⁻⁷ centimetre. The prefix nano means one billionth.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following is the general formula for saturated hydrocarbons?
- A.CₙH₂ₙ₊₂
- B.CₙH₂ₙ₋₂
- C.CₙH₂ₙ₊₁
- D.CₙH₂ₙ₋₁
Show answer
Saturated open-chain hydrocarbons are the alkanes, and every alkane fits the formula CₙH₂ₙ₊₂. In a saturated hydrocarbon every carbon atom is joined to others only by single bonds, so each carbon holds the largest possible number of hydrogen atoms.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following is not an epidemic disease?
- A.Cholera
- B.Malaria
- C.Smallpox
- D.Elephantiasis
Show answer
Elephantiasis, or lymphatic filariasis, is an endemic disease: it stays steadily present in certain regions and develops slowly over years, rather than breaking out suddenly in a large number of people.
Read the full explanation →