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

With reference to furnace oil, consider the following statements : 1. It is a product of oil refineries. 2. Some industries use it to generate power. 3. Its use causes sulphur emissions into environment. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A.1 and 2 only
  2. B.2 and 3 only
  3. C.1 and 3 only
  4. D.1, 2 and 3

Correct answer

D. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

The correct answer is D, 1, 2 and 3. Furnace oil is a heavy refinery product, it is burnt by industry for heat and power, and its high sulphur content makes it a polluting fuel.

Furnace oil is a dark, viscous residual fuel left after lighter fractions such as petrol, kerosene and diesel are distilled off crude oil in a refinery. Because it is cheap and rich in energy, industries burn it in boilers, furnaces and captive power plants, and ships use similar heavy fuel oil. It carries a large share of the crude's sulphur, so burning it releases sulphur dioxide, a cause of acid rain and respiratory illness. For this reason the Supreme Court and pollution boards have restricted furnace oil and pet coke in the Delhi region.

A is wrong: it leaves out statement 3, though sulphur emission is a well-known problem of furnace oil.

B is wrong: it leaves out statement 1, though furnace oil is a refinery product.

C is wrong: it leaves out statement 2, though industries do use it to generate power.

Exam tip: furnace oil = heavy residue of refining, used in boilers and captive power, high in sulphur (SO2).

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Q1.General ScienceAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2021, GS Paper IEasy

Consider the following animals :

1. Hedgehog

2. Marmot

3. Pangolin

To reduce the chance of being captured by predators, which of the above organisms rolls up/roll up and protects/protect its/their vulnerable parts?

  1. A.1 and 2
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.3 only
  4. D.1 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: D. 1 and 3

Hedgehogs and pangolins curl into a tight ball when threatened, covering the soft belly and face with spines or scales; marmots do not.

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Q3.General ScienceAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2018, GATMedium

Which one of the following devices is non-ohmic ?

  1. A.Conducting copper coil
  2. B.Electric heating coil
  3. C.Semi conductor diode
  4. D.Rheostat
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Semi conductor diode

A diode does not obey Ohm's law: the current through it is not proportional to the voltage across it. An ohmic conductor gives a straight-line graph of current against voltage, so its resistance stays constant at a fixed temperature.

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