Q1. Every member of either House of Parliament, before taking his seat in the House, has to make and subscribe to an oath or affirmation before the
(a) President of India
(b) Presiding officer of the House
(c) Chief Justice of India
(d) Leader of the concerned party or coalition
Ans: (a)
Explanation:
- The oath is taken before the President or some person appointed by him for this purpose. In his oath or affirmation, a Member of Parliament swears:
- to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India;
- to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India; and
- to faithfully discharge the duty upon which he is about to enter.
Q2. Consider the following statements about Pravasi Bhartiya Divas
- It is celebrated every year to strengthen the engagement of the overseas Indian community with the Government of India.
- Selected overseas Indians are also honored with Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award.
- The first chapter of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas was held in 2000.
How many of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Ans: (a)
Explanation:
- Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on 9th January to mark the contribution of Overseas Indian community in the development of India.
- PBD Convention is the flagship event of the Ministry of External Affairs and provides an important platform to engage and connect with the overseas Indians.
- PBD conventions were held every year since 2003.
- S1: Since 2015, its format has been revised to celebrate the PBD once every two years.
- The theme of 16th PBD Convention 2021: “Contributing to Aatmanirbhar Bharat”.
- S2: During the Convention, selected overseas Indians are also honored with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award to recognize their contributions to various fields both in India and abroad.
- S3: The 15th annual Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) is held in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The first chapter of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas was held in 2003to recognise the contributions of NRIs in academic and professional fields across the world.
- Why PBD is celebrated on January 9?
- January 9 was chosen as the day to celebrate this occasion since it was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest Pravasi, returned to India from South Africa, led India’s freedom struggle and changed the lives of Indians forever.
- Significance
- These conventions provide a platform to the overseas Indian community to engage with the government and people of the land of their ancestors for mutually beneficial activities.
- These conventions are also very useful in networking among the overseas Indian community residing in various parts of the world and enable them to share their experiences in various fields.
Q3. Which of the following statements about the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is true?
(a) LIGO is a radio telescope used for studying gamma-ray bursts.
(b) LIGO is primarily designed to detect and study gravitational waves.
(c) LIGO is located on the Moon’s surface to avoid Earth’s vibrations.
(d) LIGO was originally built to observe black holes through optical telescopes.
Ans: (b)
Explanation:
- The correct answer is (B). LIGO is primarily designed to detect and study gravitational waves. Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of spacetime that are produced by some of the most violent and energetic events in the universe, such as the merger of black holes or neutron stars.
Q4. Consider the following statements about Gravitational Waves:
- Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of spacetime.
- Gravitational waves were first predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916.
- Gravitational waves have been directly detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).
- Gravitational waves can be used to study the merger of black holes and neutron stars.
How many of the above statements given is/are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
Ans: (d)
Explanation:
- Statement 1: Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of spacetime. Spacetime is the fabric of the universe, and it is made up of space and time. Gravitational waves are caused by the acceleration of massive objects, such as black holes and neutron stars.
- Statement 2: Gravitational waves were first predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916. Einstein’s theory of general relativity predicts that gravitational waves exist. However, it was not until 2015 that LIGO directly detected gravitational waves.
- Statement 3: Gravitational waves have been directly detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). LIGO is a pair of observatories located in Hanford, Washington and Livingston, Louisiana. Each observatory consists of two 4-kilometer-long vacuum tubes that are arranged in an L shape. Laser beams are sent down the tubes and reflected back, and any changes in the length of the tubes caused by gravitational waves can be detected.
- Statement 4: Gravitational waves can be used to study the merger of black holes and neutron stars. When two black holes or neutron stars merge, they emit a burst of gravitational waves. These gravitational waves can be detected by LIGO and other observatories. By studying these gravitational waves, scientists can learn about the properties of black holes and neutron stars.
Q5. Consider the following phenomena:
- Light is affected by gravity.
- The Universe is constantly expanding.
- Matter warps its surrounding space-time.
Which of the above is/are the predictions/predictions of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, often discussed in the media?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (d)
Explanation:
- S1: Einstein’s theory of relativity has important astrophysical implications. For example, it implies the existence of black holes—regions of space in which space and time are distorted in such a way that nothing, not even light, can escape—as an end-state for massive stars.
- There is ample evidence that the intense radiation emitted by certain kinds of astronomical objects is due to black holes; for example, micro quasars and active galactic nuclei result from the presence of stellar black holes and super massive black holes, respectively.
- The bending of light by gravity can lead to the phenomenon of gravitational lensing, in which multiple images of the same distant astronomical object are visible in the sky. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
- S2: General relativity also predicts the existence of gravitational waves, which have since been observed directly by the physics collaboration LIGO. In addition, general relativity is the basis of current cosmological models of a consistently expanding universe. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
- S3: General relativity is Einstein’s law of gravity, his Justification of that fundamental force which holds us to the surface of the Earth. Gravity, Einstein asserted, is caused by warping of space and time or space-time. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
