Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 31st July 2024 - UPSC MCQ

1. Correct: The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has indeed established lithium inferred resources of 5.9 million tonnes in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district. This discovery marks a significant milestone as it is the first of its kind in India and is anticipated to be one of the largest deposits globally.

2. Incorrect: While the lithium reserves found in Degana, Rajasthan, are expected to be substantially larger than those in Jammu and Kashmir, they are projected to fulfill 80% of India's lithium demand, not 100%. This makes statement 2 incorrect.

3. Correct: Extracting lithium from hard rock pegmatite deposits is known to present significant challenges. These challenges include the difficulty of extraction, underdeveloped mineral reporting standards, and limited information in bid documents. This makes statement 3 accurate.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option C: 1 and 3 Only.

Statement-I is correct, The Golan Heights are a rocky plateau in the Levant region of Western Asia that was captured by Israel from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War. The international community, with the exception of Israel and the United States, considers the Golan Heights to be Syrian territory held by Israel under military occupation, Statement-II correctly highlights the reason behind the ban of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Paris Olympics, attributing it to the ongoing war in Ukraine and geopolitical tensions.

1. Higher temperatures at high altitudes cause air to be less dense, leading to reduced lift for aircraft: This statement is correct. Higher temperatures cause the air to expand, reducing its density. As a result, there are fewer air molecules beneath the aircraft's wings, which reduces the lift generated.

2. Aircraft wings generate lift due to the faster airspeed over the top surface compared to the bottom surface, as explained by Bernoulli's principle: This statement is also correct. Bernoulli's principle states that within a horizontal flow of fluid, points of higher fluid speed will have less pressure than points of slower fluid speed. This principle explains why the air pressure above the wing is lower than below, creating lift.

3. Higher temperatures increase the density of air, which in turn enhances the engine performance of aircraft: This statement is incorrect. Higher temperatures actually decrease the density of air, which adversely affects engine performance by reducing the amount of oxygen available for combustion, thereby decreasing thrust.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option B: 1 and 2 Only.

Higher temperatures at high altitudes, such as in Leh, lead to a decrease in air density, resulting in fewer air molecules beneath an aircraft's wings to generate sufficient lift. Additionally, the thinner air affects engine performance by reducing the oxygen available for combustion, thereby decreasing thrust. This necessitates longer runways and more powerful engines for takeoff due to reduced thrust, making it more challenging for aircraft to operate effectively under such conditions.

Statement-I is correct as it highlights the GSI's discovery of lithium inferred resources in Jammu and Kashmir. Statement-II is also correct as it mentions the discovery of another lithium reserve in Degana, Rajasthan, which is anticipated to be larger than the one in Jammu and Kashmir and capable of fulfilling a significant portion of India's lithium demand. Therefore, both statements are accurate, with Statement-II providing additional information that supports and complements Statement-I.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) in India primarily focuses on ensuring affordable access to medicines by regulating the pricing of pharmaceutical products. This regulatory body plays a crucial role in monitoring and enforcing drug prices, fixing and revising prices of scheduled drugs, and ensuring compliance with pricing regulations to make essential medications accessible to the general population.

1. Bernoulli's principle - Correct. Bernoulli's principle states that faster-moving air results in lower pressure above the wings compared to the pressure below. This difference in pressure creates lift for the aircraft.

2. Thinning of air - Incorrect. Higher temperatures cause air to expand and become less dense, resulting in fewer air molecules beneath an aircraft's wings, not more. This reduces the lift generated by the wings.

3. Impact on engine performance - Correct. Thinner air reduces the oxygen available for combustion, which decreases the thrust produced by the engines. This makes it harder for planes to take off in hotter conditions.

4. Landing challenges - Correct. Thinner air affects braking and reverse thrust functionality, making landings more challenging. In thin air, the reverse thrust generated might not be adequate for safe landing.

Thus, pairs 1, 3, and 4 are correctly matched.

- Statement 1: This statement is incorrect. While Israel captured the Golan Heights during the Six-Day War in 1967 and effectively annexed the territory in 1981, this annexation is not recognized by the international community.

- Statement 2: This statement is correct. Hezbollah was indeed founded in 1982 to combat Israeli forces in Lebanon, and it has significantly enhanced its military capabilities since the 2006 war, possessing a large arsenal of rockets and advanced weaponry.

- Statement 3: This statement is correct. The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is partly due to Hezbollah's support for Palestinians, particularly in the context of Israeli bombardments in Gaza.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option D.

The ban of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Paris Olympics is primarily due to geopolitical tensions related to ongoing conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Hamas. These tensions have contributed to the decision to prohibit athletes from these nations from participating under their official flags, leading many to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs).

1. Lithium reserves in Jammu and Kashmir - 5.9 million tonnes: Correctly matched. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has established Lithium inferred resources of 5.9 million tonnes in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district.

2. Lithium used in rechargeable batteries - Mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras: Correctly matched. Lithium is a critical component in rechargeable batteries used in devices like mobile phones, laptops, and digital cameras.

3. SEBI's measures to curb speculative trading - Intraday position limit monitoring: Correctly matched. SEBI has proposed measures including intraday monitoring of position limits to curb speculative trading.

4. Mekedatu Project - Water-sharing agreement violation: Incorrectly matched. Tamil Nadu contends that the Mekedatu dam project violates the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, but this is an allegation and not a confirmed violation by consensus.

Thus, pairs 1, 2, and 3 are correctly matched, while pair 4 is not.

Answer: Option B: Only two pairs