Friday, 12 February 2016

Current Affairs Quiz- 41 (12/02/16)

  1. 1. Question
    1 points
    What is the significance of the ability to detect ‘gravitational waves’, or as they are also known, ‘space time ripples’?
    1. We may be able to understand the events that unfolded at the moment of the Big Bang
    2. We can study any phenomena which do not emit light or particles, but emit gravitational waves
    Select the correct answer using the code given below:
    Solution: c.
    Not just black holes, but the “dark” Universe in general. So much of what we theorise to be out there does not radiate light in any of its forms – from gamma-rays to the ultraviolet, from the visible to radio waves – or emit particles. And unlike light or particles, gravitational waves cannot be blocked or deflected; they will pass through any and all obstructions unhindered. And that makes them a free pass to begin exploring phenomena that were previously off limits. We know, for example, that it is impossible to see across space to before 380,000 years after the Big Bang – the Universe hadn’t cooled sufficiently until that point to permit light to propagate. But, theoretically, there should still be background gravitational waves washing over us from the very earliest moments of the expanding cosmos. If future space-borne gravitational-wave observatories can detect this remnant signal, it will bring us closer than ever to understanding what happened at T=0.
  2. 2. Question
    1 points
    Which of the following statements associated with ‘Gravitational Waves’ is/are incorrect?
    1. Its recent detection for the first time was made using the technique of ‘Laser Interferometry’
    2. These waves are actually space and time which are ‘waving’
    3. Everything with mass and/or energy can make gravitational waves
    Select the correct answer using the code given below:
    Solution: d.
    The effect of GWs is very weak, however, and only the biggest masses, moving under the greatest accelerations, are expected to warp their surroundings to any appreciable degree. The Advanced Laser Interferometry Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) interferometers have been searching for this stretching and squeezing for over a decade, gradually improving the sensitivity of their equipment. The expectation was that their experiments would need to detect disturbances no bigger than a fraction of the width of a proton.
    Everything with mass and/or energy can make gravitational waves, but much of it is practically undetectable. Watch the video, apart from going through the article, provided on the following webpage:
  3. 3. Question
    1 points
    The World Bank’s recently released World Development Report (WDR) ‘Digital Dividends’ finds that
    Solution: b.
    Option ‘a’ and ‘c’ are similar. Both are incorrect. Option ‘d’ may be true, but it is often a choice that the governments make – whether or not to leverage technology to increase transparency. The core finding of the report, is option ‘b’.
    “The WDR finds that digital technologies have spread rapidly throughout much of the world, but their digital dividends — the broader development benefits from using these technologies — have lagged behind. In many instances digital technologies have boosted growth, expanded opportunities, and improved service delivery. Yet their aggregate impact has fallen short and is unevenly distributed.”
  4. 4. Question
    1 points
    The World Development Report (WDR) ‘Digital Dividends’ says that to get the most out of a digital revolution, countries also need to work on its ‘analogue complements’. Which of the following may NOT be regarded as one of these complements?
    Incorrect 
    Solution: a.
    This question would have given you a hint for the answer to the third question!
    ‘Innovative ideas’ such as Zero Ratings would not be one of the ‘analogue complements’. Zero Ratings would only help increase the number of people who could access the internet (and of course, only a small part of it).
    “But greater digital adoption will not be enough. To get the most out of the digital revolution, countries also need to work on its “analogue complements” — by strengthening regulations that ensure competition among businesses, by adapting workers’ skills to the demands of the new economy, and by ensuring that government institutions and others are accountable.”
    “The slow pace of improvement of the quality of basic infrastructure — expressways, logistics, storage, postal delivery system and reliable supply of electricity — have also hampered the growth of e-commerce in India.” … Hampered growth of e-commerce implies that we have been unable to fully harness the potential of digital technologies. Hence, good quality basic infrastructure too is a part of ‘analogue complements’.
  5. 5. Question
    2 points
    India occupied the Siachen Glacier in 1984 in a preemptive move. What was this mission called?
    Solution: c.
    “The 76-km-long glacier in the Saltoro ridge beyond Point NJ 9842, where the Line of Control ends, was left un-demarcated all these years. Pakistan began allowing tourists in the 1970s, and there were occasional reports of its attempt to occupy the glacier. In a pre-emptive move, the Indian Army occupied the highest peaks, at 21,000 feet, in April 1984 under Operation Meghdoot. For 30 years, it remains the longest continuing military operation anywhere in the world.”
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