1995 General Studies, all questions
UPSC Prelims 1995 · General Studies
Question 1: Science and Technology
A meteor is
aa rapidly moving star
ba piece of matter which has entered the earth’s atmosphere from outer space
cpart of a constellation
da comet without a tail
AnswerThe answer is (b).
A meteor is the streak of light seen when a small piece of rock or metal from space, a meteoroid, enters the earth's atmosphere at high speed and burns up through friction. If a piece survives and lands on the ground it is called a meteorite. Remember the sequence: meteoroid in space, meteor in the atmosphere, meteorite on the ground. Stars and comets are quite different bodies.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Meteors look like shooting stars but are not stars; they are small bodies burning up in the atmosphere.
- (b) Right: matter from outer space entering the atmosphere and glowing as it burns.
- (c) A constellation is a pattern of stars; a meteor is not part of one.
- (d) A comet without a tail is still a comet, an icy body in orbit; a meteor is a rocky or metallic fragment.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 1995, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.