2015 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2015 · GS Paper I

Question 30: Science and Technology

In the context of modern scientific research, consider the following statements about 'IceCube', a particle detector located at South Pole, which was recently in the news :

  1. 1.It is the world's largest neutrino detector, encompassing a cubic kilometre of ice.
  2. 2.It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter.
  3. 3.It is buried deep in the ice.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a1 only
b2 and 3 only
c1 and 3 only
d1, 2 and 3

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (d).

IceCube is a neutrino observatory at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Thousands of light sensors are buried deep in the Antarctic ice, so statement 3 is correct, and together they monitor a cubic kilometre of ice, the largest neutrino detector in the world, so statement 1 is correct. Because it also looks for signs of dark matter, UPSC treats statement 2 as correct. All three hold.

  • 1. It is the world's largest neutrino detector, covering about a cubic kilometre of ice.
  • 2. It acts as a telescope for neutrinos, including searches for dark matter.
  • 3. Its sensors are buried deep in the Antarctic ice.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is correct, (b) goes: it leaves 1 out.

    What you needed to know: It is the world's largest neutrino detector, covering about a cubic kilometre of ice.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 2 is correct, (a) and (c) go: each of them leaves 2 out.

    What you needed to know: It acts as a telescope for neutrinos, including searches for dark matter.

Only (d) is left. You didn’t need statement 3.

Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Incomplete: statements 2 and 3 are also correct.
  • (b) Incomplete: statement 1 is also correct.
  • (c) Incomplete: statement 2 is also accepted.
  • (d) Correct: all three statements hold.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

Practise this paper timedPrevious questionNext question

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.