24-08-2026 (Static)

With reference to microplastics, consider the following statements:

1. Microplastics are conventionally defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 millimetres.
2. Tyre wear is an important source of microplastic pollution.
3. Greater vehicle weight can increase tyre abrasion and microplastic release.
4. Cigarette filters are made entirely of natural cellulose and therefore do not contribute to plastic pollution.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following pollutants:

1. Sulphur dioxide
2. Carbon monoxide
3. Ozone
4. Lead
5. Benzene

How many of the above are included among the 12 pollutants covered under India's National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), 2009?

Consider the following pairs:

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

With reference to mercury pollution, consider the following statements:

1. Methylmercury can be formed by microbial activity in aquatic environments.
2. Methylmercury can undergo biomagnification through aquatic food chains.
3. Large predatory fish may contain higher concentrations of methylmercury than organisms lower in the food chain.
4. Mercury is primarily a nutrient required for normal human neurological development.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding soil pollution:

1. Acid rain can reduce soil pH.
2. Acidification can increase the leaching of nutrients such as calcium and magnesium from soil.
3. Acidic conditions can increase the mobility of certain toxic metals.
4. Soil pollution is caused exclusively by human activities.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

With reference to the orbital motion of planets, consider the following statements:

1. A planet farther from the Sun generally has a longer orbital period.
2. Kepler’s Third Law states that the square of a planet’s orbital period is proportional to the cube of its average orbital distance.
3. The mass of a planet is the primary factor determining its orbital period around the Sun.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following statements regarding solstices and equinoxes:

1. Around the June solstice, the Sun is vertically overhead at the Tropic of Cancer.
2. Around the December solstice, the Sun is vertically overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn.
3. During an equinox, the Sun is vertically overhead at the Equator.
4. The Northern Hemisphere experiences its longest day around the December solstice.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following pairs:

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

With reference to podzolization, consider the following statements:

1. It is commonly associated with cool and humid climates.
2. It is particularly associated with coniferous forests.
3. Acidic conditions promote the leaching of iron, aluminium and organic matter from upper soil horizons.
4. Podzolization generally produces highly fertile, dark, humus-rich topsoil.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following pairs:

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?