Answer: (A)

Explanation:

G20 Overview:

• Established in 1999, initially focused on finance.
• Transitioned into a leaders' forum post-2008 financial crisis.
• G20 Summit is the main annual event.
• Meetings involve ministers, officials, and civil society.
• The G20 operates through three major tracks: Finance Track, Sherpa Track, and unofficial engagement groups. Hence statement 1 is correct.

G20 Tracks:

• Finance Track:

• Led by finance ministers and central bank governors.
• Meets about four times a year.
• Focus on fiscal, monetary, and economic matters.
• Covers global economy, infrastructure, regulations, inclusion, taxation.
• Comprises eight working groups.
• Achievements include Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) and Sustainable Finance Roadmap.

• Sherpa Track:

• Established in 2008.
• Composed of representatives appointed by heads of state.
• Focus on various socio-economic issues.
• Includes agriculture, climate, digital economy, health, trade, etc.
• Sherpas represent leaders, akin to mountain Sherpas.
• Comprises 13 working groups.

• Engagement Groups (Unofficial Track):

• Involves civil society organizations. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
• Formulate recommendations influencing policy decisions.
• Includes Business20 (B20), Civil20 (C20), Labour20 (L20), etc. Hence statement 3 is incorrect.
• Represents different sectors and interests.

Answer: (B)

Explanation:

• ASPEX:

• Focuses on the variation, distribution, and spectral characteristics of solar wind. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
• Relevant because solar wind can disrupt power lines, communication satellites, and high-altitude spacecraft.

• VELC:

• Analyzes the parameters of the solar corona and investigates the origin of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). Hence statement 2 is correct.
• Important because CMEs can interact with Earth's magnetic field, potentially causing geomagnetic storms and affecting technologies on Earth.

• SUIT:

• Captures images of the photosphere and chromosphere in the ultraviolet (UV) range.
• Useful for tracking solar flares emanating from the photosphere.

• SoLEXS:

• Monitors X-ray flares to study the heating mechanism of the solar corona. Hence statement 3 is incorrect.
• Essential because energy from X-ray flares can disrupt radio waves, causing blackouts in navigation and communication signals.

• PAPA:

• Studies the composition of solar wind and its energy distribution. Hence statement 4 is correct.
• Significant as solar wind can disrupt communication and navigation satellites.

• HEL1OS:

• Observes dynamic events in the solar corona and estimates the energy used to accelerate particles during eruptive events.
• Provides valuable estimates for better shielding against potential solar eruptions.

Answer: (A)

Explanation:

• The number of people experiencing hunger globally increased by more than 122 million since 2019, primarily due to factors like the pandemic, recurring weather-related disasters, and conflicts such as the Ukraine war. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
• Urbanization is leading to higher consumption of processed and convenience foods, resulting in an upsurge in overweight and obesity rates across urban, peri-urban, and rural areas.
• The State of Food Insecurity and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report monitors shifts in the cost and affordability of a healthy diet across different regions.
• Asia observed the most significant rise in the cost of maintaining a nutritious diet, increasing by almost 9% between 2019 and 2021. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
• The increase in the number of people unable to afford a nutritious diet was particularly prominent in Asia and Africa, with South Asia, Eastern Africa, and Western Africa facing the greatest challenges.
• Projections indicate that by 2050, approximately 70% of the global population will be residing in urban areas. This demographic shift necessitates a reconfiguration of food systems to meet the needs of these urban populations and combat hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition effectively. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• According to the SOFI report, India has the most affordable cost for a healthy diet among BRICS nations and neighboring countries. In 2021, a nutritious diet in India was estimated to cost approximately 3.066 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) per person per day, seemingly making it affordable. Hence statement 4 is incorrect.

Answer: (C)

Explanation:

Boltzmann Constant (k):

• This constant is fundamental in the field of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics.
• It relates the average kinetic energy of particles in a gas to the temperature of that gas.
• It helps establish the connection between the microscopic behavior of particles (atoms and molecules) and the macroscopic properties of matter like temperature and pressure.

Bernoulli's Theorem:

• Bernoulli's theorem is not represented by a constant but is a fundamental principle in fluid dynamics.
• It describes the relationship between the pressure, velocity, and elevation of a fluid in a steady, incompressible, and inviscid flow.
• It's often used to explain the behavior of fluids in situations like the flow of blood in arteries or the lift of an airplane wing.

Hubble's Constant (H₀):

• Hubble's constant is a critical parameter in cosmology.
• It represents the current rate of expansion of the universe.
• It describes the velocity at which galaxies are moving away from each other due to the expansion of space itself. Hence option 3 is correct.

Rydberg Constant (Ry):

• The Rydberg constant is a fundamental physical constant that appears in the equations governing the behavior of electrons in atoms.
• It is used to calculate the wavelengths of spectral lines in atomic spectra, particularly for hydrogen.

Answer: (D)

Explanation:

1. Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal):

• Dispute Between: Philippines and China
• Explanation: Huangyan Island, also known as Scarborough Shoal, is located in the South China Sea. The Philippines and China both claim sovereignty over this uninhabited shoal. The dispute escalated in 2012 when there was a standoff between Philippine and Chinese vessels near the island. It remains a contentious issue in the region. Hence pair 1 is incorrect

2. Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Islands):

• Dispute Between: Japan, China, and Taiwan
• Explanation: The Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu Islands in China and Tiaoyutai Islands in Taiwan, are a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. Japan administers these islands, but they are claimed by both China and Taiwan. The dispute involves historical claims, fishing rights, and access to potentially valuable natural resources. Hence pair 2 is incorrect

3. Kachatheevu:

• Dispute Between: India and Sri Lanka
• Explanation: Kachatheevu is a small uninhabited island situated in the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka. The island has been a subject of dispute between these two nations. In 1974, India ceded control of the island to Sri Lanka through an agreement, which led to protests and concerns among some sections of the Indian population regarding fishing rights and sovereignty. The issue remains a point of contention between the two countries. Hence pair 3 is incorrect