Answer: B

Explanation:

In March 2015, the fertiliser ministry ordered all the indigenous producers of urea in India to produce 75 per cent of their total production of subsidised urea as Neem Coated Urea (NCU), which is likely to save Rs 6,500 crore subsidy outgo. It would also help in soil conservation and check the diversion of urea for industrial uses. Farmers use urea in place of other partially decontrolled NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous, potash) fertilisers due to its highly subsidised price and this has resulted in imbalancing the ideal ratio of 4:2:1 of NPK. Hence, statement I is correct.

In order to keep the nitrogen losses at minimum level, agricultural scientists have come out with various agronomical recommendations, such as split application, band placement, and deep placement using the see drill. Various kinds of nitrification inhibitors such as Nitrapyrin (N-Serve) and Terrazole (Dwett) were developed in USA. But these nitrification agents are very expensive. In India, use of neem oil in various forms such as neem oil cake, neem oil and other neem products have been found useful in reducing the release of nitrogen from urea and increasing its use efficiency. Neem oil contains meliacins that have been identified in retarding the process of nitrification of urea. Hence, statement II is correct.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Wet-bulb temperature is the temperature of a moist thermometer exposed to air flow. Its temperature can be measured using a thermometer with a bulb wrapped in wet muslin. The wet-bulb is lower than the ambient temperature due to the evaporative cooling effect. Wet-bulb temperature is a useful metric for assessing heat stress, as it takes into account both temperature and humidity. It is also used in many other applications such as meteorology, engineering and agriculture.

Answer: D

Explanation:

Aquamation, also known as alkaline hydrolysis, is a water-based process for the disposal (cremation) of a body.

The body is placed in a steel chamber and immersed in a mixture of water and strong alkali. Aquamation is considered a more natural, ethical and environmentally friendly alternative to cremation or burial. This flame uses about 10% of the energy required for cremation while emitting no greenhouse gases. The device runs on electricity instead of fossil fuels. The process was patented by Amos Herbert Hobson in the year 1888 as a way to process animal carcasses into plant food.

Answer: D

Explanation:

Methane hydrate is an ice-like substance that forms at low temperatures and high pressure. They are found in four of Earth's environments:

Sediments and sedimentary rock units beneath Arctic permafrost, sedimentary deposits along continental margins, deep-water sediments of inland lakes and seas, and beneath Antarctic ice. Methane hydrates are stable at low temperatures, but they can break down if the water and ocean floor warm. When this happens, microorganisms oxidize the resulting methane gas to form carbon dioxide (CO2).

Methane hydrates are found primarily near continental margins at water depths between 350 and 5000 metres. They are also found in the deeper parts of the continental shelf, where they remain stable in cold, high-pressure conditions. An estimated 99% of gas hydrates are found in sediments of marine continental margins. The remaining 1% is associated with sediments mostly in and beneath high-latitude, areas of persistent permafrost.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Explanation:

Cetaceans are exclusively aquatic mammals (including whales, dolphins, porpoises, etc.) that constitute the order Cetacea. They are found in oceans and some freshwater environments throughout the world. Hence statement 1 is correct.

Their body is narrow/thin, there is no external hind limb and the tail ends in the form of a triangular pointed part of a two-part or horizontal blade. Cetaceans have to come to the surface of the water to breathe through blowholes located on top of their heads. Hence statement 2 is correct.