Explanation: An anemometer is a meteorological instrument used to measure wind speed and direction. It is an essential tool in weather stations, aviation, and marine forecasting.

Working Principle: The cup anemometer has three or four cups that rotate with the wind. The rotation speed is proportional to wind velocity. Advanced types also detect wind direction.

Types of Anemometers:

• Cup: Measures wind speed using rotating cups.
• Vane: Measures both speed and direction.
• Hot-wire: Uses heat loss to measure air flow.
• Ultrasonic: Uses sound waves for precise measurement.

Explanation: Vitamin K is produced by gut bacteria (Escherichia coli) in the large intestine. It plays a vital role in the synthesis of prothrombin, a protein essential for normal blood clotting. Although some of it is obtained from food (like leafy vegetables), intestinal bacteria supply a significant portion of the body’s requirement.

Explanation: Minamata disease was caused by severe mercury poisoning in the coastal city of Minamata, Japan. It resulted from the discharge of methyl mercury compounds into Minamata Bay by a chemical factory (Chisso Corporation) during the 1950s and 1960s. The toxic mercury accumulated in fish and shellfish, which were later consumed by local residents. Symptoms included numbness, muscle weakness, loss of vision, hearing and speech, paralysis, and in severe cases, death. This incident is one of the world’s worst cases of industrial pollution.

A Lunar Eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, causing the Earth’s shadow to fall on the Moon. This alignment blocks the sunlight that normally reflects off the Moon’s surface, making it appear dark or reddish (known as a Blood Moon). Lunar eclipses only occur during a full moon when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are in a straight line (or nearly so).

Other options (for context)

• When Sun is between Earth and Moon: Incorrect — this alignment causes no eclipse.
• When Moon is between Earth and Sun: This alignment causes a solar eclipse, not a lunar one.
• When Earth is between Sun and other celestial bodies: Too general — lunar eclipse specifically involves the Moon.

A rocket functions based on Newton’s Third Law of Motion, which states that “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” The rocket expels gases downward at high speed (action), and in response, the rocket is propelled upward (reaction). This principle enables space rockets to move even in the vacuum of space where no air resistance exists.

• Newton’s First Law: Deals with inertia, not propulsion.
• Newton’s Second Law: Explains force and acceleration but doesn’t directly describe rocket thrust.

Explanation: Dakshin Gangotri is India’s first scientific research station established in Antarctica in 1983–84. It was set up by the Indian Antarctic Programme under the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR). Located about 2,500 km from the South Pole, it served as a base for scientific studies related to glaciology, meteorology, and environmental sciences. Though it is now buried under ice and functions as a supply base, it marked India’s permanent presence in Antarctica. Later stations include Maitri (1989) and Bharati (2012).

Explanation: The troposphere is the lowest layer of the Earth's atmosphere and is closest to the Earth's surface. It extends up to about 8–15 km from the surface, depending on latitude and season. This layer contains about 75% of the total atmospheric mass and almost all the water vapor and weather phenomena such as clouds, rain, and storms occur here. The temperature decreases with increasing altitude in this layer. The boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere is known as the tropopause.

The Taj Mahal is threatened primarily due to sulphur dioxide (SO₂) pollution. When sulphur dioxide released from nearby industries and vehicles mixes with moisture in the air, it forms sulphuric acid, leading to acid rain. This acid rain reacts with the white marble of the Taj Mahal, causing it to turn yellow and deteriorate — a phenomenon known as “Marble Cancer.”

Other options (for context)

• Carbon dioxide: Contributes to global warming but does not directly damage marble.
• Carbon monoxide: Harmful to health but has minimal effect on marble structures.
• Water vapour: Naturally present in the atmosphere and not harmful to monuments.

Metrology is the science of measurement. It deals with the establishment of units of measurement, their standards, and the development of new measuring methods and instruments. Metrology ensures accuracy and consistency in measurements across scientific research, engineering, manufacturing, and trade. It is broadly classified into three types — scientific metrology, industrial metrology, and legal metrology.

Other options (for context)

• Weather: The study of weather and atmosphere is called Meteorology, not Metrology.
• Distance: Measuring distance is just one aspect of metrology, not its entire scope.
• None of these: Incorrect — metrology specifically refers to measurement science.