Chemistry In Everyday Life PYQs — 14 UPSC CSE Previous Year Questions

Question 1

Triclosan', considered harmful when exposed to high levels for a long time, is most likely present in which of the following?

Accepted Answer

D. Toiletries

Question 2

Consider the following pairs : Commonly used / consumed materials Unwanted or controversial chemicals likely to be found in them 1. Lipstick Lead 2. Soft drinks Brominated vegetable oils 3. Chinese fast food Monosodium glutamate Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ?

Accepted Answer

D. 1, 2 and 3

Question 3

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener sold in the market. It consists of amino acids and provides calories like other amino acids. Yet, it is used as a low-calorie sweetening agent in food items. What is the basis of this use ?

Accepted Answer

D. Aspartame is several times sweeter than table sugar, hence food items made with small quantities of aspartame yield fewer calories on oxidation

Question 4

The purpose of adding sodium sulphate and sodium silicate to the detergent in a washing powder is

to keep the washing powder dry.
to maintain the alkalinity of the powder.

Which of these statements is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

C. Both 1 and 2

Question 5

Assertion: Synthetic detergents can lather well in hard water. Reason (R): Synthetic detergents form soluble calcium and magnesium salts with hard water.

Accepted Answer

A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

Question 6

A small pouch containing silica gel is often found in bottles of medicine in tablet or powder form because silica gel

Accepted Answer

C. absorbs moisture

Question 7

Soft drinks such as colas contain significant quantities of

Accepted Answer

A. caffeine

Question 8

Assertion (A): Large cold storage plants use ammonia as refrigerant while domestic refrigerators use chlorofluorocarbons. Reason (R): Ammonia can be liquified at ambient temperatures at low pressures.

Accepted Answer

A. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Question 9

Consider the following statements: Hard water is not suitable for drinking. washing clothes with soap. use in boilers. irrigating crops. Which of these statements are correct?

Accepted Answer

D. I, II, III and IV

Question 10

Most of the explosions in mines occur due to the mixing of

Accepted Answer

C. methane with air

Question 11

Match List-I (Drugs/Chemicals) with List -II (Their uses) and select the correct answer using the codes given below

	List-I		List-II
A.	Atropine	1.	Local anaesthesia
B.	Ether	2.	Heart trouble
C.	Nitro-glycerine	3.	Dilation of pupil.
D.	Pyrethrin	4.	Mosquito control

Codes:
ABCD

Accepted Answer

D. 3124

Question 12

Assertion (a) : Phenyl is used as a household germicide. Reason (R): Phenyl is phenol derivative and phenol is an effective germicide.

Accepted Answer

A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct - explanation of A

Question 13

Which one of the following is an active component of oil of clove?

Accepted Answer

B. Eugenol

Question 14

The offending substance in the liquor tragedies leading to blindness etc. is

Accepted Answer

D. methyl alcohol

Commonly used / consumed materials	Unwanted or controversial chemicals likely to be found in them
1. Lipstick	Lead
2. Soft drinks	Brominated vegetable oils
3. Chinese fast food	Monosodium glutamate