UPSC Prelims 2017 · Question 69 of 99
UPSC Prelims 2017 question on Event Horizon String Theory
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2017
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectScience and Technology
- TopicPhysics
- DifficultyEasy
- TypeDirect
The terms ‘Event Horizon’, ‘Singularity’, ‘String Theory’ and ‘Standard Model’ are sometimes seen in the news in the context of
Show answer
Answer: A. Observation and understanding of the Universe
Verdict
The answer is observation and understanding of the Universe. All four terms belong to cosmology and fundamental physics.
Analysis
The event horizon is the boundary in spacetime beyond which events cannot affect an outside observer, most familiarly around a black hole. A singularity is a location where the gravitational field of a celestial body becomes effectively infinite and known physics breaks down. String theory is a candidate framework for unifying the physical description of matter and forces. The Standard Model is the established theory of particles and three of the four fundamental interactions. None of the four belongs to eclipse observation, satellite launching or biological evolution.
Source
The Hindu science reporting on the Standard Model.
How to crack it
When a question offers a cluster of terms rather than one, look for the common domain rather than defining each. Two of these four are unmistakably gravitational and two are unmistakably particle physics, and both belong to the same enterprise of describing the universe at its extremes. Identifying the shared field is faster than definition, and it also protects you when one term in the cluster is unfamiliar.
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