Daily Current Affairs Quiz: November 15, 2025

Answer: B [1, 2, and 4 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Nuclear fission is used in nuclear power plants to produce heat, which is then converted into electricity through steam turbines.

Statement 2 is correct: In the medical field, radioisotopes produced in nuclear reactors (an outcome of nuclear fission processes) are used in radiation therapy for treating certain cancers.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Deep-space spacecraft generally use solar power or radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) that rely on natural radioactive decay, not controlled nuclear fission reactors for propulsion.

Statement 4 is correct: Food irradiation to eliminate pests and extend shelf life uses gamma radiation from radioisotopes (like Cobalt-60) that are commonly produced in nuclear reactors, linking it to nuclear fission applications.

Answer: A [1, 2 and 3]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is Correct: Stage 1 of India’s nuclear programme is based on Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) using natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as moderator.

Statement 2 is Correct: Stage 2 involves Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) that use plutonium (produced by reprocessing spent fuel from PHWRs). These breeders generate more fissile material than they consume.

Statement 3 is Correct: Stage 3 aims to use India’s abundant thorium reserves. Thorium-232, though not fissile itself, can absorb neutrons in breeders to form U-233, a fissile fuel.

Answer: B [Combustion of methane]
Explanation:

Exothermic reactions release heat, as in combustion. An exothermic reaction is a chemical reaction in which energy is released into the surroundings, usually in the form of heat, light, or sound.

Key Point: The total energy of the products is lower than that of the reactants. The difference is given off as heat.

How It Works: In a chemical reaction, bonds in the reactants are broken, and new bonds are formed in the products. Bond-breaking requires energy, while bond formation releases energy. In exothermic reactions, the energy released in forming product bonds is greater than the energy absorbed in breaking reactant bonds.

Combustion of methane — Exothermic

CH₄ + 2O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O + heat

Burning methane releases a large amount of heat. Hence, it is a classic exothermic reaction.

Answer: D [2 and 3 only]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is Incorrect: India is not a member of the NSG, as China has blocked its entry citing NPT membership criteria.

Statement 2 is Correct: Under the Indo-US nuclear deal, India voluntarily placed 14 civilian nuclear reactors under IAEA safeguards while keeping strategic facilities outside.

Statement 3 is Correct: The 2008 Civil Nuclear Agreement allowed India to access global nuclear fuel and reactor technology, even though India is not an NPT signatory. This was a unique exception recognizing India’s clean non-proliferation record.

Answer: C [Both 1 and 2]
Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Nuclear fission is the process used in nuclear power plants. It involves bombarding the nucleus of a heavy atom (like uranium-235) with a neutron, causing it to split into smaller nuclei and release a large amount of energy.

Statement 2 is correct: Nuclear fusion is the process where two light atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier nucleus, releasing massive amounts of energy. This is the energy source of stars, including our Sun, where hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium.