UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today’s subject quiz on Science and Technology to check your progress. Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for October 2026. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com1. Quantum measure is a generalisation of classical probability that accounts for quantum interference effects.2. The quantum measure can be affected by the strange properties of very small particles and leads to unexpected results.3. The quantum measure cannot exceed one.How many of the statements given above are correct?(a) Only one(b) Only two(c) All three(d) NoneRelevance: This question is relevant to UPSC Prelims 2027 Science and Technology, particularly quantum mechanics and the fundamental principles of quantum physics. The topic is relevant to advances in quantum science and the theoretical foundations of quantum computing and related technologies.Explanation— A group of Indian scientists has experimentally demonstrated, for the first time, that a quantity called ‘quantum measure’, which describes a set of possible paths a quantum entity like a light particle can take to reach a detector, can indeed exceed one. This breakthrough by scientists at the Bengaluru-based Raman Research Institute (RRI) is the first experimental verification of a long-understood theoretical concept. This work, by Sanchari Chakraborti, then a PhD student at RRI, and conducted under the supervision of Urbasi Sinha, was published in the journal Quantum last month.Story continues below this ad— In our everyday world, the probability of any particle taking a particular route to reach its destination cannot exceed one, or 100 per cent. However, in the quantum world of very tiny particles, where their behaviour routinely defies everyday intuition, this is possible. ‘Quantum measure’ is the quantum world analogue of probability. Like many other quantum phenomena, ‘quantum measure’ is also affected by the strange properties of very small particles and leads to unexpected results. Hence, statement 2 is correct.— Quantum mechanics is usually described in terms of a system’s state at a particular time and the outcomes obtained when we measure it. A complementary viewpoint is to describe a quantum system through its possible histories, meaning the different ways it can evolve between preparation and detection or the path that the photon could take in an experiment from a laser to a detector, a statement by RRI said.— Quantum Measure Theory assigns a generalised measure to sets of such histories, incorporating the interference between them. Unlike an ordinary probability, this quantum measure can exceed one, it said. But this is difficult to assess experimentally since these sets of histories, or the different possible pathways, do not necessarily correspond to a sequence of ordinary measurements. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 3 is not correct.— The scientists at RRI built an ingenious experimental set-up to study this and successfully recorded the first-ever greater-than-one quantum measure. They measured a quantum measure of 1.17, which agreed with the theoretical calculation of 1.18 for the specific conditions they chose.Story continues below this ad— The greater-than-one quantum measure is possible because the multiple pathways a quantum particle can take can interfere with each other like waves. Just as overlapping wave crests can create a bigger wave, interference among these multiple pathways can lead to a situation where the quantum measure exceeds one.Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.QUESTION 2With reference to the Martian Moons Exploration (MMx) mission, consider the following statements:1. The mission aims to study the origin of Phobos and Deimos.2. The mission has been launched by NASA in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA).Which of the statements given above is/are correct?(a) 1 only(b) 2 only(c) Both 1 and 2(d) Neither 1 nor 2Story continues below this adRelevance: This question is relevant to UPSC Prelims 2027 Science and Technology, particularly space exploration and planetary science missions. It tests awareness of the objectives, international collaboration and agency responsible for the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission.Explanation— The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Centre towards Mars. The mission, termed Martian Moons Exploration (MMx), aims to study the origin of the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos — named after the sons of the Greek god of war, Ares, who is better recognised as his Roman counterpart, Mars. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct.— The mission endeavours to retrieve physical samples from Phobos and return them to Earth. The samples are expected to return to Earth in 2031 and the agenda states that it shall collect at least 10 grams of material from Phobos.— Phobos and Deimos were first discovered by the American astronomer Asaph Hall in 1877 at the US Naval Observatory in Washington D.C. Majorly, these two moons have held the interest of the scientific community because their origins are not yet discovered.Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.Story continues below this adTo read more: Japan heads to Mars for a piece of its moon: What JAXA’s rocket launch hopes to achieveQUESTION 3The term “chirality” refers to:(a) The ability of a molecule to absorb and emit light at different wavelengths.(b) The property of a molecule to exist in different forms due to variations in the number of atoms.(c) The tendency of a chemical reaction to produce two compounds with different chemical compositions.Story continues below this ad(d) The property of a molecule whose mirror image cannot be superimposed on the original molecule.Relevance: This question is relevant to UPSC Prelims 2027 Science and Technology, particularly basic concepts in chemistry and molecular structure. The concept is important for understanding stereochemistry, biological processes and the development and safety of pharmaceutical drugs.Explanation— This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to two scientists, Henry Kagan and Kenso Soai, for demonstrating how this homochirality can emerge.— Certain molecules exist in two forms, each a non-superimposable mirror image of the other — like the left and right hands of human beings. Chemically, the two forms are the same in the sense that they are composed of the same set of atoms, connected in the same order. The difference is only in the relative three-dimensional arrangement of those atoms, such that one happens to be the mirror image of the other.Story continues below this ad— This structural asymmetry, called chirality, becomes particularly interesting in biology. Many of the fundamental molecules in biology, like the amino acids that make up proteins or the sugars in DNA, appear in only one form. The mirror image versions of these amino acids or the sugars do exist, but they are rarely used in these biological settings. This preference for homochirality in life forms has intrigued scientists for long.Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.QUESTION 4With reference to the Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission, consider the following statements:1. The mission was launched using a European Vega-C rocket.2. The mission aims to capture the first X-ray images of Earth’s protective magnetic shield and deflect harmful charged particles and energy coming from the Sun.3. It is the first space mission meant to study the magnetosphere.How many of the statements given above are correct?(a) Only one(b) Only two(c) All three(d) NoneStory continues below this adRelevance: This question is relevant to UPSC Prelims 2027 Science and Technology under space missions and advances in space-based observation. It also links to the magnetosphere, solar wind, space weather and Earth’s natural protection against charged particles from the Sun.Explanation— The Chinese and European space agencies sent a joint mission to study the Earth’s defences against the Sun. The Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission was launched on May 19 on a European Vega-C rocket. Hence, statement 1 is correct.— The mission aims to capture the first X-ray images of Earth’s protective magnetic shield in action as it battles and deflects harmful charged particles and energies coming from the Sun. Hence, statement 2 is correct.— The Sun constantly spews various types of matter, magnetic fields, energy and plasma into space. Among the most harmful solar ejections are solar flares, solar storms and coronal mass ejections, all of which are highly potent and can interfere with space weather. Perturbations to space weather can have major ramifications on many of Earth’s critical space assets.— Earth remains largely protected from these ejections thanks to the magnetic field that blankets it, called the magnetosphere. It is the magnetosphere that makes it possible for life to form, exist and sustain on Earth. It also acts as a shield, preventing the Earth’s atmosphere from being eroded due to the incoming solar winds. The magnetosphere thus adapts and reacts to the solar, planetary and interstellar conditions, which manifest in space weather from time to time.— SMILE is not the first space mission meant to study the magnetosphere. Past missions like the Swarm and Cluster by the European Space Agency (ESA) have also vastly improved our understanding of this region in space and the processes that happen here. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.QUESTION 5Which of the following are the possible applications of the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)?1. Computers2. Robots3. Smartphones4. Drones5. SatellitesSelect the correct answer using the codes given below:(a) 1, 2, 3, and 5 only(b) 1 and 3 only(c) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5(d) 1, 3 and 4 onlyRelevance: This question is relevant to UPSC Prelims 2027 Science and Technology, particularly computer hardware and emerging technologies. The topic is important in the context of advances in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, parallel processing and onboard data analysis.Explanation— A Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is a specialised electronic processor designed to accelerate graphics, image processing and other data-intensive computing tasks.— GPUs are widely used in computers, smartphones, servers and other digital devices.— Computers: Graphics rendering, parallel computing and AI workloads.— Robots: Machine vision, object recognition and real-time processing.— Smartphones: Graphics rendering, gaming, image processing and AI.— Drones: Computer vision, object detection and autonomous navigation.— Satellites: Onboard image processing, Earth-observation data analysis and scientific computing.Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.(Source: http://www.pib.gov.in)Previous Daily Subject-Wise-QuizDaily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 166)Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 185)Daily subject-wise quiz — Science and Technology (Week 184)Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 184)Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 184)Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 184)Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X