Artificial way of causing rainfall to reduce air pollution makes use of
- Asilver iodide and potassium iodideCorrect
- Bsilver nitrate and potassium iodide
- Csilver iodide and potassium nitrate
- Dsilver nitrate and potassium chloride
Explanation
Artificial rainfall (cloud seeding) to reduce air pollution uses silver iodide and potassium iodide as seeding agents.
Silver iodide: The primary cloud seeding agent that acts as ice nuclei, helping water droplets in clouds to freeze and form precipitation. Its crystal structure is similar to ice, making it highly effective for inducing rainfall.
Potassium iodide: Used as a supplementary seeding agent that enhances the cloud seeding process and helps in the formation of precipitation.
This technique is used to wash out pollutants from the atmosphere, particularly during severe air pollution episodes. The induced rainfall helps bring down suspended particulate matter and other air pollutants, providing temporary relief from poor air quality conditions.
Related questions
More UPSC Prelims practice from the same subject and topic.
- Prelims 2025GS1science-and-technology
With reference to 'Direct Air Capture', an emerging technology, which of the following statements is/are correct? I. It can be used as a way of carbon sequestration. II. It can be a valuable approach …
- Prelims 2025GS1science-and-technology
Consider the following types of vehicles : I. Full battery electric vehicles II. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles III. Fuel cell-electric hybrid vehicles How many of the above are considered as alternative…
- Prelims 2025GS1science-and-technology
Consider the following substances: I. Ethanol II. Nitroglycerine III. Urea Coal gasification technology can be used in the production of how many of them?
- Prelims 2025GS1science-and-technology
Consider the following statements : I. No virus can survive in ocean waters. II. No virus can infect bacteria. III. No virus can change the cellular transcriptional activity in host cells. How many of…
- Prelims 2025GS1science-and-technology
Consider the following statements : I. Indian Railways have prepared a National Rail Plan (NRP) to create a 'future ready' railway system by 2028. II. 'Kavach' is an Automatic Train Protection system …
- Prelims 2025GS1science-and-technology
With reference to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), consider the following statements : I. All types of UAVs can do vertical landing. II. All types of UAVs can do automated hovering. III. All types of …