CULTURAL QA 02-2023-04 BEING A COMPILATIONTHERE MAY BE ERRORS
Dear friends. To those whoawait my cultural QA- I was out of station and not well. Now fully recovered R.Gopalakrishnan 12-2-23 Q1 Is a magnitude 13 earthquakepossible? A1 Abhijit Sen. Chegg Tutor 🖊️, Travel 🚉 andComputer 🖥️Professional Updated 6mo No,earthquakes of magnitude 13 or larger cannot happen, according to Seismology.But upto magnitude 9.9, it is practically possible and of magnitude 10, it istheoretically possible. As of now, anearthquake of magnitude 9.5 is recorded, which is the largest earthquake tillnow. The magnitude of anearthquake is related to the length of the fault on which it occurs. That is,the longer the fault,the larger the earthquake. A fault is a break in therocks that make up the Earth's crust, along which rocks on either side havemoved past each other. No fault long enough to generate a magnitude 10earthquake is known to exist, and if it did, it would extend around most of theplanet. The largestearthquake ever recorded was a magnitude 9.5 on May 22, 1960 in Chile on afault that is almost 1,000 miles long…a “megaquake” inits own right. Seismologist SusanHough has suggested that a magnitude 10 quake may represent a very approximateupper limit for what the Earth's tectonic zones are capable of, which would bethe result of the largest known continuous belt of faults rupturing together(along the Pacific coast of the Americas). A research at the TohokuUniversity in Japan found that a magnitude 10 earthquake was theoreticallypossible if a combined 3,000 kilometres (1,900 mi) of faults from theJapan Trench to the Kuril–Kamchatka Trench ruptured together and moved by 60metres (200 ft) (or if a similar large-scale rupture occurred elsewhere). Such an earthquake would cause ground motions for up to an hour and triggertsunamis for days, and if this kind of earthquake occurred, it wouldprobably be a 1-in-10,000 year event. My note- A very informative answer Q2 Why doesn't the overhead electricwires in railway tracks break by friction when the train rubs against it atsuch a high speed? A2 Swagata Sarkar, Technology andRailway Enthusiast Updated 3y Thanks forrequesting my answer, I'lltry to explain it in the easiest way possible The part of theElectric locomotives that is in contact with the OHE is called “pantograph”. It is thepart through which electricity flows into the locomotive transformer from theOHE. In the pantograph, the part that is in contact with theOHE, is called the “shoe” or “pan” A pantograph may have two shoes(high speed pantographs or DC pantographs) or a single shoe Each shoe is coated or fitted with thin slabs of graphite,the same graphite found in your pencils. Graphite is an excellent solidlubricant and due to it's extremely high melting point it is used in surfacesthat heat up extremely high, enough to vaporize conventional oil basedlubricants. Also, graphite is very good conductor of electricity. Above, You can seethe long thin black slabs of graphite on the shoes of pantograph. These slabs are periodicallyreplaced when they get thin. So this graphitelubricates the surfaces in contact i.e. the OHE and pantograph shoes hereby lowering the frictionand heat generated. It also conducts the electricity to the pantographfrom the OHE owing to it's conductive property. The faivley/StoneIndia AM12, the most common pantograph used in Indian locomotives and EMUs The faivley/StoneIndia dual shoe/pan pantograph used in DC locomotives and EMUs in India My note-In spite we read/watch incidents of conductor snatching and falling down,pantograph rubbing more with burning smell when train moves are still not rare. Q3 How did medieval peasants keep wellwater from freezing? A3 Władysław Łoś, Studied Medieval Art& History at Warsaw University Poland (Graduated 1985)Updated 1y They did not. Justlike the Modern Era peasants. I still remember peasant’s dwellings in Poland inthe sixties - seventies of the 20th century, where well was the only source ofwater. There may be still such places where wells are used, like the one in thepicture. Also in Russia, Belarus, Lithuania and other central and EasternEuropean countries. Though nowadays they are more and more replaced by, or usedalong, the electric pumps and the waterworks. But electricity sometimes fails. And the waterworks inthe country homes may freeze. Well waternever freezes completely. Only the upper layer may freeze when there is severefrost. And the frozenlayer is not thick if the well is used all the time. It’s usually enough to rapidly drop a bucket on theice surface to break it and to get to the water. Q4 What's a QR code? A4 QR Code Generator, Feb 2 A QR code (Quick Response code) is two-dimensional version of the Barcode that can bescanned using a smartphone camera and a QR code reader app. QR codes can be used to storeand share various types of information such as text, URLs, and contactinformation. QR codes can beused in various ways such as in marketing campaigns, on business cards, or onproduct packaging to provide additional information or to direct customers to awebsite. QR codes arebecoming increasingly popular as a quick and easy way to share information anddrive engagement with customers. More details and uses cases you canfind on our website: QR Code Generator | Create Your Free QR Codes My note- Some of us perhaps may not beknowing expansion of QR code before this reading. Q5 Is it possible for the Railways toincrease the number of general compartments in the trains? A5 Prashant Tiwari, Indian RailwaysEnthusiast Fri Definitely, it is possible, but the question is, willRailway do that? I have a doubt.Indian Railways is on a mission. A mission to make railway’spassenger segment strongly profitable. We always hear thatIndian Railways is spending more than it earns from the passenger segment,which has an overall impact on its balance sheet. But it seems likeRailway is in a mood to turn around the story, and we saw the trailer postcovid. 1.Regular elimination of sleeper coaches. Trains which wererunning with 10–12 sleeper coaches are now running with 3–5 sleeper coachesonly. Reason: Anair-conditioned coach generates more revenue than a sleeper coach. 2. Discontinuing passenger trains. After covid,Railways has discontinued hundreds of passenger trains from most of the routesto free up their staff & route for express trains which are generating morerevenue for the Railways. 3. Converting all passenger trains to express trainsso that the minimum fare can be increased. Earlier the minimum fare was ₹10now it is ₹30. 4. Temporary or permanent cancellation of lesspopular or less profitable trains Railways isoperating its trains based on demamd now. All trains which are either lesspopular or generating less revenue are under surveillance so whenever there isa need of rake or shortage of staff, these trains are cancelled first. 5. Removal of Pantry car from the trains. Railways is also removing pantry car coaches slowly fromthe trains so that an extra passenger coach can be added. These are a fewpoints clearly indicating the goal of Indian Railways. So, the railways will not add more general coaches as they do notgenerate revenue as much as an air-conditioned coach does. This is what I havenoticed in the last few months. If you ask my opinion, then I welcome stepslike discontinuing less revenue-generating trains, but on the other hand, I have a slightly differentopinion on steps like discontinuing passenger trains and increasing the minimumfare by just changing the train category. My note- Nowtoo 30% of the total seats are under thatkal. Oftenthatkal tickets are not fully filled. Many are notaffordable to pay thatkal fare instead of unreserved/ reserved sitting fare. Q6 How susceptible is window glass ofairlines to break? How much force of fist is needed to break it? A6 Stephen Dudley,3y You won't breakanything structural except your fist… Firstly- they aren’t glass… There is a thininner replaceable pane that you can touch (called funnily enough the scratchpanel- because that's the one passengers often scratch)- it's thin - relativelyspeaking — at 5mm thick only because the main window is much thicker. Then behind the scratch panel is the inner panel (the onewith a small hole in it), so if you broke the scratch and got to the inner,well it's another 5mm thick. But it’s alsosmaller than the scratch panel and gasketed, so it will be tougher to punch through - may be possiblebut I bet your hand isn't in any shape to do it after going throughthe scratch panel. So you went allHulk and smashed both the scratch and the inner panels and broke both yourhands… And now we get to the outer pane… This is going to be tough, not just because you have twobroken hands already, but this bad boy is twiceto three times thicker (depending on window’s size and location and model) andstructurally supported, meaning it’s STRONG… 10 to 12mm of toughened high strength plastic. You would be better off trying to punch through the skin ofthe plane, as that outer window is actually stronger than the hull… Unless you havegreen skin and run around in torn pants a lot- you ain’t going through it withyour fists; youprobably couldn’t even get through it with a hammer. Q7 Why doesn't the Mangalore-Chennaitrain pass through Bangalore (short route)? A7 Ankit Barnawal, Former Student atDoon Business School, Dehradun (2017–2022)10mo The Mangalore -Chennai train doesn't pass through Bangalore (short route) because of these reasons listedbelow :- The Mangalore - Bangalore route passes through the WesternGhats and the route is not electrified. So, the trainsrunning in this route are hauled by diesel locomotive. Regular rainfall takes place during monsoon in this route.Due to this, the long trees in Western Ghats sometimes fall on the tracks whichmay lead to delay in trains. In general, the distance between twointermediate stations is approximately 7 to 10 kilometers. But inMangalore - Bangalore route, the distance between two intermediate stations isapproximately 15 to 20kilometers. Some of them are :- Between Nelamangalaand Solur - 16 kilometers. Between B G Nagarand Hirisave - 18.5 kilometers. The Mangalore - Bangalore railway route is a singlerailway track route. It means the UP trains and DOWN trains travel on a singletrack. In case of crossing, one train needs to wait for another train to pass. Due to stoppages and crossing with another trains,every train has average operating speed of 35 km/hr to 40km/hr (includinghalts). So, all the trainsbetween Mangalore and Chennai doesn't pass through Bangalore (short route). Trains between these two placespasses via stations of Kerala and Tamil Nadu state. Hope you areclear now !!! My note- Abovethis, it will be reducing one number of train from North Kerala to Chennai. Q8 What are some scientific facts aboutMadurai Meenakshi temple? A8 Srijit Paul, Studied Science atChittagong College Feb 4 The MaduraiMeenakshi Temple is a historic Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Meenakshiand Lord Sundareswarar located in the city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. Some scientific facts about thetemple include: Architectural design: The temple is known for itselaborate and ornate architecture, which follows the South Indian style oftemple architecture known as the Dravidian style. The temple has 12 gopurams,or gateways, with the tallest one standing at 170 feet tall. Acoustics: The temple has a unique acousticdesign, with sounds echoing throughout the complex. This is due to the carefulplacement of pillars and other architectural elements, which were designed toenhance the acoustics of the temple. Astronomical alignments: The temple is believed tohave been designed with astronomical alignments in mind. For example, the mainsanctum is said to align with the sunrise on the spring equinox, and the mainentrance is said to align with the sunset on the same day. Water management system: The temple complexhas an elaborate water management system, including tank and channels to supplywater for temple use and for irrigation. Conservation efforts: The temple is considered aUNESCO World Heritage Siteand has undergone extensive conservation efforts to preserve its historicstructure and architecture. These efforts have included the use of traditionalbuilding materials and techniques, as well as modern technology to stabilizeand reinforce the temple structures. These are some ofthe scientific facts about the Madurai Meenakshi temple, showcasing theadvanced knowledge of engineering, architecture, and astronomy in ancientIndia. Q9 Where is the steepest railway trackin India? A9 Dharani Sathwik Ram,Interested infunctioning of Indian Railways Wed The steepest railway track in India is the DarjeelingHimalayan Railway, which is commonly referred to as the "Toy Train." Source: DHR(Darjeeling Himalayan Railway) Website. This narrow-gaugerailway track is located in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, and itoperates over a route length from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. The track features sharp curves with a tight radius,steep gradients with a high rate of elevation change perunit distance, and limited vertical clearances, making it a demanding andsingular railway operation. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has been designated as aUNESCO World Heritage Site due to its exceptionaltechnical and cultural attributes, including its innovative railwayengineering. Q10 What is the most underrated aspect ofmodern medicine? A10 Tiny Nair, Cardiologist at PRSHospital, Trivandrum Wed One Her pregnancy testwas positive, but every time it ended up in bleeding and fetal loss, medicallycalled ‘missed-abortion’.This time the ultrasound scan showed that the tiny fetal heart beatingvigorously. Ready to break the good news, the radiologist smiled. Two It was a routinehealth check up for the 50-year-old IT consultant. The Ultrasound scan stunnedus. His liver wasstudded with multiple metastatic cancer. We knew it was 6 months atthe most. Three This was theirsecond pregnancy, the first child died of a tragic accident. The ultrasoundscan showed a complex fetalneuro-anomaly. The decision was clear. Termination of pregnancy. But how to break the news? The Beginning Rochelle salt(potassium sodium tartarate tetrahydrate), a mixture developed and popularizedby an apothecary of western Frence, the city of La Rochelle, was a commonhousehold laxative in 17th century. In 1880, Pierre and Paul-Jacquez Currie discovered thatheating and compressing the Rochelle Salt produced a miniscule amount of electricity.It just took common sense totry out the reverse, a jolt of electricity to see if the material changedshape, and yes it did. Piezo-electric crystals evolved over time fromlaxative to quartz (silicon dioxide), a small tuning-fork shaped quartz vibratingat 31,000 times a second shows time on your digital watch but that’s not thepoint. Is there a scan which is safe, economical, fast withinstant report? A scan that is widely available in almost every nook and cornerof even the smallest medical centre? The answer is yes, an ultrasound scanner. Using ultrasound toscan an internal organ image is a game-changer, but obviously underrated to multislice, ultrafast CTscan, MRI Scan or PET scan. But none are as safe and asreadily available as the ultrasound. >From a tumour inthe kidney, to cancer of the Liver, from cyst of the ovary to >detection offetal heart anomaly in pregnancy, from cardiac echo to lung fluid, >anultrasound scan is a physicians essential diagnostic tool every day, >everyminute of his practice. A flow of current stimulates the 512 odd arrays of quartzcrystals in the ultrasound probe creating a burstof ultrasound beam that fan away from the probe, hit the organ and bounce back.The returning sound energy vibrates the crystals and generate microscopicamount of electricity that’s digitally processed to create an image on screen. The screen image is very powerful.It can make a couple decide to abort their child with complex birth anomaly, orjoyfully start looking for baby names; call home and tell that all is fine; orhead for a lawyer to decide on bequeathing your property. (one of my radiology colleagueswas testing a ultrasound machine, he just put it on his own abdomen to checkfor clarity, and it showed a kidney tumour – cancerous. Fortunately operated,and he is fine)- The roulette of 512piezo electric crystals; the gamble in real life. Underrated is an understatement. My note- Doctors consider only large variations by ultrasound scan as problem. Once I had UT scan at PRS,picture in black and white, we were asked to retain water by drinking and noturinating. The doctor who took it on that day was Mr Tiny nair, now I canrecollect. All the above QA are from Quora website on 11-02-2023 Quora answers need not be100% correct answers . Compiled and posted by R. 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