Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect ★ Bookmarked
Loading…
Q20 (IAS/2023) Environment & Ecology › Pollution & Conservation › Ozone layer protection Official Key

Consider the following : 1. Aerosols 2. Foam agents 3. Fire retardants 4. Lubricants In the making of how many of the above are hydrofluorocarbons used?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 3: Only three. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are a group of industrial chemicals primarily used as replacements for ozone-depleting substances like CFCs and HCFCs.

HFCs are extensively used in the following three sectors mentioned in the question:

  • Aerosols: HFCs serve as propellants in products like metered-dose inhalers and technical sprays.
  • Foam agents: They act as blowing agents in the manufacture of polyurethane and polystyrene foams for insulation.
  • Fire retardants: HFCs (such as HFC-227ea) are used as clean extinguishing agents in fire suppression systems where water or powder could damage sensitive equipment.

While HFCs are used in refrigeration (as coolants) and the sectors above, they are not typically used as Lubricants. Lubricants generally consist of mineral oils, synthetic oils, or greases designed to reduce friction, a function for which HFCs are chemically unsuitable. Therefore, only three of the four listed applications are correct.

How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
29%
got it right
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest preview
Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Consider the following : 1. Aerosols 2. Foam agents 3. Fire retardants 4. Lubricants In the making of how many of the above are hydr…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 5/10 · 2.5/10
You're seeing a guest preview. The Verdict and first statement analysis are open. Login with Google to unlock all tabs.

This is a classic 'Application of Pollutants' question. Statements 1, 2, and 3 are standard textbook material (Shankar/Majid Husain) covering HFCs as CFC substitutes. Statement 4 is the 'Common Sense Trap'—testing if you can distinguish between a volatile gas (HFC) and a viscous fluid (Lubricant).

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used in the manufacture of aerosol products?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 17: Climate Change > Substitution for Ozone-Depleting Substances: > p. 257
Presence: 5/5
“• Hydrofluorocarbons are used as refrigerants, aerosol propeilants, solvents, and fire retardants. These chemicals were developed as a replacement for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochloroi"luorocarbons (HCFCs) because they do not deplete the stratospheric ozone layer. • Unfortunately, HFCs are potent greenhouse gases with long atmospheric lifetimes and high GWPs, and they are released into the atmosphere through leaks, servicing, and disposal of equipment in which they are used.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly names hydrofluorocarbons as being used as aerosol propellants.
  • Also lists HFCs among common applications (refrigerants, solvents, propellants), directly linking HFCs to aerosol use.
Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 19: Ozone Depletion > here it is used? > p. 268
Presence: 4/5
“\{here it is used? They are used as refrigerants, propellents in aerosol sprays, foaming agents in plastic manufacturing, fire extinguishing agents, solvents for cleaning electronic and metallic components, for freezing foods etc . Two-thirds of CFC is used as refrigerants while one-third is used as blowing agents in foam insulation products.”
Why this source?
  • Lists use as propellents in aerosol sprays alongside refrigerants and solvents.
  • Provides a usage-category statement that supports HFC-type gases being applied in aerosol products.
Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

How to study

This tab shows concrete study steps: what to underline in books, how to map current affairs, and how to prepare for similar questions.

Login with Google to unlock study guidance.

Micro-concepts

Discover the small, exam-centric ideas hidden in this question and where they appear in your books and notes.

Login with Google to unlock micro-concepts.

The Vault

Access hidden traps, elimination shortcuts, and Mains connections that give you an edge on every question.

Login with Google to unlock The Vault.

✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

IAS · 2012 · Q42 Relevance score: 2.42

Consider the following statements : Chlorofluorocarbons, known as ozone-depleting substances, are used 1. in the production of plastic foams 2. in the production of tubeless tyres 3. in cleaning certain electronic components 4. as pressurizing agents in aerosol cans Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IAS · 2004 · Q56 Relevance score: -1.78

Consider the following statements: 1. Baking soda is used in fire extinguishers. 2. Quicklime is used in the manufacture of glass. 3. Gypsum is used in the manufacture of Plaster of Paris. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

NDA-I · 2008 · Q15 Relevance score: -3.10

Which one of the following chemicals is used in foam fire extinguishers?

IAS · 2025 · Q45 Relevance score: -3.22

Consider the following substances: 1. Ethanol 2. Nitroglycerine 3. Urea Coal gasification technology can be used in the production of how many of them?

CAPF · 2008 · Q113 Relevance score: -3.31

Consider the following statements : 1. Baking soda is used in fire extinguishers. 2. Quick lime is used in the manufacture of glass. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?