CBSE Class 8 English Bibha Chowdhuri: The Beam of Light that Lit the Path for Women in Indian Science MCQs Set 01

Answer: (C) Patrick M.S. Blackett

Explanation:
1. Bibha traveled to England to do research at the University of Manchester.
2. Patrick Blackett was a famous scientist who won the Nobel Prize.
3. He guided Bibha in her research on cosmic rays.

Answer: (D) 1913, Kolkata

Explanation:
1. Bibha Chowdhuri was born in the year 1913.
2. Her birthplace was Kolkata in West Bengal.
3. She grew up there and studied science at Calcutta University.

Answer: (B) Dr. Ritu Karidhal Srivastava

Explanation:
1. Dr. Ritu Karidhal is a senior aerospace engineer at ISRO.
2. She helped lead India's successful Mangalyaan mission to Mars.
3. People across the country call her the 'Rocket Woman of India'.

Answer: (A) HD 86081

Explanation:
1. Astronomers usually give stars code numbers before giving them names.
2. This distant star in the Leo constellation was numbered HD 86081.
3. It was officially renamed 'Bibha' to honor the Indian physicist.

Answer: (B) Pi-mesons

Explanation:
1. Subatomic particles are tiny pieces that live inside atoms.
2. Bibha used special photographic plates to track rays from space.
3. Her work helped identify the subatomic particle called the pi-meson.

Answer: (C) Great encouragement

Explanation:
1. A beacon is a bright light that guides people safely in the dark.
2. Bibha's life shows young girls that they can succeed in science.
3. She acts as a source of great encouragement and hope.

Answer: (C) Erwin Schrödinger

Explanation:
1. Erwin Schrödinger was a world-famous physicist.
2. He was deeply impressed by Bibha's particle discoveries.
3. He nominated her for the prestigious Nobel Prize in 1950.

Answer: (D) Homi J. Bhabha

Explanation:
1. Dr. Homi Bhabha built the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
2. He recognized Bibha's exceptional talent in physics.
3. He personally hired her as the very first woman professor there.

Answer: (A) 'India’s New Woman Scientist—She has an eye for Cosmic Rays'

Explanation:
1. British newspapers interviewed Bibha when she was doing research in Manchester.
2. They wrote an article praising her rare work in physics.
3. They called her India's New Woman Scientist with an eye for cosmic rays.

Answer: (B) High-energy particle physics

Explanation:
1. Bibha studied cosmic rays that strike Earth with huge energy.
2. This science examines tiny pieces of matter in the universe.
3. Her special field was high-energy particle physics.

Answer: (A) Leo

Explanation:
1. A constellation is a group of stars that forms a picture in the sky.
2. Leo is the lion constellation in space.
3. The star named 'Bibha' is located inside the constellation Leo.

Answer: (C) Both A and B

Explanation:
1. Her name 'Bibha' means a beam of light in Bengali.
2. She also had an actual star named after her in the sky.
3. Therefore, she represents both a beam of light and a star.

Answer: (C) Cosmic rays

Explanation:
1. A thesis is a long research book written for a doctorate degree.
2. Bibha investigated energetic rays arriving from outer space.
3. Her Ph.D. thesis topic was cosmic rays.

Answer: (A) C. V. Raman

Explanation:
1. The chapter talks about Patrick Blackett, Homi Bhabha, and Vikram Sarabhai.
2. It does not mention the famous physicist C. V. Raman.
3. Therefore, C. V. Raman is not named in the text.

Answer: (B) Highly talented and respected in science

Explanation:
1. Nobel Prize nominations are only given to the best researchers.
2. Being chosen by Schrödinger proved her work was top class.
3. It proved she was highly talented and respected by top scientists.

Answer: (C) 2020

Explanation:
1. A chair professorship is a high teaching post created in honor of an expert.
2. The Indian government created chairs for forgotten women scientists.
3. This honor was officially declared in the year 2020.

Answer: (B) The discovery of pi-mesons

Explanation:
1. Bibha conducted groundbreaking experiments on cosmic rays.
2. Her work helped identify the pi-meson particle in nature.
3. This discovery was her most famous achievement in physics.

Answer: (B) Chandrayaan-3

Explanation:
1. Chandrayaan-3 successfully placed an Indian lander on the moon.
2. More than fifty female scientists played major leadership roles.
3. This mission highlights the modern progress of Indian women in STEM.

Answer: (B) International

Explanation:
1. IAU is a world body of astronomers from many nations.
2. The full name is International Astronomical Union.
3. The letter "I" stands for International.

Answer: (A) Studying at the Bose Institute

Explanation:
1. Very few women were allowed to study higher science in her time.
2. Bibha bravely joined the prestigious Bose Institute in Kolkata.
3. This was her first big step in breaking barriers for female students.

Answer: (B) As a symbol of Bibha Chowdhuri's contribution to science

Explanation:
1. Bibha spent her entire life studying particles from the stars.
2. The IAU wanted to celebrate her overlooked contributions to physics.
3. They named the star 'Bibha' to keep her memory alive forever.

Answer: (B) Physical Research Laboratory

Explanation:
1. After working in England, Bibha returned to India.
2. She joined PRL, the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad.
3. There she worked on cosmic rays with Dr. Vikram Sarabhai.

Answer: (B) 1991

Explanation:
1. Bibha Chowdhuri lived a quiet life dedicated to science.
2. She passed away in Kolkata in the year 1991.
3. Her great discoveries received wider recognition decades later.

Answer: (B) Renaming a star after her

Explanation:
1. The IAU held a global campaign to give names to stars.
2. India chose to honor its first woman physicist.
3. The IAU officially named star HD 86081 'Bibha'.

Answer: (D) 1945

Explanation:
1. Bibha sailed to England at the end of World War II.
2. She started her Ph.D. studies in Manchester in 1945.
3. She worked in the laboratory of Professor Patrick Blackett.

Answer: (A) STEM

Explanation:
1. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
2. Bibha was a pioneer for Indian women in physics research.
3. She opened doors for future generations of women in STEM.

Answer: (B) Due to predefined conventional gender perceptions, her work could never be in the spotlight

Explanation:
1. Her scientific experiments were truly brilliant and accurate.
2. But during her era, people did not expect women to be serious physicists.
3. Gender prejudice prevented her from receiving the spotlight she deserved.

Answer: (B) Patrick M.S. Blackett

Explanation:
1. Patrick Blackett was the head of the physics department in Manchester.
2. He supervised Bibha's cosmic ray doctoral research.
3. He later won the Nobel Prize for his own work in cosmic physics.

Answer: (C) Cosmic rays

Explanation:
1. Cosmic rays are streams of particles coming from deep space.
2. Bibha studied these high-energy rays to complete her doctoral degree.
3. Her PhD thesis was entirely based on cosmic rays.

Answer: (D) Quiet persistence

Explanation:
1. This question tests the specific personality descriptors from the chapter.
2. As listed in the worksheet, option D is identified as the answer.
3. She worked with quiet dedication throughout her life.