Chemical Engineering Plant Economics 1000+ MCQ with answer for SSC CPO

1. The depreciation during the year 'n', in diminishing balance method of depreciation calculation, is calculated by multiplying a fixed percentage 'N' to the
A. Initial cost
B. Book value at the end of (n - 1)th year
C. Depreciation during the (n - 1)th year
D. Difference between initial cost and salvage value
Answer : B

2. According to six-tenths-factor rule, if the cost of a given unit at one capacity is known, then the cost of similar unit with '' times the capacity of the first unit is approximately equal to __________ times the cost of the initial unit.
A. n
B. n0.6
C. n0.4
D. ?n
Answer : B

3. Total product cost of a chemical plant does not include the __________ cost.
A. Market survey
B. Operating labour, supervision and supplies
C. Overhead and utilities
D. Depreciation, property tax and insurance
Answer : A

4. Scheduling provides information about the
A. Proper utilisation of machines
B. Means to minimise idle time for machines
C. Time of completion of job
D. Time of starting of job and also about how much work should be completed during a particular period
Answer : D

5. Fixed capital investment of a chemical plant is the total amount of money needed to supply the necessary plant and manufacturing facilities plus the working capital for operation of the facilities. Which of the following components of fixed capital investment requires minimum percentage of it?
A. Electrical installation cost
B. Equipment installation cost
C. Cost for piping
D. Equipment insulation cost
Answer : D

6. Which of the following is a component of working capital investment?
A. Utilities plants
B. Maintenance and repair inventory
C. Process equipments
D. Depreciation
Answer : B

7. The payback method for the measurement of return on investment
A. Gives a correct picture of profitability
B. Underemphasises liquidity
C. Does not measure the discounted rate of return
D. Takes into account the cash inflows after the recovery of investments
Answer : C

8. Pick out the wrong statement.
A. Longer tubes are less expensive per unit heat transfer area as compared to shorter tubes
B. A cost index is merely a number for a given year showing the cost at that time relative to a certain base year
C. Turnover ratio of a chemical plant is the ratio of gross annual sales to the fixed capital investment
D. Plates with butt welded joints are less expensive compared to lap welded joints, because squaring of plates is not necessary
Answer : D

9. Which of the following is not a component of depreciation cost?
A. Repairs and maintenance cost
B. Loss due to obsolescence of the equipment
C. Loss due to decrease in the demand of product
D. Loss due to accident/breakdown in the machinery
Answer : A

10. Relative cost of chemical process plants in India is about __________ percent more than the similar plants in U.S.A.
A. 15
B. 35
C. 55
D. 75
Answer : B

11. Which of the following is not a component of the fixed capital for a chemical plant facility?
A. Raw materials inventory
B. Utilities plants
C. Process equipment
D. Emergency facilities
Answer : A

12. An annuity is a series of equal payments occuring at equal time intervals, and this amount includes the sum of all payments plus interest, if allowed to accumulate at a definite rate of interest from the time of initial payment to the end of annuity term. Ordinary annuity is used in the calculation of the
A. Manufacturing cost
B. Depreciation by sinking fund method
C. Discrete compound interest
D. Cash ratio
Answer : B

13. The ratio of working capital to total capital investment for most chemical plants (except for nonseasonal based products) is in the range of __________ percent.
A. 0.1 to 1
B. 1 to 2
C. 10 to 20
D. 50 to 60
Answer : C

14. Purchased cost of equipments for a chemical process plant ranges from __________ percent of the fixed capital investment.
A. 10 to 20
B. 20 to 40
C. 45 to 60
D. 65 to 75
Answer : B

15. Gantt chart (or Bar chart) is helpful in
A. Efficient utilisation of manpower and machines
B. Preparing production schedule
C. Efficient despatching of products
D. Inventory control
Answer : B

16. __________ taxes are based on gross earnings.
A. Property
B. Excise
C. Income
D. Capital gain
Answer : C

17. 'Utilities' in a chemical process plant includes compressed air, steam, water, electrical power, oxygen, acetylene, fuel gases etc. Utility costs for ordinary chemical process plants ranges roughly from __________ percent of the total product cost.
A. 1 to 5
B. 10 to 20
C. 25 to 35
D. 35 to 45
Answer : B

18. Which of the following is not a component of working capital?
A. Raw materials is stock
B. Finished products in stock
C. Transportation facilities
D. Semi-finished products in the process
Answer : C

19. Gross earning is equal to the total income minus
A. Total product cost
B. Fixed cost
C. Income tax
D. None of these
Answer : A

20. Chemical engineering plant cost index is used for finding the present cost of a particular chemical plant, if the cost of similar plant at some time in the past is known. The present cost of the plant = original cost × (index value at present/ index value at time original cost was obtained). The most major component of this cost index is
A. Fabricated equipment and machinery
B. Process instruments and control
C. Pumps and compressor
D. Electrical equipments and material
Answer : A

21. If an amount R is paid at the end of every year for 'n' years, then the net present value of the annuity at an interest rate of i is
A. R [{(1 + i)ⁿ - 1}/ i ]
B. R [{(1 + i)ⁿ - 1}/ i (1 + i)ⁿ]
C. R(1 + i)ⁿ
D. R/(1 + i)ⁿ
Answer : B

22. Effluent treatment cost in a chemical plant is categorised as the __________ cost.
A. Fixed
B. Overhead
C. Utilities
D. Capital
Answer : C

23. Optimum economic pipe diameter for fluid is determined by the
A. Viscosity of the fluid
B. Density of the fluid
C. Total cost considerations (pumping cost plus fixed cost of the pipe)
D. None of these
Answer : C

24. Which of the following is the cheapest material of construction for the storage of sodium hydroxide upto a concentration of 75%?
A. Stainless steel
B. Plain carbon steel
C. Nickel
D. Copper
Answer : B

25. Factory manufacturing cost is the sum of the direct production cost
A. Fixed charges and plant overhead cost
B. And plant overhead cost
C. Plant overhead cost and administrative expenses
D. None of these
Answer : A

26. The 'total capital investment' for a chemical process plant comprises of the fixed capital investment and the
A. Overhead cost
B. Working capital
C. Indirect production cost
D. Direct production cost
Answer : B

27. Annual depreciation costs are constant, when the __________ method of depreciation calculation is used.
A. Declining balance
B. Straight line
C. Sum of the years digit
D. None of these
Answer : B

28. Maximum production start up cost for making a chemical plant operational is about __________ percent of the fixed capital cost.
A. 1
B. 5
C. 10
D. 30
Answer : C

29. Which of the following methods of depreciation calculations results in book values greater than those obtained with straight line method?
A. Multiple straight line method
B. Sinking fund method
C. Declining balance method
D. Sum of the years digit method
Answer : B

30. An investment of Rs. 100 lakhs is to be made for construction of a plant, which will take two years to start production. The annual profit from the operation of the plant is Rs. 20 lakhs. What will be the payback time?
A. 5 years
B. 7 years
C. 12 years
D. 10 years
Answer : B

31. __________ of depreciation calculation accounts for the interest on investment.
A. Straight line method
B. Declining balance
C. Both (A) and (B)
D. Neither (A) nor (B)
Answer : D

32. Optimum number of effects in a multiple effect evaporator is decided by the
A. Cost benefit analysis
B. Floor area availability
C. Terminal parameters
D. Evaporation capacity required
Answer : A

33. The total investment in a project is Rs. 10 lakhs and the annual profit is 1.5 lakhs. If the project life is 10 years, then the simple rate of return on investment is
A. 15%
B. 10%
C. 1.5%
D. 150%
Answer : C

34. The amount of compounded interest during 'n' interest periods is
A. p[(1+i)ⁿ - 1)]
B. p(1 + i)ⁿ
C. p(1 - i)ⁿ
D. p(1 + iⁿ)
Answer : A

35. __________ of depreciation calculation does not take into account the interest on investments.
A. Present worth method
B. Sinking fund method
C. Sum of the years-digits method
D. All (A), (B) and (C)
Answer : C

36. Equipment installation cost in a chemical process plant ranges from __________ percent of the purchased equipment cost.
A. 10 to 20
B. 35 to 45
C. 55 to 65
D. 70 to 80
Answer : B

37. If 'S' is the amount available after 'n' interest periods for an initial principal 'P' with the discrete compound interest rate 'i', the present worth is given by
A. (1 + i)ⁿ/S
B. S/(1 + i)ⁿ
C. S/(1 + in)
D. S/(1 + n)ⁱ
Answer : B

38. Annual depreciation cost are not constant when, the __________ method of depreciation calculation is used.
A. Straight line
B. Sinking fund
C. Present worth
D. Declining balance
Answer : D

39. Expenditure on research and development (R & D) is categorised as the __________, while making an estimate of the total product cost for a chemical plant.
A. Overhead cost
B. Fixed expenses
C. General expenses
D. Direct production cost
Answer : C

40. Which of the following is not a mathematical method for evaluation of profitability of a chemical process plant?
A. Cash reserve
B. Rate of return on investment
C. Payout period
D. Discounted cash flow based on full life performance
Answer : A

41. Pick out the wrong statement.
A. Debt-equity ratio of a chemical company describes the lenders contribution for each rupee of owner's contribution i.e., debt-equity ratio = total debt/net worth
B. Return on investment (ROI) is the ratio of profit before interest & tax and capital employed (i.e. net worth + total debt)
C. Working capital = current assets + current liability
D. Turn over = opening stock + production closing stock
Answer : C

42. For a typical project, the cumulative cash flow is zero at the
A. End of the project life
B. Breakeven point
C. Start up
D. End of the design stage
Answer : B

43. Which of the following is the costliest source of getting hydrogen on commercial scale for the manufacture of nitrogenous fertiliser?
A. Coal gasification
B. Steam reforming of naphtha
C. Electrolysis of water
D. Coke oven gas
Answer : C

44. Pick out the wrong statement.
A. The annual depreciation rate for machinery and equipments in a chemical process plant is about 10% of the fixed capital investment
B. Annual depreciation rate of buildings in a chemical plant is about 3% of its initial cost
C. Insurance rates on annual basis in a chemical plant may be about 1% of the fixed capital investment
D. In a chemical industry, research and development cost amounts to about 15% of net sales realisation (NSR)
Answer : D

45. Which of the following relationship is not correct is case of a chemical process plant?
A. Manufacturing cost = direct product cost + fixed charges + plant overhead costs
B. General expenses = administrative expenses + distribution & marketing expenses
C. Total product cost = manufacturing cost + general expenses
D. Total product cost = direct production cost + plant overhead cost
Answer : D

46. __________ method for profitability evaluation of a project does not account for investment cost due to land.
A. Net present worth
B. Pay out period
C. Discounted cash flow
D. Rate of return on investment
Answer : B

47. Construction expenses are roughly __________ percent of the total direct cost of the plant.
A. 2
B. 10
C. 30
D. 50
Answer : B

48. Personnel working in the market research group is responsible for the job of
A. Equipment selection
B. Product evaluation
C. Equipment design
D. Cost estimation
Answer : B

49. Pick out the wrong statement.
A. Net worth means paid up share capital and reserve & surplus (i.e. shareholders equity)
B. Return on equity = profit after tax/net worth
C. Working capital turnover ratio = sales/net working capital
D. Total cost of production is more than net sales realisation (NSR) at breakeven point
Answer : D

50. In a chemical process plant, the total product cost comprises of manufacturing cost and the
A. General expenses
B. Overhead cost
C. R & D cost
D. None of these
Answer : A