UPSC CDS - Chemical Engineering Plant Economics 1000+ MCQ [Solved] PDF Download

1. The economic life of a large chemical process plant as compared to a small chemical plant is
A. Only slightly more
B. Much more
C. Slightly less
D. Almost equal
Answer : B

2. 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

3. Fixed charges for a chemical plant does not include the
A. Interest on borrowed money
B. Rent of land and buildings
C. Property tax, insurance and depreciation
D. Repair and maintenance charges
Answer : D

4. 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

5. In an ordinary chemical plant, electrical installation cost may be about
A. 10-15% of purchased equipment cost
B. 3-10% of fixed capital investment
C. Either (A) or (B)
D. Neither (A) nor (B)
Answer : C

6. Manufacturing cost in a chemical company does not include the
A. Fixed charges
B. Plant overheads
C. Direct products cost
D. Administrative expenses
Answer : D

7. 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

8. 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

9. Following the six-tenth factor rule, if a loglog plot of capacity of the equipment vs. cost of the equipment is made, then a straight line is obtained, whose slope is equal to
A. 0.1
B. 0.6
C. 0.2
D. 0.8
Answer : B

10. 'Lang factor' is defined as the ratio of the capital investment to the delivered cost of major equipments. The value of 'Lang factor' for fixed capital investment, for a solid-fluid processing chemical plant ranges from
A. 1.2 to 1.4
B. 2.5 to 2.7
C. 4.2 to 4.4
D. 6.2 to 6.4
Answer : C

11. 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

12. The ratio of gross annual sales to the fixed capital investment is termed as the __________ ratio.
A. Cash reserve
B. Capital
C. Turnover
D. Investment
Answer : C

13. A present sum of Rs. 100 at the end of one year, with half yearly rate of interest at 10%, will be Rs.
A. 121
B. 110
C. 97
D. 91
Answer : A

14. Payback period
A. And economic life of a project are the same
B. Is the length of time over which the earnings on a project equals the investment
C. Is affected by the variation in earnings after the recovery of the investment
D. All (A), (B) and (C)
Answer : B

15. Break-even point is the point of intersection of
A. Fixed cost and total cost
B. Total cost and sales revenue
C. Fixed cost and sales revenue
D. None of these
Answer : B

16. 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

17. Functional depreciation of an equipment is the measure of decrease in its value due to its
A. Ageing
B. Wear and tear
C. Obsolescence
D. Breakdown or accident
Answer : C

18. 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

19. 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

20. Depreciation is __________ in profit with time.
A. Decrease
B. Increase
C. No change
D. None of these
Answer : A

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

22. Pick out the correct statement.
A. Difference between income and expense is termed as gross revenue
B. Unamortised cost is the difference between the original cost of a property and all the depreciation charges made to date
C. Sum-of-the-years-digits methods of depreciation calculation accounts for the interest on the investment
D. Scrap value is the net amount of money obtainable from the sale of used property over and above any charges involved in its removal & sale
Answer : B

23. Accumulated sum at the end of 5 years, if Rs. 10000 is invested now at 10% interest per annum on a compound basis is Rs.
A. 15000
B. 16105
C. 18105
D. 12500
Answer : B

24. 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

25. 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

26. For a given fluid, as the pipe diameter increases, the pumping cost
A. Decreases
B. Increases
C. Remains the same
D. May increase or decrease, depending upon whether the fluid is Newtonian or non-Newtonian
Answer : A

27. Effective and nominal interest rates are equal, when the interest is compounded
A. Annually
B. Fortnightly
C. Monthly
D. Half-yearly
Answer : A

28. 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

29. 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

30. Operating profit of a chemical plant is equal to
A. Profit before interest and tax i.e., net profit + interest + tax
B. Profit after tax plus depreciation
C. Net profit + tax
D. Profit after tax
Answer : A

31. With increase in the discounted cash flow rate of return, the ratio of the total present value to the initial investment of a given project
A. Decreases
B. Increases
C. Increases linearly
D. Remain constant
Answer : A

32. A shareholder has __________ say in the affairs of company management compared to a debenture holder.
A. More
B. Less
C. Same
D. No
Answer : A

33. The inventory of raw materials included in the working capital is usually about __________ months supply of raw materials valued at delivery prices.
A. One
B. Three
C. Six
D. Twelve
Answer : A

34. A reactor having a salvage value of Rs. 10000 is estimated to have a service life of 10 years. The annual interest rate is 10%. The original cost of the reactor was Rs. 80000. The book value of the reactor after 5 years using sinking fund depreciation method will be Rs.
A. 40,096
B. 43,196
C. 53,196
D. 60,196
Answer : D

35. 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

36. Depreciation
A. Costs (on annual basis) are constant when the straight line method is used for its determination
B. Is the unavoidable loss in the value of the plant, equipment and materials with lapse in time
C. Does figure in the calculation of income tax liability on cash flows from an investment
D. All (A), (B) and (C)
Answer : D

37. 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

38. 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

39. Which of the following elements is not included in th scope of market analysis?
A. Competition from other manufactures
B. Product distribution
C. Opportunities
D. Economics
Answer : D

40. Out of the following, the depreciation calculated by the __________ method is the maximum.
A. Diminishing balance
B. Straight line
C. Sum of the years digit
D. Sinking fund
Answer : A

41. 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

42. 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

43. 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

44. Cost incurred towards __________ in a chemical plant is a component of the utilities cost.
A. Water supply
B. Running a control laboratory
C. Property protection
D. Medical services
Answer : A

45. Cost of instrumentation in a modern chemical plant ranges from __________ percent of the total plant cost.
A. 5 to 10
B. 20 to 30
C. 40 to 50
D. 60 to 70
Answer : B

46. 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

47. Which of the following is the costliest material of construction used in pressure vessel construction?
A. Low alloy steel
B. Lead
C. Titanium
D. High alloy steel
Answer : C

48. A balance sheet for a chemical plant shows its financial condition at any given date. It does not contain the __________ of the plant.
A. Current asset
B. Current liability
C. Long term debt
D. Profit
Answer : D

49. 'Six-tenth factor' rule is used for estimating the
A. Equipment installation cost
B. Equipment cost by scaling
C. Cost of piping
D. Utilities cost
Answer : B

50. Generally, income taxes are based on the
A. Total income
B. Gross earning
C. Total product cost
D. Fixed cost
Answer : B