Select the set that correctly matches the type of waste given in Column A with…
2023
Select the set that correctly matches the type of waste given in Column A with the approximate time taken by it to decompose which is given in Column B.
Item | Waste Type |
|---|---|
a | Plastic bottle |
b | Silk scarf |
c | Cotton shirt |
d | Banana peel |
e | Paper |
Code | Approx. Decomposition Time |
|---|---|
i | 2 – 5 months |
ii | 1 – 2 weeks |
iii | 10 – 30 days |
iv | 4 years |
v | Several years |
Choose the correct option :
- A.
a–iv, b–v, c–iii, d–i, e–ii
- B.
a–v, b–iv, c–i, d–ii, e–iii
- C.
a–iv, b–v, c–ii, d–i, e–iii
- D.
a–v, b–i, c–ii, d–iii, e–iv
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept
Decomposition time depends mainly on whether waste is biodegradable and on its material composition. Soft organic (biological) matter is broken down quickly by microorganisms, natural plant or animal fibres take from months to a few years depending on their density and processing, and synthetic petroleum-based polymers such as plastics resist microbial breakdown and persist far longer than any natural material.
Application
Banana peel is soft, moisture-rich organic matter, so microorganisms break it down fastest — within 1–2 weeks (code ii).
Paper is thin, processed cellulose with little structural density, so it decomposes next-fastest — in 10–30 days (code iii).
Cotton shirt is a woven natural cellulose fibre; being thicker and more structured than paper, it takes longer to break down — about 2–5 months (code i).
Silk scarf is a natural protein fibre that is denser and more resistant to microbial action than plant fibres, so it persists for about 4 years (code iv).
Plastic bottle is a synthetic, petroleum-based polymer with no natural biodegradation pathway in this timeframe, so it takes several years to break down — the longest period offered (code v).
This gives the matching a–v, b–iv, c–i, d–ii, e–iii.
Cross-check
This ordering is the only one among the four options that keeps a fully consistent fastest-to-slowest sequence across all five items — banana peel, then paper, then cotton, then silk, then plastic — and it matches the officially published CTET August 2023 Paper-II answer key for this question.
The set a–iv, b–v, c–iii, d–i, e–ii places banana peel at 2–5 months and paper at 1–2 weeks, reversing the expected order between an organic peel and processed paper.
The set a–iv, b–v, c–ii, d–i, e–iii places cotton shirt at 1–2 weeks, faster than banana peel, which is inconsistent with cotton being a thicker, more structured fibre than a soft organic peel.
The set a–v, b–i, c–ii, d–iii, e–iv places paper at 4 years, far longer than a thin processed cellulose sheet is expected to persist, while cotton is placed faster than silk despite both being textile fibres.