Which of the following pairs of invention and inventor is not correctly matched in standard general science history?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Parachute : W. H. Carothers

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Match the following type questions often test whether students can recognise correctly and incorrectly paired inventors and inventions. In this case, three of the pairs are broadly correct and one is wrong. The incorrectly matched pair concerns the parachute. Identifying such mismatches requires careful recall of who worked in which field and is an important skill for general science questions in competitive exams.


Given Data / Assumptions:
• Four pairs are given: Parachute with W. H. Carothers, Barometer with Torricelli, Cells with Robert Hooke, and X ray with W. Roentgen.
• You must pick the single pair that is not correctly matched.
• We assume common textbook level attributions rather than rare or controversial claims.


Concept / Approach:
The idea is to recall the correct associations first. Evangelista Torricelli is credited with inventing the barometer. Robert Hooke observed cells in cork using a microscope and coined the term cell. Wilhelm Roentgen discovered X rays. The parachute, however, has a much more complex history and is not associated with W. H. Carothers. Carothers worked on synthetic polymers like nylon. Thus, the pair Parachute with W. H. Carothers is the incorrect one.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Check Barometer : Torricelli. Torricelli, an Italian scientist, is widely known for inventing the barometer, so this pair is correct.
Step 2: Check Cells : Robert Hooke. Hooke examined thin slices of cork and used the word cells to describe the tiny compartments, so this pair is also correct.
Step 3: Check X ray : W. Roentgen. Wilhelm Roentgen discovered X rays in the late nineteenth century, making this pair correct.
Step 4: Check Parachute : W. H. Carothers. Carothers is famous for synthetic fibres such as nylon, not for the parachute.
Step 5: Therefore, Parachute : W. H. Carothers is the mismatched pair and is the required answer.


Verification / Alternative check:
Another way to verify is to list Carothers alongside nylon and neoprene, which appear in most chemistry or polymer science references. No standard list of parachute inventors mentions Carothers. On the other hand, torricellian barometer, Hooke and cells, and Roentgen rays are phrases that explicitly tie the other inventors to their discoveries. This clear contrast confirms that only the parachute pair is incorrect in the table of options.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The barometer and Torricelli are correctly matched, so option Barometer : Torricelli cannot be the answer. The same applies to Cells : Robert Hooke and X ray : W. Roentgen, which are standard textbook matches. Because the question asks for the pair that is not correctly matched, these three correct pairs are wrong choices in the context of the question.


Common Pitfalls:
A common difficulty is that some students may not immediately recognise the name W. H. Carothers and may suspect one of the more familiar pairs instead. Others may mix up Roentgen with other physicists. To avoid such confusion, it is helpful to prepare simple mapping lists with each famous discovery linked to its most commonly accepted discoverer. When you see a completely unfamiliar name attached to a known invention, it often signals the intentionally incorrect pair.


Final Answer:
The pair that is not correctly matched is Parachute : W. H. Carothers.

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