General Science Questions (MCQs) for Competitive Examinations
General Science Multiple choice questions for GK paper in SSC, NDA, CDS, UPSC, UPPSC and State PSC Examinations. These questions are part of GKToday’s 35000+ MCQs Bank Course in GKToday Android App
1. As per the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, which of the following are soft metals?
- Gold
- Copper
- Diamond
- Thorium
Select the correct option from codes given below:
[A] 1 & 4 Only
[B] 1, 2 & 4 Only
[C] 2 & 4 Only
[D] 1, 2, 3 & 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ 1, 2 & 4 Only]
Notes:
As per the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, the soft metals are: Lead, gold, silver, tin, zinc, aluminium, thorium, copper, brass and bronze. Diamond is one of the hardest known metals on earth.
2. Identify the noble gas utilized in radiotherapy?
[A] Neon
[B] Argon
[C] Radon
[D] Xenon
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Radon]
Notes:
Radon, a radioactive noble gas with atomic number 86, is used in radiotherapy. Created by disintegration of radium, its one of the heaviest gases and a health hazard. Radon gas, chemically inert yet radioactive, can accumulate in buildings and drinking water causing lung cancer. Furthermore, radon is noted for brilliant phosphorescence when cooled below its freezing point. Its most stable isotope, 222Rn, has a half-life of 3.8 days. Groundwater often has a higher 222Rn concentration than surface water due to less exposure to atmosphere.
3. In coriander, the useful parts are
____:
[A] Leaves & flowers
[B] Flowers & dried fruits
[C] Roots & leaves
[D] Leaves & dried fruits
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Leaves & dried fruits]
Notes:
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), also known as cilantro, Chinese parsley or dhania, is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the parts most traditionally used in cooking.
4. In which of the following class are the pulse producing plants kept?
[A] Liliaceae
[B] Solanaceae
[C] Malvaceae
[D] Leguminosae
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Leguminosae]
Notes:
Pulses are part of the legume family, but the term “pulse” refers only to the dried seed. Dried peas, edible beans, lentils and chickpeas are the most common varieties of pulses. The term “legume” refers to the plants whose fruit is enclosed in a pod. Other well-known legumes include alfalfa, clover, fresh peas, lupins, mesquite, soy and peanuts.
5. Wilting of plants occurs due to excessive ____:
[A] Respiration
[B] Glutation
[C] Absorption
[D] Transpiration
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Transpiration]
Notes:
Plant wilting occurs after excessive loss of water by transpiration and lesser absorption. i.e. rate of transpiration exceeds rate of water absorption. On a hot day, plants transpire heavily and cannot absorb water speedily to keep pace with transpiration loss, even when there is enough water.
6. One of the best solutions to get rid of non-biodegradable wastes is ____:
[A] Burning
[B] Dumping
[C] Burying
[D] Recycling
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Recycling]
Notes:
The best way of getting rid of non-biodegradable waste such as plastic is by recycling them. Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. The recovery of energy from waste materials is often included in this concept. Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of the “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle” waste hierarchy. Burning may release toxic gas into the atmosphere. Burying and dumping will hardly solve anything because of their very long life of self decomposition.
7. Where is urine stored in human body?
[A] Kidneys
[B] Nephron
[C] Liver
[D] Urinary bladder
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Urinary bladder]
Notes:
The urinary bladder is a hollow muscular organ that collects and stores urine from the kidneys before disposal by urination. In humans, the bladder is a hollow muscular organ situated at the base of the pelvis. Urine enters the bladder via the ureters and exits via the urethra.
8. Which among the following has open circulatory system?
I. Cockroach
II. Human
III. Prawn
[A] I and II
[B] I and III
[C] II and III
[D] Only III
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [I and III]
Notes:
Cockroach and prawns have open circulatory system in which the blood is not confined within blood vessels. The blood bathes the organs and tissues directly. Open circulatory systems pump blood into a hemocoel with the blood diffusing back to the circulatory system between cells. Blood is pumped by a heart into the body cavities, where tissues are surrounded by the blood. The open circulatory system is common to molluscs and arthropods.
9. A spore producing plant is ____:
[A] Rose
[B] Potato
[C] Ginger
[D] Bread mould
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Bread mould]
Notes:
Mould is a member of the fungi kingdom. Fungi can be defined as a plant without chlorophyll, so it cannot get energy directly from the sun. This means that fungi must use other plants and animals as its food source. This is why bread mould is so common because of the ingredients in bread, it is an excellent source of nutrition for many moulds to grow and thrive.
10. Penicillin is extracted from ____:
[A] Yeast
[B] Lichen
[C] Algae
[D] Fungus
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Fungus ]
Notes:
Penicillin the so called ‘Wonder drug’ discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1927 is produced from the genus of fungi “Penicillia”. All penicillin are â-lactam antibiotics and are used in the treatment of bacterial infections caused by susceptible, usually Grampositive organisms.