General Science Questions (MCQs) for Competitive Examinations

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Chlorargyrite is the mineral form of silver chloride (AgCl). It is also known as cerargyrite and, when weathered by desert air, as horn silver. Silver chloride is formed by the disappearance of the initial silver oxide layer.

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Electron was discovered by an Irish scientist J J Thomson and electron is the first subatomic particle to be discovered. J J Thomson is notable for proposing the water melon model which is also called as plum pudding model.

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The major role of epidermis is to protect all the parts of the plant. Epidermal cells on the aerial parts of the plant often secrete a waxy, water-resistant layer on their outer surface. This aids in protection against loss of water, mechanical injury and invasion by parasitic fungi.

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Most cases of filariasis are caused by the parasite known as Wuchereria bancrofti. A wide range of mosquitoes can transmit this parasite, depending on the geographic area. In Africa, the most common vector is Anopheles while in the Americas, it is Culex quinquefasciatus. Aedes and Mansonia transmits transmit the infection in the Pacific and in Asia. Thus, Culex, Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes serve as vector for W. bancrofti in transmission of the disease. Aedes mosquito causes dengue fever. Anopheles mosquito causes malaria. Culex mosquito causes filaria. A wide range of mosquitoes can transmit the parasite, depending on the geographic area. In Africa, the most common vector is Anopheles and in the Americas, it is Culex quinquefasciatus. [This question was wrongly framed in exam as “filaria is caused by__:”. GKtoday has edited it to make it correct.]

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The gap between the two neurons is called the synapse. It is a structure that permits a neuron (or nerve cell) to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another neuron. Synapses are essential to neuronal function : neurons are cells that are specialized to pass signals to individual target cells, and synapses are the means by which they do so.

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In the blood the key minerals are iron, copper, zinc, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Minerals constitute important part of blood plasma that constitutes almost 55% of blood. In the blood, iron is found in larger amounts than any other mineral.

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Lipid oxidation is one of the major reasons that foods deteriorate and is caused by the reaction of fats and oils with molecular oxygen leading to off flavours that are generally called rancidity. Exposure to light, pro-oxidants and elevated temperature accelerate the reaction. Rancidity is associated with characteristic off-flavour and odour of the oil.

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Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians (gymnophiona)) and reptiles (including snakes, lizards, amphisbaena, turtles, terrapins, tortoises, crocodilians, and the tuataras). It is the study of ectothermic (coldblooded) tetrapods.

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Credit for developing cell theory is usually given to three scientists: Theodor Schwann, Matthias Jakob Schleiden, and Rudolf Virchow. In 1839, Schwann and Schleiden suggested that cells were the basic unit of life. In 1858, Rudolf Virchow concluded that all cells come from pre-existing cells, thus completing the classical cell theory.

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Pulses are example of dicots since they have two cotyledons (dicot is short for ‘dicotyledon’, and ‘di’ means two). They contain two seeds inside the seed coat. Legumes (a family of plants that includes pluses, beans, peas and lentils) are all examples of dicot seeds.