General Science Questions (MCQs) for Competitive Examinations

Notes:
Chloroxylenol, also known as para-chloro-meta-xylenol, is an antiseptic and disinfectant which is used for skin disinfection and cleaning surgical instruments. It is also used within a number of household disinfectants and wound cleaners.

Notes:
Keratin is a family of fibrous structural proteins involved in making up the outer layer of human skin. It is also the key structural component of hair and nails. Cells in the epidermis contain a structural matrix of keratin, which makes this outermost layer of the skin almost waterproof, and along with collagen and elastin, gives skin its strength. It also makes up fish scales and crustacean shells, bird feathers and beaks, animal horns and hooves.

Notes:
Mitochondria is an organelle found in large numbers in most cells, in which the biochemical processes of respiration and energy production occur. It is for this reason that mitochondria are often referred to as the powerhouses of the cell mitochondria also play a key role in the ageing process as well as in the onset of degenerative disease.

Notes:
Coconut water, the clear liquid inside young green coconuts (fruits of the coconut palm), is liquid endosperm. In early development, it serves as a sus pension for the endosperm of the coconut during their nuclear phase of development. It contains sugars, vitamins, minerals, proteins, free amino acids and growth promoting factors.

Notes:
Vermicomposting is the process of using worms also called red worms and micro-organisms to turn kitchen waste into black, earthy-smelling, nutrient-rich humus. Vermicompost is an excellent, nutrient-rich organic fertilizer and soil conditioner.

Notes:
Sharks possess a heterocercal caudal fin in which the dorsal portion is usually noticeably larger than the ventral portion. This is because the shark’s vertebral column extends into the dorsal portion, providing a greater surface area for muscle attachment.

Notes:
Changes in pH which can accompany metabolic process such as respiration (aerobic glycolysis for example) can alter the conformation of an enzyme and hence enzyme activity such as salivarya mylase is effective in neutral condition, pepsin in acidic condition l.5 (less than pH 7) and trypsin in basic condition (more than pH 7).

Notes:
Echo location, also called biosonar, is the biological sonar used by several kinds of animals. Echo-locating animals emit calls out to the environment and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various objects near them. They use these echoes to locate and identify the objects. Echo-locating animals include some mammals and a few birds; most notably microchiropteran bats and odontocetes (toothed whales and dolphins).

Notes:
Night blindness, also called nyctalopia, is failure of the eye to adapt promptly from light to darkness that is characterized by a reduced ability to see in dim light or at night. It occurs as a symptom of numerous congenital and inherited retinal diseases or as a result of vitamin A deficiency.

Notes:
Inorganic arsenic found in water is a confirmed carcinogen and is the most significant chemical contaminant in drinking-water globally. Prolonged ingestion of arsenic-containing drinking water is associated with bladder cancer and skin cancer. In addition, cancers of the lung, digestive tract, liver, kidney, and lymphatic and hematopoietic systems are also linked to arsenic exposure.