General Science Questions (MCQs) for Competitive Examinations

Notes:
The melting point of a pure substance is always higher than the melting point of that substance when a small amount of an impurity is present. Melting point decreases with increase of impurity in water. Increase in impurity increases the electrostatic attraction between ions and thus more energy is needed to break the bonds. The surface tension of water increases when highly soluble impurities are added to it.

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:
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to a part of your heart is blocked for a long enough time that part of the heart muscle is damaged or dies. The medical term for this is myocardial infarction. Most heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to the heart. If the blood flow is blocked, the heart is starved of oxygen and heart cells die.

Notes:
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.]

Notes:
Intensive farming is an agricultural intensification and mechanization system that aims to maximize yields from available land through various means, such as heavy use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. It is characterized by a low fallow ratio, higher use of inputs such as capital and labour, and higher crop yields per unit land area.

Notes:
Pond silk is the common name of Spirogyra (algae) because it is very slimy in shape. It is also known as pond silk, water silk, pond scum or mermaid’s trees because of its bright green silky appearance. Its filaments shine like silk due to the presence of mucilage and spiral shaped chloroplast.

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.

Notes:
Smallpox was one of the world’s most devastating diseases known to humanity. The last known natural case was in Somalia in 1977. It was declared eradicated in 1980 following a global immunization campaign led by the World Health Organization. Smallpox is caused by infection with the variola virus.

Notes:
Claspers are organs found in male elasmobranchs. Each male has two claspers. They are located along the inner side of the shark or ray’s pelvic fin and are used in reproduction. During mating, the male deposits his sperm into the female’s cloaca (the opening that serves as the entrance to the uterus, intestine and urinary tract) via grooves that lie in the upper side of the claspers.

Notes:
Both polio and chicken pox are caused by virus. Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus; while, Chickenpox, also known as varicella, is a highly contagious disease caused by the initial infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV).