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. Which of the following would come in use to treat diseased skin surfaces?
[A] Analgesics
[B] Antiseptics
[C] Antihistamines
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ Antiseptics]
Notes:
Antiseptics are applied to the living tissues such as wounds, cuts, ulcers and diseased skin surfaces. Examples of antiseptics are furacine, soframicine, etc
2. The part of brain which controls emotional reactions in our body is ____:
[A] Hypothalamus
[B] Meninges
[C] Cerebrum
[D] Thalamus
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Hypothalamus]
Notes:
The brain’s limbic system controls emotional expression through the hypothalamus, which has control over the body’s emotional responses systems. The hypothalamus is responsible for regulating hunger, thirst, response to pain, levels of pleasure, sexual satisfaction, anger and aggressive behavior, etc. It also regulates pulse, blood pressure, breathing, and arousal in response to emotional circumstances.
3. 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.
4. Which of the following diseases has been eradicated worldwide?
[A] Smallpox
[B] Plague
[C] Chickenpox
[D] Dracunculiasis
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Smallpox]
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.
5. Rate of cooling depends on the
____:
[A] Nature of the radiating surface
[B] Area of the radiating surface
[C] Temperature difference between the body and the surroundings
[D] All of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [All of the above ]
Notes:
Newton’s Law of Cooling states that the rate of temperature of the body is proportional to the difference between the temperature of the body and that of the surrounding medium. When a body cools by radiation, then rate of cooling depends on: Nature of the radiating surface, that is, emissivity; Area of the radiating surface; Mass of the radiating surface; Specific heat of the radiating body; Temperature of radiating body and Temperature of the surrounding.
6. Which among the following constitutes the central nervous system in human body?
[A] Only brain
[B] Only blood
[C] Only spinal cord
[D] Both brain and spinal cord
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Both brain and spinal cord]
Notes:
The central nervous system (CNS) controls most functions of the body and mind. It consists of two parts: the brain and the spinal cord. Both the brain and spinal cord are protected by a three-layered covering of connective tissuecalled the meninges.
7. Bacteriophage was discovered by ____:
[A] Paul Ehrlich
[B] Burrill and Smith
[C] Felix D’Herelle and Frederick Twort
[D] Kluyver and Niel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Felix D’Herelle and Frederick Twort]
Notes:
Bacteriophage refers to any of a group of viruses that infect bacteria. Bacteriophages were discovered independently by Frederick W. Twort in Great Britain (1915) and Felix d’Herelle in France (1917). D’Herelle coined the term Bacteriophage, meaning “bacteria eater”.
8. In which one of the following is swim bladder absent?
[A] Cartilaginous fish
[B] Silverfish
[C] Cuttlefish
[D] Bony fish
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Cartilaginous fish]
Notes:
The swim bladder is an internal gas-filled organ that contributes to the ability of a fish to control its buoyancy, and thus to stay at the current water depth without having to waste energy in swimming. The cartilaginous fish (e.g. sharks and rays) split from the other fishes about 420 million years ago and lack both lungs and swim bladders, suggesting that these structures evolved after that split.
9. Which of the following increases the rate of heart beat?
[A] Peripheral nerves
[B] Parasympathetic nerves
[C] Sympathetic nerves
[D] Cranial nerves
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Sympathetic nerves]
Notes:
Heart rate is controlled by the two branches of the autonomic (involuntary) nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) releases the hormones (catecholamine – epinephrine) to accelerate the heart rate. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) releases the hormone acetylcholine to slow the heart rate.
10. To keep warm, polar bears have a layer of ____ under their skin:
[A] Muscle
[B] Hair
[C] Fat
[D] Cartilage
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Fat]
Notes:
Polar bears are supremely adapted to their environment – they have a number of traits that help them to cope with snow, ice, and below-freezing temperatures. They have a layer of fat that can be four inches (10 cm) thick. Although their fur is the primary source of insulation, the fat helps keep heat in as well.