General Science Questions (MCQs) for Competitive Examinations

Notes:
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease caused by corkscrew-shaped bacteria called Leptospira. Signs and symptoms can range from none to mild such as headaches, muscle pains, and fevers; to severe with bleeding from the lungs or meningitis. If the infection causes the person to turn yellow, have kidney failure and bleeding, it is then known as Weil’s disease.

Notes:
Insulin is central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. It stops the use of fat as an energy source by inhibiting the release of glucagon. It removes excess glucose from the blood, which otherwise would be toxic. Insulin helps blood sugar enter the body’s cells so it can be used for energy. Insulin also signals the liver to store blood sugar for later use. Blood sugar enters cells, and levels in the bloodstream decrease, signaling insulin to decrease too.

Notes:
Vitamin C is quite unstable when cooked or stored improperly. It is very liable and easily destroyed during cooking as well as storage. It is a water-soluble and temperature-sensitive vitamin, so is easily degraded during cooking, and elevated temperatures and long cooking times have been found to cause particularly severe losses of vitamin C.

Notes:
It is assumed that protodermal cells divide periclinally in certain cases to form multiseriate or multiple epidermis. The multiple epidermis is found in some organs like roots of orchids (Vanda), leaves of Ficus, Nerium, Piperomia, etc. In Nerium, it is found on both surfaces.

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.

Notes:
Hydra is radially symmetrical, that is, the parts of its body are arranged in a circle around a central median axis passing through the mouth. Hydra reproduces by asexual and sexual methods. Asexual reproduction takes place either by budding or by fission.

Notes:
Cabbages have no need to store food as they are seasonal plants and die after about 4 to 6 months. They do however produce food in the leaves of the plants and would utilize short-term storage (in the leaves) for simple metabolic processes.

Notes:
In plants, secondary growth is the result of the activity of the two lateral or secondary meristems, the cork cambium and vascular cambium. Secondary growth increases the girth of the plant root or stem, rather than its length. In contrast, primary meristems, found at the apex of the stem, is responsible for the primary growth (lengthening) of the plant.

Notes:
Sclerenchyma cells are usually dead cells that have heavily thickened secondary walls containing lignin. The cells are rigid and non-stretchable and are usually found in non-growing regions of plant bodies, such as the bark or mature stems. Sclerenchyma is one of the three types of fundamental, tissue in plants; the other two types being Parenchyma and Collenchyma.

Notes:
Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin that is essential in many physiological processes. It plays an important role in the health and maintenance of proper reproductive system function. Without vitamin E the body cannot reproduce. It is also essential during pregnancy and is needed for the proper health and development of the fetus.