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. Who among the following scientists had discovered Radium?
[A] Marie Sklodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie
[B] André-Louis Debierne
[C] Kasimir Fajans
[D] Oswald Helmuth Göhring
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Marie Sklodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie ]
Notes:
Radium is a chemical element with the symbol Ra and atomic number 88. Radium was discovered by Marie Sklodowska Curie, a Polish chemist, and Pierre Curie, a French chemist, in 1898.
2. Which of these elements do not belong to the same group?
[A] Nickel
[B] Platinum
[C] Darmstadtium
[D] Roentgenium
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Roentgenium]
Notes:
Nickel, Platinum and Darmstadtium belongs to Group number 10 whereas element Roentgenium is placed in group number 11.
3. Which of the following gases helps in bread/cake fermentation so as to make it soft and spongy?
[A] Carbon Monoxide
[B] Hydrogen
[C] Carbon Dioxide
[D] Oxygen
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Carbon Dioxide]
Notes:
Fermentation is an anaerobic chemical process that breaks down glucose molecules. In baking, yeast consumes sugar and converts it into carbon dioxide and alcohol, making the dough rise. This gas gets trapped in the strands of gluten, resulting in air pockets that cause the dough to rise and form the characteristic spongy texture of bread and cakes. Further, the creation of lactic and acetic acids during fermentation augments this dough handling process, improves flavor, enhances the texture, and extends the shelf-life of the baked products.
4. Epidermal cells of which part of plant often secrete a waxy water resistant layer on their outer surface?
[A] Aerial parts only
[B] Roots only
[C] Both aerial parts and roots
[D] Neither aerial parts nor roots
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Aerial parts only]
Notes:
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.
5. Which one of the following is the smallest endocrine gland in human body?
[A] Pancreas
[B] Thyroid
[C] Pituitary
[D] Adrenal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Pituitary]
Notes:
Pituitary gland, called Master Gland, is the smallest endocrine gland. It controls the general growth of the body coordinating the functioning of other endo crime glands and stimulates the primary sex hormones, i.e. ovaries and testes.
6. In the grass lands, trees do not replace the grasses as a part of an ecological succession because of ____:
[A] Limited sun light and paucity of nutrients
[B] Insect and fungi
[C] Water limits and fire
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Water limits and fire]
Notes:
Ecological succession is unidirectional progressive process of development in an ecosystem or biome. Grass ecosystems are an early stage of succession in regions where the mature ecosystems are forests. However, grass ecosystems are climax ecosystems in grassland regions, where there is not enough rainfall to support a forest. Due to limiting factors such as water scarcity and forest fire, a grassland ecosystem changes to a desert ecosystem. The ecological succession of grassland is desert.
7. _____ is the study of the microanatomy of cells, tissues and organs as seen through a microscope:
[A] Entomology
[B] Paleontology
[C] Histology
[D] Lchthyology
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Histology]
Notes:
Histology is the study of the micro anatomy of cells, tissues, and organs as seen through a microscope. It examines the correlation between structure and fun-ction.Histology is the micro-scopic counterpart to gross anatomy which looks at larger structures visible without a microscope.
8. Panthera pardus is the scientific name of ____:
[A] Panther
[B] Leopard
[C] Lion
[D] Tiger
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Leopard]
Notes:
Panthera pardus is the scientific name of leopard, one of the five “big cats” in the genus Panthera. It is a member of the family Felidae with a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia. It belongs to the Chordata phylum, Mammalia class and Carnivora order.
9. How the rate of absorption of water through roots can be increased?
[A] Keeping the plants under the fan
[B] Keeping the plants in the dim light
[C] Keeping the plants in the shade
[D] Covering the plants with a polythene bag
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Keeping the plants under the fan]
Notes:
When a plant is placed under the fan, the speed of air is increased which leads to high rate of transpiration through the stomata. The increase in the rate of transpiration increases the water absorption also. As by keeping the plants under the fan, the transpiration process is boosted. Therefore, more amount of water and other minerals are absorbed by the plant roots from the soil.
10. A spore producing plant is ____:
[A] Rose
[B] Potato
[C] Ginger
[D] Bread mould
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Bread mould]
Notes:
Mould is a member of the fungi kingdom. Fungi can be defined as a plant without chlorophyll, so it cannot get energy directly from the sun. This means that fungi must use other plants and animals as its food source. This is why bread mould is so common because of the ingredients in bread, it is an excellent source of nutrition for many moulds to grow and thrive.
