General Science Questions (MCQs) for Competitive Examinations

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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.

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The petiole is the stalk-like structure which connects the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole has tiny tubes, that connect the veins on the leaf blade to the stem. Few of these enable water transport to the leaf while the other carry food away from the leaf to other parts of the plant.

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Turner syndrome is a rare chromosomal disorder characterized by partial or complete loss (monosomy) of one of the X chromosomes that affects females. Individuals with Turner syndrome have only 45 chromosomes, including just a single X chromosome. This monosomic has a chromosome complement of 44 autosomes and one X chromosome (44+XO). The abnormal condition probably originates from exceptional egg or sperm with no X chromosome.

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Composting is the depomposition of plant remains and other once-living materials to make an earthy, dark, crumbly substance that is excellent for enriching soil. It is the chief way to recycle wastes.

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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.

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The urinary bladder is a hollow muscular organ that collects and stores urine from the kidneys before disposal by urination. In humans, the bladder is a hollow muscular organ situated at the base of the pelvis. Urine enters the bladder via the ureters and exits via the urethra.

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Sphygmomanometer an instrument for measuring blood pressure. It typically consists of an inflatable rubber cuff which is applied to the arm and connected to a column of mercury next to a graduated scale, enabling the determination of systolic and diastolic blood pressure by increasing and gradually releasing the pressure in the cuff. The sphygmomanometer was invented by Samuel Siegfried Karl Ritter von Basch in 1881.

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Animals that have a cavity between body wall and digestive tract are known as coelomates for e.g.. annelids, molluscs, arthropods, Echinodermata, and chordates etc. In contrast, animals in which the body cavity is absent are known as acoelomates. Platyhelminthes is an example of acoelomates. The presence or absence of body cavity or coelom plays a very important role in the classification of animals.

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Black soil is most suitable for the cultivation of cotton. The deep and medium black lava soil of the Deccan and Malwa plateaus is considered ideal, though it can be grown on alluvial and red soil as well. The black cotton soil is also known as regur.

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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.