General Science Questions (MCQs) for Competitive Examinations

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In citrus fruits such as oranges, the nucleus cells that surround the embryo start dividing and protrude into the embryo sac. These develop into embryos; thus resulting in the presence of more than one embryo inside each ovule. This condition is known as polyembryony.

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Pyria, or periodontal disease, is a progressive gum disease characterized by inflammation resulting from the toxins found in plaque. It leads to bleeding of the gums. If allowed to progress, Pyria begins to destroy underlying tissue, which may eventually lead to premature tooth loss.

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Anaemia is a condition that develops when blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells or haemoglobin. The three main types of Anaemia are due to blood loss, decreased red blood cell production, and increased red blood cell breakdown. Causes of decreased production include iron deficiency, a lack of vitamin B12, thalassemia, and a number of neoplasms of the bone marrow.

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Algae are chlorophyll (green pigment) containing thallophytes. They prepare their own food and are thus autotrophic in their mode of nutrition. Even liverworts among Bryophytes such as Riccia and Marchantia have thaloid structure.

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During glycolysis, glucose is broken down in ten steps to two molecules of pyruvate in cytoplasm (in the cellular matrix called cytosol). It then enters the mitochondria where it is oxidised through the tricarboxylic acid cycle to carbon dioxide and water.

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Bonsai is the art of aesthetic miniaturization of trees and plants in containers. A bonsai plant is not a dwarf plant but equal to the full sized flowering plant. The main objective of bonsai plants is to create a tree or plant, and even landscapes, in miniature at household level.

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The term xerophyte refers to a plant species that has evolved over time to adapt to dry and arid regions like deserts. Xerophytes have adapted to be able to keep extremely large amounts of water for a long period of time. Without this capability, the plant would die, as the desert region itself does not provide enough water to sustain life. They have thick cuticle, sunken stomata and leaves modified in form of spines such as in opuntia.

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The Sartorius muscle is the longest muscle in the human body. It is a long, thin, superficial muscle that runs down the length of the thigh in the anterior compartment. Its upper portion forms the lateral border of the femoral triangle.

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Bulbil is a small bulblike organ of vegetative reproduction growing in leaf axils or on flower stalks of plants such as the onion and tiger lily. It is a reproductive organ that takes part in vegetative reproduction. The bulbils drop from the parent plant on to the ground, give out adventitious roots and develop into new plants. The other structures involved in vegetative propagation include rhizome, bulb, corm, cuttings, etc.

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Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy. Opium contains approximately 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine.