General Science Questions (MCQs) for Competitive Examinations

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The daily salt intake of camels is eight times that of a typical cow or sheep. Yet, surprisingly, they do not develop high blood pressure. Similarly, their blood sugar levels are twice those of other cud chewing animals; still they do not develop diabetes.

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The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) was founded in 1895. It provides and regulates a uniform system of zoological nomenclature ensuring that every animal has a unique and universally accepted scientific name.

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The scientific name of peacock is Pavo Cristatus. It is also known as the Indian blue peafowl, common peafowl, blue peafowl, and blue Indian peafowl. It is a large and brightly coloured bird, is a species of peafowl native to the Indian subcontinent, but introduced in many other parts of the world.

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Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that is important for metabolism and utilization of energy from the ingested nutrients – especially glucose. It keeps our blood sugar level from getting too high (hyperglycemia) or too low (hypoglycemia). The pancreas is a glandular organ in the digestive system and endocrine system of vertebrates.

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Metamorphosis is a process by which animals undergo extreme, rapid physical changes some time after birth. Commonly known examples of metamorphosis include the process undergone by most insects, and the transformation of tadpoles into frogs. Hormones called molting and juvenile hormones, which are not species specific, apparently regulate the changes.

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Potatoes are examples of tubers : the swollen ends of stolons that may store starch. It is a stem because it has many nodes called eyes with spaces between eyes known as internodes. Potato tubers develop at the end of swollen underground stem structures, rhizomes.

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R.H. Whittaker (1969) proposed a Five Kingdom Classification: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia. The main criteria for classification used by him include cell structure, thallus organisation, mode of nutrition, reproduction and phylogenetic relationships.

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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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The uterus or womb is a major female hormone responsive reproductive sex organ of most mammals including humans. It is within the uterus that the fetus develops during gestation, usually developing completely in placental mammals such as humans and partially in marsupials such as kangaroos and opossums.

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The bee hummingbird, also known as Helena hummingbird, is a species of hummingbird which is the world’s smallest bird. Females weigh 2.6 g and are 6.1 cm long, and are slightly larger than males, with an average weight of 1.95 g and length of 5.5 cm. As its name suggests, it is scarcely larger than a bee. It is endemic to Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud.