General Science Questions (MCQs) for Competitive Examinations

Notes:
In cabbage, the edible part is vegetative bud. Vegetative buds are buds from which vegetative parts like leaves and stems arise, rather than flowers. Enlarged buds or parts of buds form the edible portion of some horticultural crops. Cabbage and head lettuce are examples of unusually large terminal buds.

Notes:
The kidneys are the filtering devices of blood. The kidneys remove waste products from metabolism such as urea, uric acid, and creatinine by producing and secreting urine. Urine may also contain sulphate and phenol waste and excess sodium, potassium, and chloride ions.

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Factor IX, also known as Christmas factor, is one of the serine proteases of the coagulation system; it belongs to peptidase family S1. Deficiency of this protein causes Haemophilia B. It was discovered in 1952 after a young boy named Stephen Christmas was found to be lacking this exact factor, leading to haemophilia.

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Ascorbic acid is a naturally occurring organic compound with antioxidant properties which is one form of Vitamin C. It dissolves well in water to give mildly acidic solutions. It is used to prevent and treat scurvy, a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C in the body.

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Human blood is red because hemoglobin, which is carried in the blood and functions to transport oxygen, is iron-rich and red in color. In its oxygenated state it is called oxyhemoglobin and is bright red. In the reduced state it is called deoxyhemoglobin and is purple-blue. Each hemoglobin molecule is made up of four heme groups surrounding a globin group. Heme contains iron and gives a red color to the molecule.

Notes:
The richest sources of protein are animal foods such as chicken, meat, fish, cheese and eggs. However, plant proteins are believed to be healthier because of their lower fat content. Plant protein is found (e.g.) in beans (esp. soy beans), lentils, nuts, quorn and seeds. Fish and seafood are some of the richest sources of protein. Soybeans are legumes that provide a valuable protein-rich food option for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. One cup of boiled soybeans provides over 28g of protein.

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Rhizobia are soil bacteria that fix nitrogen after becoming established inside root nodules of legumes. They are the only nitrogen-fixing bacteria living in a symbiotic relationship with legumes. Common crop and forage legumes are peas, beans, clover, and soy.

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Insectivorous plants are : Aldrovanda, Archaeamphora, Brocchinia, Byblis, Catopsis, Dionaea, Drosera, Genlisea, Hel iamphora, Nepenthes, Palaeoaldrovanda, Philcoxia, Roridule, Sarracenia, Stylidium, Triphyophyllum, Utricularia etc. In India, it was introduced by Dr. M. Swaminathan under the leadership of Pt. Nehru.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
A fern is any one of a group of about 20,000 species of plants classified in the phylum or division Pteridophyta, also known as Filicophyta. Fern ally is a general term covering a somewhat diverse group of vascular plants that are not flowering plants (angiosperms) and not true ferns. Like ferns, these plants reproduce by shedding spores to initiate an alternation of generations. Both Ferns and fern allies belong to Pteridophytes.