General Science Questions (MCQs) for Competitive Examinations

Notes:
Proper storage of seed is vital to conserving its vigour and vitality. Seeds can last from a few years to centuries, depending on the species and the storage conditions. In general, most seeds stored in cool, dry conditions will survive longer than seeds stored in a wet, warm environment.

Notes:
The pattern of arrangement of leaves on the stem is called Phyllotaxy. As a stem grows at its apex, new leaf buds form along the stem by a highly controlled developmental process. Leaf arrangement along the plant stem depends on the species and is an important identifying characteristic. There are four basic types of phyllotaxy: alternate, spiral, opposite and whorled.

Notes:
Ringworm, also known as dermatophytosis or tinea, is a fungal infection of the skin or scalp. The name “ringworm” is a misnomer, since the infection is caused by a fungus, not a worm. The infection initially presents with red patches on affected areas of the skin and later spreads to other parts of the body.

Notes:
Organisms referred to by the term “amoeba” belong to the Domain Eukarya, Kingdom Protista, Subkingdom Protozoa, which almost exclusively includes single-celled eukaryotes that get nutrition from other organisms. Amoebas belong to the class Sarcodina, which has as its principle-distinguishing feature the presence of pseudopodia. The Protista kingdom is made up of single-celled eukaryotic organisms that are neither plant, animal, bacteria, nor fungus.

Notes:
A land that has undergone ploughing and harrowing and has been left unseeded for one or more growing seasons is known as fallow and the process as fallowing. The goal of fallowing is to allow the land to recover and store organic matter while retaining moisture and disrupting the lifecycles of pathogens by temporarily removing their hosts.

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In order for the cell cytoplasm to communicate with the external environment, materials must be able to move through the plasma membrane. Osmosis is the movement of water from a region of higher concentration to one of lower concentration. Osmosis occurs across a membrane that is semipermeable.

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Normal blood pressure is considered to be at or below 120 over 80 (120/80). Normally, blood pressures are usually categorized into three groups: low (90/60 or lower), high (140/90 or higher), and normal (values above 90/60 and below 130/80).

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Edward Jenner introduced the vaccine for smallpox. Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by one of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. In 1980, the World Health Organization declared smallpox an eliminated disease.

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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:
Eutrophication is the ecosystem response to the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage. It leads not only to increased levels of nutrients, but increased Biological Oxygen Demand as well following the decay of algal bloom in stagnant water reservoirs.