General Science Questions (MCQs) for Competitive Examinations

Notes:
In the collateral type of vascular bundle, xylem and phloem are arranged side by side on the same radius. This may be either open or closed. Usually xylem is seen towards the inner side and phloem towards outer side. The collateral vascular bundle is also known as conjoint.

Notes:
Vitamin K refers to a group of fat-soluble vitamins that play a role in blood clotting, bone metabolism, and regulating blood calcium levels. The body needs vitamin K to produce prothrombin, a protein and clotting factor that is important in blood clotting and bone metabolism.

Notes:
There are three types of heterotrophs: herbivores, carnivores and omnivores. Also referred to as consumers, heterotrophs are organisms that obtain their energy from organic compounds. In other words, they are organisms that are unable to produce their own food (unlike autotrophs) and therefore have to consume/ ingest organic compounds as a source of energy.

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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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Swine flu is a disease of pigs that can, in rare cases, be passed to humans. It is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by one of many Influenza A viruses. The disease is spread among pigs by direct and indirect contact, aerosols, and from pigs that are infected but do not have symptoms.

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The constituents of phloem are Sieve tubes, Companion cells, Phloem parenchyma, Phloem fibres. Tracheids are elongated cells in the xylem of vascular plants that serve in the transport of water and mineral salts. These are elongated narrow tube like cells with hard thick and lignified walls with large cell cavity.

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Insect and bird wings are analogous structures but not homologous structures. They are externally similar in appearance and function (i.e. for flying), but have dissimilar origin and developmental plan.

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Aflatoxin are naturally occurring mycotoxins that are produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, species of fungi. They have been associated with various diseases, such as aflatoxicosis, in livestock, domestic animals and humans throughout the world.

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Medulla Oblongata is that part of the brain which regulates basic functions. It regulates vomiting, hiccupping, swallowing, coughing, sneezing, etc.

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The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean or a lake, including the sediment surface and some subsurface layers. It is found in salt water ecosystem. The benthic region of the ocean begins at the shore line and extends downward along the surface of the continental shelf out to sea.