General Science Questions (MCQs) for Competitive Examinations

Notes:
Measles is an infectious disease caused by the rubeola virus. It is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons. It remains an important cause of death among young children globally, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine.

Notes:
Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They have three main body parts, the head, the thorax and the abdomen. They breathe through a series of holes called ‘spiracles’ which are located along the sides of the body. On grasshoppers, there is a large round disc on the first segment next to the thorax. It is called a tympanum and is the grass-hopper’s ear.

Notes:
True berries, such as blueberries and cranberries have seeds inside. The strawberry, however has its dry, yellow “seeds” on the outside (each of which is actually considered a separate fruit). The “seeds” seen on the outside of a strawberry are actually the plant’s ovaries and are called “achnes.”

Notes:
Fertilization in plants is not directly influenced by sunlight. Fertilization occurs after pollination, when pollen grains land on the stigma of a flower of the same species. During this time, a series of events take place leading to the formation of seeds. However, none of these event is affected by presence or absence of light.

Notes:
The spleen is not an endocrine gland. This is because the spleen is not capable of aiding in the regulation of the hormone levels in the human body.

Notes:
Radon is used in radiotherapy for cancer treatment. Radon is the heaviest known gas, is radioactive and is essentially inert. At ordinary temperatures, radon is a colorless gas, but when it is cooled below its freezing point it gains stunning phosphorescence. One problem with radiation therapy is that it often kills healthy tissue alongside cancerous tissue.

Notes:
Cell wall is found in plants, bacteria, fungi, algae, and some archaea. Animal cells do not have cell walls, nor do protozoa. It is a structural layer situated outside the cell membrane that provides the cell with both structural support and protection, and also acts as a filtering mechanism.

Notes:
Water catchment areas such as forests are continually being destroyed through deforestation to pave way for human settlement. This problem has been brought about by rapid population increase. As a result, there is not enough rain thus causing water shortage.

Notes:
Dark fermentation is the fermentative conversion of organic substrate to bio-hydrogen. It is a complex process manifested by diverse groups of bacteria, involving a series of biochemical reactions using three steps similar to anaerobic conversion. Wastewater is used as a potential substrate for bio-hydrogen production in the dark fermentation process.

Notes:
Ornithophily refers to the pollination of flowering plants by birds. Birds involved in ornithophily tend to be specialist nectarivores with brushy tongues and long bills, that are either capable of hovering flight or light enough to perch on the flower structures.