Create a custom practice set
Pick category, difficulty, number of questions, and time limit. Start instantly with your own quiz.
Generate QuizMCQ – GK Questions
Free practice for SSC, UPSC, Banking & Railway exams. No login required.
The ITER project, in which India is a partner, aims to demonstrate net energy gain from nuclear fusion using which fuel cycle?
- Deuterium-Deuterium
- Deuterium-Tritium
- Proton-Boron
- Helium-3-Deuterium
Answer: Deuterium-Tritium
ITER (France) uses D-T fusion: D + T → He + n + 17.6 MeV. Requires plasma at 150 million °C confined by magnetic fields (tokamak). Success would pave way for commercial fusion power. India contributes critical components. [[DST Reports, NCERT Physics Class 12]]
CAR-T therapy engineers a patient's T cells to express chimeric antigen receptors targeting:
- Bacterial antigens
- Viral proteins
- Tumor-specific antigens
- Autoantigens
Answer: Tumor-specific antigens
CAR-T cells recognize cancer cell surface markers (e.g., CD19 in B-cell malignancies), triggering targeted destruction. Personalized immunotherapy with high response rates in refractory cancers. Approved for certain leukemias/lymphomas. [[ICMR Reports, NCERT Biology Class 12]]
Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water using electricity from:
- Coal power plants
- Natural gas reforming
- Renewable energy sources
- Nuclear power
Answer: Renewable energy sources
Green H₂: water electrolysis powered by solar/wind yields zero-carbon fuel. Critical for decarbonizing steel, ammonia, heavy transport. India's National Green Hydrogen Mission targets cost reduction and scale-up. [[MNRE Reports, NCERT Chemistry Class 11]]
Non-invasive BCIs typically use which technique to record brain activity?
- Electrocorticography (ECoG)
- Electroencephalography (EEG)
- Functional MRI
- Magnetoencephalography (MEG)
Answer: Electroencephalography (EEG)
EEG places electrodes on scalp to detect electrical activity from neuronal populations. Portable, low-cost, real-time; used in neurofeedback, prosthetics control, communication aids for locked-in patients. [[NCERT Biology Class 11, DBT Reports]]
Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology removes CO₂ directly from:
- Flue gases
- Ambient air
- Ocean water
- Soil
Answer: Ambient air
DAC uses chemical sorbents to capture CO₂ from atmosphere (~400 ppm), enabling negative emissions. Energy-intensive but crucial for hard-to-abate sectors. India's National Carbon Capture Program supports R&D. [[MoEFCC, DST Reports]]
Liquid biopsy for cancer detection primarily analyzes which component in blood?
- Red blood cells
- Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)
- Platelets
- White blood cells
Answer: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)
ctDNA fragments released by tumors into bloodstream carry tumor-specific mutations. Liquid biopsy enables non-invasive cancer detection, monitoring treatment response, and identifying resistance mechanisms. Emerging tool in precision oncology. [[ICMR Reports, NCERT Biology Class 12]]
Which battery chemistry offers the highest energy density for electric vehicles?
- Lead-acid
- Nickel-Metal Hydride
- Lithium-ion
- Sodium-ion
Answer: Lithium-ion
Li-ion batteries (150-250 Wh/kg) provide superior energy density, cycle life, and power-to-weight ratio vs. alternatives. Dominant in EVs, smartphones, grid storage. Research focuses on solid-state Li-ion for enhanced safety. [[MNRE Reports, NCERT Chemistry Class 12]]
Gravitational waves were first directly detected by which observatory?
- LIGO
- VIRGO
- GEO600
- KAGRA
Answer: LIGO
LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) made the first direct detection of gravitational waves in 2015 (announced 2016), confirming Einstein's 1916 prediction. Waves originated from merging black holes 1.3 billion light-years away. Nobel Prize in Physics 2017. [[NCERT Physics Class 11, IUCAA Reports]]
Which organization leads the global One Health initiative in collaboration with FAO, UNEP, and WHO?
- World Bank
- OIE (WOAH)
- UNICEF
- IMF
Answer: OIE (WOAH)
WOAH (World Organisation for Animal Health, formerly OIE) co-leads the Quadripartite One Health partnership with FAO, UNEP, WHO. Addresses zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance, food safety at human-animal-environment interface. [[WHO, MoHFW Reports]]
Thermoelectric generators convert heat directly into electricity using the ________ effect.
- Photoelectric
- Seebeck
- Peltier
- Thomson
Answer: Seebeck
Seebeck effect: temperature gradient across dissimilar conductors generates voltage. Used in space probes (RTGs), waste heat recovery. Peltier effect is reverse (electricity → cooling). [[NCERT Physics Class 12]]
Which technique is best suited for determining the crystal structure of a solid compound?
- IR Spectroscopy
- NMR Spectroscopy
- X-ray Diffraction
- Mass Spectrometry
Answer: X-ray Diffraction
XRD analyzes diffraction patterns of X-rays scattered by crystal lattice, revealing atomic arrangement, unit cell parameters, phase identification. Fundamental for materials characterization. [[NCERT Chemistry Class 12]]
Which portal allows citizens to track the status of their passport applications?
- PARIVESH
- Passport Seva
- UMANG
- DigiLocker
Answer: Passport Seva
Passport Seva (https://portal.passportindia.gov.in) is the integrated online platform for passport services: application, appointment, tracking, grievance redressal. Part of Mission Mode Projects under Digital India. [[MEA Reports]]
In a p-n junction diode, the depletion region forms due to:
- Diffusion of majority carriers
- Drift of minority carriers
- Recombination of electrons and holes
- All of these
Answer: All of these
Depletion region: majority carriers diffuse across junction, recombine, leaving immobile ions. Creates built-in potential barrier. Fundamental to diode rectification, transistor operation. [[NCERT Physics Class 12]]
BLAST is a bioinformatics tool used for:
- Protein structure prediction
- Sequence alignment
- Gene expression analysis
- Metabolic pathway mapping
Answer: Sequence alignment
BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) compares nucleotide/protein sequences against databases to find regions of similarity. Fundamental for evolutionary studies, functional annotation, diagnostics. [[NCERT Biology Class 12]]
Which feature in UPI transactions adds an extra layer of security by requiring user approval for each payment?
- MPIN
- OTP
- Biometric authentication
- All of these
Answer: All of these
UPI security: MPIN for app access, OTP for transaction verification, biometric (fingerprint/face) for device unlock. Multi-factor authentication minimizes fraud risks. [[NPCI, RBI Guidelines]]
Which strategy helps coastal communities adapt to sea-level rise?
- Building seawalls
- Mangrove restoration
- Elevated housing
- All of these
Answer: All of these
Adaptation combines hard (seawalls), nature-based (mangroves buffer storms), and social measures (planning, early warning). India's National Adaptation Fund supports such projects. [[MoEFCC, NDMA Reports]]
Which cells have the potential to differentiate into any cell type of the three germ layers?
- Multipotent stem cells
- Pluripotent stem cells
- Totipotent stem cells
- Unipotent stem cells
Answer: Pluripotent stem cells
Pluripotent cells (embryonic stem cells, iPSCs) can form all embryonic lineages (ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm) but not extra-embryonic tissues. Totipotent (zygote) can form entire organism. [[NCERT Biology Class 12]]
Which imaging technique uses X-rays to create cross-sectional images of the body?
- MRI
- Ultrasound
- CT scan
- PET scan
Answer: CT scan
Computed Tomography (CT) rotates X-ray source/detectors around patient; computer reconstructs slices. Superior for bone, trauma, lung imaging. Higher radiation dose than X-ray radiography. [[NCERT Physics Class 12]]
Which technique separates ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio?
- Chromatography
- Spectrophotometry
- Mass spectrometry
- Electrophoresis
Answer: Mass spectrometry
MS ionizes molecules, accelerates ions through magnetic/electric fields; separation by m/z enables precise molecular weight determination and structural analysis. Used in proteomics, metabolomics, forensics. [[NCERT Chemistry Class 12]]
Which biometric data is NOT used in Aadhaar authentication?
- Fingerprint
- Iris scan
- Face recognition
- Voice pattern
Answer: Voice pattern
Aadhaar uses fingerprint, iris, and face (added later) for biometric authentication. Voice recognition is not part of UIDAI's standard authentication methods. Important for digital governance awareness. [[UIDAI Guidelines]]