SSC CHSL Tier 1 2015 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Tank irrigation is a traditional, well-established practice in southern India, and Tamil Nadu is its chief representative region. The state features an undulating peninsular topography with impermeable hard-rock surfaces, which prevents the easy digging of canals and wells and reduces groundwater percolation. Consequently, rainwater is stored in natural or constructed surface depressions called tanks, locally known as eris. Tamil Nadu has a rich historical legacy of using these traditional water-harvesting systems to collect seasonal monsoon runoff for year-round agricultural use, especially for paddy cultivation. This makes the state the most prominent and traditional area for tank irrigation in the country.

Explanation

Charles Darwin is the author of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, published on November 24, 1859, which is frequently referenced or paraphrased in general knowledge questions as the origin of life by natural selection. This seminal work laid the foundation of evolutionary biology by introducing the scientific theory that populations adapt and evolve over generations through the mechanism of natural selection.

Explanation

Dadabhai Naroji is widely revered as the Grand Old Man of India for his immense contributions to the Indian national movement. He was one of the key founding members of the Indian National Congress and served as its President three times, in 1886, 1893, and 1906. He is highly acclaimed for formulating the Drain of Wealth theory, which systematically exposed how British policies drained Indian resources to Britain, a concept he detailed in his seminal book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India. Furthermore, he achieved the distinction of being the first Asian to be elected as a Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons, representing Finsbury Central from 1892 to 1895.

Explanation

The SI unit of electrical resistance is the ohm, denoted by the Greek capital letter omega (Ω), which is the figure shown in the correct option. Volt is the unit of potential difference, ampere is the unit of current, and volt × ampere gives power (watt), so none of these describe resistance, leaving the omega symbol as the correct unit.

Explanation

The Bhopal gas tragedy occurred on the night of December 2–3, 1984, at the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The disaster was caused by the leakage of methyl isocyanate, a highly toxic, volatile, and reactive compound used in the manufacturing of carbamate pesticides like carbaryl. Water accidentally entered a storage tank containing the chemical, triggering an exothermic runaway reaction that rapidly vaporized and released tons of the lethal gas into the surrounding atmosphere, causing immediate and long-term devastation to human health and the environment.

Explanation

A grid system is a network of horizontal and vertical lines that intersect each other perpendicularly to form a pattern of squares. In cartography and geography, this systematic arrangement of intersecting lines is utilized to establish coordinates, allowing for the precise measurement, location, and reference of any specific point on a map or the earth's surface.

Explanation

The term "United Nations" was coined by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was first officially used on 1 January 1942 in the "Declaration by United Nations" during the Second World War, when representatives of 26 allied nations pledged their governments to continue fighting together against the Axis Powers.

Explanation

In operating systems and computer architecture, physical memory is partitioned into contiguous, fixed-sized blocks of bytes called frames or page frames. When a program is executed, its logical memory is loaded into these physical frames. The size of a frame is defined by the hardware architecture and is typically a power of two to facilitate efficient mapping and translation between logical and physical addresses.

Explanation

A venturimeter is a flow measurement device that is used to determine the rate of flow of a fluid through a pipe. It operates on Bernoulli's principle, which states that for an incompressible, non-viscous fluid, an increase in the speed of the fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in its pressure.

A venturimeter consists of three main parts: a converging section, a throat, and a diverging section. As the fluid flows from the inlet section into the throat, its velocity increases due to the reduction in cross-sectional area, which causes a corresponding decrease in pressure. This difference in pressure between the inlet and the throat is measured using a differential manometer.

Using Bernoulli's equation and the equation of continuity, the rate of flow Q can be computed directly using the formula:

Q = Cd × a₁a₂ / √(a₁² - a₂²) × √(2gh)

In this formula, Cd is the coefficient of discharge, a₁ is the cross-sectional area of the inlet, a₂ is the cross-sectional area of the throat, and h is the difference in pressure head. This relation demonstrates how the venturimeter directly measures the rate of flow of liquids.

Explanation

Work is defined as the product of force and displacement. The dimensional formula for force is MLT⁻² and that for displacement is L, which gives the dimensions of work as ML²T⁻². Energy represents the capacity to do work and is measured in the same unit, Joules. Hence, energy shares the identical dimensional formula of ML²T⁻². Since both physical quantities represent the same physical nature in terms of base dimensions, they have the same dimensions.

Explanation

Muhammad bin Tughlaq was given the title Prince of Moneyers by the numismatist Edward Thomas due to his extensive, innovative, and diverse experiments with coinage. He introduced several reforms in the design, weight, and value of coins during his reign. His most famous initiative was the introduction of a token currency system in 1329–1330, where brass and copper coins were minted to circulate at the same face value as silver tankas.

Explanation

Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti) is an extremely rare bird species endemic to the deciduous forests of central India, particularly in regions of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. The species was feared extinct for more than a century until its dramatic rediscovery in 1997. It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to its highly localized, small, and declining population. The primary threats causing its critical endangerment include severe habitat loss and fragmentation driven by illegal logging, forest fires, overgrazing, timber harvesting, and agricultural encroachment. To provide the highest level of legal protection, it is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, in India.

Explanation

Engel's Law is an economic observation formulated by the German statistician Ernst Engel in 1857. It states that as a household's income increases, the percentage of income spent on food decreases, even if the absolute expenditure on food rises. Since food is a basic necessity, its demand does not increase proportionally with wealth. As income grows, consumers direct a larger share of their budget toward non-essential items, services, and savings, leading to a declining proportion of expenditure on food.

Explanation

The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, officially known as the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, was first awarded in 1969. The inaugural prize was jointly awarded to the Dutch economist Jan Tinbergen and the Norwegian economist Ragnar Frisch for their pioneering work in developing and applying dynamic models for the analysis of economic processes, which laid the foundation for modern econometrics.

Explanation

The term ecosystem was proposed by the British botanist and ecologist Arthur George Tansley in 1935. In his landmark paper titled The Use and Abuse of Vegetational Concepts and Terms, Tansley introduced the concept to describe the interactive system established between living organisms and their physical environment. He emphasized that organisms cannot be separated from their environment, and together they form a single integrated physical system.

Explanation

The Sangeet Natak Akademi, established in 1953 by the Government of India, is the national-level academy specifically dedicated to the performing arts. It functions as the apex body with the primary mandate to preserve, promote, and foster the development of Indian music, dance, and drama. The academy achieves this by supporting artists, funding cultural institutions, organizing national festivals, and safeguarding the diverse performing arts traditions of India.

Explanation

Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is the active ingredient and main component of liquid household bleach. It is an inorganic chemical compound that functions as a powerful oxidizing agent. In liquid bleach, sodium hypochlorite is typically dissolved in water at a concentration of approximately 3% to 8%, where it acts as an effective disinfectant, decolorizing agent, and deodorizer by breaking down organic stains, pigments, and microorganisms.

Explanation

International Women's Day is celebrated globally on 8th March every year to honor the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity and women's rights. It was officially recognized by the United Nations in 1977, tracing its origins back to the labor movements of the early twentieth century in North America and Europe.

Explanation

Value Added Tax (VAT) is a multi-point consumption tax levied on the value added to goods and services at each stage of the production and distribution chain. It is collected at every stage from the acquisition of raw materials, manufacturing, wholesaling, up to the final retail sale. Because each business in the supply chain pays tax only on the value they add to the product—by subtracting the tax already paid on their inputs from the tax charged on their outputs—the tax is progressively collected at all stages between production and the final sale.

Explanation

Chile saltpeter is the common name for sodium nitrate, which has the chemical formula NaNO₃. It is a naturally occurring mineral deposit found in vast quantities in the extremely arid environments of the Atacama Desert in Chile. Because of its high nitrogen content, it has historically been mined on a massive scale for use as a highly effective agricultural fertilizer and in the manufacturing of explosives and fireworks.

Explanation

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 was jointly awarded to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai. They received the honor for their tireless struggle against the suppression of children and young people, and for securing the right of all children to education. Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian social reformer, founded the Bachpan Bachao Andolan to free children from child labor and trafficking. Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for female education, survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban to become a global advocate for girls' rights and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate in history.

Explanation

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a critical environmental chemistry parameter that measures the amount of dissolved oxygen consumed by aerobic microorganisms to decompose organic matter present in a water sample over a specific period, typically five days at 20 °C. It serves as a key indicator to assess the organic pollution levels in aquatic bodies and evaluate the treatment efficiency of wastewater management systems.

Explanation

In judo, the ranking system is divided into junior grades (Kyu) and senior grades (Dan). The Dan grades begin at 1st Dan and ascend to 10th Dan (Judan), which is the highest rank awarded to judo practitioners for lifetime contribution and mastery of the martial art.

Explanation

Araneology is the scientific study of spiders. The term is derived from the Greek word arachne, which means spider, and logia, which means study. It is a specialized branch of arachnology that focuses specifically on the order Araneae, examining their anatomy, behavior, taxonomy, and distribution.

Explanation

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major global financial institution established in 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., it comprises 190 member countries working together to foster international monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote sustainable economic growth, and reduce global poverty. The organization plays a key role in monitoring global economic health, advising member nations, and providing temporary financial assistance to countries experiencing balance of payments difficulties.

Explanation

Van Mahotsava, which translates to the Forest Festival, is an annual tree-planting festival celebrated across India in the first week of July. The event begins on 1st July and continues until 7th July. It was initiated in 1950 by Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi, the then Union Minister for Agriculture and Food, to create awareness about forest conservation and encourage citizens to plant and protect trees.

Explanation

The Internet utilizes packet switching to transmit data. In this method, data is divided into smaller units called packets. Each packet contains the source and destination addresses, allowing routers to dynamically determine the most efficient path for each packet independently. This dynamic routing enables multiple devices to share the same communication channel simultaneously, maximizing network capacity, reliability, and efficiency. Once all packets arrive at the destination, they are reassembled into the original message.

Explanation

Fluorine has the highest standard reduction potential (E° = +2.87 V) among all chemical elements, which makes it the strongest oxidizing agent. This exceptional oxidizing ability is driven by a combination of its low F-F bond dissociation energy and the exceptionally high hydration energy of the small fluoride ion (F⁻), favoring the reduction process F₂ + 2e⁻ → 2F⁻.

Explanation

Organic food is produced through farming practices that avoid the use of synthetic chemicals, artificial fertilizers, and chemical pesticides. By relying on natural processes, organic manures, and biological pest control, organic farming minimizes the risk of toxic chemical residues in the food. This reduction in chemical exposure makes organic food safer and healthier for human consumption.

Explanation

During the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata was translated into Persian under the title Razmnama, which means the Book of War. This translation project was commissioned in 1582 as part of Akbar's efforts to foster a deeper understanding of indigenous Indian literature and philosophy among his court. The prominent Indo-Persian historian and scholar Abdul Qadir Badauni, whose name is represented in the options as Badauri, was directed by the emperor to undertake this translation along with other scholars such as Naqib Khan and Mulla Shiri. Badauni played a central role in translating the epic's vast volumes into Persian prose.

Explanation

The stratospheric ozone layer absorbs a significant portion of harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation emitting from the Sun, specifically preventing most UV-B and all UV-C rays from reaching the Earth's surface. Exposure to these high-energy ultraviolet wavelengths can cause skin cancers, cataracts, and immune system damage in humans, as well as harm to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. By absorbing this radiation, the ozone layer acts as a crucial protective shield for life on Earth.

Explanation

Commercially valued cork is harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree, scientifically known as Quercus suber. The cork cambium (phellogen) of this species produces a thick, lightweight, and highly elastic layer of dead cork cells containing suberin, a waxy substance that renders it impermeable to water and gases. This thick outer bark can be stripped off sustainably every nine to twelve years without harming the living tree, making Quercus species the premier global source for commercial cork products like bottle stoppers, flooring, and thermal insulation.

Explanation

According to Article 159 of the Constitution of India, every Governor and every person discharging the functions of the Governor must make and subscribe an oath or affirmation before entering upon their office. This oath is administered in the presence of the Chief Justice of the High Court exercising jurisdiction in relation to that State, or, in their absence, the senior-most Judge of that Court available.

Explanation

Gottlieb Daimler invented the high-speed liquid petroleum-fueled engine (commonly referred to as the gasoline or gas engine) in 1885. This engine was designed with a vertical cylinder, and gasoline was injected through a carburetor. Daimler utilized this pioneering engine to build the first motorcycle, the Reitwagen, in 1885 and later developed the world's first four-wheeled automobile powered by a gas engine.

Explanation

According to Article 124(2) of the Constitution of India, every Judge of the Supreme Court, which includes the Chief Justice of India, holds office until they attain the age of 65 years. This constitutional provision defines the retirement or superannuation age for the members of the apex court of the country.

Explanation

Scurvy is a disease caused by a dietary deficiency of Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. Vitamin C is a crucial nutrient required for the synthesis of collagen, a structural protein that supports connective tissues, blood vessels, skin, and bones. In the absence of sufficient Vitamin C, collagen synthesis is impaired, leading to the weakening of these tissues. This disruption manifests as characteristic symptoms of scurvy, including bleeding gums, bruising, joint pain, delayed wound healing, and extreme fatigue.

Explanation

Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer was the British military officer responsible for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which took place on 13 April 1919 in Amritsar, Punjab. He ordered his troops to open fire without warning on a large, peaceful gathering of unarmed civilians who had assembled at the Jallianwala Bagh ground to celebrate the spring festival of Baisakhi and to protest the arrest of national leaders Satyapal and Saifuddin Kitchlew. The firing continued until the troops ran out of ammunition, resulting in hundreds of deaths and leaving over a thousand injured, an event that marked a significant turning point in India's struggle for independence.

Explanation

Arboriculture is the branch of horticulture that deals with the cultivation, management, and scientific study of individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody vegetation. In the context of general science, it is defined as the cultivation of trees and vegetables. This discipline focuses on how individual plants develop, react to their immediate environment, and respond to specific care and maintenance practices. The primary goal of arboriculture is to manage woody plants and vegetation for aesthetic, ecological, and landscape benefits in gardens, parks, and urban spaces.

Explanation

The human body contains approximately 700 skeletal muscles. These muscles are attached to the skeletal system and work under voluntary control to facilitate locomotion, maintain posture, and produce heat. Skeletal muscles represent a significant portion of total body mass, typically accounting for nearly 40% of a person's body weight. The overall count of individual muscles in this system is generally estimated between 640 and 850 depending on the anatomical classification of specific muscle subdivisions and heads, with 700 serving as a standard anatomical approximation.

Explanation

The early capital of the Rashtrakutas was located at Ellora (Elapura) during the reign of the dynasty's founder, Dantidurga. This is supported by the concentration of early Rashtrakuta monuments and rock-cut architectural marvels, such as the famous monolithic Kailasa temple, at the Ellora cave complex. There are no corresponding structures from this earliest period found at Manyakheta, which was established as the regal capital later in the ninth century by Amoghavarsha I.

Explanation

Madhya Pradesh is the first state in India to introduce and execute the Right to Recall provision in its local self-government institutions. Under the state's local body laws, voters are empowered to initiate a referendum to remove an elected representative, such as a Sarpanch or Nagar Panchayat President, for non-performance after they have served a specified minimum tenure.

This provision was successfully executed for the first time in Indian history in April 2001. The voters of Anuppur Nagar Panchayat in the Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh exercised this right to recall and voted to remove their elected president, Pallavika Patel, from her post.

Explanation

Dark fermentation is an anaerobic biological process in which a diverse group of micro-organisms, such as anaerobic bacteria, ferment organic substrates in the absence of light to produce biohydrogen (H₂). This method utilizes organic-rich wastewater and agricultural wastes as substrates. By consuming the organic pollutants in the wastewater, the bacteria produce hydrogen as a clean, sustainable fuel, serving the dual purpose of wastewater treatment and renewable energy generation.

Explanation

Gujarat features the longest coastline in India, spanning approximately 1,600 kilometers. This extensive coastline is characterized by numerous indentations, including the Gulf of Kutch and the Gulf of Khambhat, which significantly contribute to its total length. The state's long maritime boundary is highly significant for trade, ports, fishing, and salt production.

Explanation

Kanishka I was the most prominent emperor of the Kushan dynasty and a great patron of Buddhism. Under his patronage, the historic Fourth Buddhist Council was convened at Kundalavana in Kashmir, presided over by Vasumitra with Ashvaghosa as the vice-president. This council marked the division of Buddhism into the Mahayana and Hinayana sects. Kanishka actively promoted the spread of Mahayana Buddhism along the Silk Road into Central Asia and China. He also patronised eminent Buddhist scholars, philosophers, and writers such as Nagarjuna and Ashvaghosa, and his reign witnessed the flourishing of the Gandhara and Mathura schools of art, which produced the earliest iconic representations of the Buddha.

Explanation

When a cycle tyre bursts suddenly, the air inside expands into the surrounding atmosphere in an extremely short interval of time. Because this expansion occurs almost instantaneously, there is insufficient time for any heat exchange to take place between the expanding air and its surroundings. In thermodynamics, a process that occurs so rapidly that no heat enters or leaves the system (ΔQ = 0) is classified as an adiabatic process. During this sudden expansion, the air does work against the external atmospheric pressure at the expense of its own internal energy, which is why a sudden drop in temperature is also observed.

Explanation

The Blue Revolution refers to the significant growth and development of the aquaculture and fisheries sector. Launched in India during the Seventh Five-Year Plan (1985–1990) with the establishment of the Fish Farmers Development Agency, it aimed to increase fish and marine product production to double the income of fishers and fish farmers. This initiative focused on adopting modern techniques, improving breeding technology, and promoting intensive fish farming to enhance food security and economic growth through the blue economy.

Explanation

A planimeter, also known as a platometer, is a precise drafting instrument used to measure the area of an arbitrary two-dimensional shape on a flat surface, such as a map, blueprint, or graphical plot. By tracing the boundary of the closed figure with a pointer or magnifying lens attached to the device, the mechanical or digital mechanism of the planimeter integrates the movement to calculate the exact area enclosed. This measurement relies on the mathematical principles of Green's theorem, which relates a line integral around a simple closed curve to a double integral over the plane region bounded by the curve.

Explanation

Arundhati Roy, a prominent Indian novelist and political activist, is the author of the essay collection titled The Algebra of Infinite Justice, published in 2001. The book brings together several of her contemporary political essays that critique globalization, corporate capitalism, the nuclear arms race, and the impact of major development projects like the Narmada Valley dams on marginalized populations. Her writings in this collection offer a critical perspective on global power structures and democratic governance.

Explanation

Adhai Din Ka Jhopra is a historic mosque located in Ajmer, Rajasthan, India. It was commissioned by Qutbuddin Aibak, the founder of the Delhi Sultanate and the first ruler of the Mamluk Dynasty, in 1192 CE on the orders of Muhammad Ghori. The construction was completed in 1199 CE. The structure is one of the oldest surviving mosques in India and is a prominent early example of Indo-Islamic architecture, constructed using materials from pre-existing temples and a Sanskrit college. The name, which translates to "shed of two and a half days," is traditionally attributed to a temporary fast or a fair of that duration held at the site, or the legendary speed of its initial construction.

Explanation

Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana was launched by the Government of India on September 25, 2014, with the objective of uplifting urban and rural poor through sustainable livelihood opportunities. The scheme integrates both the National Urban Livelihoods Mission and the National Rural Livelihoods Mission. It focuses heavily on skill training, placement-linked skill development, and capacity building to enable the poor to secure self-employment or skilled wage employment in both rural and urban sectors.