SSC CHSL Tier 1 2016 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Ankara became the official capital of the Republic of Turkey on October 13, 1923, succeeding Constantinople (now Istanbul) after the Turkish War of Independence. It was chosen primarily because of its strategic, central geographical location in the Anatolian peninsula, which made it easier to defend and symbolized a clean break from the Ottoman past into a modern, secular republic.

Explanation

Following the partition of British India in 1947, the eastern part of the Bengal province became a province of the Dominion of Pakistan, initially known as East Bengal and later renamed East Pakistan in 1955. This region remained a provincial wing of Pakistan until 1971, when political, linguistic, and economic marginalization led to the Bangladesh Liberation War. The war concluded with the surrender of Pakistani forces on December 16, 1971, resulting in the birth of the independent nation of Bangladesh.

Explanation

Ellora Caves, located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, represent a unique artistic achievement and a harmonious blend of three major religions of ancient India: Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. Dating from the 6th to the 10th centuries CE, the site features 34 major rock-cut caves carved out of the basaltic cliffs of the Charanandri Hills. Among these, Caves 1 to 12 are Buddhist, Caves 13 to 29 are Hindu (which includes the famous monolithic Kailash Temple), and Caves 30 to 34 are Jain. This coexistence of monuments from different faiths in a single location reflects the spirit of religious tolerance, harmony, and diverse patronage prevalent in ancient India under dynasties like the Rashtrakutas and the Yadavas.

Explanation

Humayun, the second emperor of the Mughal Empire, was born on March 6, 1508, in Kabul, which is in modern-day Afghanistan. He was the eldest son of Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, and Maham Begum. Humayun succeeded his father to the throne in December 1530 at the age of twenty-two.

Explanation

Shabana Azmi has won five National Film Awards for Best Actress, which is the highest number of acting awards won by any actor in the history of Indian cinema. Her award-winning performances were in the films Ankur (1974), Arth (1982), Khandhar (1983), Paar (1984), and Godmother (1998). She also holds the record for winning the award in three consecutive years from 1982 to 1984.

Explanation

Souring of milk occurs due to the fermentation of lactose, which is the natural sugar present in milk. Naturally occurring bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, metabolize lactose and convert it into lactic acid. The accumulation of lactic acid increases the acidity of the milk, lowering its pH. This acidic environment causes the milk protein, casein, to denature and coagulate, leading to curdling and giving the milk its characteristic sour taste and thicker texture.

Explanation

Ferns are vascular cryptogams belonging to the division Pteridophyta. They reproduce and disperse via spores and do not produce flowers or seeds, making them non-flowering, spore-bearing plants. Unlike simpler non-vascular plants, ferns possess a well-developed vascular system containing specialized tissues for conducting water and nutrients, which enables them to have differentiated true roots, stems, and leaves. The true roots of ferns serve to anchor the plant in the soil and absorb water and essential minerals.

Explanation

Malpighian tubules are the primary excretory organs of the cockroach. Located at the junction of the midgut and hindgut, there are about 100 to 150 of these fine, yellow-colored, blind-ended filamentous tubules arranged in 6 to 8 bundles. They are lined by glandular and ciliated cells. The tubules absorb water, salts, and nitrogenous waste products from the surrounding hemolymph and convert them into uric acid. This uric acid is then discharged into the hindgut and excreted along with the feces. This process of excreting uric acid makes the cockroach a uricotelic organism.

Explanation

Cadmium is a transition metal that typically exhibits an oxidation state of +2, forming the cadmium cation Cd²⁺. The nitrate ion is a polyatomic anion with a charge of -1, represented as NO₃⁻. To form a neutral ionic compound, the total positive charge must equal the total negative charge. Therefore, one cadmium ion requires two nitrate ions to balance the electrical charge, resulting in the chemical formula Cd(NO₃)₂.

Explanation

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is commonly known and utilized as a liquid bleach due to its powerful oxidizing properties. It serves as an active ingredient in non-chlorine or oxygen-based liquid bleaches to remove stains, whiten fabrics, and disinfect surfaces. During the bleaching process, it releases oxygen which breaks down chromophores (color-producing chemical groups) and destroys organic contaminants, leaving behind only water and oxygen as byproducts.

Explanation

PARAM is a series of supercomputers designed and assembled by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in Pune, India. The series was initiated in the late 1980s under the leadership of Dr. Vijay Bhatkar to achieve self-reliance in high-performance computing. The first model, PARAM 8000, was released in 1991 and is widely recognized as India's first indigenous supercomputer. The name PARAM represents a parallel machine and translates to supreme in Sanskrit, reflecting its advanced processing capabilities.

Explanation

Bharatanatyam is an ancient Indian classical dance form that originated in the temples of Tamil Nadu. Historically known as Sadir Attam, it was traditionally performed by temple dancers known as Devadasis. The dance form is highly expressive, characterized by its fixed upper torso, bent legs, knees flexed in the Ayata position, spectacular footwork, hand gestures called Mudras, and sophisticated facial expressions. It is deeply connected to the regional cultural heritage and classical Carnatic music of Tamil Nadu.

Explanation

Consumer surplus is defined as the difference between the maximum price a consumer is willing to pay for a product and the actual price they pay for it.

The formula for consumer surplus is: Consumer surplus = Maximum price willing to pay - Actual price paid

Here, Reema's maximum willingness to pay is Rs 7000.

The marked price of the dress is Rs 5000, and the shop offers a 20% discount on it. Discount amount = 20% of Rs 5000 = Rs 1000 Actual price paid = Rs 5000 - Rs 1000 = Rs 4000

Substituting these values into the formula: Consumer surplus = Rs 7000 - Rs 4000 = Rs 3000

Explanation

Seasonal unemployment occurs when people are unemployed at specific times of the year because of predictable variations in demand for certain goods or services. Many industries, such as agriculture, tourism, hospitality, construction, and retail, experience fluctuations in demand that align with seasons, holidays, or weather patterns. During off-peak periods when the demand for these goods or services declines significantly below normal levels, businesses reduce their workforce, leading to seasonal unemployment.

Explanation

Chuck Hull (Charles Hull) is widely recognized as the inventor of 3D printing. In 1983, he developed stereolithography, which is the first commercial rapid prototyping technology commonly known as 3D printing. He filed a patent for this method in 1984, which was granted in 1986, and co-founded 3D Systems to commercialize the invention. Hull also created the STL file format, which continues to be the standard format used in most 3D printing software today.

Explanation

Transpiration is the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts, especially leaves. This evaporation primarily occurs through tiny, pore-like structures called stomata, which are mostly located on the epidermis of leaves and young stems. While stomata facilitate the intake of carbon dioxide and release of oxygen during photosynthesis, they also allow water vapor to escape into the atmosphere. This loss of water through stomata creates a suction pull, known as transpirational pull, which helps in drawing water and essential minerals upward from the roots to the rest of the plant.

Explanation

Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve is located in the southern Western Ghats in Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts of Tamil Nadu. Established in 1988 by merging the Kalakkad Wildlife Sanctuary and the Mundanthurai Wildlife Sanctuary, it serves as the second-largest protected area in Tamil Nadu. The reserve forms part of the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve and is highly valued for its rich biodiversity, providing a critical habitat for endangered and endemic species such as the lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri tahr, and Nilgiri langur.

Explanation

The United States five-dollar bill features the portrait of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, on its obverse side. This portrait has been a standard feature of the five-dollar note since 1914. Additionally, the reverse side of the bill depicts the Lincoln Memorial, which honors his presidency and legacy.

Explanation

India is the largest producer of guava in the world, accounting for approximately 40% to 50% of the total global guava production. The crop is extensively grown across various tropical and subtropical regions of the country due to its high adaptability to different soil types and climate conditions. Within India, the major guava-producing states include Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal, with Uttar Pradesh being the leading contributor to the country's overall output.

Explanation

Port Blair is the capital city and the administrative headquarters of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a Union Territory of India located in the Bay of Bengal. It serves as the primary entry point for the islands, hosting the major airport and seaport, and acts as the local administrative center for the South Andaman district.

Explanation

The Battle of Plassey was fought on 23 June 1757 at Palashi on the banks of the Bhagirathi River in Bengal. This historical conflict took place between the forces of the British East India Company, led by Robert Clive, and the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah, who was supported by a French contingent. The decisive British victory in this battle was a major turning point in Indian history, effectively marking the beginning of British political hegemony and colonial rule in the Indian subcontinent.

Explanation

Shah Jahan was the fifth ruler of the Mughal dynasty, reigning from 1628 to 1658. He succeeded his father, Jahangir, and presided over a period often considered the golden age of Mughal architecture. Under his patronage, several iconic monuments were constructed, including the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort, and the Jama Masjid. His reign marked the height of the empire's cultural refinement, administrative stability, and artistic achievements.

Explanation

Rakesh Sharma, a former Indian Air Force pilot, became the first Indian citizen to travel into space on April 3, 1984. He flew aboard the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11 as part of the Soviet Union's Interkosmos program. During the mission, he spent nearly eight days aboard the Salyut 7 space station, where he conducted several scientific experiments, including multi-spectral photography of northern India and studies on the effects of yoga on the body in microgravity.

Explanation

The equation AV = constant is the equation of continuity for fluid flow. It is a direct consequence of the law of conservation of mass applied to fluid dynamics. For the steady and streamlined flow of an incompressible fluid, the mass of fluid entering a pipe of varying cross-section per unit time must equal the mass of fluid leaving it per unit time. Since the density of an incompressible fluid is constant throughout, the volume flow rate, which is the product of the cross-sectional area A and the velocity of fluid V, remains constant at all points along the flow, represented as A₁V₁ = A₂V₂.

Explanation

According to the laws of classical mechanics, a body is in translational equilibrium when the vector sum of all external forces acting on it is zero (∑F = 0). Using Newton's second law, F = ma, a net force of zero directly implies that the acceleration of the body is also zero (a = 0). Because acceleration is the rate of change of velocity (a = dv/dt), an acceleration of zero means the velocity of the body does not change over time. Consequently, the body either remains at rest or moves with a constant velocity in a straight line, representing static and dynamic equilibrium respectively.

Explanation

Alpha particles consist of two protons and two neutrons bound together, which is identical to the nucleus of a helium-4 atom. When unstable heavy nuclei undergo radioactive decay by emitting an alpha particle, they release this highly stable helium nucleus (He²⁺), which carries a net positive charge of +2e and has a mass of approximately 4 atomic mass units.

Explanation

The All India Trinamool Congress was founded on January 1, 1998, by Mamata Banerjee after she broke away from the Indian National Congress to establish her own political party in West Bengal.

Explanation

The Indian National Congress is the principal and founding member of the United Progressive Alliance, a coalition of center-left political parties in India. Formed in 2004 after the general elections, the alliance was created to form a coalition government at the Centre, with Sonia Gandhi appointed as the chairperson of the alliance.

Explanation

The 2016 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup was the 25th edition of the annual invitational international men's field hockey tournament. Held in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia from 6 to 16 April 2016, the tournament was won by Australia. In the final, Australia defeated India with a convincing score of 4–0, securing their ninth Sultan Azlan Shah Cup title.

Explanation

The book The Algebra of Infinite Justice is a collection of essays written by the Booker Prize-winning Indian author Arundhati Roy. Published in 2001, the book compiles several of her political writings that critically examine contemporary issues such as globalization, development projects, nuclear weaponization, and the effects of global power structures on local communities.

Explanation

Impedance is the total opposition that a circuit offers to the flow of alternating current (AC). It generalizes the concept of electrical resistance to AC circuits and is defined as the ratio of the phasor voltage to the phasor current, represented by the formula Z = V/I. Because it measures the opposition to current flow per unit voltage, its unit of measurement is the ohm (Ω).

Explanation

Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of independent India and holds the record for the longest continuous tenure in office. He assumed the role on 15 August 1947 and served until his death on 27 May 1964, spanning a total period of 16 years and 286 days (6,130 days).

Explanation

Under Article 81 of the Constitution of India, the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha is fixed at 552 members. This composition includes up to 530 members chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies in the States, up to 20 members representing the Union Territories, and up to 2 members from the Anglo-Indian community nominated by the President of India under Article 331.

Explanation

At the 2012 London Olympics, Saina Nehwal made history by winning the bronze medal in the badminton women's singles event, becoming the first Indian badminton player to win an Olympic medal. She was awarded the medal after her opponent, Wang Xin of China, retired from the bronze medal playoff match due to a knee injury.

Explanation

The literary comedy fiction novel Go Clown: #AcheDin for Comedy (also known as Go Clown: #AccheDin for Comedy) is written by Shatrugna Vadwlas, an Indian-origin Software Architect based in the United States. Released in early 2016, the book is a social satire that chronicles the life of the protagonist named Kiriti. It humorously explores various aspects of Indian society, engineering college life, corporate culture, and NRI dynamics through the satirical lens of Kiriti and his alter-ego, the Clown.

Explanation

Periyar Tiger Reserve is located in the mountainous Western Ghats of Kerala, primarily in the districts of Idukki and Pathanamthitta. Established as a sanctuary in 1934 and declared a tiger reserve in 1978 under Project Tiger, it serves as a crucial protected area for both Bengal tigers and Indian elephants. The reserve is centered around the scenic Periyar Lake, an artificial reservoir formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River.

Explanation

Humayun's Tomb, located in Delhi and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, is widely acclaimed as the "Necropolis of the Mughal dynasty". This magnificent mausoleum is the first grand garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent. It earned this title because it serves as the final resting place for more than 150 members of the Mughal royal family. Apart from Emperor Humayun, the complex houses the graves of his chief consort Empress Bega Begum, Prince Dara Shikoh, and subsequent Mughal emperors including Jahandar Shah, Farrukhsiyar, Rafi-ud-Darajat, Rafi-ud-Daulah, and Alamgir II.

Explanation

The Government of India honoured actress Priyanka Chopra with the Padma Shri in 2016 for her outstanding contributions to the field of arts. She received the prestigious award, which is India's fourth highest civilian honour, from the then-President Pranab Mukherjee at an investiture ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Explanation

Risedronate belongs to a class of medications known as bisphosphonates, which are primary agents used to prevent and treat osteoporosis. It works by inhibiting osteoclasts, the cells responsible for bone resorption. By slowing down the rate of bone loss, risedronate helps to maintain bone density, preserve bone strength, and significantly reduce the risk of fractures in individuals suffering from osteoporosis.

Explanation

A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. It represents the visible reproductive structure of certain fungi, particularly those belonging to the division Basidiomycota. Its primary function is to produce, protect, and successfully disperse spores to facilitate the reproduction and propagation of the fungus.

Explanation

Dermatitis is a general term representing inflammation of the skin, but several common forms of dermatitis are directly caused by or associated with fungal infections. For instance, seborrheic dermatitis, a chronic inflammatory skin condition, is associated with an overgrowth of Malassezia yeast, a type of fungus that naturally resides on the skin. Additionally, fungal skin infections caused by dermatophytes, such as tinea infections, frequently present clinically as dermatitis due to the inflammatory immune response of the skin to the fungal pathogens.

Explanation

Acetone is a widely used organic solvent for cleaning gold ornaments because of its ability to efficiently dissolve organic contaminants like oils, grease, cosmetics, wax, and sebum that build up on jewelry over time. Gold is a chemically inert noble metal and does not react with acetone. Consequently, using acetone allows for the thorough removal of surface dirt and grime without damaging the gold, causing tarnish, or altering the weight of the ornament.

Explanation

Potassium is an alkali metal belonging to Group 1 of the periodic table, with an atomic number of 19. It has a single valence electron in its outermost shell, which it readily loses to achieve a stable, closed-shell noble gas electron configuration. The loss of this single electron results in a positively charged monovalent cation, represented by the chemical symbol K⁺.

Explanation

The Unix operating system was developed in 1969 and the early 1970s at Bell Labs (AT | T Bell Laboratories) by a research group that included Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna. It was designed as a multitasking, multi-user system, and its subsequent rewrite in the C programming language made it highly portable across different hardware platforms, laying the groundwork for many modern operating systems.

Explanation

Malayalam is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the Indian state of Kerala, where it is designated as the official language under the Kerala Official Languages Act, 1969. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and was declared a Classical Language of India in 2013.

Explanation

Point elasticity of demand measures the responsiveness of quantity demanded to a change in price at a specific point on the demand curve. The formula for point elasticity of demand is:

Ed = (ΔQ / ΔP) × (P / Q)

In this case: Initial price (P) is 18 Initial quantity demanded (Q) is 1250 Change in price (ΔP) is 16 - 18 = -2 Change in quantity demanded (ΔQ) is 1400 - 1250 = 150

Substituting these values into the formula:

Ed = (150 / -2) × (18 / 1250)

Ed = -75 × 0.0144

Ed = -1.08

Explanation

Substitutes are goods that can be used in place of one another to satisfy the same consumer need. The cross-price elasticity of demand between substitute goods is positive, meaning that the price of one good and the demand for the other move in the same direction. When the price of good B decreases, good B becomes relatively cheaper and more attractive to consumers than good A. As a result, consumers substitute away from good A and purchase good B instead, leading to a decrease in the demand for good A.

Explanation

According to data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and various global databases like the World Bank and the Global Carbon Project, Qatar has historically recorded the highest per capita emissions of carbon dioxide in the world. This high per capita footprint is primarily driven by the country's small population combined with its energy-intensive economy. Qatar relies heavily on fossil fuels, particularly natural gas, for its domestic power generation, highly energy-demanding water desalination plants, and widespread air conditioning. Additionally, its position as a major producer and exporter of liquefied natural gas contributes significantly to its high territorial emissions when distributed across its relatively small resident population.

Explanation

Dachigam National Park is located in the Zabarwan Range of the Western Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir, approximately 22 kilometers from the city of Srinagar. The park was established in 1981 to protect the catchment area of Harwan reservoir, which supplies clean drinking water to Srinagar. The name Dachigam translates to ten villages in Kashmiri, commemorating the ten villages that were relocated to establish the reserve. It is internationally renowned for harboring the only viable population of the critically endangered Kashmir stag, locally known as the Hangul.

Explanation

EDUSAT, also known as GSAT-3, was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on September 20, 2004, using the GSLV-F01 launch vehicle. It was the first thematic satellite in India built exclusively for the educational sector, aimed at providing an interactive satellite-based distance education system across the country to meet the demand for an interactive one-to-many satellite-based education portal.