SSC CHSL Tier 1 2016 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Electrical conductance is the measure of how easily an electric current flows through a material. It is defined as the mathematical reciprocal of electrical resistance, represented by the relation G = 1/R. The SI derived unit of electrical conductance is the siemens, which is represented by the symbol S. One siemens is equal to the reciprocal of one ohm, which can be written as Ω⁻¹ or expressed in base units as ampere per volt (A/V).

Explanation

CPI stands for the Communist Party of India, which is one of the oldest political parties in the country. It was founded in December 1925 at the Kanpur Party Conference. The party played an active role in the Indian national movement and represents the left-wing political spectrum in Indian politics, focusing on the welfare of peasants, agricultural labourers, and industrial workers.

Explanation

Under Article 80 of the Constitution of India, the President has the power to nominate 12 members to the Rajya Sabha. These nominated members are individuals who have special knowledge or practical experience in fields such as literature, science, art, and social service. This provision ensures that eminent personalities from diverse backgrounds can contribute to the legislative process and national debates without undergoing the formal electoral process.

Explanation

Mumbai won the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy by defeating Saurashtra in the final match. The final took place at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, where Mumbai achieved victory by an innings and 21 runs. This triumph marked Mumbai's 41st Ranji Trophy title, cementing their status as the most successful team in the history of India's premier domestic first-class cricket tournament.

Explanation

Everyone Has A Story is the debut romance novel written by Savi Sharma, first published in 2015. It is an inspirational fiction that traces the lives of four characters—Meera, Vivaan, Kabir, and Nisha—as they navigate their careers, passions, and relationships. The book became a massive bestseller in India, establishing Savi Sharma as one of the country's most successful self-published female authors.

Explanation

The Mausoleum of Sufi saint Salim Chishti is located within the imperial palace complex of Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh. It was constructed by the Mughal Emperor Akbar between 1571 and 1580 as a tribute to the saint, who had blessed Akbar and prophesied the birth of his son, Prince Salim. The tomb is renowned for its exceptional architectural beauty, featuring a white marble structure surrounded by intricately carved jaali (lattice) screens and decorative serpentine brackets.

Explanation

Shah Rukh Khan holds the record for winning the maximum number of Filmfare Awards for Best Actor. He has won the prestigious Best Actor trophy 8 times, a record he shares with legendary actor Dilip Kumar. His award-winning performances were in Baazigar (1993), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Devdas (2002), Swades (2004), Chak De! India (2007), and My Name Is Khan (2010).

Explanation

Salivary glands secrete salivary amylase, which is commonly referred to as ptyalin. This digestive enzyme is produced primarily by the parotid glands and is released into the oral cavity. Ptyalin plays a crucial role in initiating the chemical digestion of dietary carbohydrates by catalyzing the hydrolysis of complex starch molecules into simpler sugars, such as maltose and dextrins, in the slightly alkaline environment of the mouth.

Explanation

Pteridophytes are vascular plants that do not produce seeds. Known as vascular cryptogams, they are evolutionary precursors to seed-bearing plants but reproduce and disperse exclusively through spores. They do not form flowers, fruits, or seeds, which distinguishes them from gymnosperms and angiosperms.

Explanation

The orca, scientifically classified as Orcinus orca, is the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family, Delphinidae. It is widely known by its common name, the killer whale, a name that originated from ancient sailors who witnessed these highly efficient pack-predators hunting and preying on larger whale species.

Explanation

The atomic number of an chemical element represents the number of protons found in the nucleus of its atom. Hydrogen is the simplest and lightest element in the periodic table. A standard hydrogen atom contains exactly one proton in its nucleus and one electron in its electron shell. Because it possesses only a single proton, the atomic number of hydrogen is 1.

Explanation

Calcium fluoride is a stable ionic compound represented by the chemical formula CaF₂. In this crystalline structure, calcium exists as a divalent cation Ca²⁺ carrying a positive charge of +2, while fluorine exists as monovalent fluoride anions F⁻, each carrying a negative charge of -1. To maintain electrical neutrality, one calcium ion combines with two fluoride ions. The sum of these charges, (+2) + 2 × (-1), equals 0, resulting in a net charge of zero for the compound.

Explanation

OQL, which stands for Object Query Language, is a database query language standard designed by the Object Data Management Group (ODMG) for object data models. It provides a declarative, SQL-like interface for querying and manipulating database objects while seamlessly integrating with the type systems of object-oriented programming languages. OQL extends standard query capabilities by incorporating support for object-oriented features such as object identity, complex structures, path expressions, polymorphism, and inheritance.

Explanation

Tertali is a traditional folk dance performed by the Kamar tribe of Madhya Pradesh. It is an elaborate ritual dance generally performed by a small group of women sitting on the ground. The performers tie small metal cymbals, known as manjiras, to different parts of their bodies, primarily on their legs, and strike them in perfect rhythm with the cymbals held in their hands. To make the performance more challenging, the dancers often hold a sword between their teeth and balance ornamental clay pots on their heads while maintaining the rhythmic beat.

Explanation

The Arc Cross Elasticity of Demand (E_xy) measures the responsiveness of the quantity demanded of good X to a change in the price of good Y over an arc, and is calculated using the midpoint formula:

E_xy = [(Q₂ - Q₁) / (Q₁ + Q₂)] × [(P₁ + P₂) / (P₂ - P₁)]

Substituting the given values: Initial quantity of X (Q₁) = 4000 units New quantity of X (Q₂) = 5000 units Initial price of Y (P₁) = Rs 75 New price of Y (P₂) = Rs 90

E_xy = [(5000 - 4000) / (4000 + 5000)] × [(75 + 90) / (90 - 75)]

E_xy = (1000 / 9000) × (165 / 15)

E_xy = (1 / 9) × 11

E_xy = 11 / 9 ≈ 1.22

Explanation

A recession is characterized by a significant decline in economic activity across the economy, leading to a fall in aggregate demand for goods and services. Because consumers spend less and businesses reduce their investments, firms experience a sharp decline in sales. To avoid overproduction and accumulating unsold stock, industries scale back their production levels. Consequently, factories, machinery, and other capital resources are not used to their full potential, resulting in widespread capacity underutilization.

Explanation

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is located in the Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich districts of Uttar Pradesh along the India-Nepal border. It comprises the Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. Established as a tiger reserve in 1987 under Project Tiger, it is characterized by its highly diverse ecosystem, which includes moist deciduous forests, swamps, and alluvial grasslands. The reserve is home to significant populations of Bengal tigers, swamp deer, and Indian rhinoceroses.

Explanation

CCl₃F (trichlorofluoromethane), commonly known as CFC-11 or Freon-11, is a chlorofluorocarbon. It serves as both a powerful greenhouse gas and a major ozone-depleting substance. Upon reaching the stratosphere, CCl₃F is decomposed by solar ultraviolet radiation, releasing highly reactive chlorine atoms. These free chlorine radicals catalytically destroy ozone (O₃) molecules, converting them into oxygen (O₂), which leads to the depletion of the ozone layer. Additionally, CCl₃F has a very high global warming potential because it absorbs infrared radiation emitted from the Earth's surface, contributing significantly to the greenhouse effect.

Explanation

Deepak Parekh is a highly distinguished Indian businessman primarily associated with the banking and financial services sector. He served as the long-standing Chairman of the Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), India's premier housing finance institution, and played a pivotal role in building the HDFC Group. Under his visionary leadership, the institution expanded its footprint significantly across various financial services, most notably through the creation of HDFC Bank, which grew to become one of the largest private sector banks in India. His immense contributions to corporate governance, financial reforms, and banking policies have made him one of the most respected and influential figures in India's banking landscape.

Explanation

Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun in the Solar System. In order of increasing distance from the Sun, the sequence of the eight major planets is Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Uranus is classified as an ice giant and has the third-largest planetary radius in our Solar System.

Explanation

The Mohs scale of mineral hardness is a qualitative ordinal scale that characterizes the scratch resistance of various minerals through the ability of a harder material to scratch a softer material. Created in 1812 by the German geologist and mineralogist Friedrich Mohs, this scale ranges from 1 to 10, where talc is the softest mineral with a value of 1 and diamond is the hardest mineral with a value of 10.

Explanation

Qutub Minar is located in the Mehrauli area of Southwest Delhi, India. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most famous historical monuments in the capital city. The construction of this 73-meter tall minaret was initiated by Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1199 AD and was later completed by his successor Shams-ud-din Iltutmish.

Explanation

Bajirao I served as the Peshwa of the Maratha Empire from 1720 to 1740 under the reign of Chhatrapati Shahu. During this period, the position of the Peshwa, which originally began as the prime minister, became hereditary and transformed into the de facto supreme rulers of the Maratha confederacy, establishing the Peshwa dynasty centered in Pune. Under his leadership, the empire expanded rapidly across central and northern India through successful military campaigns.

Explanation

Ken Kutaragi is widely recognized as the Father of the PlayStation for his crucial role in creating and developing the iconic gaming console. While working as a digital research engineer at Sony in the late 1980s, he recognized the potential of 3D graphics in video games and championed the project within the company. Under his leadership, Sony launched the original PlayStation in Japan in 1994, which went on to revolutionize the home gaming industry and establish Sony Interactive Entertainment as a major force in the global video game market.

Explanation

According to Newton's law of universal gravitation, the gravitational force between two bodies is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them, expressed as F = G × (m₁ × m₂) / r². In this equation, G represents the universal gravitational constant. It is a fundamental physical constant that determines the strength of the gravitational force throughout the universe and has an approximate value of 6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N m² kg⁻².

Explanation

When the Constitution of India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950, it consisted of a preamble, 395 articles divided into 22 parts, and 8 schedules. This original unamended text of the constitution contains approximately 80,000 words in its English version, making it the longest written constitution of any sovereign nation.

Explanation

Article 43A is a part of Part IV of the Indian Constitution, which contains the Directive Principles of State Policy spanning Articles 36 to 51. This article directs the State to take steps, by suitable legislation or in any other way, to secure the participation of workers in the management of undertakings, establishments, or other organizations engaged in any industry. It was added to the Constitution by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976 to promote socialist principles and foster industrial democracy by involving workers in decision-making processes.

Explanation

Portugal won the 2016 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly known as Euro 2016, by defeating France 1–0 in the final match held at the Stade de France. The decisive and only goal of the match was scored by Eder during extra time in the 109th minute, securing Portugal their first-ever major international tournament title.

Explanation

Amish Tripathi is the author of The Oath of the Vayuputras, which was published in 2013. This book is the third and final installment of his highly successful Shiva Trilogy, which also includes The Immortals of Meluha and The Secret of the Nagas. The trilogy is a mythological fantasy series that reimagines the journey of the Tibetan immigrant Shiva as he transforms into a legendary savior and deity.

Explanation

Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park is located in the Panchmahal district of Gujarat. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, the park contains a concentration of largely unexcavated archaeological, historic, and living cultural heritage properties. It features prehistoric sites, a hill fortress of an early Hindu capital, and ruins of the 16th-century state capital of Gujarat, representing a transition from Hindu to Islamic architectural styles.

Explanation

Kamal Haasan was honored with the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, in 2014 for his exceptional and distinguished contributions to the field of art and cinema. This represents the highest civilian recognition bestowed upon him.

Explanation

Goitre is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland, which is located at the base of the neck. The thyroid gland requires iodine, a vital micronutrient, to produce the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones are essential for regulating metabolism, growth, and development. When there is a deficiency of iodine in the diet, the thyroid gland cannot synthesize an adequate amount of these hormones. In response to low hormone levels, the pituitary gland releases higher amounts of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) to prompt the thyroid to work harder. This continuous stimulation causes the thyroid tissue to hyperplasia and hypertrophy, leading to the swelling known as a goitre.

Explanation

Grevillea robusta, commonly known as the silver oak or silky oak, is a fast-growing evergreen tree native to eastern coastal Australia. It belongs to the family Proteaceae and is widely cultivated in various tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions around the world, including India, where it is often grown as a shade tree in tea and coffee plantations.

Explanation

The modern periodic table organizes elements into horizontal rows called periods and vertical columns called groups. In the 4th period, the filling of the fourth shell begins. The first element in this period is Potassium (atomic number 19) in Group 1, followed by Calcium (atomic number 20) in Group 2. The next element is Scandium, which is positioned in Group 3 of the 4th period and has the atomic number 21. This marks the beginning of the d-block transition series where the 3d subshell begins to fill.

Explanation

Oxygen exists as a diatomic gas (O₂) at standard temperature and pressure. In its solid state, oxygen molecules are held together in a crystal lattice by very weak intermolecular London dispersion forces. Because these forces are extremely weak compared to metallic or ionic bonds, very little thermal energy is required to overcome them, resulting in an exceptionally low melting point of -218.79 °C (54.36 K).

Explanation

Jantar Mantar in Delhi is an observatory built in 1724 by the Rajput ruler Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur. It comprises a collection of thirteen architectural astronomical instruments constructed from stone and masonry. These large-scale structures, including the Samrat Yantra, Ram Yantra, Jai Prakash Yantra, and Mishra Yantra, were designed to measure celestial movements and allow the observation of astronomical positions, the tracking of the Sun, Moon, and planets, and the compilation of astronomical tables with the naked eye.

Explanation

The B.D. Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism was established in 1979 by Ramnath Goenka, the founder of the Indian Express Group, in memory of his son Bhagwan Das Goenka. The award was instituted to recognize and honor outstanding contributions made by individuals in building and furthering the cause of journalism in India.

Explanation

The pancreas secretes pancreatic lipase, which is the primary and most important fat-digesting enzyme in the digestive system. It is released into the duodenum of the small intestine, where it breaks down dietary fats (triglycerides) into monoglycerides and free fatty acids to facilitate their absorption by the body.

Explanation

Charles Babbage is recognized as the father of the computer because he conceptualized and designed the first mechanical general-purpose computer in the 1830s, known as the Analytical Engine. His design contained essential elements of modern computer architecture, including an Arithmetic Logic Unit, basic flow control, and integrated memory. Before the Analytical Engine, he also designed the Difference Engine, which was an automatic mechanical calculator designed to tabulate polynomial functions.

Explanation

Phyllotaxy is the botanical term used to describe the pattern of arrangement of leaves on a stem or branch of a plant. This arrangement is an evolutionary adaptation designed to ensure that each leaf receives the maximum amount of sunlight required for photosynthesis while minimizing self-shading. Depending on how the leaves emerge from the nodes on the stem, phyllotaxy is broadly classified into three main types: alternate, where a single leaf arises at each node in an alternating pattern; opposite, where a pair of leaves arises at each node on opposite sides; and whorled, where more than two leaves arise at a single node to form a circle.

Explanation

Cytology is the branch of biology that deals with the study of the structure, function, and chemistry of cells. The term is derived from the Greek words kytos, meaning a hollow vessel or container (referring to a cell), and logia, meaning study.

Explanation

Urea, also known as carbamide, is an organic compound with the chemical formula (NH₂)₂CO. Its structure features a central carbonyl group (C=O) covalently bonded to two amino groups (NH₂). This makes it a diamide of carbonic acid, containing one carbon atom, one oxygen atom, two nitrogen atoms, and four hydrogen atoms, which gives it the molecular formula CH₄N₂O.

Explanation

Magnesium is a chemical element represented by the symbol Mg with an atomic number of 12. Aluminium is a chemical element represented by the symbol Al with an atomic number of 13. Since 13 is greater than 12, the atomic number of Aluminium is greater than that of Magnesium.

Explanation

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is a fundamental communication standard of the Internet Protocol Suite, operating at the transport layer of the OSI model. It is a connection-oriented protocol that establishes a reliable connection between a sender and a receiver using a process called a three-way handshake. TCP ensures that data packets are delivered accurately, in the correct order, and without loss or duplication by utilizing sequence numbers, acknowledgments, and flow control mechanisms.

Explanation

Ganga Sagar Mela is a prominent annual Hindu pilgrimage and festival celebrated during Makar Sankranti on Sagar Island in West Bengal. It is held at the confluence of the sacred river Ganges and the Bay of Bengal, known as Ganga Sagar. Millions of devotees and sadhus gather here to take a holy dip in the sacred waters and offer prayers at the Kapil Muni Temple. It is widely recognized as one of the largest religious congregations in India, second only to the Kumbh Mela.

Explanation

Marginal tax rate represents the additional tax paid on every additional unit of income earned and is calculated using the formula:

Marginal Tax Rate = (Change in Tax / Change in Income) × 100

Here, the change in tax is: Rs 4,00,000 - Rs 3,50,000 = Rs 50,000

The change in income is: Rs 24,00,000 - Rs 20,00,000 = Rs 4,00,000

Substituting these values into the formula: Marginal Tax Rate = (50,000 / 4,00,000) × 100 = (1 / 8) × 100 = 12.5%

Explanation

Complementary goods are products that are consumed together, meaning the consumption of one good is tied to the consumption of the other. Because of this joint relationship, the cross-price elasticity of demand between complementary goods is negative. When the price of good Z increases, the overall cost of using the two goods together rises. As a result, consumers reduce their consumption of both goods, leading to a shift to the left in the demand curve for good A, which represents a decrease in the demand for good A.

Explanation

Plants are a renewable source of energy because they can be grown and harvested repeatedly within a human lifespan, making them a continuous resource. Energy derived from plants, known as biomass, relies on the biological processes of photosynthesis, where plants capture solar energy and store it as chemical energy. Since new plants can be replanted and grown to replace those used for energy, they constitute an inexhaustible energy source as long as they are managed sustainably.

Explanation

Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, India. Situated on the banks of the Kali River, it is the second-largest wildlife sanctuary in Karnataka, covering an area of over 800 square kilometers. The sanctuary is exceptionally rich in biodiversity, housing diverse flora and fauna including the rare black panther, Indian elephants, gaurs, and over 200 species of birds. Together with the adjacent Anshi National Park, it forms the Kali Tiger Reserve, making it an ecologically pristine and protected region within the Western Ghats.

Explanation

Under Section 145 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, Urdu was designated as the official language of the state. It was used as the primary medium for official administration, documentation, and judicial proceedings in the region.