SSC CHSL Tier 1 2016 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The break-even quantity (Q) is determined by the formula:

Q = Fixed Cost / (Selling Price per unit - Variable Cost per unit)

By substituting the given values into the formula:

600 = Fixed Cost / (50 - 35)

600 = Fixed Cost / 15

Fixed Cost = 600 × 15

Fixed Cost = Rs 9000

Explanation

A pure monopoly exists when there is a single seller of a product for which there are no close substitutes, giving the firm absolute market power over its product. An oligopoly is a market structure dominated by a small number of sellers whose pricing and output decisions are highly interdependent, meaning each firm must anticipate and consider the potential reactions of its rivals when making market decisions.

Explanation

Argon is the most abundant noble (inert) gas in the Earth's atmosphere, making up approximately 0.934% of the air by volume. This makes it the third most abundant gas overall in the atmosphere, after nitrogen and oxygen.

Explanation

Alfred Wegener, a German meteorologist and geophysicist, formally published the Theory of Continental Drift in his seminal book "The Origin of Continents and Oceans" in 1915. He hypothesized that all the earth's continents were once merged into a single massive supercontinent called Pangaea, surrounded by a global ocean called Panthalassa. Over millions of years, this supercontinent fractured, and the resulting landmasses drifted to their current positions. Wegener supported his hypothesis with diverse geological, paleontological, and climatological evidence, including the matching coastlines of South America and Africa, identical fossil remains found on widely separated continents, and matching mountain ranges across oceans.

Explanation

Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States and the commanding general of the Union Army during the American Civil War, has been featured on the front of the fifty-dollar bill since 1913. The Federal Reserve issued this design to honor his crucial role in preserving the Union and leading the nation during the Reconstruction era.

Explanation

Frontal rainfall occurs when two air masses of different temperatures, densities, and humidity levels meet. The boundary separating these contrasting air masses is known as a front. When a cold, dense air mass converges with a warm, lighter air mass, the warmer air is forced to rise over the heavier cold air. This upward movement causes the rising warm, moist air to expand and cool adiabatically. As its temperature drops below the dew point, condensation takes place, forming clouds and subsequently resulting in precipitation along the frontal boundary. This type of precipitation is highly characteristic of mid-latitude temperate regions, where polar and tropical air masses frequently interact.

Explanation

Silvassa is the capital city of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. It is located in western India, tucked between the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat, and is well-known for its lush green forests, wildlife sanctuaries, and significant Portuguese colonial heritage.

Explanation

Khudiram Bose was born on December 3, 1889, in the Midnapore district of Bengal and became one of the youngest martyrs of the Indian independence movement. He was active in revolutionary activities against British rule from a very young age. Along with Prafulla Chaki, he attempted to assassinate the British Chief Presidency Magistrate Douglas Kingsford in Muzaffarpur in 1908. Following his arrest, he was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. He was executed by hanging at the Alipore Jail on August 11, 1908, at the age of 18 years, 8 months, and 8 days.

Explanation

RAM (Random Access Memory) is classified as volatile memory because it requires continuous electrical power to maintain its data. When the computer is powered down or restarted, the electrical charge that represents the stored binary data in its memory cells dissipates, resulting in the immediate loss of all stored information. It serves as the primary workspace for the computer CPU to quickly read and write temporary operational data during active tasks.

Explanation

Arthur Pitney, an American inventor and businessman, is known as the inventor of the postage meter. He filed a patent application for the first postage meter on December 9, 1901, and received the patent in 1902. He later partnered with Walter Bowes to establish the Pitney Bowes Postage Meter Company, introducing the world's first commercially successful postage meter, the Model M, in 1920.

Explanation

Ringworm, scientifically known as dermatophytosis or tinea, is a superficial fungal infection that affects the skin, hair, or nails. It is caused by a specialized group of parasitic fungi called dermatophytes, primarily belonging to the genera Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton. These fungi survive and thrive by feeding on keratin, a tough, structural protein found in the dead outer layers of human skin, nails, and hair. The infection typically manifests as an itchy, red, circular rash with raised edges, giving it a characteristic ring-like appearance.

Explanation

Mangifera indica is the binomial nomenclature or scientific name of the mango. In this classification, Mangifera represents the genus to which the plant belongs, while indica represents the specific epithet, indicating its primary origin and association with the Indian subcontinent. The mango is a tropical tree belonging to the family Anacardiaceae and is widely cultivated for its sweet, edible fruit.

Explanation

Crabs are decapod crustaceans classified under the phylum Arthropoda. Members of this phylum are characterized by having a segmented body, jointed limbs, and a rigid exoskeleton composed largely of chitin, which provides physical protection and structural support. As crabs grow, they periodically shed this hard outer shell through molting, a definitive feature shared by arthropods.

Explanation

Dmitri Mendeleev, a Russian chemist, is credited with inventing the periodic table of elements. In 1869, he published his periodic classification of elements, organizing them in order of increasing atomic mass while grouping elements with similar physical and chemical properties. His revolutionary approach allowed him to predict the existence and properties of elements that were yet to be discovered, leaving deliberate gaps in his table. His original periodic system forms the direct foundation of the modern periodic table, securing his status as its primary creator and the father of the periodic table.

Explanation

Isobars are atoms of different chemical elements that share the same mass number, representing the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus, but have different atomic numbers, representing the number of protons. Because they have different atomic numbers, isobars possess distinct chemical properties and belong to different elements. A classic example of isobars is Carbon-14 (₆C¹⁴) and Nitrogen-14 (₇N¹⁴), which both have a mass number of 14 but different atomic numbers of 6 and 7 respectively.

Explanation

Muhammad Bin Tughlaq shifted his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad, previously known as Devagiri, in 1327 CE. He envisioned a centrally located capital that would allow him to assert better administrative control over the newly annexed territories of the Deccan and southern India. Furthermore, relocating the capital southwards provided a safer strategic distance from the threat of Mongol invasions along the northwestern frontier. Due to severe logistical challenges, water scarcity, and the difficulty of administering the north from the south, he later ordered the population to return to Delhi.

Explanation

The famous Brihadeshwara Temple, also known as Rajarajesvaram, is located in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. This Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was built by the Chola emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 AD. It represents one of the finest examples of Dravidian architecture and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the Great Living Chola Temples group. The temple features an exceptionally tall vimana and is constructed entirely out of granite.

Explanation

Maithili is an Indo-Aryan language primarily spoken in the Mithila region, which covers northern and eastern parts of Bihar. It is recognized as one of the twenty-two scheduled languages of India under the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, holding a significant linguistic, literary, and cultural status in the state of Bihar.

Explanation

The marginal revenue product (MRP) of labor represents the change in total revenue that results from employing one additional worker.

Total revenue is calculated by multiplying the price per unit by the quantity of output sold.

Initial Total Revenue (TR₁) before hiring the extra worker: TR₁ = Initial Price × Initial Output TR₁ = Rs. 25 × 1000 = Rs. 25,000

New Total Revenue (TR₂) after hiring the extra worker: TR₂ = New Price × New Output TR₂ = Rs. 24 × 1200 = Rs. 28,800

The marginal revenue product of the last worker is the difference between the new total revenue and the initial total revenue: MRP = TR₂ - TR₁ MRP = Rs. 28,800 - Rs. 25,000 = Rs. 3800

Explanation

Gresham's law is an economic principle stating that bad money drives good money out of circulation. Named after Sir Thomas Gresham, an English financier during the Tudor period, it describes a scenario where two forms of currency are in circulation with the same legally mandated face value but different intrinsic values. In this situation, people choose to spend the overvalued currency (bad money) and hoard or export the undervalued, higher-quality currency (good money). As a result, the higher-value currency disappears from daily transactions, leaving only the lower-value currency in circulation.

Explanation

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty designed to protect the Earth's ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. Signed in September 1987 and entering into force in January 1989, its primary target was the rapid phase-out of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were widely used in refrigeration, air conditioning, aerosol sprays, and solvents, due to their destructive impact on stratospheric ozone.

Explanation

Malachite is a secondary copper carbonate hydroxide mineral with the chemical formula Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂. It typically forms in the oxidized zones of copper ore deposits, often alongside azurite. Due to its high copper content of approximately 57% by weight, malachite has historically been utilized as a valuable source of copper and is easily distinguished by its vibrant green color.

Explanation

Pune served as the administrative capital of the Maratha Empire under the Peshwas during the 18th century. In 1730, Peshwa Baji Rao I made Pune the official headquarters of the Peshwas and constructed the Shaniwar Wada, a fortified palace-fortress that became the seat of their political power. Under the rule of the successive Peshwas, Pune grew from a modest settlement into a thriving cultural and political hub, serving as the de facto capital of the Maratha confederacy until the British annexed the territory in 1818.

Explanation

The United Nations officially recognizes 195 countries in the world. This count comprises 193 member states of the United Nations and 2 non-member observer states, which are the Holy See (Vatican City) and the State of Palestine.

Explanation

Earth is known as the Blue Planet because liquid water covers about 71% of its surface. The designation of the Red Planet belongs to Mars, which gets its distinctive reddish appearance from the large amount of iron oxide, or rust, present on its surface.

Explanation

Nelson Mandela was a prominent South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was arrested in 1962 for conspiring to overthrow the state and was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment during the Rivonia Trial. He served 27 years in prison, split between Robben Island, Pollsmoor Prison, and Victor Verster Prison, before being released in 1990 amidst growing domestic and international pressure and fears of a racial civil war.

Explanation

In 1791, the English inventor and engineer John Barber patented the first design for a practical gas turbine. His design contained all of the essential elements of a modern gas turbine, including a compressor, a combustion chamber, and a turbine. The patent described a system that would mix gas and compressed air in the combustion chamber to produce a high-speed jet of hot gas that was directed onto a turbine wheel to produce mechanical work. This breakthrough design laid the theoretical and thermodynamic foundation for all modern gas turbine engines.

Explanation

Chand Bibi was a prominent Indian Muslim regent and warrior who ruled Ahmednagar. She was the daughter of Hussain Nizam Shah I of Ahmednagar and is most celebrated for her heroic defense of the Ahmednagar Fort against the invading Mughal forces of Emperor Akbar in 1595. Her leadership and strategic skill during this siege helped maintain the sovereignty of the Nizam Shahi dynasty of Ahmednagar.

Explanation

Alejandro G. Inarritu won the Academy Award for Best Director at the 88th Academy Awards, held on February 28, 2016, for his work on the film The Revenant. This consecutive victory marked a historic milestone, as he became only the third director in Academy history to win the award in back-to-back years, following his previous win for Birdman in 2015.

Explanation

An atom is electrically neutral when it has an equal number of positively charged protons and negatively charged electrons. When an atom gains electrons, the number of negatively charged electrons becomes greater than the number of positively charged protons. This excess of electrons creates a net negative electrical charge, transforming the neutral atom into a negative ion, which is also known as an anion.

Explanation

Metals have a crystal lattice structure where the outermost valence electrons are loosely bound to their parent atoms. These valence electrons detach easily and form a sea of mobile, free electrons that can move freely throughout the metallic structure. When a potential difference is applied across the metal, these free electrons drift in a specific direction, creating an electric current and allowing metals to conduct electricity.

Explanation

According to Article 84 of the Constitution of India, a person must meet specific qualifications to be eligible for membership in Parliament. For the Rajya Sabha, also known as the Council of States or the Upper House, the Constitution mandates that a person must be a citizen of India and must not be less than 30 years of age.

Explanation

The Constitution of India contains 12 schedules. Although the original Constitution adopted in 1949 had 8 schedules, subsequent constitutional amendments added four more to address various administrative and legislative requirements. Specifically, the Ninth Schedule was added by the First Amendment in 1951, the Tenth Schedule by the 52nd Amendment in 1985, the Eleventh Schedule by the 73rd Amendment in 1992, and the Twelfth Schedule by the 74th Amendment in 1992.

Explanation

International Olympic Day is celebrated annually on 23rd June to promote sports and a healthy lifestyle across the globe. This date commemorates the foundation of the International Olympic Committee on 23rd June 1894 at the Sorbonne in Paris, initiated by Baron Pierre de Coubertin. The first Olympic Day was celebrated in 1948 to mark this historic moment and to encourage people around the world to get active and participate in physical activities.

Explanation

Solomon Northup was an American abolitionist and the author of the memoir 12 Years a Slave. Born a free African-American in New York, he was kidnapped by slave traders in 1841 and sold into slavery in the Deep South. He was kept in bondage for twelve years in Louisiana before he was finally able to contact friends and family to secure his release in 1853. His memoir, published shortly after his rescue, provides a detailed first-hand account of the domestic slave trade and plantation life, and it was later adapted into an Academy Award-winning film.

Explanation

The orbital radius of the moon is defined as the distance from the center of the Earth to the center of the Moon. Because the Moon revolves around the Earth in an elliptical path, this distance is not constant. The mean orbital radius of the Moon is approximately 384,400 kilometers, which represents the average distance between the centers of both celestial bodies during its orbital period.

Explanation

Newton's law of universal gravitation states that every particle of matter in the universe attracts every other particle with a gravitational force. The force of gravitational attraction between any two bodies of masses m₁ and m₂ separated by a distance r is given by F = G m₁m₂ / r², where G is the universal gravitational constant. Because gravity is a fundamental force of nature that acts between all objects with mass, the law applies universally to any pair of bodies.

Explanation

Article 20 of the Indian Constitution is located in Part III, which spans from Article 12 to Article 35 and contains the Fundamental Rights of individuals. Article 20 specifically provides key safeguards to accused persons against arbitrary and excessive punishment. These protections include protection against retroactive criminal laws, the rule against double jeopardy where no person can be prosecuted and punished twice for the same offence, and the prohibition of self-incrimination which ensures no accused person is compelled to be a witness against themselves. Since Part III of the Constitution establishes the fundamental rights, Article 20 directly deals with the fundamental rights of the Indian citizen.

Explanation

The Indian National Congress, founded in 1885, served as the dominant political party in post-independence India, heading the central government for a total of 49 years. This cumulative duration of governance was achieved across several administrations under Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P. V. Narasimha Rao, and Manmohan Singh.

Explanation

Brendon McCullum holds the record for the fastest century in Test cricket history. He achieved this milestone on February 20, 2016, during New Zealand's second Test match against Australia at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Captaining his side in his final Test match, McCullum reached his hundred in just 54 deliveries, hitting 16 fours and four sixes to get to the mark. He eventually finished with 145 runs off 79 balls in an extraordinary counter-attacking innings.

Explanation

The psychological romantic thriller novel titled The Girl of My Dreams is authored by the Indian novelist Durjoy Datta. Published by Penguin Books, the story revolves around a protagonist named Daman who wakes up from a coma after a car crash and starts writing a blog about a mysterious girl named Shreyasi from his hazy memories.

Explanation

PHP is an open-source, general-purpose scripting language that is executed on the web server. When a client requests a PHP page, the server processes the PHP code to perform tasks such as querying databases, handling user authentication, and generating dynamic content, and then sends the resulting output back to the client browser as standard HTML.

Explanation

Sir James Dewar invented the vacuum flask in 1892. During his research in cryogenics and liquid gases, he needed to keep liquefied gases at extremely low temperatures for extended periods. To minimize heat transfer, he designed a double-walled glass vessel and evacuated the air between the walls to create a vacuum. This vacuum effectively prevented heat transfer by conduction and convection, allowing the contents of the flask to remain at a stable temperature.

Explanation

Myopia is a common vision condition in which near objects can be seen clearly, while distant objects appear blurry. Because the individual has clear vision for nearby objects, the condition is commonly known as near sightedness. In a myopic eye, light rays from a distant object focus in front of the retina rather than directly on its surface. This usually occurs when the eyeball is too long relative to the focusing power of the cornea and lens, or when the cornea itself is too steeply curved.

Explanation

Dr. Norman Ernest Borlaug is widely recognized as the father of the Green Revolution. An American agronomist and humanitarian, he led the development of high-yielding, disease-resistant dwarf wheat varieties in the mid-20th century. His research and introduction of these crops, combined with modern agricultural production techniques, dramatically increased food production in developing nations like India, Pakistan, and Mexico, saving over a billion people from starvation. For his monumental contributions to global food security, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970.

Explanation

Panthera tigris is the scientific name of the tiger, which is a member of the genus Panthera and the largest of all wild cat species. In binomial nomenclature, the first part of the name denotes the genus Panthera, which comprises several big cat species, while the specific epithet tigris uniquely identifies the tiger.

Explanation

Glass is an amorphous solid that is classified as a supercooled liquid because its molecules are arranged in a highly disordered state, similar to that of a liquid, rather than a well-defined crystalline lattice found in typical solids. When molten glass cools, its viscosity increases extremely rapidly to the point where the molecules are locked into a rigid structure before they have time to arrange themselves into a regular crystal pattern. Under gravity, glass can also exhibit an extremely slow rate of flow over long periods, which is a characteristic behavior of high-viscosity liquids.

Explanation

Pentane is an alkane with the molecular formula C₅H₁₂. It exists in three structural isomeric forms, which have the same molecular formula but different arrangements of carbon and hydrogen atoms.

The first isomer is n-pentane, which is a straight-chain alkane with the structure CH₃-CH₂-CH₂-CH₂-CH₃.

The second isomer is isopentane, also known as 2-methylbutane, which is a branched-chain alkane where a single methyl group is attached to the second carbon of a four-carbon chain, having the structure CH₃-CH(CH₃)-CH₂-CH₃.

The third isomer is neopentane, also known as 2,2-dimethylpropane, which has a central carbon atom bonded to four methyl groups in a tetrahedral geometry, having the structure C(CH₃)₄.

These three configurations represent all the unique structural arrangements possible for five carbon atoms bonded with hydrogen atoms in an open-chain alkane.

Explanation

In the Dravida style of temple architecture, the Vimana is the primary tower built directly over the garbhagriha (inner sanctum). It is characterized by a stepped pyramid-like structure that rises geometrically in progressively smaller storeys (talas). This distinct pyramidal tower serves as the most defining and representative element of the Dravidian architectural tradition, housing the main deity of the temple.

Explanation

Kud is a traditional folk dance performed in the hilly regions of Jammu and Kashmir. It is typically performed during the rainy season after the harvest of the crops as a ritual to express gratitude and pay homage to the local deities, known as Lok Devtas. The villagers participate in this dance wearing their vibrant traditional attire, moving in a circular rhythm around a bonfire to the accompaniment of local musical instruments like the flute, drums, and narsingha.