BPSC Test General Knowledge I (Everyday Science) Syllabus

What is the atomic number of an element?

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element's identity.

What are isotopes?

Atoms of the same element having the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons (different mass numbers).

Name the three types of radioactive emissions and their nature.

Alpha (helium nuclei, positive), beta (high-speed electrons, negative), and gamma rays (high-energy electromagnetic radiation, no charge).

What is half-life in radioactivity?

The time taken for half the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay.

Differentiate between an element, a compound, and a mixture.

An element contains one kind of atom; a compound is two or more elements chemically combined in fixed ratio; a mixture is two or more substances physically combined and separable.

Give the difference between a homogeneous and a heterogeneous mixture.

A homogeneous mixture has uniform composition throughout (e.g., salt solution); a heterogeneous mixture has visibly different parts (e.g., sand and water).

What is the chemical formula of water and common table salt?

Water is H₂O; common table salt (sodium chloride) is NaCl.

What is the pH scale range, and what do values below and above 7 indicate?

0 to 14. Below 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral, above 7 is basic (alkaline).

What is produced when an acid reacts with a base?

A salt and water (a neutralisation reaction). For example, HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H₂O.

Name the acid present in the human stomach and its function.

Hydrochloric acid (HCl); it aids digestion and kills bacteria in food.

Which indicator turns red in acid and blue in base?

Litmus — blue litmus turns red in acid; red litmus turns blue in base.

What is the common name and chemical formula of baking soda?

Sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO₃.

What is the chemical name of common chalk / marble / limestone?

Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃).

What gas is commonly known as laughing gas?

Nitrous oxide (N₂O), used as a mild anaesthetic.

List three general physical properties of metals.

Metals are typically lustrous, malleable and ductile, and good conductors of heat and electricity (most are solid at room temperature).

Which is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature, and the only non-metal that is liquid?

Mercury is the liquid metal; bromine is the liquid non-metal at room temperature.

Why is gold used in jewellery and electronics?

Because it is highly unreactive (does not corrode/tarnish) and is an excellent conductor of electricity.

Name the main human body system responsible for transporting blood, and its central organ.

The circulatory (cardiovascular) system; its central organ is the heart.

How many chambers does the human heart have, and what are they?

Four chambers: two atria (upper) and two ventricles (lower).

Which organ in the human body is responsible for filtering blood and producing urine?

The kidneys (part of the excretory/urinary system).

What is the functional unit of life?

The cell.

What is the powerhouse of the cell, and why?

The mitochondrion, because it produces energy (ATP) through cellular respiration.

What molecule carries genetic information, and where is it located in the cell?

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), located mainly in the nucleus of the cell.

What is photosynthesis, and what are its raw materials and products?

The process by which green plants make food using sunlight. Raw materials: carbon dioxide and water; products: glucose and oxygen (in the presence of chlorophyll and light).

What is the green pigment in plants that captures light energy?

Chlorophyll, found in the chloroplasts of plant cells.

Through which structures do plants exchange gases and lose water vapour?

Stomata (tiny pores, mainly on the underside of leaves).

Name the disease-causing microorganisms (pathogens) by type with one disease each.

Bacteria (tuberculosis), viruses (COVID-19/influenza), fungi (ringworm), protozoa (malaria).

Which microorganism causes malaria, and how is it transmitted?

The protozoan Plasmodium, transmitted by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito.

What is a vaccine and how does it work?

A preparation of weakened or killed pathogens (or their parts) that stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies, giving immunity against a disease.

Which vitamin deficiency causes scurvy, and what is its source?

Deficiency of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) causes scurvy; sources include citrus fruits and fresh vegetables.

Which vitamin is produced in the skin by sunlight and prevents rickets?

Vitamin D; its deficiency causes rickets in children.

What are the main components of a balanced diet?

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibre (roughage), and water in proper proportions.

Name the planets of the solar system in order from the Sun.

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

Which is the largest planet and which is the smallest in the solar system?

Jupiter is the largest planet; Mercury is the smallest.

What causes the phases of the Moon?

The changing portions of the Moon's sunlit half visible from Earth as the Moon orbits the Earth.

What are the main layers of Earth's atmosphere from the ground up?

Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.

Which atmospheric layer contains the ozone layer, and what does ozone do?

The stratosphere; the ozone layer absorbs most of the Sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Name the main layers of the Earth's interior.

The crust, the mantle, the outer core (liquid), and the inner core (solid).

What instrument is used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes, and on what scale?

A seismograph records earthquakes; magnitude is measured on the Richter scale.

Differentiate between renewable and non-renewable energy resources with examples.

Renewable resources are naturally replenished (solar, wind, hydro); non-renewable resources are finite and exhaustible (coal, petroleum, natural gas).

What does ICT stand for, and what does it broadly include?

Information and Communication Technology; it covers computers, software, networks, and the internet used to store, process, and transmit information.

What is the difference between hardware and software in a computer?

Hardware is the physical parts of a computer (CPU, monitor, keyboard); software is the set of programs and instructions that run on it.