State PSC (e.g. BPSC / UPPSC / MPSC) General Science, Environment and Technology Syllabus

Give the chemical names of common acids found in citrus fruits, vinegar and curd.

Citrus fruits contain citric acid, vinegar contains acetic acid, and curd/sour milk contains lactic acid.

Differentiate between physical and chemical change with examples.

Physical change: no new substance formed, often reversible (e.g., melting ice). Chemical change: new substance formed, usually irreversible (e.g., rusting of iron, burning of paper).

List the key physical properties that distinguish metals from non-metals.

Metals: lustrous, malleable, ductile, good conductors of heat/electricity, sonorous, generally solid. Non-metals: dull, brittle, poor conductors, often gases or soft solids.

What is an alloy? Name the components of brass, bronze and steel.

An alloy is a homogeneous mixture of a metal with other metals/non-metals. Brass = copper + zinc; Bronze = copper + tin; Steel = iron + carbon.

Which is the most abundant metal and the most abundant element in the Earth's crust?

Aluminium is the most abundant metal; oxygen is the most abundant element overall in the Earth's crust.

Name the gas responsible for the rusting of iron and the conditions required.

Oxygen, in the presence of moisture (water), causes rusting of iron, forming hydrated iron oxide.

State the chemical formulas of common compounds: washing soda, baking soda, common salt and quicklime.

Washing soda = Na2CO3.10H2O; baking soda = NaHCO3; common salt = NaCl; quicklime = CaO.

What are the main parts of a cell and the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

Main parts: cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, and organelles. Prokaryotes (bacteria) lack a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles; eukaryotes have a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Why is the mitochondrion called the 'powerhouse of the cell'?

Because it produces energy in the form of ATP through cellular respiration.

What is the function of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets?

RBCs carry oxygen (via haemoglobin); WBCs fight infection (immunity); platelets help in blood clotting.

Name the four chambers of the human heart.

Two upper chambers (right atrium and left atrium) and two lower chambers (right ventricle and left ventricle).

Which organ produces insulin and what does insulin regulate?

The pancreas (islets of Langerhans / beta cells) produces insulin, which regulates blood glucose (sugar) levels.

Name the major components of a balanced diet.

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, water, and dietary fibre (roughage).

Match these deficiency diseases with their nutrients: scurvy, rickets, goitre, anaemia.

Scurvy = Vitamin C deficiency; rickets = Vitamin D deficiency; goitre = iodine deficiency; anaemia = iron deficiency.

Differentiate between communicable and non-communicable diseases with examples.

Communicable diseases spread from person to person via pathogens (e.g., tuberculosis, malaria, COVID-19). Non-communicable diseases do not spread and are often lifestyle/genetic (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, cancer).

Name the pathogens that cause malaria, dengue, tuberculosis and typhoid.

Malaria = Plasmodium (protozoan, via Anopheles mosquito); dengue = virus (via Aedes mosquito); tuberculosis = Mycobacterium tuberculosis (bacterium); typhoid = Salmonella typhi (bacterium).

What is DNA and where is genetic information stored?

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the molecule carrying hereditary information, stored in genes located on chromosomes inside the cell nucleus.

Who is known as the 'Father of Genetics' and what did he discover?

Gregor Mendel, who formulated the laws of inheritance (dominance, segregation, independent assortment) through experiments on pea plants.

What is biotechnology? Give two common applications.

Biotechnology is the use of living organisms or their systems to make products. Applications: producing genetically modified crops (e.g., Bt cotton), insulin, vaccines, and antibiotics.

What are GM crops and name an example grown in India.

Genetically Modified crops have DNA altered using genetic engineering for traits like pest resistance. Bt cotton is the example commercially grown in India.

Name the five kingdoms of biological classification.

Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia (Whittaker's five-kingdom classification).

Differentiate between vertebrates and invertebrates with examples.

Vertebrates have a backbone/spinal column (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals). Invertebrates lack a backbone (insects, worms, molluscs, jellyfish).

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

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants make food using sunlight. Raw materials: carbon dioxide and water; products: glucose and oxygen (using chlorophyll and sunlight).

Define ecosystem and its two main components.

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their non-living environment. Components: biotic (plants, animals, microbes) and abiotic (water, soil, air, sunlight).

What is a food chain, and what are producers, consumers and decomposers?

A food chain shows energy flow from one organism to another. Producers make food (plants); consumers eat others (herbivores/carnivores); decomposers break down dead matter (bacteria, fungi).

What is biodiversity and what are the three levels of biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the variety of life forms on Earth. Three levels: genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.

Name the major air pollutants and the gas chiefly responsible for the greenhouse effect.

Major air pollutants: carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, ozone. Carbon dioxide is the chief greenhouse gas (though methane is more potent per molecule).

What causes the depletion of the ozone layer and which protocol addresses it?

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) deplete the ozone layer. The Montreal Protocol (1987) addresses phasing out ozone-depleting substances.

What is the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement?

The Kyoto Protocol (1997) bound developed nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Paris Agreement (2015) aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees C, ideally 1.5 degrees C, above pre-industrial levels.

Name two major Indian environmental laws and the body that designates protected areas.

The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Biosphere Reserves are protected areas designated under the Wildlife Protection Act framework.