SSC CGL — Set 22

Correct Answer: A. Silicon

Silicon is a semiconductor that converts sunlight directly into electricity through the photovoltaic effect. It is the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust after oxygen. Most commercial solar panels are made from high-purity crystalline silicon wafers.

Correct Answer: B. Nizam of Hyderabad

The Nizam of Hyderabad signed the Subsidiary Alliance in 1798 to seek protection from the Marathas and Mysore. Under this treaty, the ruler had to maintain a British force and accept a British Resident at their court. This system was a key tool used by the British to expand their political influence in India.

Correct Answer: C. Protein Synthesis

Ribosomes are known as the protein factories of the cell as they translate genetic code into polypeptide chains. They can be found floating freely in the cytoplasm or attached to the endoplasmic reticulum. Every living cell requires ribosomes to produce the essential proteins needed for life.

Correct Answer: A. Dhupgarh

Dhupgarh is located in Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh, and stands at an elevation of 1,350 meters. It provides a panoramic view of the surrounding Satpura Tiger Reserve and the Mahadeo Hills. Guru Shikhar is the highest peak of the Aravalli Range, while Doddabetta belongs to the Nilgiris.

Correct Answer: C. Right to Constitutional Remedies

Article 32 allows citizens to move the Supreme Court for the enforcement of their Fundamental Rights. Ambedkar believed that rights are meaningless without a legal mechanism to protect them from violation. This article empowers the court to issue various writs like Habeas Corpus and Mandamus.

Correct Answer: B. Radioactivity

The Curie is a non-SI unit of radioactivity named after the pioneers Pierre and Marie Curie. It is defined as the amount of any radioactive isotope that decays at the same rate as one gram of Radium-226. In the modern SI system, the Becquerel (Bq) is the standard unit for measuring decay.

Correct Answer: B. Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Raja Ram Mohan Roy established the Atmiya Sabha in Calcutta to conduct philosophical discussions on the unity of God. This society was a precursor to the Brahmo Samaj, which aimed at purging Hinduism of rituals and superstitions. He is often called the Father of the Indian Renaissance for his reformist zeal.

Correct Answer: B. Bad money drives out good money

Gresham's Law states that if two types of money are in circulation, people will hoard the more valuable one and spend the less valuable. This typically occurs in systems where the legal value of coins differs from their actual metal content. It is named after Sir Thomas Gresham, a financial advisor to the English monarchy.

Correct Answer: C. Bab-el-Mandeb

Bab-el-Mandeb is a strategic maritime passage located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti in Africa. It is a vital link in the trade route between the Mediterranean Sea and East Asia through the Suez Canal. The name translates to 'Gate of Grief' due to the historical dangers of navigating its waters.

Correct Answer: B. Insulin

Insulin is produced by the beta cells of the pancreas to help glucose enter cells for energy production. A lack of insulin or the body's inability to use it properly leads to a condition called diabetes mellitus. Glucagon is the antagonistic hormone that raises blood sugar levels when they are too low.

Correct Answer: B. 1931

The pact was signed on March 5, 1931, between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of India. It led to the suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement and the release of political prisoners not accused of violence. Gandhi agreed to participate in the Second Round Table Conference in London as a result.

Correct Answer: B. Eighth Schedule

The Eighth Schedule currently recognizes 22 regional languages, including Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali. Originally, it contained only 14 languages, but others were added through various constitutional amendments. Inclusion in this schedule provides official patronage and representation in national literary bodies.

Correct Answer: A. Hypo

Hypo is used as a photographic fixer to dissolve unexposed silver halides from films and prints. This process makes the image permanent and prevents it from darkening further when exposed to light. It is also used in water treatment to neutralize chlorine levels in pools and aquariums.

Correct Answer: C. Andhra Pradesh

This tiger reserve spans across five districts in the Nallamala forest range of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is home to diverse flora and fauna, including the Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, and sloth bear. The Krishna River flows through the reserve, providing a vital water source for the ecosystem.

Correct Answer: C. Arundhati Roy

Arundhati Roy won the prestigious award in 1997 for her debut novel, 'The God of Small Things'. Salman Rushdie had won earlier but he is a British-Indian citizen; Roy was the first Indian-resident citizen to win. Her novel explores the social and political complexities of life in the southern state of Kerala.

Correct Answer: C. Argon

Argon is an inert gas that does not react with the hot filament, thereby increasing the lifespan of the bulb. It also reduces the evaporation of the tungsten metal at high temperatures compared to a vacuum. In some specialized bulbs, a mixture of argon and nitrogen is used for better efficiency.

Correct Answer: B. Chandelas

The Khajuraho temples were built by the Chandelas, a Rajput dynasty that ruled central India from the 9th to 13th centuries. The Chandelas constructed over 80 temples between 950 CE and 1050 CE, of which 20 survive today. These temples are renowned for their elaborate erotic sculptures and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Correct Answer: C. 30 years

According to Article 84 of the Constitution, a person must be at least 30 years old to represent a state in the Upper House. For the Lok Sabha, the minimum age requirement is lower at 25 years. The Rajya Sabha is a permanent body where one-third of the members retire every two years.

Correct Answer: C. Sandstone

Sandstone is formed by the accumulation and lithification of sand-sized mineral particles over millions of years. These rocks often contain fossils and show distinct layers called strata, unlike igneous rocks like granite. Marble is a metamorphic rock formed from the transformation of limestone under heat and pressure.

Correct Answer: C. Barometer

Evangelista Torricelli invented the mercury barometer to measure the weight of the air pressing down on a specific location. Changes in atmospheric pressure are often used in meteorology to predict short-term changes in weather. High pressure generally indicates clear skies, while falling pressure often precedes a storm.

Correct Answer: C. Third

Tipu Sultan signed this treaty after his defeat in the Third Anglo-Mysore War against the British, Marathas, and the Nizam. He had to surrender half of his kingdom and pay a heavy war indemnity to the allied forces. Two of his sons were also taken as hostages by Lord Cornwallis until the payment was made.

Correct Answer: C. Immune Defense

Leukocytes are the primary components of the immune system that protect the body against infectious diseases and foreign invaders. They are produced in the bone marrow and circulate through the blood and lymphatic system. An abnormally high count of these cells often indicates an active infection or inflammation.

Correct Answer: B. The Union Parliament

Article 248 grants the Parliament exclusive power to make laws on any matter not mentioned in the Union, State, or Concurrent lists. This principle is borrowed from the Canadian Constitution to ensure a strong central government. In the US and Australian models, residual powers typically belong to the states.

Correct Answer: C. Jammu and Kashmir

The Pampore region of Jammu and Kashmir is world-famous for its high-quality saffron cultivation in karewa soil. Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, derived from the dried stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower. It requires specific climatic conditions and labor-intensive harvesting methods to produce.

Correct Answer: B. Calcium Hypochlorite

Calcium Hypochlorite is a powerful oxidizing agent used for water purification and as a bleaching agent in industries. It is produced by treating slaked lime with chlorine gas in a chemical reactor. The powder releases chlorine when exposed to moisture, which acts as a potent disinfectant.

Correct Answer: B. 1896

Rabindranath Tagore sang Vande Mataram at the 1896 Calcutta session, which was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. The song later became a popular anthem during the Swadeshi Movement and the struggle for independence. It was adopted as the National Song of India on January 24, 1950.

Correct Answer: C. Producers

Producers, such as green plants and algae, are autotrophs that synthesize their own food using solar energy. They form the base of the food chain, providing energy for all subsequent levels of consumers. Energy decreases as one moves higher up the trophic levels due to metabolic losses.

Correct Answer: B. Income Inequality

The Gini Coefficient ranges from 0 to 1, where 0 represents perfect equality and 1 represents absolute inequality. It is derived from the Lorenz Curve, which plots the cumulative income of a population against the cumulative number of people. Governments use this metric to assess the impact of social and economic policies.

Correct Answer: C. Corona

The Corona is the Sun's outermost atmosphere, consisting of plasma that extends millions of kilometers into space. It is usually hidden by the bright light of the photosphere but becomes visible as a pearly white halo during an eclipse. Surprisingly, the corona is much hotter than the surface of the Sun.

Correct Answer: B. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, also known as Frontier Gandhi, founded this non-violent resistance movement against British rule. The members were committed to social reform and peaceful struggle, often wearing red shirts as their uniform. He was the first non-Indian to be awarded the Bharat Ratna for his contributions.

Correct Answer: B. Hypermetropia

Hypermetropia, or far-sightedness, occurs when light rays focus behind the retina instead of on it. This defect is usually corrected using a convex lens, which converges light rays before they enter the eye. Myopia is the opposite condition where distant objects appear blurry to the observer.

Correct Answer: C. Article 226

Article 226 gives High Courts broader powers than the Supreme Court, as they can issue writs for both legal and fundamental rights. Citizens can approach their respective state High Courts to seek immediate relief against administrative actions. These writs include Certiorari, Prohibition, and Quo Warranto among others.

Correct Answer: C. Argon

Argon makes up approximately 0.93 percent of the Earth's atmosphere by volume, making it the third most common gas. It is chemically inert and is produced commercially through the fractional distillation of liquid air. Argon is widely used in fluorescent lighting and as a protective gas for welding.

Correct Answer: B. Brahmaputra

Majuli is situated in the Brahmaputra River in Assam and is the center of Neo-Vaishnavite culture in the region. It was declared the first island district of India in 2016 to preserve its unique heritage. The island faces severe challenges from annual floods and river bank erosion.

Correct Answer: B. Bachendri Pal

Bachendri Pal reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 23, 1984, just before her 30th birthday. Her achievement inspired countless women in India to pursue adventure sports and mountaineering. She was later honored with the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award.

Correct Answer: C. Scattering of light

The Raman Effect involves the change in the wavelength of light that occurs when a light beam is deflected by molecules. This discovery in 1928 proved that photons could exchange energy with matter, changing their color. National Science Day is celebrated in India on February 28 to mark this discovery.

Correct Answer: B. Bengaluru

Bengaluru earned this title due to the establishment of the Electronics City industrial park, which is a major IT hub. It serves as the headquarters for many leading global and Indian software and hardware companies. The city is also considered the 'Silicon Valley of India' for its thriving startup ecosystem.

Correct Answer: A. Shah Alam II

Shah Alam II was the titular Mughal Emperor when the Maratha Empire faced the Afghan forces of Ahmad Shah Abdali. Although the Mughals were not direct participants, the battle led to a significant shift in Indian power dynamics. Shah Alam II later spent much of his reign under the protection of the Marathas and the British.

Correct Answer: A. Dioptre

A dioptre is defined as the reciprocal of the focal length of a lens measured in meters. A positive dioptre value indicates a converging (convex) lens, while a negative value indicates a diverging (concave) lens. This unit is standard for describing the strength of eyeglasses and contact lenses.

Correct Answer: C. Saltwater Crocodile

Bhitarkanika is home to the largest population of saltwater crocodiles in India and is a designated Ramsar wetland site. The park features a unique mangrove ecosystem that protects the coastline from cyclones and provides a nursery for fish. It also serves as a nesting ground for thousands of migratory birds annually.