Today’s GK Test Quiz

Ashoka Chakra depicted on the National Flag of India is taken from the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes.

Sleeping sickness is caused by microscopic parasites of the species Trypanosoma Brucei. It is transmitted by the tsetse fly (Glossina species).

Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) discovered the basic principles of heredity through experiments with pea plants, long before the discovery of DNA and genes.

The average heartbeat rate per minute in a normal person is 72. A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. Generally, a lower heart rate at rest implies more efficient heart function and better cardiovascular fitness.

Monocot and dicot plants have different pollen structures. In a monocot, the pollen grain produced by the flower has a single furrow or pore through the outer layer. In a dicot plant, the pollen grain has three furrows or pores.

Heavy metals are generally referred to the metals with relatively high atomic weights in the range of 63.5–200.6 g mol⁻¹ and densities more than 5g cm^−3.

Arsenic, mercury, cadmium and fluoride are the main pollutants in the drinking water which are found in some parts of India.

In a lead-acid battery, the cathode is made of lead dioxide, and the anode is made of metallic lead. The two electrodes are separated by an electrolyte of sulfuric acid. Here, lead dioxide, lead metal, and sulfuric acid react to form lead sulphate and water; the separate processes are the oxidation of lead to lead sulphate at one electrode and the reduction of lead dioxide to lead sulphate at the other while the electric charge is transported through the electrolyte by the migration of hydrogen ions.

All steel contains at least some amount of carbon. After all, steel is defined as an alloy of iron and carbon. By adding carbon to it, the metal becomes stronger and harder. The percentage of carbon in steel ranges from 0.1 to 2. Depending on the carbon percentage, steel is classified into mild steel (0.02–0.05%), medium-carbon steel (0.05–1%) and high-carbon steel (1–2%).

Water softening is the removal of calcium, magnesium, and certain other metal cations in hard water. It can be removed by using a water softener which works on the principle of ion exchange in which calcium and magnesium ions are exchanged with sodium or potassium ions, reducing the concentration of hardness minerals to tolerable levels.

Article 32 deals with the 'Right to Constitutional Remedies', or affirms the right to move the Supreme Court by appropriate proceedings for the enforcement of the rights conferred in Part III of the Constitution. Article 32 is the protector of the rights of the citizens of India and is regarded as the 'heart and soul of the constitution'.

The highest-ranking civil servant is the Cabinet Secretary. They are ex-officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board; the chief of the Indian Administrative Service and head of all civil services under the rules of business of the Government of India.

Under Article 352, the president can declare a national emergency when the security of India or a part of it is threatened by war or external aggression or armed rebellion. The proclamation of emergency must be approved by both the houses of parliament within one month from the date of its issue. If approved by both the houses, the Emergency continues for 6 months and can be extended to an indefinite period with an approval of the Parliament for every six months.

42nd Amendment, 1976 of the Indian Constitution inserted the two words — 'Socialist' and 'Secular' in the Preamble.

The correct match is as follows:

Charles Babbage was an English polymath. He originated the concept of a digital programmable computer. Babbage is called the 'Father of the Computer'.

The first recorded use of the word geography was by Eratosthenes (276–194 BC), a Greek scholar who is credited with creating the discipline of geography.

Dyarchy is a system of double government introduced by the Government of India Act (1919) for the provinces of British India.

Dyarchy system of double government was introduced by the Government of India Act (1919) for the provinces of British India. It marked the first introduction of the democratic principle into the executive branch of the British administration of India.

Longitudinal waves such as sound cannot travel through the vacuum as they need a medium to travel. Light and other types of electromagnetic waves are considered transverse waves. These waves travel through a vacuum as they do not need a medium for their propagation.