General Knowledge MCQs
Topic Notes: General Knowledge
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
31
Who proposed the continental drift theory?
Answer:
Alfred Wegener
Wegener suggested in 1912 that continents were once joined in a supercontinent called Pangea and drifted apart.
32
Who discovered that white light is composed of a spectrum of colors?
Answer:
Isaac Newton
Newton used a prism to split white light into its component colors, proving that color is a property of light.
33
Which scientist is famous for his work on classical conditioning with dogs?
Answer:
Ivan Pavlov
Pavlov demonstrated that a neutral stimulus (bell) could trigger a reflex (salivation) if paired with food.
34
Who invented the first practical steam engine, sparking the Industrial Revolution?
Answer:
Thomas Newcomen
While James Watt improved it significantly later, Thomas Newcomen built the first practical steam engine in 1712 to pump water from mines.
35
Who was the French virologist who co-discovered HIV?
Answer:
Luc Montagnier
Luc Montagnier (along with Françoise Barré-Sinoussi) identified the virus that causes AIDS in 1983.
36
Which scientist discovered the law of elasticity (Hooke's Law)?
Answer:
Robert Hooke
Robert Hooke discovered that the force needed to extend or compress a spring is proportional to that distance.
37
Who is considered the founder of modern geology for his theory of uniformitarianism?
Answer:
James Hutton
Hutton proposed that the Earth was shaped by slow, continuous processes over immense periods of time, rather than sudden catastrophes.
38
Who discovered the neutron in 1932?
Answer:
James Chadwick
Chadwick discovered the neutron, a neutral particle in the nucleus, which was crucial for the development of nuclear energy.
39
Which ancient Greek scholar calculated the circumference of the Earth with remarkable accuracy?
Answer:
Eratosthenes
Eratosthenes calculated the Earth's circumference by comparing the angles of shadows at noon in two different cities (Alexandria and Syene).
40
Who is credited with inventing the barometer?
Answer:
Evangelista Torricelli
Torricelli, a student of Galileo, invented the barometer in 1643 to measure atmospheric pressure.