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
71
Which trio won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2014 for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs)?
Answer:
Akasaki, Amano, Nakamura
Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano, and Shuji Nakamura invented the blue LED, which enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources.
72
Enrico Fermi won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1938 for his work on:
Answer:
Induced radioactivity by neutron bombardment
Fermi demonstrated the existence of new radioactive elements produced by neutron irradiation and discovered nuclear reactions brought about by slow neutrons.
73
Who was the first person to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry twice (1958 and 1980)?
Answer:
Frederick Sanger
Sanger won in 1958 for the structure of proteins (insulin) and in 1980 for DNA sequencing methods. (Barry Sharpless later also won twice).
74
Kary Mullis won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1993 for inventing:
Answer:
PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
Mullis developed PCR, a method to amplify specific DNA sequences, which revolutionized molecular biology and forensics.
75
Who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964 for the determination of the structures of important biochemical substances by means of X-ray techniques?
Answer:
Dorothy Hodgkin
Hodgkin solved the atomic structures of critical molecules like penicillin and vitamin B12 using X-ray crystallography.
76
Fritz Haber won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1918 for the synthesis of:
Answer:
Ammonia
The Haber-Bosch process synthesizes ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen, which is essential for fertilizers and global food production.
77
J.J. Thomson received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1906 for the discovery of the:
Answer:
Electron
Thomson's experiments with cathode rays led to the discovery of the electron, the first subatomic particle to be identified.
78
Barbara McClintock won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1983 for the discovery of:
Answer:
Mobile genetic elements (Transposons)
McClintock discovered 'jumping genes' in maize, showing that genetic information is not stationary but can move within the genome.
79
Who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2020 for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity?
Answer:
Roger Penrose
Roger Penrose used ingenious mathematical methods to prove that black holes are a direct consequence of Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity.
80
Frederick Banting and J.J.R. Macleod won the Nobel Prize in 1923 for the discovery of:
Answer:
Insulin
Their discovery of insulin at the University of Toronto was a life-saving breakthrough for the treatment of diabetes.