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
81
The disintegration of a state into smaller, often hostile, units along ethnic or linguistic lines is known as:
Answer:
Balkanization
Balkanization is the fragmentation of a larger region or state into smaller regions or states, which may be hostile or uncooperative with one another, named after the history of the Balkan Peninsula.
82
Oceanic crust is generally _______________ than continental crust.
Answer:
Thinner and denser
Oceanic crust (mostly basalt) is significantly thinner but denser than continental crust (mostly granite), which is why oceanic plates subduct beneath continental plates.
83
A boundary drawn as a straight line (often along lines of latitude or longitude) without regard for physical features or cultural groups is called a:
Answer:
Geometric boundary
Geometric boundaries are formed by straight lines (such as the 49th parallel between the US and Canada) or arcs, regardless of the physical or cultural geography.
84
Which seismic waves are compressional and travel the fastest, arriving first at a seismic station?
Answer:
P-waves (Primary)
P-waves, or Primary waves, are longitudinal compression waves. They travel faster than other seismic waves and can move through solids, liquids, and gases.
85
The Wakhan Corridor is a narrow strip of territory in Afghanistan. What geopolitical shape does this give the country?
Answer:
Prorupted
Afghanistan is a prorupted state because it has a compact area with a long extension (the Wakhan Corridor), which was historically created to act as a buffer between the Russian and British empires.
86
The process by which one tectonic plate moves under another and sinks into the mantle is known as:
Answer:
Subduction
Subduction is the geological process that takes place at convergent boundaries where one plate moves under another and is forced or sinks due to gravity into the mantle.
87
What term describes a nation of people who do not have their own sovereign state?
Answer:
Stateless nation
A stateless nation is an ethnic group or nation that does not possess its own state and is not the majority population in any nation state (e.g., The Kurds).
88
Continental crust is primarily composed of which rock type, often referred to as 'Sial'?
Answer:
Granite
Continental crust is often described as granitic (felsic) and was historically termed 'Sial' due to being rich in Silica and Aluminum.
89
The Kuril Islands are a subject of a long-standing territorial dispute between:
Answer:
Russia and Japan
The Kuril Islands dispute is a disagreement between Japan and Russia over the sovereignty of the four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain.
90
The semi-fluid layer of the upper mantle upon which the tectonic plates float is called the:
Answer:
Asthenosphere
The asthenosphere is the highly viscous, mechanically weak, and ductile region of the upper mantle on which the rigid lithospheric plates move.