General Science/Everyday Science MCQs
Topic Notes: General Science/Everyday Science
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
1
What is the primary role of a 'geostationary' satellite?
Answer:
Staying fixed over one point on the equator for communication
Geostationary satellites orbit at the same speed Earth rotates, appearing stationary over a fixed point on the equator. This makes them ideal for television broadcasting and weather monitoring.
2
Which mission was the first to take photos of the far side of the Moon?
Answer:
Luna 3
The Soviet probe Luna 3 was the first to photograph the far side of the Moon in 1959. It revealed that the far side is very different from the near side, lacking large dark plains (maria).
3
The first human-made object to reach the surface of the Moon was
Answer:
Luna 2
Luna 2 was the second of the Soviet Union's Luna program and the first spacecraft to reach the surface of the Moon, impacting it on September 14, 1959.
4
Which moon of Jupiter is the target of the 'Europa Clipper' mission?
Answer:
Europa
The Europa Clipper is a NASA mission being developed to study the Galilean moon Europa through a series of flybys while in orbit around Jupiter, searching for conditions suitable for life.
5
The 'Dawn' mission was the first to orbit which two bodies?
Answer:
Vesta and Ceres
NASA's Dawn mission was the first to visit and orbit two distinct extraterrestrial targets: the giant asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres, both in the main asteroid belt.
6
What is the name of the NASA mission designed to test planetary defense by crashing into an asteroid?
Answer:
DART
The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) was a NASA mission that intentionally crashed a spacecraft into the asteroid moon Dimorphos in 2022 to see if its orbit could be changed.
7
The first American woman in space was
Answer:
Sally Ride
Sally Ride became the first American woman in space on June 18, 1983, aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger as part of the STS-7 mission.
8
Which space telescope specifically observes the universe in X-rays?
Answer:
Chandra
The Chandra X-ray Observatory is a NASA telescope designed to detect X-ray emissions from very hot regions of the universe, such as exploded stars, clusters of galaxies, and matter around black holes.
9
What is the goal of the 'OSIRIS-REx' mission?
Answer:
Returning a sample from asteroid Bennu
OSIRIS-REx is a NASA mission that traveled to the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, collected a sample of rocks and dust from its surface, and successfully returned it to Earth in 2023.
10
The 'Venera' program was a series of missions to which planet?
Answer:
Venus
The Venera program was developed by the Soviet Union to study the planet Venus. Venera 7 became the first spacecraft to land on another planet and transmit data back to Earth in 1970.