Here are 25 multiple-choice questions focusing on “Everyday Observation and Experience” within General Knowledge, suitable for JKSSB and similar competitive exams:
Topic: General Knowledge – Everyday Observation and Experience
Q1. Which of the following is commonly used as an antiseptic to clean wounds at home?
(a) Vinegar
(b) Baking soda
(c) Dettol or Savlon
(d) Lemon juice
Answer: (c) Dettol or Savlon
Explanation: Dettol and Savlon are common antiseptic liquids used for first aid and wound cleaning due to their germ-killing properties.
Q2. Why do ice cubes float in water?
(a) Ice is denser than water.
(b) Ice is less dense than water.
(c) Ice is made of frozen air.
(d) Water expands when it freezes.
Answer: (b) Ice is less dense than water.
Explanation: Water expands when it freezes, making ice less dense than liquid water, which is why it floats.
Q3. What causes the distinctive smell of rain, especially after a dry spell?
(a) Ozone gas
(b) Petrichor (a combination of plant oils and bacteria)
(c) Dust particles in the air
(d) Water vapour condensing
Answer: (b) Petrichor (a combination of plant oils and bacteria)
Explanation: Petrichor is the earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil. It’s caused by oils released from plants and a chemical compound called geosmin produced by certain bacteria.
Q4. Which common household appliance primarily uses the principle of convection to heat food?
(a) Toaster
(b) Microwave oven
(c) Electric kettle
(d) Oven (conventional)
Answer: (d) Oven (conventional)
Explanation: Conventional ovens heat food mainly through convection, where hot air circulates to cook the food. Toasters use radiation, microwave ovens use microwaves, and electric kettles use conduction to heat water.
Q5. Why does a spoon left in a hot cup of tea become warm?
(a) Convection
(b) Radiation
(c) Conduction
(d) Evaporation
Answer: (c) Conduction
Explanation: Heat is transferred from the hot tea to the spoon through direct contact, which is an example of conduction.
Q6. What is the primary reason we add salt to food during cooking?
(a) To reduce cooking time
(b) To enhance flavour
(c) To increase nutritional value
(d) To prevent burning
Answer: (b) To enhance flavour
Explanation: Salt is a common seasoning that significantly enhances the taste and flavour of food.
Q7. Why do puddles dry up faster on a windy day than on a calm day?
(a) Wind increases the water’s temperature.
(b) Wind speeds up the evaporation process.
(c) Wind pushes the water away.
(d) Wind reduces the air pressure.
Answer: (b) Wind speeds up the evaporation process.
Explanation: Wind carries away the water vapor molecules from the surface of the puddle, allowing more water molecules to evaporate, thus speeding up the drying process.
Q8. Which gas do plants primarily absorb from the atmosphere for photosynthesis?
(a) Oxygen
(b) Nitrogen
(c) Carbon dioxide
(d) Methane
Answer: (c) Carbon dioxide
Explanation: Plants take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, along with water and sunlight, to produce glucose (food) and oxygen through photosynthesis.
Q9. What causes the tingling sensation and fizz when you drink a carbonated beverage?
(a) Presence of sugar
(b) Dissolved oxygen
(c) Dissolved carbon dioxide gas
(d) Artificial flavours
Answer: (c) Dissolved carbon dioxide gas
Explanation: Carbonated beverages contain dissolved carbon dioxide gas, which creates the bubbles, fizz, and the characteristic tingling sensation on the tongue.
Q10. Why do people often feel sleepy after a heavy meal?
(a) Drop in blood sugar levels
(b) Increase in body temperature
(c) Blood flow diverted to the digestive system
(d) Release of adrenaline
Answer: (c) Blood flow diverted to the digestive system
Explanation: After a heavy meal, the body directs more blood to the digestive system to process the food, which can temporarily reduce blood flow to the brain, leading to a feeling of drowsiness.
Q11. What is the main purpose of putting food in a refrigerator?
(a) To cook the food
(b) To prevent microbial growth and spoilage
(c) To make the food colder
(d) To change the food’s texture
Answer: (b) To prevent microbial growth and spoilage
Explanation: Refrigeration slows down the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms that cause food to spoil, thereby preserving it for longer.
Q12. Which of the following is an example of a physical change?
(a) Burning of wood
(b) Rusting of iron
(c) Melting of ice
(d) Digestion of food
Answer: (c) Melting of ice
Explanation: Melting of ice is a physical change because the chemical composition of water remains the same (H2O), it just changes its state from solid to liquid. The other options are chemical changes.
Q13. Why do stars appear to twinkle in the night sky?
(a) Stars are actually changing their brightness.
(b) Due to the Earth’s rotation.
(c) Due to atmospheric turbulence and refraction.
(d) Because of dust in space.
Answer: (c) Due to atmospheric turbulence and refraction.
Explanation: Starlight passes through various layers of Earth’s atmosphere, which cause it to bend and refract, creating the twinkling effect.
Q14. What causes the sound of thunder?
(a) Raindrops hitting the ground
(b) Clouds colliding with each other
(c) Rapid expansion of superheated air around a lightning bolt
(d) The sound produced by lightning itself
Answer: (c) Rapid expansion of superheated air around a lightning bolt
Explanation: When lightning strikes, it superheats the air around it to extremely high temperatures in a fraction of a second. This rapid expansion of air creates a shockwave, which we hear as thunder.
Q15. Which household material is commonly used to clean silver items and remove tarnish?
(a) Bleach
(b) Toothpaste (non-gel)
(c) Vinegar
(d) Dish soap
Answer: (b) Toothpaste (non-gel)
Explanation: Non-gel toothpaste, with its mild abrasive properties, can effectively remove tarnish from silver items.
Q16. Why does sugar dissolve faster in hot water than in cold water?
(a) Hot water molecules are larger.
(b) Hot water has less density.
(c) Hot water molecules have more kinetic energy, leading to more frequent collisions with sugar molecules.
(d) Sugar reacts chemically with hot water.
Answer: (c) Hot water molecules have more kinetic energy, leading to more frequent collisions with sugar molecules.
Explanation: Increased temperature gives water molecules more energy, making them move faster and collide more frequently with the sugar particles, thus speeding up the dissolving process.
Q17. What is the primary function of soap when washing hands?
(a) To add fragrance
(b) To moisturize the skin
(c) To emulsify oils and dirt, allowing them to be rinsed away with water
(d) To kill bacteria directly through chemical reaction
Answer: (c) To emulsify oils and dirt, allowing them to be rinsed away with water
Explanation: Soap molecules have both water-loving (hydrophilic) and oil-loving (hydrophobic) ends, which allows them to bind to oils and dirt, surround them, and lift them off the skin, enabling water to rinse them away.
Q18. Why do vehicles like cars and bicycles have tires made of rubber?
(a) Rubber is cheap and easily available.
(b) Rubber provides good friction and grip on the road.
(c) Rubber is lightweight.
(d) Rubber is a good conductor of heat.
Answer: (b) Rubber provides good friction and grip on the road.
Explanation: Rubber’s elastic properties and high coefficient of friction provide excellent grip, traction, and shock absorption, which are crucial for vehicle safety and performance.
Q19. What is the best way to extinguish a small fire caused by oil or grease in the kitchen?
(a) Pour water on it
(b) Use a fire extinguisher (Class A)
(c) Cover it with a lid or baking soda
(d) Blow on it to put it out
Answer: (c) Cover it with a lid or baking soda
Explanation: Pouring water on an oil fire can spread it. A Class A extinguisher is for ordinary combustibles. Covering the fire with a lid or smothering it with baking soda cuts off the oxygen supply, extinguishing it safely (Class B or K fires).
Q20. Why do objects normally cast a shadow?
(a) They absorb all light.
(b) They emit their own light.
(c) They block the path of light.
(d) They reflect light in all directions.
Answer: (c) They block the path of light.
Explanation: Shadows are formed when an opaque or translucent object obstructs the path of light, preventing it from reaching a surface behind the object.
Q21. What is the common term for the vibration of the Earth’s surface caused by the sudden release of energy in the Earth’s lithosphere?
(a) Tsunami
(b) Volcanic eruption
(c) Earthquake
(d) Landslide
Answer: (c) Earthquake
Explanation: An earthquake is the shaking of the Earth’s surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth’s lithosphere that creates seismic waves.
Q22. Which of the following best describes why a pressure cooker cooks food faster?
(a) It uses less water.
(b) It creates higher pressure, raising the boiling point of water.
(c) It heats the food directly.
(d) It traps more steam.
Answer: (b) It creates higher pressure, raising the boiling point of water.
Explanation: A pressure cooker traps steam, increasing the pressure inside the cooker. This elevated pressure raises the boiling point of water, allowing food to cook at a higher temperature and thus more quickly.
Q23. Why is it important to consume a wide variety of foods?
(a) To satisfy taste buds
(b) To ensure all necessary nutrients are obtained
(c) To increase appetite
(d) To make meals more interesting
Answer: (b) To ensure all necessary nutrients are obtained
Explanation: Different foods provide different vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients. A varied diet ensures that the body receives all the essential components it needs for health and proper functioning.
Q24. What happens when you mix baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) with vinegar (acetic acid)?
(a) They form a strong acid.
(b) They produce heat and light.
(c) They react to produce carbon dioxide gas.
(d) They become inert and harmless.
Answer: (c) They react to produce carbon dioxide gas.
Explanation: The reaction between baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) is a classic acid-base reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas, water, and a salt (sodium acetate), often visualised by the fizzing bubbles of CO2.
Q25. Which of these materials is typically used to insulate electrical wires?
(a) Copper
(b) Aluminium
(c) Plastic or rubber
(d) Steel
Answer: (c) Plastic or rubber
Explanation: Plastic and rubber are excellent electrical insulators, meaning they do not conduct electricity. This prevents electric current from escaping the wire and causing shocks or short circuits. Copper and aluminium are conductors.
