General Science One Liners for Competitive Exams 2026

Everyday Science one liner - Environment, Ecology and Science Technology

1. Ecosystem and Biodiversity

• Who coined the ecological term 'Ecosystem' in 1935? - A.G. Tansley
• Who is recognized as the 'Father of Ecology' in India? - Ramdeo Misra
• Who coined the term 'Ecology' in 1866? - Ernst Haeckel
• Who coined the term 'Biodiversity' in 1985? - Walter G. Rosen
• What is the basic functional and structural unit of nature where living organisms interact with each other and their physical environment called? - Ecosystem
• What are the living components (plants, animals, microbes) of an ecosystem called? - Biotic Components
• What are the non-living physical and chemical factors (light, temperature, water, soil) of an ecosystem called? - Abiotic Components
• What organisms occupy the first trophic level by producing chemical energy via photosynthesis? - Primary Producers (Autotrophs)
• What organisms feed directly on green plants and occupy the second trophic level? - Primary Consumers (Herbivores)
• What organisms feed on primary consumers and occupy the third trophic level? - Secondary Consumers (Primary Carnivores)
• What is the sequential transfer of food energy from one organism to another called? - Food Chain
• What type of food chain begins with living green plants as producers? - Grazing Food Chain (GFC)
• What type of food chain begins with dead organic matter and decaying plant/animal litter? - Detritus Food Chain (DFC)
• What is a network of interconnected, complexly branching food chains within an ecosystem called? - Food Web
• What is the specific feeding position or level occupied by an organism in a food chain called? - Trophic Level
• Who formulated the famous '10 Percent Energy Law' of ecological energy transfer in 1942? - Raymond Lindeman
• According to the 10% law, what percentage of available energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next higher level? - 10% (the remaining 90% is lost as metabolic heat)
• If producers possess 10,000 Joules of energy, how much energy will reach the primary consumer level? - 1,000 Joules
• If producers possess 10,000 Joules of energy, how much energy will reach the top carnivore (tertiary consumer) level? - 10 Joules
• Is the flow of energy through an ecosystem unidirectional or cyclic? - Unidirectional (Non-cyclic)
• Is the biogeochemical cycling of inorganic nutrient elements through an ecosystem unidirectional or cyclic? - Cyclic
• Who introduced the graphical concept of 'Ecological Pyramids' in 1927? - Charles Elton
• What shape does a 'Pyramid of Energy' always have in every natural ecosystem without exception? - Always Upright
• What is the shape of the 'Pyramid of Numbers' in a grassland or pond ecosystem? - Upright
• What is the shape of the 'Pyramid of Numbers' for a single large tree ecosystem supporting numerous birds and parasites? - Inverted (Spindle-shaped)
• What is the shape of the 'Pyramid of Biomass' in a terrestrial forest or grassland ecosystem? - Upright
• What is the shape of the 'Pyramid of Biomass' in an aquatic (ocean or pond) ecosystem where phytoplanktons support heavy fishes? - Inverted
• What is the standing amount of living organic biomass present at a particular trophic level at a given time called? - Standing Crop
• What is the total amount of inorganic nutrients present in the soil/water at any given time called? - Standing State
• What is the rate at which organic biomass is synthesized by autotrophs through photosynthesis called? - Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)
• What is the biomass remaining after accounting for autotrophic metabolic respiration (R) called? - Net Primary Productivity (NPP=GPP−R)
• What is the narrow ecological transition zone between two distinct ecosystems called? - Ecotone (e.g., Mangroves, Marshes)
• What phenomenon describes the increased biodiversity and species density found within an ecotone? - Edge Effect
• What is the unique functional role and physical habitat occupied by a species in an ecosystem called? - Ecological Niche
• Who introduced the concept of 'Biodiversity Hotspots' in 1988? - Norman Myers
• How many global Biodiversity Hotspots are present across the world? - 36
• How many Biodiversity Hotspots overlap within the territory of India? - 4 (Himalaya, Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, Indo-Burma, and Sundaland)
• Which high-altitude region of Himachal Pradesh is famous for its cold-desert ecosystem biodiversity? - Spiti Valley / Pin Valley
• What method of wildlife conservation protects endangered species within their natural native habitats (e.g., National Parks, Sanctuaries)? - In-situ Conservation
• What method of wildlife conservation protects threatened species outside their natural habitats (e.g., Zoos, Botanical Gardens, Seed Banks)? - Ex-situ Conservation
• Under which type of conservation are National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Biosphere Reserves classified? - In-situ Conservation
• Under which type of conservation are Botanical Gardens, Zoological Parks, and Cryopreservation Gene Banks classified? - Ex-situ Conservation
• In which international convention held in 1971 were global wetlands of international importance designated? - Ramsar Convention (Iran)
• What international organization maintains the Red Data Book of threatened and endangered global species? - IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
• Where is the global headquarters of the IUCN located? - Gland, Switzerland
• What is the state animal of Himachal Pradesh listed as a vulnerable cold-habitat big cat? - Snow Leopard
• What is the state bird of Himachal Pradesh? - Western Tragopan (Jujurana)
• Which national park in Himachal Pradesh was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014? - Great Himalayan National Park (Kullu)
• What type of symbiotic relationship benefits one organism while the other remains unaffected (neither harmed nor benefited)? - Commensalism (e.g., Orchids on a tree)
• What type of biological interaction benefits both interacting species obligatorily? - Mutualism (e.g., Lichens, Mycorrhizae)

2. Pollution and Climate Change

• What are harmful chemical pollutants released directly from a source into the atmosphere (e.g., CO,SO2) called? - Primary Pollutants
• What are harmful pollutants formed through atmospheric chemical interactions between primary pollutants called? - Secondary Pollutants
• Name two major examples of secondary atmospheric pollutants. - Ozone (O3) and Peroxyacetyl Nitrate (PAN)
• What two primary atmospheric acidic gases dissolve in rainwater to precipitate Acid Rain? - Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
• What strong mineral acids are formed when SO2 and NO2 react with atmospheric water vapor? - Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) and Nitric Acid (HNO3)
• Below what threshold pH value is precipitation officially defined as Acid Rain? - 5.6
• What term describes the yellowing and corrosion of marble historical monuments (like the Taj Mahal) caused by acid rain? - Marble Cancer / Stone Leprosy
• What atmospheric phenomenon traps warm air over a cold air layer near the ground, preventing the dispersal of smog? - Thermal Inversion
• What toxic yellowish haze is formed by the reaction of sunlight with vehicle exhaust (NOx and hydrocarbons)? - Photochemical Smog (Los Angeles Smog)
• What reduced, sulfurous haze is formed in cold, damp coal-burning urban regions? - Classical Smog (London Smog)
• What natural optical organisms are sensitive to SO2 pollution and serve as bioindicators of clean air? - Lichens
• What is the natural warming of the Earth's surface caused by atmospheric gases trapping infrared heat radiation called? - Greenhouse Effect
• What is the primary greenhouse gas contributing the largest overall percentage to the natural greenhouse effect? - Water Vapor (H2O)
• What is the single largest anthropogenic (human-emitted) greenhouse gas driving modern global warming? - Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
• What greenhouse gas is emitted in large volumes from flooded rice paddies and ruminant cattle enteric fermentation? - Methane (CH4)
• Which potent greenhouse gas has a global warming potential nearly 300 times higher than CO2 and originates from fertilizers? - Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
• What synthetic fluorinated industrial gas family exhibits the longest atmospheric lifespans and highest global warming potentials? - Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) and Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
• In which atmospheric layer is the protective natural 'Ozone Shield' concentrated? - Stratosphere (approx. 15–35 km altitude)
• What unit is used to measure the vertical column thickness of stratospheric ozone? - Dobson Unit (DU)
• What is the average normal baseline thickness of the stratospheric ozone layer? - Approximately 300 Dobson Units (300 DU)
• What catalytic synthetic chemical compounds are responsible for stratospheric ozone layer depletion? - Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs / Freons)
• Which halogen free radical released from UV-photolyzed CFCs destroys up to 100,000 ozone molecules? - Chlorine Radical (Cl∙)
• Over which continent was a massive seasonal depletion of the ozone layer ('Ozone Hole') first discovered in 1985? - Antarctica
• Which landmark international environmental treaty signed in 1987 phased out the production of ozone-depleting substances? - Montreal Protocol
• Which 2016 amendment to the Montreal Protocol mandated the global phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)? - Kigali Amendment
• On which date is 'World Ozone Day' celebrated internationally every year? - September 16
• What international climate treaty adopted in 1997 legally bound industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse emissions? - Kyoto Protocol
• What international legally binding climate treaty was adopted at COP21 in 2015 to limit global warming below 2∘C? - Paris Agreement
• By which year has India officially pledged to achieve 'Net-Zero Carbon Emissions'? - 2070
• What is the phenomenon of increasing concentration of non-biodegradable toxins (like DDT and Mercury) at successive trophic levels called? - Biomagnification (Bioamplification)
• Why did high concentrations of DDT cause dramatic population crashes among predatory birds? - Interference with calcium metabolism leading to eggshell thinning
• What neurological disease is caused by industrial methylmercury water contamination (first discovered in Japan)? - Minamata Disease
• What painful skeletal and bone disorder is caused by chronic cadmium (Cd) water contamination? - Itai-Itai (Ouch-Ouch) Disease
• What pediatric condition is caused by high nitrate concentrations in drinking water, impairing infant oxygen transport? - Blue Baby Syndrome (Methemoglobinemia)
• What chronic skin and systemic toxicity is caused by drinking groundwater contaminated with excess Arsenic? - Blackfoot Disease / Arsenicosis
• What crippling bone and dental condition is caused by consuming water containing excess Fluoride? - Skeletal and Dental Fluorosis
• What is the excessive nutrient enrichment (nitrates and phosphates) of water bodies leading to algal blooms called? - Eutrophication
• What parameter measures the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic microorganisms to decompose organic wastes in water? - Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
• What does a high Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) value indicate about a water sample? - High Organic Pollution and Low Dissolved Oxygen
• What particulate matter size fraction is considered most dangerous because it penetrates deep into human alveoli? - PM2.5 (≤2.5 micrometers)
• What physical device uses high-voltage electrostatic charges to remove particulate ash from industrial chimney exhaust? - Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP)
• What exhaust device fitted in automobiles converts toxic CO,NOx, and hydrocarbons into CO2,N2, and H2O using platinum/rhodium? - Catalytic Converter
• In which year was the 'Environment Protection Act' enacted in India following the Bhopal Gas Tragedy? - 1986
• In which year was the 'Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act' enacted in India? - 1974
• In which year was the 'Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act' enacted in India? - 1981
• In which year was the 'Wildlife Protection Act' enacted in India? - 1972
• In which year was the 'National Green Tribunal (NGT)' established for expedited environmental dispute adjudication? - 2010
• Where is the principal judicial bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) located? - New Delhi
• What color bin is standardized for collecting wet, biodegradable municipal organic waste under Indian sanitation norms? - Green Bin
• What color bin is standardized for collecting dry, recyclable non-biodegradable municipal solid waste? - Blue Bin

3. Recent Sci-Tech: Space Missions (ISRO)

• When was the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) established? - August 15, 1969
• Where is the central headquarters of ISRO located? - Bengaluru, Karnataka
• Who is celebrated as the 'Father of the Indian Space Programme'? - Dr. Vikram Sarabhai
• What is the name of India's premier primary rocket launch spaceport located on Sriharikota island in Andhra Pradesh? - Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC - SHAR)
• Where is the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) situated? - Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
• What was India's first indigenous experimental artificial satellite launched on April 19, 1975? - Aryabhata
• Which Soviet launch vehicle carried India's first satellite 'Aryabhata' into orbit? - Kosmos-3M
• What was India's first experimental geostationary communication satellite launched in 1981? - APPLE (Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment)
• What heavy-lift launch vehicle of ISRO is known as the 'Workhorse of ISRO'? - PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle)
• How many stages are present in the propulsion system of the PSLV launch vehicle? - 4 Stages (Solid - Liquid - Solid - Liquid)
• What high-efficiency liquid rocket engine developed by ISRO powers the second stage of PSLV and LVM3? - Vikas Engine
• Who was the pioneering Indian aerospace scientist after whom the Vikas engine is named? - Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai
• What specialized low-temperature propulsion engine utilizes liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LOX)? - Cryogenic Engine
• What is the name of India's heaviest and most powerful commercial launch vehicle (formerly GSLV Mk-III)? - LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3)
• What is the payload capacity of LVM3 into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO)? - Approximately 4,000 kg (4 Tonnes)
• In which year was India's first deep-space lunar orbiter mission 'Chandrayaan-1' launched? - October 22, 2008
• What monumental scientific discovery was made on the Moon by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) on Chandrayaan-1? - Discovery of Water Molecules (H2O / Hydroxyl) on the Lunar Surface
• What was the name of India's first interplanetary mission to Mars launched on November 5, 2013? - Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM / Mangalyaan)
• Which launch vehicle launched the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan)? - PSLV-C25
• In which year did Mangalyaan successfully enter the Martian orbit on its very first attempt? - September 24, 2014
• In which year did ISRO set a global record by deploying 104 satellites in a single launch? - February 15, 2017 (onboard PSLV-C37)
• In which year was the 'Chandrayaan-2' lunar mission launched carrying an Orbiter, Lander, and Rover? - July 22, 2019
• On which historic date did India's 'Chandrayaan-3' lander make a soft landing near the lunar south pole? - August 23, 2023
• What official name was designated for the touchdown landing site of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon? - Shiv Shakti Point
• What official name was given to the crash-impact site of the Chandrayaan-2 lander on the Moon? - Tiranga Point
• What was the operational name of the lander module in the Chandrayaan-3 mission? - Vikram Lander
• What was the operational name of the six-wheeled robotic rover in the Chandrayaan-3 mission? - Pragyan Rover
• Which element was definitively detected on the lunar south-polar surface in-situ by the LIBS instrument on Pragyan? - Sulfur (S)
• Which country became the very first nation in the world to soft-land a spacecraft in the lunar south pole region? - India
• What national day was officially proclaimed by the Government of India to commemorate the landing of Chandrayaan-3 on August 23? - National Space Day
• Which heavy launch vehicle successfully placed Chandrayaan-3 into orbit on July 14, 2023? - LVM3-M4
• What is the name of India's dedicated maiden solar observation space observatory mission launched on September 2, 2023? - Aditya-L1
• Which launch vehicle launched the Aditya-L1 spacecraft? - PSLV-C57
• Around which gravitationally stable Lagrange Point was the Aditya-L1 spacecraft placed? - Lagrange Point 1 (L1) (approx. 1.5 million km from Earth)
• What is the primary coronagraph science payload on Aditya-L1 designed to image the solar corona? - VELC (Visible Emission Line Coronagraph)
• What is the name of India's premier human spaceflight mission aiming to send Indian astronauts to Low Earth Orbit? - Gaganyaan Programme
• What modified crew-rated rocket is dedicated to launching the Gaganyaan crew module? - HLVM3 (Human-Rated LVM3)
• What is the name of the female-resembling humanoid space robot developed by ISRO for uncrewed Gaganyaan test flights? - Vyommitra
• Where was the critical test vehicle abort mission (TV-D1) for the Gaganyaan crew escape system demonstrated in October 2023? - Sriharikota (SDSC)
• Who was the first Indian citizen to travel into space aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 spacecraft on April 3, 1984? - Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma
• What is the name of India's sovereign satellite navigation system providing independent regional positioning (like GPS)? - NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation / IRNSS)
• What is the name of the joint high-resolution dual-frequency radar satellite developed by ISRO and NASA? - NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar)
• What dedicated astronomy space observatory was launched by ISRO in 2015 to study cosmic X-ray and UV sources? - AstroSat
• What dedicated space polarimetry mission was launched by ISRO on January 1, 2024, to study celestial X-ray polarization? - XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite)
• What is the name of ISRO's reusable space plane demonstrator successfully tested for autonomous landings? - RLV-LEX (Reusable Launch Vehicle Landing Experiment)
• What is the commercial and marketing arm of the Department of Space incorporated to handle international launches? - NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)
• What single-window autonomous agency was established under the Department of Space to facilitate private space startups in India? - IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre)
• What was the name of India's first privately developed sounding rocket launched in November 2022 by Skyroot Aerospace? - Vikram-S
• What is the targeted year announced by India for establishing an indigenous space station ('Bharatiya Antariksha Station')? - 2035
• What is the targeted year announced by India for landing the first Indian astronaut on the Moon? - 2040

4. Defense, Nuclear Energy, AI and Biotechnology

• What is the premier defense research and development organization in India established in 1958? - DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation)
• Where is the central headquarters of DRDO located? - New Delhi
• What integrated missile program was launched in 1983 under the leadership of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam? - IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme)
• What five missile systems were developed under the historical IGMDP program? - PATNA (Prithvi, Agni, Trishul, Nag, and Akash)
• What type of missile is 'Prithvi'? - Surface-to-Surface Short-Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM)
• What type of missile is 'Agni-V'? - Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with range >5,000 km
• What technology enables a single missile to carry multiple nuclear warheads directed at separate targets (tested on Agni-5)? - MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle)
• What type of missile is 'Akash'? - Surface-to-Air Medium-Range Missile (SAM)
• What type of defense missile is 'Nag'? - Third-Generation Fire-and-Forget Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)
• What is the helicopter-launched air-to-surface variant of the Nag anti-tank missile called? - Helina (Dhruvastra)
• What is the world's fastest supersonic cruise missile developed as a joint venture between India and Russia? - BrahMos
• From which two rivers does the name 'BrahMos' originate? - Brahmaputra (India) and Moskva (Russia)
• What long-range air defense missile system was procured by India from Russia? - S-400 Triumf (known as 'Sudarshan' in India)
• What is India's first indigenously designed and manufactured Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)? - LCA Tejas (manufactured by HAL)
• What is India's first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier commissioned into the Indian Navy in September 2022? - INS Vikrant
• What is India's first indigenously constructed nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN)? - INS Arihant
• What multi-barrel rocket artillery system developed by DRDO is capable of rapid automated salvos? - Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher
• What is the main battle tank (MBT) indigenously developed by DRDO for the Indian Army? - Arjun MBT
• What is the name of India's premier multi-role dedicated combat attack helicopter manufactured by HAL? - Prachand (Light Combat Helicopter - LCH)
• On which date did India conduct its first nuclear test ('Smiling Buddha') at Pokhran? - May 18, 1974
• On which dates did India conduct its second series of five underground nuclear tests ('Operation Shakti') at Pokhran? - May 11 and 13, 1998
• What national day is celebrated in India on May 11 to commemorate the Pokhran-II nuclear tests? - National Technology Day
• Who is revered as the 'Father of the Indian Nuclear Programme'? - Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha
• Where is the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) located? - Trombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra
• What was India's first experimental research nuclear reactor commissioned at Trombay in 1956? - Apsara
• What nuclear fuel policy constitutes India's uniquely designed three-stage nuclear power programme? - Thorium Utilization Programme (Pressurized Heavy Water → Fast Breeder → Thorium Reactors)
• What naturally occurring radioactive mineral found abundantly in Kerala monazite beach sands is central to Stage-3 nuclear power? - Thorium-232
• Where is India's largest commercial nuclear power generating station (VVER reactors built with Russian collaboration) located? - Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (Tamil Nadu)
• Where was India's very first commercial atomic power station commissioned in 1969? - Tarapur Atomic Power Station (Maharashtra)
• In which state is the Rawatbhata (RAPS) nuclear power plant situated? - Rajasthan
• In which state is the Narora Atomic Power Station (NAPS) situated? - Uttar Pradesh
• In which state is the Kaiga Generating Station situated? - Karnataka
• In which state is the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station situated? - Gujarat
• What heavy water compound is utilized as a coolant and neutron moderator in Indian PHWR nuclear reactors? - Deuterium Oxide (D2O / Heavy Water)
• What control rod materials are used inside nuclear reactors to absorb thermal neutrons and manage fission rates? - Cadmium (Cd) and Boron (B)
• What is the revolutionary gene-editing biotechnology tool that functions as molecular scissors? - CRISPR-Cas9
• Who were awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing? - Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna
• What molecular enzymes act as 'molecular scissors' in recombinant DNA technology to cleave DNA at specific palindromic sequences? - Restriction Endonucleases
• What molecular enzyme joins two DNA fragments together by forming covalent phosphodiester bonds? - DNA Ligase
• What laboratory technique is used to amplify millions of copies of a specific DNA segment in minutes? - Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
• Who invented the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique in 1983? - Kary Mullis
• What was the first commercially cultivated genetically modified (GM) cash crop approved in India in 2002? - Bt Cotton
• Which soil bacterium donates the endotoxin gene (Cry genes) to engineer insect resistance into Bt crops? - Bacillus thuringiensis
• What genetically modified biofortified rice variety is enriched with beta-carotene to combat Vitamin A deficiency? - Golden Rice
• What term describes the simulation of human intelligence processes by computer systems and algorithms? - Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• What subfield of AI enables computer algorithms to automatically learn patterns from data without explicit rules? - Machine Learning (ML)
• What class of machine learning models uses multilayered artificial neural networks inspired by the human brain? - Deep Learning (ANN)
• What generative deep-learning architecture introduced by Google in 2017 forms the technical foundation of Large Language Models (LLMs)? - Transformer Architecture
• What is the national supercomputing mission of India aiming to build indigenous High-Performance Computing (HPC) systems? - National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)
• What is the name of the premier flagship AI-ready petascale supercomputer installed at C-DAC Pune? - PARAM Siddhi-AI