15 Important General Science Questions for UPSC

Are you doing UPSC preparation this year? Great! To ensure that you are well prepared for all the subjects and topics, including general science, it is crucial to go through important questions asked in previous exams and can appear in the upcoming exams.

Here are some important general science questions with answers for the UPSC exam, including discovery-based questions and geography-based questions.

General Science Questions for UPSC Exam

Q-1. From the following statements, which one is correct?

1. Hepatitis B virus transmits like HIV
2. Hepatitis B doesn’t have a vaccine. 
3. The number of people infected by Hepatitis B and C is higher than those infected by HIV.
4. The symptoms of Hepatitis B aren’t visible in some people for years

Answer is B

Q-2. From the following statements, which ones are true in terms of the utilization of H-CNG (Hydrogen-enriched CNG) as a fuel for buses in public transport?

1. H-CNG is cheaper than CNG
2. The primary benefit of H-CNG is that it doesn’t emit carbon monoxide
3. H-CNG helps in reducing carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon emissions
4. One-fifth quantity of hydrogen blended with CNG can be used as a fuel for buses

Select the correct answer:

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 3 and 4 only
4. 2 only

Answer is C

Q-3. Carbofuran, methyl parathion, phorate, and triazophos chemicals in India are primarily used as:

1. Moisturising agents in cosmetics
2. Fruit-ripening agents
3. Preservatives in processed foods
4. Pesticides in agriculture

Answer is D

Q-4. The statement that defines carbon fertilization the best:

1. Rise in ocean acidity because of the increase in carbon dioxide concentration
2. Rise in Earth’s temperature because of the increase in carbon dioxide concentration
3. Rise in growth of the plants because of increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere
4. The adaptation of living beings on Earth to climate change brought about the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Answer is C

Q-5. Which of the following statements are true?

1. the origin of living beings modified the initial atmosphere of the Earth
2. The magnetic field of the Eart reverses after every hundred thousand years
3. At the time of the Earth’s origin, there was no carbon dioxide, but 54% of oxygen

Select the correct answer:

1. 1 only 
2. 2 only
3. 2 & 3 only
4. 1 & 3 only

Answer is B

Q-6. From the following methods, which ones are the most suitable for the conservation of soil in India?

1. Crop relation
2. Sand fences
3. Terracing
4. Windbreaks

Select the correct answer:

1. 1, 3 and 4 only
2. 1, 2 and 3 only
3. 2 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer is A

Q-7. In what ways do biodiversity form the basis of human experience?

1. Pollination of crops
2. Recycling of waste
3. Soil formation
4. Prevention of soil erosion

Select the correct answer:

1. 1, 2 and 3 only
2. 2, 3 and 4 only
3. 1 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer is D

Q-8. Which gas is used as a disinfectant in the drinking water?

1. Oxygen
2. Hydrogen
3. Chlorine
4. Fluorine

Answer is C

Q-9. The H1N1 virus is related to which disease?

1. Swine flu
2. Dengue
3. AIDS
4. Bird flu

Answer is A

Q-10. What is the reason that dewdrops can’t form on a cloudy night?

1. The wind is deflected to the ground level by clouds.
2. Clouds reflect back the Earth’s radiation.
3. Clouds have the power to absorb the radiation from the surface of the Earth
4. The temperature of the Earth is low on cloudy nights. 

Answer is B

Q-11. ‘Event Horizon’, ‘Singularity’, ‘String Theory’, and ‘Standard Model’ terms are related to:

1. Origin and evolution of living organisms on the Earth
2. Placing satellites in the orbit of the Earth
3. Study of the solar and the lunar eclipses
4. Observation and understanding of the Universe

Answer is D

Q-12. The core of the Earth below the mantle is structured and made up of which metal?

1. Iron
2. Silicon
3. Aluminium
4. Chromium

Answer is A

Q-13. For the IceCube particle detected at the South Pole, which of the following statements are true?

1. It is buried deep in the ice.
2. IceCube is the largest neutrino detector in the world
3. IceCube can help in searching the dark matter as a telescope.

Select the correct answer:

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3 only

Answer is D

Q-14. Which of the following statements are true for fuel cells in terms of their usage of oxygen and hydrogen-rich fule to form electricity?

1. Fuel cells produce electricity in the form of Alternating Current (AC).
2. Fuel cells can be used for powering buildings and not for small devices like laptop computers.
3. If pure hydrogen is used as a fuel, the fuel cell emits heat and water as by-products.

Select the correct answer:

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Answer is C

Q-15. In the case of removal of a tropical rain forest, it takes more time in regeneration as compared to a tropical deciduous forest. Why?

1. Exotic species invade the fertile soil of rain forest
2. The rain forest species are slow-growing 
3. Propagules of the trees in a rain forest have poor viability
4. The soil of rain forest is deficient in nutrients

Answer is D

Wrapping up:

So, these were some of the most important general science questions with answers that you must go through once if you want to score good marks in UPSC general science. Many of these questions have been asked in previous papers.

Have any doubts or questions? Use the comments section to connect with us.

Also read – Top Indian History Questions for UPSC Exams