This document contains 20 science-related questions with multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank answers. The questions cover topics in chemistry, physics, astronomy, history of science, and inventions/inventors including Alexander Fleming, Newton, Darwin, and more.

1. Science Quiz
Prelims
(Utkansh’15)
QM : Sujit J Patil

2. • This chemical exists in form of two stereoisomers.
• The levorotatory- form is used as a nasal
decongestant inVicks inhaler (only in US).
• The dextrorotatory- form is much popular among
the masses for its different use.Which chemical ?
1)
Image :

4. • Methamphetamine

5. • To test which theory were the following tests
proposed in 1916 ?
1. the perihelion precession of Mercury's orbit
2. the deflection of light by the Sun
3. the gravitational redshift of light.
2)

6. • Theory of General Relativity

7. • In 2001, scientists of John Hopkins University
determined the color of _______ as a shade of greenish
white, somewhere between pale turquoise and
aquamarine.
• But in 2002, they clarified that the color was wrong due
to an error in the software use to calculate the shade.
• They reported that the correct color was a slightly
beigeish white.
• Fill the blank.
3)

8. • Universe

9. • Jean Baptiste Perrin was a French physicist who, in his
studies of the Brownian motion, verified Albert Einstein’s
explanation of this phenomenon. For this achievement he
was honoured with the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1926.
• In 1895, Perrin showed that cathode rays were of negative
electric charge in nature. He explained solar energy as due to
the thermonuclear reactions of hydrogen.
• He was also responsible for his work in determining the value
of _________ constant by several different methods.After
whom did Perrin named this constant in 1909 ?
4)

10. • Avogadro’s constant

11. • Identify this famous physicist.
5)

12. • Igor Irodov

13. • Analyse des Infiniment Petits pour l'Intelligence des Lignes Courbes is a
textbook written by the French mathematician Guillaume de _______, and
treated only the subject of differential calculus.
• In this book is the first appearance of _________’s rule.The rule is believed
to be the work of Johann Bernoulli.When _______ published his book, he
gave due credit to Bernoulli and, not wishing to take credit for any of the
mathematics in the book, he published the work anonymously.
• Bernoulli, who was known for being extremely jealous, claimed to be the
author of the entire work. Nevertheless, the rule was named for _______,
who never claimed to have invented it in the first place.
• Fill the blank.
6)

14. • L’Hopital Rule

15. • Identify the
person in the
photograph :
7)

16. • EdwinAldrin

17. • The poetAlexander Pope had written an epitaph for
_______ but this was not allowed to be put on the
monument in theWestminster Abbey:
“Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night: God said, Let
_______ be! and all was light”
• Fill the blank.
8)

18. • Newton

19. • Sometime around 600 B.C., and for reasons known
only to himself,Thales of Miletus, a Greek
mathematician and philosopher, rubbed a piece of
amber with animal fur and made an astounding
discovery.The amber (basically fossilized tree sap)
became a virtual magnet for feathers and small
particles of dust.
• Which modern word is derived from the ancient Greek
name for amber ?
9)

20. • Electron

21. • Neil deGrasseTyson
claims that he has been
falsely described as the
killer of ______.
• He goes on to say that
the actual killer of
______ is Mike Brown,
author of this book :
• Fill the blank.
10)

22. • Pluto

23. • Which fault forms the tectonic boundary between
the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate ?
• It also shares its name with a 2015 movie and a
2004 video game.
11)

24. • SanAndreas

25. • On which monument, one can find this compound
FePO4.H3PO4.4H2O (Iron hydrogen phosphate
hydrate)– which gives the monument a unique
property ?
12)

26. • Iron Pillar at Delhi

27. • Name the author whose name is blanked ?
13)

28. • Stephen Hawking

29. • "Mad as a hatter" is a colloquial phrase used in conversation to
refer to a crazy person. In 18th and 19th century England ______
was used in the production of felt, which was used in the
manufacturing of hats common of the time.
• People who patronised these hat factories were exposed daily to
trace amounts of _____, which accumulated within their bodies
over time, causing some workers to develop dementia caused by
its poisoning (called mad hatter syndrome).Thus, the phrase
became popular as a way to refer to someone who was perceived
as insane.
• Fill the blank.
14)

30. • Mercury

31. • There is a persistent urban legend that chocolate contains X.
It would seem that this rumour is primarily based on the
resemblance between two similar alkaloids: X and
theobromine.
• Theobromine is the active ingredient in chocolate and it is
only found in cacao.The two stimulants are related and have
a similar structures, but are very different chemicals with
different properties, effects and origins.
• Identify X.
15)
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33. • Caffeine

34. • Vice-Admiral Robert FitzRoy was a career officer of the Royal
Navy and a scientist. He was the captain of the second
voyage of a ship on which X travelled.
• In 1860, when X’s book was published for the first time,
FitzRoy was dismayed and stood against X in a debate on the
book. During the debate, FitzRoy stood in the centre of the
audience and “lifting an immense Bible first with both and
afterwards with one hand over his head, solemnly implored
the audience to believe God rather than man”
• Identify X.
16)

35. • Charles Darwin

36. • Whose tombstone ?
17)

37. • Ludwig Botzmann

38. • On 21 March 1999, exactly 16 years ago, X
accomplished the first non-stop circumnavigation
of earth by balloon. X is currently involved in a
similar mission.Who is X ?
18)

39. • Bertrand Piccard (Solar Impulse)

40. • Here a bullfighter is shown in a thankful gesture to
X whose invention became important for
bullfighters to fight infections that developed in
wounds due to unclean horns of the bull.
• Due to this invention many lives of bullfighters
were saved.Who is X ?
19)
Image :

42. • Alexander Fleming

43. • X’s book “What is life ?” inspiredY to shift his field
of study from Ornithology to Genetics.
• Identify both.
20)

44. • X – Erwin Schrodinger
• Y – JamesWatson