Biology in Everyday Life MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Biology in Everyday Life - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Fermentation.

Key Points

• Fermentation is a biochemical process in which microorganisms such as yeast and bacteria convert sugars (like glucose) into ethanol and carbon dioxide.
• This process is anaerobic, meaning it occurs without the presence of oxygen.
• In the context of ethanol production, fermentation is crucial as it transforms the sugar content of the feedstock (such as corn, sugarcane, or other biomass) into ethanol.
• The general chemical equation for the fermentation of glucose to ethanol is: C₆H₁₂O₆ → 2 C₂H₅OH + 2 CO₂.
• Fermentation is widely used in the production of alcoholic beverages (like beer and wine), as well as in biofuel production.
• The process is also employed in the creation of various fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi.

 Additional Information

• Combustion
  • Combustion is a chemical process in which a substance reacts rapidly with oxygen and gives off heat. It is not related to ethanol production but is rather associated with burning fuels.
• Oxidation
  • Oxidation is a chemical reaction involving the loss of electrons by a molecule, atom, or ion. While it is a broad term, in the context of ethanol, it refers to the conversion of ethanol to acetic acid (vinegar) in the presence of oxygen.
• Photosynthesis
  • Photosynthesis is the process used by green plants and some other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose. It is not related to ethanol production but is essential for producing the biomass used as feedstock in the fermentation process.

The correct answer is Maintain minimum distance between the crops while sowing

Concept:

• Soil fertility refers to the ability of soil to provide essential nutrients to plants in adequate amounts for their growth and development.
• Several agricultural practices can significantly enhance soil fertility, including crop rotation, organic manure use, and allowing fields to rest.

Explanation:

• Grow different crops alternately every season: This practice, known as crop rotation, helps prevent soil depletion of specific nutrients, reduces pest and disease cycles, and improves soil structure and organic matter content. It contributes significantly to maintaining and enhancing soil fertility.
• Maintain minimum distance between the crops while sowing: Adequate spacing between crops can enhance plant growth by reducing competition for sunlight, water, and nutrients. However, this practice primarily focuses on optimizing plant growth rather than directly increasing soil fertility.
• Substitute fertilizers by organic manure: Using organic manure such as compost or green manure enriches the soil with essential nutrients, improves soil structure, increases water retention, and promotes beneficial microbial activity. This practice is highly effective in enhancing soil fertility.
• Leave the field uncultivated between two crops: Also known as fallowing, this practice allows the soil to recover its nutrient levels naturally, improves its structure, and reduces the buildup of pests and diseases. This rest period can lead to increased fertility and better crop yields in subsequent planting seasons.

The Correct answer is Option 3

Key Points

• The Red Blood Cells (RBCs) of a person with blood group 'O' contain neither A nor B agglutinogens.

• Agglutinogens (also called antigens) are proteins found on the surface of red blood cells that determine blood type.

• In the O blood group, there are no agglutinogens (A or B) present on the surface of the RBCs.
• Instead, individuals with blood type O have anti-A and anti-B antibodies in their plasma, which will react against blood cells with A or B antigens if introduced.
• Hence, the correct answer is Neither A nor B.

The Correct answer is Oxidation of carbon to carbon dioxide.

Explanation:

• Absorption of light energy by chlorophyll: This does happen during photosynthesis. Chlorophyll in the chloroplasts of plant cells absorbs light energy from the sun, which is the first step in photosynthesis.
• Conversion of light energy into chemical energy: This is another core process of photosynthesis. The light energy, once absorbed, is used to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates (specifically, glucose) -- a form of chemical energy.
• Oxidation of carbon to carbon dioxide: This Does not happen during photosynthesis. Instead, this process occurs during cellular respiration, where glucose (made by photosynthesis) is broken down to release energy, and carbon dioxide is a byproduct. In photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is consumed, not produced.
• Reduction of carbon dioxide to carbohydrates: This process also happens during photosynthesis. Under the influence of sunlight, carbon dioxide undergoes reduction, i.e., it gains hydrogen to form carbohydrates (glucose).

Therefore, the conversion of carbon to carbon dioxide, or the "oxidation of carbon to carbon dioxide"

The correct answer is Theobromine

Explanation:

Theobroma cacao is the plant from which cacao beans are harvested, commonly known as cocoa beans. These beans are the primary ingredient in chocolate production and contain several stimulating compounds. 

Stimulants in Theobroma cacao:

• Caffeine: While Theobroma cacao contains caffeine, it is present in lower amounts compared to theobromine. Caffeine acts as a central nervous system stimulant, temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness.
• Theobromine: The primary stimulant found in cocoa beans, theobromine is chemically similar to caffeine but has a milder effect on the central nervous system. It also has various health benefits, such as vasodilation and diuretic effects.

Nicotine: Nicotine is an alkaloid found in tobacco plants, known for its stimulant and addictive properties. It is not related to Theobroma cacao.

The correct answer is Fermentation.

Key Points

• Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes.
• In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen​

Additional Information 

• Pasteurization  is a process in which packaged and non-packaged foods are treated with mild heat.
• Condensation is the process where water vapor becomes liquid. It is the reverse of evaporation, where liquid water becomes a vapor
• Steaming is a method of cooking using steam. 

Key Points

• Fumigation is a method of pest control that involves totally saturating a space with gaseous insecticides or fumigants in order to poison any pests present.
• A chemical that exists in a gaseous state at a sufficient temperature and pressure and is concentrated enough to be fatal to pest organisms is called a fumigant.
• The area is sealed after the fumigation process and the entry of humans is banned for a certain period of time.
• There are three types of fumigation, these are gas fumigation, liquid fumigation, and solid fumigation.
• Fumigants are hazardous to the environment and health.
• Fumigation is performed in many laboratories or factories at a very large scale where biosafety is a major concern.
• The optimum temperature range for fumigation is 60 ºF to 80 °F.
• The total volume of the area being treated determines the fumigant dose, not the number of commodities present.

Explanation:

• Formaldehyde is a chemical agent used for fumigation.
• Formaldehyde fumigation has long been a recognized technique for areas where microbiological cleanliness is required.
• It kills vegetative spores, bacteria, nematodes, insects, rodents, etc.
• Formalin kills the microbes by alkylating the amino acids and sulfhydryl group of proteins and purine base s.
• It is also utilized for the control of pests in grain-stored buildings.
• Formaldehyde is toxic to most living being, including humans.
• It causes eye irritation, and breathing problems, and hazardous residues cause allergies, etc.
• some products are corrosive or flammable. 

Hence, the correct option is (1) formaldehyde.

The correct answer is Plastic.

Key Points

• Plastic is non-biodegradable.
• Plastics are synthetic polymers and are derived from the by-products of petroleum.
• The monomers derived from petroleum are combined together (polymerization) to make plastic.
• These polymeric substances cannot be digested or decomposed by any micro-organism and hence plastics are non-biodegradable.

Additional Information  Non-biodegradable

• A Non-Biodegradable material can be defined as a kind of substance which cannot be broken down by natural organisms and acts as a source of pollution.
• hey remain on earth for thousands of years without any degradation. Hence, the threat caused by them is also more critical. 

Biodegradable

• A biodegradable material can be defined as a material which can be decomposed by bacteria or other natural organisms and not be added to pollution.
• Biodegradable wastes are such waste materials which are and can be degraded by natural factors like microbes (e.g. bacteria, fungi and a few more), and abiotic elements like temperature, UV, oxygen, etc.
• Some examples of such wastes are food materials, kitchen wastes, and other natural wastes

The Correct answer is Option 3

Key Points

• The Red Blood Cells (RBCs) of a person with blood group 'O' contain neither A nor B agglutinogens.

• Agglutinogens (also called antigens) are proteins found on the surface of red blood cells that determine blood type.

• In the O blood group, there are no agglutinogens (A or B) present on the surface of the RBCs.
• Instead, individuals with blood type O have anti-A and anti-B antibodies in their plasma, which will react against blood cells with A or B antigens if introduced.
• Hence, the correct answer is Neither A nor B.

Concept:

• Sewage is the large quantities of waste water generated everyday in cities and towns from the household, factories etc and Human excreta forms the major component of this waste water .
• As this sewage water contains a large amounts of organic matter and microbes, therefore it is treated in the Sewage treatment plants (STPs) before releasing it into waterbodies.
• This treatment is carried out in two stages-
  • Primary treatment
  • Secondary treatment

Primary treatment-

• Primary treatment of the sewage involves the physical removal of the larger and smaller particles through filtration and sedimentation.
• The effluent is then passed on to the large aeration tanks for the secondary treatment.

Secondary treatment-

• The reduction in the  BOD of the sewage water mainly takes place during the secondary treatment process.
• Here the effluent is constantly agitated mechanically which allows the growth of useful aerobic microbes into flocs.
• Flocs are the masses of bacterial associated with fungal filaments to form mesh like structures.
• These microbes in the flocs consume major part of the organic matter in the effluent while growing.
• This effluent is passed o to the settling tank where the bacterial flocs are allowed to sediment and this sediment is called activated sludge.
• A little amount of activated sludge is added back into the aeration tank and it acts as a inoculum.
• The remaining sludge is passed on to the large tanks called Anaerobic sludge digesters, where other bacteria grow anaerobically and digest the bacteria and fungi in the sludge.
• During this process of digestion biogas is produced.
• The effluent produced is released into the water bodies and the solid sludge remained is taken for further processing.
• The processed solid sludge then can be used as fertilizers and manures in the fields.

Explanation:

• Dissolved oxygen is the amount of oxygen that is present in water and is available to the living organisms in the water.
• Biological oxygen demand (BOD) is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by the aerobic organisms to break down the organic matter present in the water sample.
• Therefore, BOD test measures the rate of uptake of oxygen by microorganisms in a sample of water.
• This means that the greater the BOD of the waste water, the more polluted it is.
• The sewage water should be treated until this BOD is reduced.

The correct answer is Option (4).

Concept:

• Biogas is a mixture of gases that is produced by the microbial breakdown of cellulosic materials in anaerobic conditions.
• The biogas majorly consists of Methane (CH₄), but also contains Carbon dioxide (CO₂) and Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S).
• The bacteria which grow anaerobically to produce methane as a metabolic byproduct are known as Methanogens.
• Methanobacterium is the most common example of Methanogen.
• These bacteria are found in the anaerobic sludge during the secondary treatment of sewage and they produce biogas.
• These bacteria are also found in the rumen of the cattle.

Explanation:

• The methanogens present in the rumen of the cattle help in the digestion of cellulose.
• As the excreta of the cattle (gobar) contains methanogens, therefore the dung can be used to produce biogas, also known as Gobar gas.
• In rural India a large amount of cattle dung is available and this is used in production of biogas.
• The biogas is produced in the biogas plant which consists of a tank made of concrete and is 10-15 feet deep.
• In this tank, the slurry of dung and other bio wastes are collected and a floating cover is placed over it.
• This tank has an outlet, through which the biogas exits the tank to be supplied to the nearby households through a pipeline.
• This biogas may be used as a fuel for cooking and lighting.
• The spent slurry is removed through another outlet of the tank to be used as a manure or fertilizer in the fields.
• This technology of biogas production from cow dung was developed in India largely due to the efforts of -
  • Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)
  • Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC)

Therefore the correct answer is Option (3).

The correct answer is All of these

Key Points

• Weathering
  • The breakdown or dissolution of rocks and minerals on the earth's surface is known as weathering.
  • The three different types of weathering are physical, chemical, and biological. 
  • It does not involve the removal of rock material.
  • Water, ice, acids, salts, plants, animals, and changes in temperature are all agents of weathering.
  • Water is the principal agent behind both physical and chemical weathering.

Additional Information

• Chemical weathering involves the chemical reaction of water, atmospheric gases, and biologically produced chemicals with rocks and salts.
• Physical weathering is the natural process of breakdown or change in texture by the agents of weathering including water, wind, salt, gravity, and living organisms.
• Biological weathering occurs when plants break up rocks with roots or root exudates.

Concept:

• The bacteria which grow anaerobically produce methane as a metabolic byproduct are known as Methanogens.
• These methanogens grow on the cellulosic material to produce Methane, Carbon dioxide and Hydrogen.
• The microbial breakdown of cellulosic materials takes place in anaerobic conditions.
• These bacteria are also found in the rumen of the cattle.
• Methanobacterium is the most common example of Methanogen.
• These bacterial are found in the anaerobic sludge during the secondary treatment of sewage and they produce biogas.
• Biogas is a mixture of gasses that is produced by the microbial activity by the break down of organic matter like food scraps and animal waste.
• The biogas majorly consists of Methane and along with that Carbon dioxide and Hydrogen sulfide are also present.

Explanation:

• The methanogens present in the rumen of the cattle help in the digestion of cellulose .
• As the excreta of the cattle (gobar) contains methanogens, therefore the dung can be used to produce biogas, also known as Gobar gas.
• The biogas is produced in the biogas plant which consists of a tank made of concrete and 10-15 feet deep.
• In this tank the slurry of dung and also the bio wastes collected are fed into.
• A floating cover is also placed over it.
• This tank has an outlet for the gobar gas being produced which connects to the nearby households through a pipeline.
• This gobar gas is used as a fuel for cooking and lighting.
• Now the spent slurry left off is removed through another outlet.
• This residue is used as a manure or fertilizer in the fields.

Therefore the correct answer is Option (3).

Concept:​

• The sewage water generated everyday in cities and towns from the household, factories etc ,contains a large amounts of organic matter and microbes, therefore it is treated in the Sewage treatment plants (STPs) before releasing it into waterbodies.
• This treatment is carried out in two stages-
  • Primary treatment
  • Secondary treatment
• Primary treatment of the sewage involves the physical removal of the larger and smaller particles through filtration and sedimentation and then the effluent is then passed on to the large aeration tanks for the secondary treatment.

Secondary treatment-

• Here the effluent is constantly agitated mechanically which allows the growth of useful aerobic microbes into flocs.
• These microbes in the flocs consume major part of the organic matter in the effluent while growing.
• This effluent is passed to the settling tank where the bacterial flocs are allowed to sediment and this sediment is called activated sludge.
• A little amount of activated sludge is added back into the aeration tank and it acts as a inoculum.
• The remaining sludge is passed on to the large tanks called Anaerobic sludge digesters, where other bacteria grow anaerobically and digest the bacteria and fungi in the sludge.
• During this process of digestion biogas is produced.
• The effluent produced is released into the water bodies and the solid sludge remained is taken for further processing.
• The processed solid sludge then can be used as fertilizers and manures in the fields.

Explanation:

• During the secondary treatment of the sewage the primary effluent is agitated for aeration.
• This allows the growth of the useful aerobic bacteria which help in the treatment and they form flocs.
• Flocs are the masses of bacterial associated with fungal filaments to form mesh like structures.
• These microbes present in the flocs are responsible for the digestion of the organic matter in the effluent.
• In the presence of proper aeration when they grow they consume major part of the organic matter, which in turn reduces the BOD.
• These bacterial flocs are allowed to sediment and this sediment is called activated sludge.
• So, when the oxygen availability to activated sludge flocs is reduced, the microbes in the center of the floc use up the available oxygen for their survival.
• Therefore, the center of flocs will become anoxic.
• Thus, the aerobic microbes which do not get proper aeration start to die and eventually lead to the breakage of the flocs.

Concept:

• Microorganisms, especially yeasts are used for the preparation of the beverages like wine, beer whisky, brandy or rum.
• They are generally prepared by alcoholic fermentation process which is carried out using different microbes.
• Distillation is the process of separating different components from a mixture based on different boiling points.
• Whisky, brandy, and rum are produced by distillation of the fermented broth.
• Wine and beer are produced without distillation.
• For the preparation of beverages by fermentation the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is used.

Explanation:

Option 1 - Wine

• It is an alcoholic drink made from the fermentation of grapes.
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae causes fermentation and converts sugar in the fruit to alcohol and carbon dioxide.
• It is prepared without distillation.
• Therefore this option is correct.

Option 2 - Whisky

• It is an alcoholic drink prepared from the fermentation of malted barley.
• Yeast is used for the fermentation to occur.
• Distillation process is used for the extraction of the product.
• Therefore this option is incorrect.

Option 3 - Rum

• Rum is prepared from the sugarcane molasses by the process of fermentation and distillation.
• Therefore this option is incorrect.

Option 4 - Brandy

• Brandy is prepared from the fermented fruit mash.
• The process of preparation involves 3 steps - fermentation, distillation, and aging.
• Therefore this option is incorrect.

Hence, the correct answer is option (1).