Everyday Science - PMS 2026 GK (Q351-400): Diseases & Deficiencies, Animal Phyla & Ecology MCQs

Correct Answer: Insulin

Diabetes is caused by deficiency of insulin (or the body's inability to use it effectively).

Correct Answer: Autoimmune destruction of pancreas

Type 1 diabetes is due to autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas.

Correct Answer: Insulin resistance

Type 2 diabetes is due to insulin resistance, where body cells respond poorly to insulin.

Correct Answer: High blood pressure

Hypertension is also called high blood pressure.

Correct Answer: Myocardial infarction

A heart attack is medically called a myocardial infarction: death of heart muscle from blocked blood supply.

Correct Answer: Blockage or rupture of brain blood vessels

A stroke occurs due to blockage or rupture of blood vessels in the brain, cutting off oxygen to brain tissue.

Correct Answer: Excess calorie intake & low activity

Obesity is caused by excess calorie intake combined with low physical activity (energy intake exceeding expenditure).

Correct Answer: Vitamin A

Night blindness is caused by deficiency of vitamin A, needed for the visual pigment rhodopsin.

Correct Answer: Vitamin B12

Pernicious anaemia is due to deficiency of vitamin B12, caused by failure to absorb it (lack of intrinsic factor).

Correct Answer: Anemia

Iron deficiency leads to anaemia, because iron is needed to make haemoglobin in red blood cells.

Correct Answer: Kwashiorkor

Protein deficiency causes kwashiorkor, the severe protein-energy malnutrition marked by oedema.

Correct Answer: Marasmus

Energy deficiency causes marasmus, severe wasting from overall calorie (energy) deficiency.

Correct Answer: T-helper cells (CD4)

HIV attacks T-helper cells (CD4 cells), progressively weakening the immune system.

Correct Answer: Immune response

A vaccine stimulates an immune response, so the body recognises and fights the pathogen on later exposure.

Correct Answer: Majority of population is immune

Herd immunity occurs when a majority of the population is immune, so disease spread is interrupted.

Correct Answer: Bacterial infections

Antibiotics are used against bacterial infections; they do not work against viruses.

Correct Answer: Viral infections

Antivirals are used against viral infections.

Correct Answer: Spores

Fungi reproduce by spores (and asexually by fragmentation or budding in some forms).

Correct Answer: Single-celled eukaryotes

Protozoa are single-celled eukaryotes (their cells have a true nucleus).

Correct Answer: Metazoa

Multicellular animals are called Metazoa.

Correct Answer: Porifera

Sponges belong to the phylum Porifera (pore-bearing animals).

Correct Answer: Cnidaria

Jellyfish belong to the phylum Cnidaria (stinging-celled animals).

Correct Answer: Annelida

The earthworm belongs to the phylum Annelida (segmented worms).

Correct Answer: Chordata

Humans belong to the phylum Chordata (animals with a notochord at some life stage).

Correct Answer: Warm-blooded

Birds are warm-blooded: they maintain a constant body temperature.

Correct Answer: Cold-blooded

Reptiles are cold-blooded (ectothermic): their body temperature follows the environment.

Correct Answer: Viviparous (mostly)

Mammals are viviparous (mostly): they give birth to live young, except the egg-laying monotremes (platypus, echidnas).

Correct Answer: Water

Amphibians lay eggs in water, where their larvae (tadpoles) develop.

Correct Answer: Carbon dioxide (CO₂)

Photosynthesis requires carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air, plus water and sunlight.

Correct Answer: Oxygen (O₂)

Photosynthesis releases oxygen (O2) as a by-product.

Correct Answer: Absorbing light for photosynthesis

Chlorophyll is responsible for absorbing light for photosynthesis.

Correct Answer: Starch

Plants store energy as starch.

Correct Answer: Glycogen & fat

Humans store energy as glycogen (in liver and muscle) and fat.

Correct Answer: Flat teeth for grinding plants

Herbivorous animals have flat teeth for grinding plants.

Correct Answer: Sharp teeth for tearing flesh

Carnivorous animals have sharp teeth for tearing flesh.

Correct Answer: Combination of sharp & flat teeth

Omnivores have a combination of sharp and flat teeth, suiting a mixed plant-and-animal diet.

Correct Answer: Interaction between two species

Symbiosis is an interaction between two species living in close association.

Correct Answer: Parasite, harms host

In parasitism the parasite benefits and the host is harmed.

Correct Answer: Both species

In mutualism both species benefit.

Correct Answer: One benefits, other unaffected

In commensalism one species benefits and the other is unaffected.

Correct Answer: Nutrient recycling

Decomposers help in nutrient recycling, returning nutrients from dead matter to the soil.

Correct Answer: Producer

A food chain starts with a producer (a photosynthetic organism).

Correct Answer: Top consumer / decomposer

A food chain ends with a top consumer, with decomposers breaking down dead matter at every level.

Correct Answer: Producers

Photosynthetic organisms are called producers, because they make their own food.

Correct Answer: Primary consumers / Herbivores

Animals that eat producers are called primary consumers (herbivores).