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Key Points

Tubers:

• A tuber is a specialized swollen underground stem that possesses eyes in regular order over the surface.
• The eyes represent the nodes of the tuber.
• The tuber is divided into sections so that each section has a good amount of stored food and a bud or eye.
• Propagation by tubers can be done either by planting the tubers whole or by cutting them into sections, each containing a bud or eye.
• Tuber crops are rich sources of starch.
• Example: Potato, yam, taro.

Important Points

Starch:

• Starch is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds.
• Starch is a polysaccharide comprising glucose monomers.
• Glucose is a simple sugar having the molecular formula C6H12O6.
• Glucose circulates in the blood of animals in the form of blood sugar.
• Glucose is stored as a polymer.
• In plants, it is stored as starch and in animals as glycogen.

Thus, tuber crops are a source of starch.

Key Points

Synthetic fiber:

• Synthetic fibres are man-made fibres.
• Most of them are prepared from raw material petroleum called petrochemicals.
• All fabrics are obtained from fibres, while fibres are obtained from artificial or man-made sources.
• They consist of a small unit or a polymer that is made from many repeating units known as monomers.
• They include nylon, acrylics, polyurethane, and polypropylene.
• The modern textile industry is unthinkable today without synthetic fibres.
• Man-made fibres are smooth.
• They can be distinguished by looking at a cross-section.
• Some of the synthetic fibres are rayon, nylon, polyester, etc.
• This fibre finds its applications in household articles like ropes, buckets, furniture, etc.

Important PointsNylon:

• It was created in 1931 without the use of any natural raw materials (plant or animal).
• Coal, water, and air were used to make it.
• It was the world's first completely synthetic fibre.
• Nylon is a strong, elastic, and light fibre.
• It is glossy and simple to clean.
• As a result, it grew in popularity as a fabric for clothing.
• Socks, ropes, tents, toothbrushes, car seat belts, sleeping bags, curtains, and many other items are made of nylon.
• Parachutes and rock climbing ropes are also made of nylon because it is stronger than a steel wire.

Thus, the first synthetic fibre is Nylon.

• The total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom is known as its Mass Number and is denoted by A.
• Protons and neutrons are situated in the nucleus of an atom and contribute most to the mass of the elements as the mass of electrons are negligible.
• So, elements of lower mass numbers are lighter as compared to elements having a higher mass number.

Key Points

Lithium:

• The element Li has a mass number of 6.94.
• Lithium(Li) is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal.
• It is the lightest metal and the lightest solid element.
• Its atomic number is 3.
• Lithium is highly reactive and flame retardant and should be contained in mineral oil.

Hence, Lithium is the lightest metal.

• Combustion is a chemical reaction that occurs when a material combines quickly with oxygen and produces heat.
• The initial chemical is known as the fuel, while the oxygen supply is known as the oxidizer.
• The fuel can be solid, liquid, or gas.
• The following are some examples of combustion.
• A hydrogen explosion in the atmosphere
• A wax candle burning
• Burning of petrol, diesel in a car's engine.
• A bush fire occurs when wood cellulose and other fuels burn in the absence of oxygen.
• Burning of sulfur in the air.

Key Points

Burning of candle: 

• A candle flame is divided into three zones.
• The temperatures in each zone are varied.
• Each zone has a distinctive colour, which will aid us in determining the temperatures in each zone.

The innermost zone 

• The color of flame here is dark black.
• It basically pertains to the unburnt wax vapors.
• This region is the least hot region.

The middle zone 

• The color of the flame is yellow.
• This zone is bright and luminous.
• The wax vapors here are burnt partially.
• The partially burnt fuel in this zone releases carbon particles.
• These carbon parties are responsible for the smoke and the soot being released into the air.
• The temperature of this zone is moderate.

The outermost zone

• The color of this zone is blue.
• This is the region where complete combustion is taking place.
• It is the hottest part of the region.
• It is the non-luminous part of the flame.

Thus, complete combustion takes place in the candle flame in its outer zone.

Key PointsCalorific value:

• Calorific value is the amount of heat energy present in food or fuel and is determined by the complete combustion of a specified quantity at constant pressure and in normal conditions.
• It is also called calorific power.
• The unit of calorific value is KJ/Kg.
• Calorific value is directly proportional to its efficiency.

Important Points

Thus, hydrogen is considered a fuel with the highest calorific value.

The correct answer is French.

• Napoleon was associated with France.

Key Points

• In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor of France.
• He set out to conquer neighboring European countries, dispossessing dynasties and creating kingdoms where he placed members of his family.
• Napoleon saw his role as a modernizer of Europe. He introduced many laws such as the protection of private property and a uniform system of weights and measures provided by the decimal system.
• He was finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815.
• Many of his measures that carried the revolutionary ideas of liberty and modern laws to other parts of Europe had an impact on people long after Napoleon had left.

The correct answer is 1869.

• Suez Canal was opened for Trade in 1869.

Key Points

• The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea.
• It enables a more direct route for shipping between Europe and Asia, effectively allowing for passage from the North Atlantic to the Indian Ocean without having to circumnavigate the African continent.
• The waterway is vital for international trade and, as a result, has been at the centre of conflict since it opened in 1869.
• The Suez Canal stretches 120 miles from Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt southward to the city of Suez (located on the northern shores of the Gulf of Suez).
• The canal separates the bulk of Egypt from the Sinai Peninsula. It took 10 years to build and was officially opened on November 17, 1869.
• Owned and operated by the Suez Canal Authority, the Suez Canal’s use is intended to be open to ships of all countries, be it for purposes of commerce or war—though that hasn’t always been the case.

The correct answer is Kasauli.

Key Points

• Central Research Institute (CRI) is a pioneer in the field of vaccines not only in India but in the world.
• It was founded on the 3^rd of May 1905.
• The Institute was originally established with a mandate of research work in the field of medical and public health, manufacture of vaccines and antisera, human resource development and to act as a national referral center for public health problems.
• The contribution of the Institute towards vaccine production during the period of the Second World War for the immunization of troops to keep them fighting fit finds no parallel.
• The vision of the institute is to manufacture vaccines against emerging diseases under cGMP compliance and to become a teaching and training hub in the field of immunobiology.

The correct answer is Palampur.

Key Points

• Swami Vivekanand Medical Institute is located in Palampur city Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh.

Additional Information

• Himachal Pradesh:
• CM - Jai Ram Thakur
• Governor - Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
• Number of Districts - 12.
• Lok Sabha seats - 4.
• Rajya Sabha seats - 3.

The correct answer is Jammu & Kashmir.

Key Points

• The only state which produces saffron in India is Jammu – Kashmir.
• Saffron:
• Saffron, golden-coloured, pungent stigmas (pollen-bearing structures) of the autumn crocus (Crocus sativus).
• It is used as a spice to flavour foods and as a dye to colour foods and other products.
• Saffron has a strong, exotic aroma and a bitter taste and is used to colour and flavour many Mediterranean and Asian dishes.
• Saffron is cultivated chiefly in Iran but is also grown in Spain, France, Italy (on the lower spurs of the Apennines Range), and parts of India.
• Other Production in Jammu and Kashmir:
• Agricultural exports from Jammu and Kashmir include apples, barley, cherries, corn, millet, oranges, rice, peaches, pears, saffron, sorghum, vegetables, and wheat, while manufactured exports include handicrafts, rugs, and shawls.

Additional Information

• Himachal Pradesh:
• The main cereals grown include wheat, maize, rice and barley with major cropping systems being maize-wheat, rice-wheat and maize-potato-wheat.
• Pulses, fruits, vegetables and oilseeds are among the other crops grown in the state.