“Mirage” is an example of:
- (A) Refraction of light
- (B) Reflection of light
- (C) Deviation of light
- (D) Polarization of light
- (A) Refraction of light
A mirage is essentially an optical illusion that occurs as a result of the refraction of light as it passes through layers of air with varying temperatures and densities. When the sun is extremely hot, as on a hot summer day, the layer of air directly above the ground gets heated more than the layers of air above that. This creates a temperature gradient or density gradient in the air. As a result of this gradient, the path of light gets refracted as it passes through the layers of air. When the refracted rays of light pass through the layers of air at a very shallow angle, they get internally reflected within those layers of air, which is a very high degree of refraction. This causes an optical illusion whereby the observer ends up seeing a flipped image of the sky or water on the ground as if there is water on the ground.
A linear equation consists of polynomials of degree _______.
- (A) One
- (B) Two
- (C) Three
- (D) Four
- (A) One
A linear equation is an equation where the variable is raised to the first power, meaning the variable’s exponent is a 1. Its general form is given by ax + b = 0, where a is not equal to zero and b is a constant. So an example of a linear equation would be 2x + 5 = 0. However, an example of a non-linear equation would be x2 + 3 = 0 or x^3 – 4x = 0. So a linear equation is a polynomial of degree one. Therefore, (A) One is correct.
The capital of Sweden is:
- (A) Stockholm
- (B) Oslo
- (C) Tallinn
- (D) Christina
- (A) Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital of Sweden, the largest city, and the political, economic, and cultural center. It covers an area of 14 islands where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea, and it is best known for being the venue for the award of the Nobel Prizes.
The Second Battle of Panipat was fought during the reign of:
- (A) Babur
- (B) Akbar
- (C) Humayun
- (D) Aurangzeb
- (B) Akbar
The Second Battle of Panipat, which occurred on November 5, 1556, began immediately after the death of Humayun. Akbar, who was just 13 years old at the time, was at a critical juncture in his young life as his regent and guardian, Bairam Khan, commanded his army. The opposing side was the Hindu king Hemu, also referred to as Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya. In a major victory for Akbar, the Mughal Empire was re-established in North India.
The term best describes the shape of the earth:
- (A) Eclipse
- (B) Geoid
- (C) Globe
- (D) Sphere
- (B) Geoid
The geoid is a term scientists use to refer to Earth’s actual irregular shape. While it’s commonly known as a sphere, it’s not a perfect one, being slightly flattened at the poles and slightly bulging at the equator because of Earth’s rotation; this is known as an oblate spheroid. While this is a more accurate description of Earth’s shape than a perfect sphere, the geoid goes a step further by taking into account gravity’s effect and the distribution of mass, “essentially depicting a state where all the oceans are calm and at rest.”
“Naples” is the seaport of:
- (A) United States
- (B) Italy
- (C) Norway
- (D) England
- (B) Italy
Naples is located along the Tyrrhenian Sea and is part of the Campania region of Italy. It is considered to be one of the oldest and largest ports to operate within the Mediterranean region.
A symbol represented by a literal and can take various numerical values is called:
- (A) Constant
- (B) Literal
- (C) Variable
- (D) Polynomial
- (C) Variable
A symbol, which is often a letter used as a literal, may represent different numbers. When a symbol may represent several values, it is called a variable, while a constant has only one set of values.
The currency of Syria is:
- (A) Syrian Dollar
- (B) Syrian Pound
- (C) Syrian Peso
- (D) Syrian Guilder
- (B) Syrian Pound
The official currency of Syria is the Syrian Pound (SYP), which is locally known as the Lira. The currency is issued by the Central Bank of Syria. The symbol for the Syrian Pound is £S or ل.س.
Pakistan became International Labour Organization (ILO) member in:
- (A) 31st October, 1947
- (B) 31st September, 1947
- (C) 31st November, 1947
- (D) 31st December, 1947
- (A) 31st October, 1947
Pakistan joined the International Labor Organization on the 31st of October, 1947, which indicates a clear and early commitment to global labor standards and social justice right from the beginning of the country’s independence. This is because, according to the official records of the ILO country office for Pakistan, the country joined the organization on the 31st of October, 1947.
Thar is a desert of:
- (A) Subtropical
- (B) Cold Winter
- (C) Polar
- (D) Cool Coastal
- (A) Subtropical
The Thar Desert, or the Great Indian Desert, is a subtropical desert. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent and covers parts of India and Pakistan. This name is given to the desert because of its position under the subtropical high-pressure belt, which prevents clouds from forming and precipitation from occurring.