The Green Muffler technique is used to control noise pollution. It involves planting dense rows of trees and shrubs around roads, industrial areas, and public places. The vegetation acts as a natural sound barrier by absorbing, deflecting, and refracting sound waves, thereby reducing the intensity of noise reaching nearby areas. Common plants used for green mufflers include Neem, Ashoka, Ficus, and Cassia.

Other options (for context)

• Air pollution: Controlled by measures like emission filters and afforestation, but not directly by green mufflers.
• Soil pollution: Managed by waste treatment and reduced chemical use, not vegetation barriers.
• Water pollution: Controlled by sewage treatment and reducing industrial discharge, not by plants as mufflers.

Explanation: The gastric glands in the stomach secrete gastric juice, which contains three main components — hydrochloric acid (HCl), pepsinogen, and mucus. Pepsinogen is the inactive form that is converted to pepsin by HCl. Pepsin is a powerful enzyme that digests proteins into smaller peptides in the acidic environment of the stomach.

Explanation: Malaria is not caused by a virus; it is caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Plasmodium. The disease spreads through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. The parasite enters the human bloodstream, infects liver cells, and then red blood cells, leading to recurring fever, chills, and anemia. In contrast, Smallpox, AIDS, and Flu are all viral diseases caused by the Variola virus, HIV, and Influenza virus respectively.

Explanation: Respiration is a biochemical process in which food molecules (mainly glucose) are oxidized to release energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This energy is then used for various life processes such as movement, growth, repair, and maintenance. Respiration occurs in all living cells and takes place mainly inside the mitochondria.

Chemical Equation:

C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + Energy (ATP)

In contrast, photosynthesis stores energy in glucose molecules, while respiration releases that stored energy for cellular use.

Explanation: Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and highly poisonous gas. When inhaled, it competes with oxygen for binding sites on the haemoglobin molecule in red blood cells. CO has approximately 200–250 times greater affinity for haemoglobin than oxygen. As a result, it forms a stable compound called carboxyhaemoglobin (HbCO).

This compound prevents haemoglobin from carrying oxygen to body tissues, leading to oxygen deprivation (hypoxia). Prolonged exposure to CO can cause headache, dizziness, nausea, unconsciousness, and even death due to suffocation.

Chemical Reaction:

Hb + CO → HbCO (Carboxyhaemoglobin)

Explanation: Unwanted or unsolicited e-mails sent in bulk are called spam. These messages often contain advertisements, phishing links, or malware. They clutter inboxes and can pose security risks. The term “spam” originated from a comedy sketch by Monty Python, where the word was repeatedly used, much like unwanted messages.

Explanation: A strong-smelling compound called thioethanolamine (or ethyl mercaptan) is added to LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) to help detect gas leaks. LPG itself is odourless, so this compound gives it a distinct unpleasant smell, making leakage easily noticeable for safety.

Explanation: In space, where there is no gravity, convection cannot occur because it depends on the movement of fluid due to gravity-induced density differences. Therefore, heat transfer in such conditions takes place only through radiation and conduction (within the liquid itself).

Diseases like Polio and Chicken Pox are caused by viruses. The Polio virus attacks the nervous system and can lead to paralysis, while the Varicella-zoster virus causes Chicken Pox, characterized by itchy blisters and fever. Viruses are acellular infectious agents that can reproduce only inside the living cells of a host organism.

Other options (for context)

• Bacteria: Cause diseases like tuberculosis, cholera, and typhoid, not polio or chicken pox.
• Protozoa: Cause diseases such as malaria and amoebiasis.
• Algae: Generally non-pathogenic; they do not cause human diseases like polio or chicken pox.

Explanation: Nuclear fission is the process in which the nucleus of a heavy atom, such as Uranium-235 or Plutonium-239, splits into two or more lighter nuclei when bombarded by a slow-moving neutron. This reaction releases a large amount of energy, along with additional neutrons that can trigger further fission reactions—leading to a chain reaction. This principle is used in nuclear reactors for power generation and in atomic bombs for explosive energy release.