Explanation: A sphygmomanometer is a medical instrument used to measure blood pressure. It consists of an inflatable cuff, a mercury or aneroid gauge, and a bulb for inflation. The cuff is wrapped around the upper arm and inflated to temporarily stop blood flow. As pressure is slowly released, readings are taken for systolic (maximum) and diastolic (minimum) pressure. Normal blood pressure for a healthy adult is about 120/80 mmHg.

Explanation: In GM food, the term GM stands for Genetically Modified. These are foods produced from organisms (plants or animals) whose genetic material (DNA) has been altered using modern biotechnology or genetic engineering techniques. This modification is done to introduce desirable traits such as pest resistance, drought tolerance, higher yield, or improved nutritional value. A common example is Bt cotton, which contains a gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis that provides resistance to insect pests.

Explanation: The permissible noise level in residential areas should not exceed 55 decibels (dB) during the daytime and 45 dB at night, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines. Exposure to higher noise levels can lead to stress, disturbed sleep, and hearing impairment.

Explanation: Albert Einstein received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his discovery of the photoelectric effect, not for his famous theory of relativity. In the photoelectric effect, when light of a certain frequency falls on a metal surface, it emits electrons. Einstein explained this phenomenon by proposing that light is made up of discrete packets of energy called photons. The energy of each photon is given by E = hν, where h is Planck’s constant and ν is the frequency of light. This discovery laid the foundation for quantum physics and modern electronics.

Explanation: The troposphere is the lowest layer of the Earth's atmosphere and is closest to the Earth's surface. It extends up to about 8–15 km from the surface, depending on latitude and season. This layer contains about 75% of the total atmospheric mass and almost all the water vapor and weather phenomena such as clouds, rain, and storms occur here. The temperature decreases with increasing altitude in this layer. The boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere is known as the tropopause.

Explanation: The intensity of sound is measured in decibels (dB). The decibel is a logarithmic unit that expresses the ratio of a sound’s intensity compared to a reference level (usually the faintest sound the human ear can detect, known as the threshold of hearing). The higher the decibel value, the louder the sound. For example, normal conversation is around 60 dB, traffic noise is about 80–90 dB, and sounds above 120 dB can cause pain or hearing damage.

Explanation: The tusks of elephants are actually modified second upper incisors. They are made primarily of dentine, commonly known as ivory, and covered by a thin layer of enamel at the tip (which wears off with time). Tusks grow continuously throughout the elephant’s life and are used for digging, lifting objects, stripping bark, defense, and dominance displays.

Note: Both male and female African elephants have tusks, whereas in Asian elephants, tusks are generally present only in males.

Composition: Tusks are composed of dentine (ivory) with fine concentric growth lines, and they grow from sockets in the skull.

Explanation: Prithvi was the first indigenously developed missile of India, designed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) launched in 1983 by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is a surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads. The Prithvi missile series includes Prithvi-I (Army version), Prithvi-II (Air Force), and Prithvi-III (Navy), with ranges varying from 150 km to 350 km.