Explanation: Bryology is the branch of botany that deals with the study of bryophytes, which include mosses and liverworts. These are small, non-vascular plants that typically grow in moist and shady environments.

Explanation: Sound waves in air are longitudinal waves, meaning the particles of the medium vibrate back and forth in the same direction as the wave travels. These waves require a material medium (like air, water, or solids) for propagation and cannot travel through a vacuum.

Explanation: Alcohols are organic compounds composed of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O). They are characterized by the presence of one or more hydroxyl (-OH) functional groups attached to a carbon atom. The general formula of alcohols is C_nH_2n+1OH. A common example is ethanol (C₂H₅OH), which is used in beverages, fuels, and sanitizers. The -OH group makes alcohols polar, soluble in water (especially lower alcohols), and reactive in many organic reactions.

John McCarthy is regarded as the father of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He coined the term “Artificial Intelligence” in 1956 during the Dartmouth Conference, which is considered the founding event of AI as a research field. McCarthy also developed the LISP programming language, one of the earliest languages used for AI programming. His contributions laid the foundation for modern AI research, machine learning, and robotics.

Other options (for context)

• Charles Babbage: Known as the “Father of the Computer” for designing the Analytical Engine.
• Lee De Forest: Invented the triode vacuum tube, which advanced early electronics.
• J. P. Eckert: Co-inventor of ENIAC, one of the first electronic general-purpose computers.

Explanation: An alpha particle (α-particle) is a positively charged particle that consists of two protons and two neutrons, the same as the nucleus of a helium atom (He²⁺). It carries a +2 charge because of the two protons and has a mass number of 4. Alpha particles are emitted during the radioactive decay of heavy elements such as uranium, radium, and thorium. They have high ionizing power but low penetration ability and can be stopped by a sheet of paper or human skin.

An Atom bomb works on the principle of nuclear fission. In this process, the nucleus of a heavy atom such as Uranium-235 or Plutonium-239 splits into two or more smaller nuclei when bombarded with a neutron. This splitting releases a tremendous amount of energy along with more neutrons, which further cause chain reactions — leading to a massive explosion.

Other options (for context)

• Chemical reaction: Produces far less energy; used in conventional explosives, not atomic bombs.
• Nuclear fusion: Powers hydrogen bombs (thermonuclear bombs), not atomic bombs.
• Atomic collision: General term — does not describe the chain reaction mechanism in fission.