Explanation: Thiamine (Vitamin B₁) is a water-soluble vitamin essential for carbohydrate metabolism and proper functioning of the nervous system. Its deficiency causes beriberi, which manifests as muscle weakness, loss of appetite, fatigue, and nerve degeneration. There are two main types of beriberi: dry beriberi (affecting nerves) and wet beriberi (affecting the heart).

Rich Sources: Whole grains, legumes, nuts, meat, eggs, and yeast.

Explanation: Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, which are the air passages of the respiratory tract that carry air to and from the lungs. The condition causes coughing, mucus production, chest discomfort, and difficulty in breathing. It can be caused by viral or bacterial infections, long-term exposure to smoke, dust, or air pollutants. Chronic bronchitis is a serious form often associated with smoking and is part of a group of lung diseases known as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

Explanation: The element hydrogen is common to all acids. Acids are substances that produce hydrogen ions (H⁺) or hydronium ions (H₃O⁺) when dissolved in water. This property gives acids their characteristic sour taste, the ability to turn blue litmus paper red, and to react with bases to form salts and water. Examples include hydrochloric acid (HCl), sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄), and nitric acid (HNO₃)—all of which release hydrogen ions in aqueous solution.

Explanation: Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals once widely used in construction and insulation. When inhaled, asbestos fibers accumulate in the lungs and pleura, leading to inflammation and scarring over years. This chronic exposure can cause asbestosis (lung fibrosis) and mesothelioma — a deadly cancer of the membrane lining the lungs (pleura) or abdomen (peritoneum).

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: Among the given particles, the proton is the heaviest. A proton is a positively charged subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom, with a mass of approximately 1.672 × 10⁻²⁷ kg. Although the neutron is slightly heavier than a proton, in most general questions like this one, protons are considered heavier in context when compared with electrons and neutrinos. Electrons are much lighter, with a mass about 1/1836 that of a proton, while neutrinos are nearly massless and electrically neutral.

Explanation: A microscope uses a system of convex lenses to magnify very small objects. Convex lenses, also known as converging lenses, bend light rays inward to a focal point, creating an enlarged and clear image of the specimen. A compound microscope typically contains two sets of convex lenses — the objective lens (near the specimen) and the eyepiece lens (near the observer’s eye). The objective lens forms a real, inverted, and magnified image, which is then further magnified by the eyepiece to produce a large virtual image.