GPSC Prelims and Mains Notes, GPSC Test Series
Properties of matter Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. At a minimum, matter requires at least one subatomic particle, although most matter consists of atoms. The two properties of matter are: • Mass – amount or quantity of matter • Volume – amount of space occupiedphysical properties – inherent characteristics of … Read more Properties of matter
Human health and diseases According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), health is defined as: Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well being and not merely absence of disease or infirmity. Good health of an individual is important in order to ensure happiness and our ability to work. There are many … Read more Human health and diseases
Safe drinking water is the birthright of all humankind – as much a birthright as clean air. The majority of the world’s population, however, does not have access to safe drinking water. This is certainly true in most parts of Africa and Asia. Even in relatively advanced countries such as India, safe drinking water … Read more Water quality and water purification
Various chemical and biological weapons chemical weapons A chemical weapon is any toxic chemical that can cause death, injury, incapacitation, and sensory irritation, deployed via a delivery system, such as an artillery shell, rocket, or ballistic missile. Chemical weapons are considered weapons of mass destruction and their use in armed conflict is a violation of … Read more Various chemical and biological weapons
Moving Charge and Magnetism Magnetism is a phenomenon produced by the motion of electric charge, which results in attractive and repulsive forces between objects. A magnet is any piece of material that has the property of attracting iron (or steel). Magnetite, also known as lodestone, is a naturally occurring rock that is a magnet. This … Read more moving charge and magnetism
Solid State solid state is a compact state of matter. The solids are distinguished from a liquid or gas in terms of their rigidity which makes them occupy definite volume and have a well defined shape. In solid state, the constituent particles are in close contact and have strong forces of attraction between them. Solids … Read more solid state
Corrosion is defined as an attack on a material as a result of chemical, frequently electrochemical reaction, with the surrounding medium. According to this definition, the term corrosion can be applied to all materials, including non-metals. But in practice, the word corrosion is mainly used in conjunction with metallic materials. Why do metals corrode? Apart … Read more Corrosion and its prevention
Electrochemistry Electrochemistry is the study of production of electricity from energy released during spontaneous reactions and the use of electrical energy to bring about non-spontaneous chemical transformations. Electrochemistry is the study of chemical processes that cause electrons to move. This movement of electrons is called electricity, which can be generated by movements of electrons from … Read more electro chemistry
A molecule of high relative molecular mass, the structure of which essentially comprises the multiple repetition of units derived, actually or conceptually, from molecules of low relative molecular mass is called a polymer. A polymer is a large molecule, or macromolecule, composed of many repeated subunits. Due to their broad range of properties,both synthetic and … Read more Polymers and their uses
Civilian and military uses of Nuclear energy Civilian uses Plant mutation breeding Plant mutation breeding is the process of exposing the seeds or cuttings of a given plant to radiation, such as gamma rays, to cause mutations. The irradiated material is then cultivated to generate a plantlet. Plantlets are selected and multiplied if they show … Read more Civilian and military uses of Nuclear energy