
General Knowledge Questions for Class 11
Welcome to our general knowledge questions for class 11 quiz. This practice set includes 100 carefully selected MCQs from science, history, geography, polity, economics, environment, computer awareness, and general awareness. These questions are useful for Class 11 students, school-level competitions, and early preparation for competitive examinations. Read each question carefully, choose the correct option, and check the explanation instantly.
1. Which branch of biology deals with the study of heredity and variation?
Genetics is the branch of biology that studies heredity, genes, and how characteristics are passed from parents to offspring, along with variation among individuals.
2. The SI unit of amount of substance is:
The mole is the SI unit of amount of substance. One mole contains approximately 6.022 × 10²³ elementary entities, known as Avogadro’s number.
3. Which cell organelle is known as the powerhouse of the cell?
Mitochondria produce most of a cell’s usable energy in the form of ATP through cellular respiration, so they are called the powerhouse of the cell.
4. The process by which green plants prepare food is called:
During photosynthesis, green plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to make glucose. Oxygen is released as a by-product.
5. Which particle has a negative electric charge?
An electron carries a negative electric charge. In an atom, electrons occupy regions around the positively charged nucleus.
6. The acceleration due to gravity on Earth is approximately:
Near Earth’s surface, gravitational acceleration is approximately 9.8 m/s², meaning the velocity of a freely falling object increases by about 9.8 m/s every second, ignoring air resistance.
7. Which law states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction?
Newton’s Third Law states that forces occur in equal and opposite pairs: when one body exerts a force on another, the second exerts an equal and opposite force on the first.
8. The dimensional formula of force is:
Force equals mass multiplied by acceleration. Since mass has dimension M and acceleration has dimension LT⁻², force has the dimensional formula MLT⁻².
9. Which lens is used to correct myopia?
A concave lens diverges incoming light rays. It is used to correct myopia because it shifts the image of a distant object back onto the retina.
10. The pH of a neutral solution at 25°C is:
At 25°C, a neutral aqueous solution has equal concentrations of hydrogen and hydroxide ions, giving it a pH of 7.
11. Who founded the Maurya Empire?
Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya Empire around 322 BCE and established a powerful empire with guidance from Chanakya or Kautilya.
12. The Battle of Plassey was fought in:
The Battle of Plassey was fought on 23 June 1757 in Bengal. The victory of the East India Company helped it gain political control in Bengal.
13. Who wrote the Arthashastra?
Kautilya, also known as Chanakya or Vishnugupta, is traditionally credited with writing the Arthashastra, a treatise on statecraft, economics, and administration.
14. The Gupta period is often called the:
The Gupta period is often called the Golden Age of India because of major achievements in mathematics, astronomy, literature, art, science, and culture.
15. Who was the first woman ruler of the Delhi Sultanate?
Razia Sultan became the first and only woman to rule the Delhi Sultanate in her own right, reigning from 1236 to 1240.
16. The Non-Cooperation Movement was launched in:
Mahatma Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920 to encourage Indians to boycott British institutions and goods through non-violent means.
17. Who gave the slogan “Inquilab Zindabad”?
Bhagat Singh popularised the revolutionary slogan “Inquilab Zindabad,” meaning “Long live the revolution,” during India’s freedom struggle.
18. The Quit India Movement began in:
The Quit India Movement began in August 1942 after the Congress called for an end to British rule. Gandhi gave the famous call of “Do or Die.”
19. Who was the last Mughal emperor?
Bahadur Shah II, popularly known as Bahadur Shah Zafar, was the last Mughal emperor. He was deposed by the British after the Revolt of 1857.
20. The Indian National Congress was founded in:
The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 at Bombay. A. O. Hume played an important role in its formation, and W. C. Bonnerjee was its first president.
21. The Tropic of Cancer passes through how many Indian states?
The Tropic of Cancer crosses eight Indian states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, and Mizoram.
22. Which river is known as the Dakshin Ganga?
The Godavari is called the Dakshin Ganga, or Ganga of the South, because it is the longest river of peninsular India and has great cultural importance.
23. Black soil is especially suitable for growing:
Black soil retains moisture and is rich in minerals suitable for cotton cultivation. It is therefore also called regur soil or black cotton soil.
24. The largest ocean on Earth is the:
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean on Earth, covering more area than any other ocean.
25. Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer?
The ozone layer is concentrated in the stratosphere, where ozone absorbs much of the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.
26. The instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure is:
A barometer measures atmospheric pressure. Mercury and aneroid barometers are two commonly known types.
27. Which Indian state has the longest coastline?
Gujarat has the longest coastline among Indian states, extending along the Arabian Sea and including the Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Khambhat.
28. The Sundarbans are famous for:
The Sundarbans are famous for extensive mangrove forests in the Ganga–Brahmaputra delta and for the Royal Bengal tiger.
29. The process of wearing away of soil is called:
Soil erosion is the removal of the fertile topsoil by agents such as running water, wind, glaciers, and human activities.
30. Rainfall caused by rising heated air is called:
Convectional rainfall occurs when the Sun heats the ground, warm moist air rises, cools at higher levels, and condenses into rain-bearing clouds.
31. The Constitution of India came into effect on:
The Constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950, the date chosen to honour the Purna Swaraj declaration of 1930. India became a republic on that day.
32. Fundamental Rights are included in which part of the Constitution?
Part III of the Indian Constitution, Articles 12–35, contains the Fundamental Rights guaranteed to citizens and, in some cases, other persons.
33. The head of the Indian state is the:
The President appoints the Prime Minister, normally the leader who commands majority support in the Lok Sabha.
34. The minimum age for becoming the President of India is:
A person must be at least 35 years old to be eligible for election as the President of India.
35. The Rajya Sabha is also known as the:
Rajya Sabha is called the Council of States because it represents the states and Union territories in the Indian Parliament.
36. The voting age in India was reduced to 18 years by the:
The 61st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1988, reduced the voting age in India from 21 to 18 years.
37. Who appoints the Prime Minister of India?
The President appoints the Prime Minister, normally the leader who commands majority support in the Lok Sabha.
38. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment is related to:
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment gave constitutional status to rural local self-government institutions known as Panchayati Raj institutions.
39. The guardian of the Constitution is generally considered to be the:
The Supreme Court interprets the Constitution and protects constitutional provisions, so it is often described as the guardian of the Constitution.
40. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India audits:
The Comptroller and Auditor General audits receipts and expenditure of the Union and state governments and reports on the use of public money.
41. GDP stands for:
GDP means Gross Domestic Product, the monetary value of final goods and services produced within a country’s borders during a specified period.
42. The Reserve Bank of India is India’s:
The Reserve Bank of India is the central bank of India. It issues and manages currency, regulates banks, and conducts monetary policy.
43. Agriculture belongs to which sector of the economy?
Agriculture belongs to the primary sector because it directly uses natural resources to produce crops, livestock, and other raw materials.
44. Inflation means:
Inflation is a sustained increase in the general price level, which reduces the purchasing power of money when incomes do not rise proportionately.
45. GST is a type of:
GST is an indirect tax because it is collected by businesses from consumers and ultimately borne by the final consumer of goods or services.
46. Disguised unemployment is commonly found in:
Disguised unemployment is common in agriculture when more people work on a farm than are actually needed, so removing some workers does not reduce output.
47. The Human Development Report is published by:
The United Nations Development Programme publishes the Human Development Report, which analyses human development using indicators such as health, education, and income.
48. Liberalisation generally means:
Liberalisation means reducing excessive government controls and restrictions to encourage competition, trade, investment, and economic activity.
49. The central problem of economics arises because resources are:
Economics begins with scarcity: human wants are unlimited, while the resources available to satisfy those wants are limited and have alternative uses.
50. Which greenhouse gas is most directly associated with burning fossil fuels?
Burning coal, petroleum, and natural gas releases carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas responsible for much of the human-caused increase in global warming.
51. The 3R principle stands for:
The 3R principle promotes reducing consumption first, reusing products where possible, and recycling materials to conserve resources and reduce waste.
52. Acid rain is mainly caused by emissions of:
Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react with atmospheric moisture to form acids, producing acid rain that can damage soil, water bodies, vegetation, and buildings.
53. The Chipko Movement was associated with the protection of:
The Chipko Movement involved villagers, especially in the Himalayan region, protecting trees by embracing them to prevent commercial felling.
54. The variety of living organisms in an area is called:
Biodiversity means the variety of living organisms at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels in a particular area or across the planet.
55. Which gas protects Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation?
Ozone absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun and therefore helps protect living organisms from excessive UV exposure.
56. The main source of energy for most ecosystems is:
Most ecosystems ultimately obtain their energy from sunlight. Producers capture solar energy through photosynthesis and pass energy through food chains.
57. Planting trees on barren land is called:
Afforestation is the planting or establishment of forests on land that was not recently forested. It helps control erosion and absorb carbon dioxide.
58. A protected area for conserving wildlife in its natural habitat is a:
A wildlife sanctuary is a protected area where animals and their habitats receive conservation protection, although some regulated human activities may be allowed.
59. CPU stands for:
CPU stands for Central Processing Unit. It executes instructions, performs calculations, and controls the operations of a computer.
60. Which memory is non-volatile?
ROM is non-volatile memory, meaning it retains stored information even when the power supply is switched off.
61. HTML is mainly used to:
HTML provides the structure of web pages through elements such as headings, paragraphs, links, images, lists, and tables.
62. HTTPS is more secure than HTTP because it uses:
HTTPS uses encryption through TLS to protect data exchanged between a browser and a website against interception and tampering.
63. A device that forwards data packets between networks is a:
A router forwards data packets between different networks and selects suitable paths for data to reach its destination.
64. Phishing is an attempt to:
Phishing is a fraudulent technique in which attackers impersonate trusted persons or organisations to trick people into revealing passwords, bank details, or other sensitive information.
65. Two-factor authentication improves:
Two-factor authentication adds a second verification step, such as a code or security key, making an account safer even if the password is exposed.
66. Cloud computing refers to using:
Cloud computing provides storage, processing power, software, and other services through remote servers accessed over the internet.
67. The file extension .pdf commonly represents a:
The .pdf extension refers to Portable Document Format, designed to preserve a document’s layout and appearance across devices and operating systems.
68. Artificial intelligence focuses on creating systems that can:
Artificial intelligence develops systems that can perform tasks such as learning, pattern recognition, language processing, and decision-making.
69. The SI unit of electric current is:
The ampere is the SI base unit of electric current, which measures the rate at which electric charge flows through a conductor.
70. Ohm’s law relates voltage, current and:
Ohm’s law states that, at constant physical conditions, voltage equals current multiplied by resistance: V = IR.
71. The work done by a force is zero when displacement is:
Work done by a force is W = F s cos θ. If displacement is zero, the work done is zero because no displacement occurs.
72. The kinetic energy of an object depends on its:
Kinetic energy is given by ½mv², so it depends on both the object’s mass and the square of its speed.
73. The escape velocity from Earth is approximately:
The escape velocity from Earth’s surface is approximately 11.2 km/s. An object must reach this speed, ignoring air resistance, to escape Earth’s gravitational influence without further propulsion.
74. Which phenomenon explains the bending of light around obstacles?
Diffraction is the bending and spreading of waves when they pass through a narrow opening or around an obstacle, especially when its size is comparable to the wavelength.
75. The unit of frequency is:
Hertz is the SI unit of frequency. One hertz means one complete cycle or oscillation per second.
76. A transformer works on the principle of:
A transformer works through electromagnetic induction: an alternating current in the primary coil creates a changing magnetic field that induces voltage in the secondary coil.
77. Which quantity has both magnitude and direction?
Velocity is a vector quantity because it has both magnitude and direction, whereas speed has magnitude only.
78. The first law of thermodynamics is based on conservation of:
The first law of thermodynamics expresses conservation of energy: energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or converted from one form to another.
79. The basic unit of life is the:
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of life. All living organisms are made of one or more cells.
80. DNA stands for:
DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. It stores hereditary information and provides instructions for building and maintaining living organisms.
81. Enzymes are mainly:
Enzymes are mostly proteins that act as biological catalysts. They speed up biochemical reactions by lowering the activation energy without being consumed.
82. The functional unit of the kidney is the:
The nephron is the structural and functional unit of the kidney. It filters blood, reabsorbs useful substances, and helps form urine.
83. Insulin is secreted by the:
The pancreas produces insulin through the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans. Insulin helps cells take up glucose and lowers blood glucose levels.
84. The largest gland in the human body is the:
The liver is the largest gland in the human body. It performs functions such as bile production, detoxification, metabolism, and storage of nutrients.
85. Photosynthesis releases which gas?
In photosynthesis, water is split during the light-dependent reactions, and oxygen is released into the atmosphere as a by-product.
86. The human heart normally has:
The human heart has four chambers: two atria and two ventricles. This arrangement keeps oxygenated and deoxygenated blood largely separate.
87. Vitamin C deficiency causes:
Scurvy results from vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C is needed for collagen formation, so its deficiency can cause bleeding gums, poor wound healing, and weakness.
88. The study of tissues is called:
Histology is the branch of biology that studies the microscopic structure and organisation of tissues.
89. The chemical formula of common salt is:
Common salt is sodium chloride, written chemically as NaCl. It consists of sodium ions and chloride ions in an ionic lattice.
90. A substance with pH less than 7 is generally:
A solution with pH below 7 at 25°C is acidic because its hydrogen-ion concentration is greater than that of a neutral solution.
91. The atomic number of carbon is:
The atomic number of carbon is 6, meaning every carbon atom has six protons in its nucleus.
92. The gas used in the Haber process is mainly:
The Haber process combines nitrogen and hydrogen to manufacture ammonia: N₂ + 3H₂ ⇌ 2NH₃, under suitable pressure, temperature, and catalysis.
93. The catalyst used in the Haber process is:
Finely divided iron is used as the catalyst in the Haber process, which produces ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen.
94. The hardest natural substance is:
Diamond is the hardest natural substance commonly recognised because its carbon atoms form a strong three-dimensional covalent network.
95. The process of conversion of a solid directly into gas is:
Sublimation is the direct change of a solid into a gas without passing through the liquid state, as seen with substances such as camphor and dry ice under suitable conditions.
96. The chemical symbol of potassium is:
Potassium has the chemical symbol K, derived from its Latin name kalium.
97. Who is known as the Father of the Indian Constitution?
Dr B. R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly and made a major contribution to framing the Indian Constitution.
98. The national income of a country is commonly measured over:
National income is generally measured for a financial or calendar year to estimate the total income generated by an economy during that period.
99. The headquarters of the United Nations is in:
The headquarters of the United Nations is located in New York City, United States, although the organisation has major offices in several other cities.
100. The largest planet in the Solar System is:
Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System. It is a gas giant composed mainly of hydrogen and helium and has a very strong magnetic field.
Regular practice with general knowledge questions for class 11 can improve your awareness, strengthen important concepts, and build confidence for school examinations and competitive tests. Revise the questions you miss, learn the related facts, and attempt the quiz again after a few days for better retention. Keep practising with more subject-wise GK quizzes on Preptara — Learning Simplified.
