general knowledge Online Quiz - 2850

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council are the victorious powers from WWII: China, France, Russia (USSR), the United Kingdom, and the USA. These five nations hold veto power over substantive Security Council resolutions. Option B correctly lists these members (using USSR for Russia, which was the founding member).

The Trusteeship Council is the only UN principal organ that has essentially completed its original purpose - overseeing the transition of trust territories to independence or self-government. With the last territory (Palau) gaining independence in 1994, the Council has suspended its operations and now meets only as needed. The Security Council, General Assembly, and ICJ remain actively operational.

The Halifax Summit was a G-7 summit held in 1995 in Halifax, Canada. It brought together leaders from the seven major industrialized countries (G-7) to discuss global economic and political issues.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) uses the giant panda as its logo since its founding in 1961. The panda was chosen because it is an endangered species and highly recognizable globally.

According to FIBA (International Basketball Federation) rules, the standard court dimensions for Olympic and World Tournament competitions are 28 meters x 15 meters. This is larger than some domestic leagues.

A fathometer is an echo sounder used to measure water depth in oceans and lakes. It works by sending sound waves to the ocean bottom and measuring the time for the echo to return - this is called sonar (Sound Navigation and Ranging).

Galvanization is the process of applying a protective zinc coating to iron or steel to prevent rusting. Zinc acts as a sacrificial metal - it corrodes preferentially, protecting the underlying iron.

Hockey was first introduced in the Asian Games in 1958 when Tokyo, Japan hosted the third edition of the Games. India won the gold medal in both men's and women's hockey at that inaugural tournament.

Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit (1686-1736) was a German physicist who invented the mercury thermometer in 1714 and devised the temperature scale that bears his name (the Fahrenheit scale). Option D is correct as it encompasses all these facts.

Bhaskara II (also known as Bhaskaracharya) was a renowned 12th-century Indian mathematician and astronomer. India's seventh satellite, launched in 1979, was named Bhaskara II in his honor. Aryabhatta was earlier (5th century) and Bhaskara I was 7th century.

Excessive secretion of growth hormone (GH) from the pituitary gland during childhood causes gigantism, resulting in significantly increased height. In adults, this causes acromegaly (bone thickening), but in children, it leads to abnormal vertical growth.

Entomology is the branch of zoology that specifically studies insects, including their behavior, physiology, classification, and ecology. The other options refer to different fields: psychology (A), etymology (C), and petrology (D).

Epsom in England is world-famous for horse racing, particularly for the Epsom Derby - one of horse racing's most prestigious events. The Epsom Downs racecourse has hosted the Derby annually since 1780. Snooker is more associated with Sheffield (World Championship).

G-15 is a summit level group of developing countries from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, established in 1989 to foster cooperation and provide input for other international organizations. The term 'Third World' refers to developing nations, which accurately describes G-15 membership including countries like India, Brazil, Egypt, and Malaysia.

A standard Quidditch pitch has three elevated hoop-shaped goal posts at each end, making six total. Each set of three hoops is defended by one team's Keeper, and Chasers score 10 points by sending the Quaffle through any of these hoops.

Owls are the primary means of communication in the wizarding world, used for delivering letters, packages, and messages. Wizards rely on owls instead of telephones, email, or muggle post. While other birds exist in the magical world, owls are specifically trained and enchanted for this purpose.

Catching the Golden Snitch awards 150 points to the Seeker's team and ends the game. This significant point value often determines the match outcome, though it's possible to lose even after catching the Snitch if the opponent's lead is too large.

Quidditch has over 700 known fouls listed in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, though most are rarely seen in actual play. Common fouls include blatching, cobbing, and haversacking. The extensive foul list reflects the sport's long history and complex nature.

Rita Skeeter is an unregistered animagus who can transform into a beetle, which she used to eavesdrop on private conversations at Hogwarts for her sensationalist stories. This illegal transformation allowed her to spy in places she couldn't access as a human.

Hagrid won a dragon egg in a card game and hatched it, naming the Norwegian Ridgeback dragon 'Norbert'. The dragon became too dangerous to keep and was eventually sent to a dragon sanctuary in Romania.