Mishi’s questions in Physics-Chem-Bio & English

On the 19th of Feb, 2010 Mishi wrote to us:

Respected Sir,

I want to thank you for your unconditional support and expect the same in future..

I have the following queries in various other subjects.

We have the questions along with the answers below:

BIOLOGY:

Q1)  Which organ in the female reproductive system is an equivalent of bulbourethral glands in the mail reproductive system..?

The female equivalent is Bartholin’s gland. These are two glands located slightly below and to the left and right of the vagina. They secrete mucous to lubricate the vagina.

Q 2) What is the function of the yolk sac?

The yolk sac is a membranous sac attached to an embryo, providing early nourishment in the form of yolk in bony fishes, sharks, reptiles, birds, and primitive mammals. It functions as the developmental circulatory system of the human embryo, before internal circulation begins.

PHYSICS:

Q) Explain: why does a test tube,kept inclined in a beaker filled with water, shines.

This phenomenon is caused by internal reflection. Light rays which are incident on the walls of the test tube in the beaker filled with water gets reflected in the beaker itself for an angle greater than the angle of internal reflection. This phenomenon makes it shine.

History:

Q) Who is the presiding officer of the Rajya sabha?(Is a chairman and an ex-officio chairman different?)

The Vice President is the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. The term ex-officio means by virtue of one’s office.

Q) How does the parliament symbolise that the people of India make laws for themselves?

This is symbolized by the fact that the Members of the Parliament are chosen by the vote of the people of India. Thus the MPs are representatives of Indian people.

Q) Mention two important privileges of the members of  the State Legislature.

1. Freedom of speech in the house

2. Freedom from arrest in civil action.

CHEMISTRY:

Q) Do ammonium salts undergo thermal decomposition or thermal dissociation? Name 1 salt that undergoes Thermal dissociation.

Ammonium salts undergo thermal decomposition.
Ammonium dinitramide is a salt that undergoes thermal decomposition.

ENGLISH –Literature (JULIUS CAESAR):

Please explain the following lines:

ACT II, Scene i)

Lines 101-111

Decius:

Here lies the east: doth not the day break here?

Casca:

No

Cinna:

O,pardon, sir, it doth; and yon grey lines

That fret the clouds are messengers of day.

Casca:

You shall confess that you both are deceived

Here,as I point my sword, the sun arises;

Which is a great way growing on the south,

Weighing the youthful season of the year .

Some two months hence, up higher toward the north

He first presents his fire, and the high east

Stands, as the Capitol, directly here.

Explanation:

After all the conspirators meet at Brutus’ orchard Cassius and Brutus move away from the fellow conspirators to have a word in private and Decius Brutus, Casca and Cinna are left to themselves. It was nearly three in the morning and therefore Decius very simply says “HERE LIES THE EAST” referring to the morning. But Casca, having Caesar’s murder in mind says “NO”. Cinna, on the other hand, not being so preoccupied, doesn’t understand Casca’s pun and excuses himself and says that the morning had indeed come and says that the gray lines which streak (FRET) the sky (CLOUD) show the approach of dawn.

Casca, still with Caesar’s death in mind, says that both Cinna and Decius Brutus are mistaken because the sun is now rising in the south, since it was the youthful season of the year, that is, spring time, they must look in towards south to see the early sun. Punning on his words he says that after two months “he” the sun would be soaring up towards north and its fire or its rays would shine over. The east would shine as the capital does now. Though Casca is talking of the sun and the season, the dawn of revolution that will be heralded by Caesar’s murder is really on his mind.