100 General Knowledge Questions & Answers 2026

Why Practice 100 General Knowledge Questions?

Practicing 100 GK questions in a single session is the fastest way to identify knowledge gaps and build confidence before a quiz competition, competitive exam, or pub trivia night. Research shows that testing yourself is 50% more effective than re-reading notes (retrieval practice effect).

Science & Nature — 20 Questions

1. What is the chemical symbol for iron? (Fe — from Latin "Ferrum")
2. How many bones are in the adult human body? (206)
3. What planet is closest to the Sun? (Mercury)
4. What is the hardest natural substance? (Diamond)
5. Which gas makes up most of Earth's atmosphere? (Nitrogen — 78%)
6. What is the speed of light? (299,792,458 m/s)
7. What organ produces insulin? (Pancreas)
8. How many chambers does a human heart have? (4)
9. What is the boiling point of water in Fahrenheit? (212°F)
10. Which animal has the largest brain relative to body size? (Human)
11. What is the most abundant gas in the universe? (Hydrogen)
12. What is the unit of electrical resistance? (Ohm)
13. How many teeth does an adult human have? (32 including wisdom teeth)
14. What is the largest planet in our solar system? (Jupiter)
15. What does DNA stand for? (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)
16. What is the most common blood type? (O+)
17. Who invented the telephone? (Alexander Graham Bell, 1876)
18. What is the process by which plants make food? (Photosynthesis)
19. What is the center of an atom called? (Nucleus)
20. Which vitamin is produced when skin is exposed to sunlight? (Vitamin D)

History — 20 Questions

1. In which year did World War I begin? (1914)
2. Who was the first Roman Emperor? (Augustus Caesar)
3. Which country was the first to give women the right to vote? (New Zealand, 1893)
4. Who discovered America in 1492? (Christopher Columbus)
5. What was the name of the ship that sank in 1912? (RMS Titanic)
6. Who was the first person to walk on the Moon? (Neil Armstrong, 1969)
7. In which year did the Berlin Wall fall? (1989)
8. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? (Thomas Jefferson, primarily)
9. Which civilization built Machu Picchu? (Inca)
10. When was the Magna Carta signed? (1215)
11. Who was known as the Iron Lady? (Margaret Thatcher)
12. Which war was fought between the North and South of the USA? (American Civil War, 1861–1865)
13. Who painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling? (Michelangelo)
14. What year did the French Revolution begin? (1789)
15. Which ancient wonder was located in Alexandria? (The Lighthouse of Alexandria)
16. Who was the first female Prime Minister of the UK? (Margaret Thatcher, 1979)
17. What empire was ruled by Genghis Khan? (Mongol Empire)
18. In which country did the Industrial Revolution begin? (United Kingdom/England)
19. Who was the longest-reigning British monarch? (Queen Elizabeth II — 70 years)
20. What was the Cold War? (Geopolitical tension 1947–1991 between the USA and Soviet Union)

Geography — 20 Questions

1. What is the capital of Japan? (Tokyo)
2. Which is the largest country by area? (Russia)
3. What is the longest river in the world? (Nile River)
4. Which continent has the most countries? (Africa — 54)
5. What is the smallest country in the world? (Vatican City)
6. Which ocean is the largest? (Pacific Ocean)
7. What is the capital of Brazil? (Brasília)
8. Where is the Great Barrier Reef located? (Australia)
9. Which mountain is the tallest in the world? (Mount Everest, 8,849m)
10. What is the capital of Canada? (Ottawa)
11. Which country has the most natural lakes? (Canada)
12. What is the largest desert in the world? (Antarctic Desert — not Sahara)
13. Which two countries share the longest border? (USA and Canada)
14. What is the deepest lake in the world? (Lake Baikal, Russia)
15. Which city is known as the City of Light? (Paris)
16. What is the capital of South Africa? (Pretoria — executive capital)
17. Which country has the most spoken languages? (Papua New Guinea — over 800)
18. What is the tallest waterfall in the world? (Angel Falls, Venezuela)
19. Which is the most populous city in the world? (Tokyo)
20. What body of water separates Europe from Africa? (Mediterranean Sea / Strait of Gibraltar)

Sports — 15 Questions

1. How many players are on a football (soccer) team? (11)
2. Which country has won the most FIFA World Cups? (Brazil — 5 times)
3. How many rings are on the Olympic flag? (5)
4. What sport is played at Wimbledon? (Tennis)
5. How many players are on a basketball team? (5)
6. In cricket, how many balls are in an over? (6)
7. Which country invented basketball? (Canada — James Naismith)
8. How far is a marathon in km? (42.195 km)
9. What is the highest score in ten-pin bowling? (300)
10. Which sport uses a shuttlecock? (Badminton)
11. How many Grand Slam tennis tournaments are there? (4)
12. What country hosted the 2024 Summer Olympics? (France — Paris)
13. What is the national sport of Japan? (Sumo wrestling)
14. How many points is a try worth in rugby union? (5)
15. Which city hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896? (Athens, Greece)

Arts, Literature & Entertainment — 15 Questions

1. Who wrote Pride and Prejudice? (Jane Austen)
2. Which artist painted the Mona Lisa? (Leonardo da Vinci)
3. How many plays did Shakespeare write? (37 plays)
4. Who composed the Four Seasons? (Antonio Vivaldi)
5. What is the longest novel ever written? (In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust)
6. Who sang Bohemian Rhapsody? (Queen — Freddie Mercury)
7. What is the highest-grossing film of all time? (Avatar — $2.9 billion)
8. Which band was John Lennon part of? (The Beatles)
9. Who wrote Harry Potter? (J.K. Rowling)
10. What does "Oscar" stand for in the Academy Awards? (The trophy's official name is the Academy Award of Merit)
11. Who is the most streamed artist on Spotify? (The Weeknd / Taylor Swift — varies by year)
12. Which Shakespeare play features Othello? (Othello, the Moor of Venice)
13. What is the best-selling book series of all time? (Harry Potter — 600M+ copies)
14. Who composed the 5th Symphony? (Ludwig van Beethoven)
15. Which TV show featured characters named Ross, Rachel, and Monica? (Friends)

Math & Science Quick-Fire — 10 Questions

1. What is the square root of 144? (12)
2. How many sides does a hexagon have? (6)
3. What is the value of Pi to 2 decimal places? (3.14)
4. What comes after trillion? (Quadrillion)
5. How many seconds are in an hour? (3,600)
6. What percentage of the Earth's surface is water? (71%)
7. How many degrees in a right angle? (90°)
8. What is 15% of 200? (30)
9. How many days are in a leap year? (366)
10. What is the Roman numeral for 100? (C)

How to Use These 100 Questions

For best results: take the full quiz in one sitting, then review every wrong answer. Re-test yourself on incorrect questions after 24 hours (spaced repetition). For group study, assign each person 10 questions to present with explanations. Track your score weekly to measure improvement.