CSS Compulsory Papers General Science and Ability Syllabus

General Science and Ability syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for General Science and Ability in CSS Compulsory Papers, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Physical Sciences

   4 topics

   • Constituents and Structure of the Universe
   • Atmosphere and Weather
   • Basic Physics Concepts
   • Basic Chemistry Concepts
2. 2

   Biological Sciences

   5 topics

   • The Cell and Its Structure
   • Human Body Systems
   • Nutrition and Balanced Diet
   • Common Diseases and Health
   • Plants and Photosynthesis
3. 3

   Environmental Science

   4 topics

   • Ecosystem and Biodiversity
   • Pollution and Its Types
   • Climate Change and Global Warming
   • Natural Resources and Conservation
4. 4

   Information and Modern Technology

   3 topics

   • Computer Fundamentals
   • Telecommunication and the Internet
   • Emerging Technologies
5. 5

   Food Science and Energy Resources

   3 topics

   • Food Production and Preservation
   • Conventional and Renewable Energy
   • Energy Conservation
6. 6

   Quantitative Ability and Reasoning

   6 topics

   • Number Series and Sequences
   • Arithmetic and Word Problems
   • Basic Algebra and Geometry
   • Logical Reasoning
   • Data Interpretation and Analysis
   • Mental Ability and Pattern Recognition

General Science and Ability flashcards for CSS Compulsory Papers

21 of 52 cards from the General Science and Ability deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the four fundamental forces of nature, in order from strongest to weakest?

   Strong nuclear force (strongest), electromagnetic force, weak nuclear force, and gravity (weakest).

2. What is the Big Bang theory, and roughly how old is the universe?

   The Big Bang theory states the universe began as an extremely hot, dense singularity that has been expanding ever since. The universe is about 13.8 billion years old.

3. What evidence (discovered by Edwin Hubble) supports the expansion of the universe?

   Hubble observed that distant galaxies show a redshift in their light, indicating they are moving away from us; the farther a galaxy, the faster it recedes (Hubble's Law).

4. What is the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation?

   It is the faint, uniform afterglow of radiation left over from the Big Bang, detected across the whole sky at about 2.7 K, considered strong evidence for the Big Bang.

5. List the eight planets of the Solar System in order from the Sun.

   Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

6. Distinguish between a galaxy, a star, and a nebula.

   A galaxy is a vast gravitationally bound system of stars, gas, and dust (e.g., the Milky Way); a star is a luminous ball of plasma producing energy by nuclear fusion; a nebula is a cloud of interstellar gas and dust, often a stellar nursery.

7. What process powers the Sun and other stars?

   Nuclear fusion, in which hydrogen nuclei fuse to form helium in the core, releasing enormous amounts of energy.

8. Name the five main layers of Earth's atmosphere from lowest to highest.

   Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.

9. In which atmospheric layer does weather occur, and in which is the ozone layer located?

   Weather occurs in the troposphere (lowest layer); the ozone layer is located in the stratosphere.

10. What is the approximate composition of dry air by volume?

    About 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and roughly 1% argon, carbon dioxide, and other trace gases.

11. Define weather versus climate.

    Weather is the short-term, day-to-day state of the atmosphere (temperature, rainfall, wind) at a place; climate is the average weather conditions of a region measured over a long period (typically 30+ years).

12. What is the difference between humidity and relative humidity?

    Humidity is the amount of water vapour in the air; relative humidity is the percentage ratio of the actual water vapour present to the maximum the air can hold at that temperature.

13. Name the three main types of clouds.

    Cirrus (high, wispy), cumulus (puffy, fair-weather/storm), and stratus (low, layered/sheet-like).

14. What is the difference between scalar and vector quantities? Give one example of each.

    A scalar has only magnitude (e.g., speed, mass, temperature); a vector has both magnitude and direction (e.g., velocity, force, acceleration).

15. State Newton's three laws of motion.

    1) An object stays at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by a net force (inertia). 2) Force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma). 3) For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

16. Write the formulas for speed, acceleration, and force.

    Speed = distance / time; Acceleration = change in velocity / time; Force = mass × acceleration (F = ma).

17. State Ohm's law and its formula.

    Ohm's law states that current through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage across it (at constant temperature): V = I × R, where V is voltage, I is current, and R is resistance.

18. What is the difference between kinetic energy and potential energy? Give the formula for kinetic energy.

    Kinetic energy is energy of motion; potential energy is stored energy due to position or state. Kinetic energy = ½mv², where m is mass and v is velocity.

19. State the law of conservation of energy.

    Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed from one form to another; the total energy of an isolated system remains constant.

20. What is the difference between an atom, an element, and a compound?

    An atom is the smallest unit of matter; an element is a pure substance made of one type of atom; a compound is a substance formed when two or more different elements chemically combine in fixed ratios (e.g., water, H₂O).

21. What are the three subatomic particles, their charges, and locations in an atom?

    Protons (positive) and neutrons (neutral) are in the nucleus; electrons (negative) orbit the nucleus in shells.

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