PMS Examination General Knowledge Syllabus

General Knowledge syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for General Knowledge in PMS Examination, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Everyday Science

   5 topics

   • The Universe and Solar System
   • Basic Physics
   • Basic Chemistry
   • Biology and Human Body
   • Environmental Science
2. 2

   Current Affairs

   4 topics

   • National Issues
   • International Affairs
   • Important Organizations and Summits
   • Recent Events and Awards
3. 3

   Pakistan and World Geography

   3 topics

   • Continents, Oceans and Climate
   • Important Geographical Features
   • Capitals, Currencies and Boundaries
4. 4

   Basic Mathematics and Computing

   4 topics

   • Arithmetic and Percentages
   • Averages, Ratio and Proportion
   • Basic Computer Concepts
   • Data Interpretation
5. 5

   General History and Geography

   3 topics

   • Major World Civilizations
   • World Wars and Modern History
   • Important Days and Events
6. 6

   Sports, Culture and Miscellaneous

   3 topics

   • International Sports Events
   • Books, Authors and Quotations
   • Abbreviations and First/Largest/Smallest

General Knowledge flashcards for PMS Examination

20 of 52 cards from the General Knowledge deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the four innermost (terrestrial) planets of the Solar System, in order from the Sun?

   Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. They are rocky planets, in contrast to the gas/ice giants Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

2. What is a light-year and roughly how far is it?

   A light-year is the distance light travels in one year in a vacuum, about 9.46 trillion kilometres (9.46 x 10^12 km). It is a unit of distance, not time.

3. Which planet is the largest in the Solar System, and what is the Sun mostly composed of?

   Jupiter is the largest planet. The Sun is composed mostly of hydrogen (about 73%) and helium (about 25%), generating energy by nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium.

4. 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.

5. What is the difference between speed and velocity?

   Speed is a scalar quantity (magnitude only, distance/time). Velocity is a vector quantity that includes both magnitude and direction (displacement/time).

6. State Ohm's law and give its formula.

   Ohm's law states that the current through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage across it, at constant temperature. Formula: V = IR (Voltage = Current x Resistance).

7. What is the SI unit of force, and how is it defined?

   The newton (N). One newton is the force needed to accelerate a mass of 1 kilogram at 1 metre per second squared (1 N = 1 kg.m/s^2).

8. What is the difference between an element, a compound, and a mixture?

   An element is a pure substance of one type of atom. A compound is two or more elements chemically bonded in a fixed ratio. A mixture is two or more substances physically combined, separable by physical means.

9. What do the atomic number and mass number of an atom represent?

   The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus (it defines the element). The mass number is the total number of protons plus neutrons.

10. What is the pH scale, and what values indicate acids, neutrals, and bases?

    The pH scale runs from 0 to 14 measuring acidity/alkalinity. Below 7 is acidic, exactly 7 is neutral (e.g. pure water), and above 7 is basic/alkaline.

11. Name the three subatomic particles and their electric charges.

    Proton (positive charge), electron (negative charge), and neutron (no charge / neutral).

12. What is photosynthesis and what is its basic word equation?

    Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants make food using sunlight. Equation: Carbon dioxide + Water --(light, chlorophyll)--> Glucose + Oxygen.

13. Which organ pumps blood, and how many chambers does the human heart have?

    The heart pumps blood through the body. It has four chambers: two upper atria and two lower ventricles.

14. What are the basic units of heredity, and what molecule carries genetic information?

    Genes are the basic units of heredity. Genetic information is carried by DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).

15. What is the largest organ of the human body, and what is the smallest bone?

    The skin is the largest organ. The smallest bone is the stapes (stirrup), located in the middle ear.

16. What is the greenhouse effect?

    The greenhouse effect is the trapping of the Sun's heat in the Earth's atmosphere by greenhouse gases (CO2, methane, water vapour), which keeps the planet warm but, when enhanced by human emissions, causes global warming.

17. What is the ozone layer and why is it important?

    The ozone layer is a region of the stratosphere rich in ozone (O3) that absorbs most of the Sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, protecting living organisms from UV damage.

18. Define biodiversity and name three main types.

    Biodiversity is the variety of life in an area. Its three levels are genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.

19. Which body of water borders Pakistan to the south, and what is Pakistan's longest river?

    The Arabian Sea borders Pakistan to the south. The Indus River is Pakistan's longest and most important river.

20. Which countries share land borders with Pakistan?

    India (east), Afghanistan (northwest), Iran (southwest), and China (northeast).

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