RRB ALP (Assistant Loco Pilot) Basic Science & Engineering (CBT Stage 2 Part A) Syllabus

Distinguish between speed and velocity.

Speed is the rate of change of distance (a scalar, no direction). Velocity is the rate of change of displacement in a given direction (a vector).

What is acceleration and its SI unit?

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with time. SI unit: m/s².

Convert 72 km/h into m/s.

72 × (5/18) = 20 m/s.

What is a lever, and what are its three components?

A lever is a rigid bar that turns about a fixed point. Its three components are the fulcrum (pivot), effort (applied force), and load (resistance).

Describe the three classes of levers with an example of each.

Class 1: fulcrum between effort and load (see-saw, scissors). Class 2: load between fulcrum and effort (wheelbarrow, nutcracker). Class 3: effort between fulcrum and load (tongs, human forearm).

Define mechanical advantage (MA) of a simple machine.

Mechanical advantage is the ratio of load (output force) to effort (input force): MA = Load/Effort.

What is the velocity ratio (VR) of a machine, and how does efficiency relate to MA and VR?

VR = distance moved by effort / distance moved by load. Efficiency = (MA/VR) × 100%.

Name the six classical simple machines.

Lever, wheel and axle, pulley, inclined plane, wedge, and screw.

What are ferrous and non-ferrous metals? Give one example of each.

Ferrous metals contain iron (e.g., cast iron, steel); non-ferrous metals do not contain iron (e.g., copper, aluminium, brass).

Define an alloy and give the composition of brass.

An alloy is a mixture of two or more metals (or a metal and non-metal) to improve properties. Brass = copper + zinc.

Distinguish ductility from malleability in engineering materials.

Ductility is the ability to be drawn into wires (tensile); malleability is the ability to be hammered/rolled into thin sheets (compressive).

What property of a material is described as its ability to return to original shape after the load is removed?

Elasticity.

State Ohm's law and its formula.

At constant temperature, the current through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage across it. V = I × R.

Define electric current and state its SI unit.

Electric current is the rate of flow of electric charge. SI unit: ampere (A), where 1 A = 1 coulomb/second.

What is electrical resistance and its SI unit? What factors affect it?

Resistance opposes the flow of current. SI unit: ohm (Ω). It depends on length (∝L), cross-sectional area (∝1/A), material (resistivity), and temperature.

Give the formula for electrical power in terms of voltage, current, and resistance.

P = VI = I²R = V²/R. SI unit: watt (W).

How are resistors combined in series and in parallel?

Series: R = R1 + R2 + R3 (resistances add). Parallel: 1/R = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 (reciprocals add).

What is a capacitor and what does it store? State its SI unit.

A capacitor stores electric charge/electrical energy in an electric field. SI unit of capacitance: farad (F).

Differentiate between a conductor, insulator, and semiconductor with one example each.

Conductor: allows current easily (copper). Insulator: resists current (rubber/glass). Semiconductor: conductivity between the two (silicon, germanium).

State Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL).

The algebraic sum of currents entering a junction equals the sum of currents leaving it (total current in = total current out).

State Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL).

The algebraic sum of all voltages (EMFs and voltage drops) around any closed loop in a circuit is zero.

What is a fuse and what is its purpose in a circuit?

A fuse is a safety device with a thin wire of low melting point that melts and breaks the circuit when excessive current flows, protecting equipment.

What are the like and unlike pole rules of magnetism?

Like poles (N-N or S-S) repel each other; unlike poles (N-S) attract each other.

What is electromagnetic induction and who discovered it?

Electromagnetic induction is the production of an EMF/current in a conductor when the magnetic flux linking it changes. Discovered by Michael Faraday.

State Faraday's first law of electromagnetic induction.

Whenever the magnetic flux linked with a circuit changes, an EMF is induced in it; it lasts only as long as the flux is changing.

What is the working principle of a transformer, and can it work on DC?

A transformer works on mutual induction, transferring AC power between coils by a changing magnetic flux. It cannot work on DC (DC produces no changing flux).

What is the basic difference between a DC motor and a DC generator?

A motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy (works on motor principle/force on a current-carrying conductor); a generator converts mechanical energy into electrical energy (works on electromagnetic induction).

In computing, what are the full forms of CPU, RAM, and ROM?

CPU = Central Processing Unit; RAM = Random Access Memory (volatile); ROM = Read Only Memory (non-volatile).

How many bits are in a byte, and what is the order of units: KB, MB, GB?

1 byte = 8 bits. Order: 1 KB = 1024 bytes, 1 MB = 1024 KB, 1 GB = 1024 MB.

Differentiate system software from application software with an example of each.

System software runs/manages the computer (e.g., operating system like Windows/Linux); application software performs user tasks (e.g., MS Word, browser).