UPSC NDA & NA General Science (GAT - Part B) Syllabus

General Science (GAT - Part B) 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 (GAT - Part B) in UPSC NDA & NA, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Physics

   6 topics

   • Measurement, Motion and Force
     • Units, dimensions and measurement
     • Newton's laws of motion and momentum
     • Work, energy and power
   • Properties of Matter and Gravitation
     • Density, pressure and Archimedes' principle
     • Gravitation and motion of objects
   • Heat and Thermodynamics
     • Temperature, heat and modes of heat transfer
     • Change of state and latent heat
   • Sound and Light
     • Nature and properties of sound waves
     • Reflection, refraction and lenses
     • Human eye and simple optical instruments
   • Electricity and Magnetism
     • Current, resistance and Ohm's law
     • Conductors, non-conductors and simple circuits
     • Magnets and electromagnetic effects
   • Simple Machines and Everyday Devices
     • Levers, pulleys and inclined planes
     • Working of telegraphs, telephone and pendulum clock
2. 2

   Chemistry

   4 topics

   • Matter and Its Nature
     • Physical and chemical changes
     • Elements, mixtures and compounds
     • Symbols, formulae and chemical equations
   • Atomic Structure and Bonding
     • Atoms, molecules and atomic structure
     • Law of chemical combination
     • Valency and chemical bonding
   • Common Chemical Reactions and Substances
     • Acids, bases and salts
     • Oxidation and reduction
     • Properties of air and water
   • Important Materials and Their Uses
     • Preparation and properties of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide
     • Fertilisers, soaps, glass, ink and paper
     • Gun powder and explosives
3. 3

   Biology

   4 topics

   • Basis of Life
     • Cells, protoplasm and tissues
     • Growth and reproduction in plants and animals
   • Human Body and Its Systems
     • Elementary knowledge of human body and organ systems
     • Balanced diet and food constituents
   • Health and Disease
     • Common epidemics, their causes and prevention
     • Vaccination and immunity
   • Living World and Environment
     • Difference between living and non-living things
     • Constituents of food and their importance

General Science (GAT - Part B) flashcards for UPSC NDA & NA

24 of 51 cards from the General Science (GAT - Part B) deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is the SI base unit of length, and which fundamental physical quantity does the kilogram measure?

   The metre (m) is the SI base unit of length; the kilogram (kg) is the SI base unit of mass.

2. Distinguish between a scalar and a vector quantity, giving one example of each.

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

3. State Newton's three laws of motion.

   1st: A body stays at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by a net external force (inertia). 2nd: Force = mass x acceleration (F = ma). 3rd: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

4. Write the three equations of uniformly accelerated motion.

   v = u + at; s = ut + (1/2)at^2; v^2 = u^2 + 2as, where u = initial velocity, v = final velocity, a = acceleration, s = displacement, t = time.

5. Define momentum and state the principle of conservation of momentum.

   Momentum p = mass x velocity (p = mv). In the absence of external forces, the total momentum of a system remains constant (conserved).

6. What is the difference between mass and weight, and how are they related?

   Mass is the amount of matter in a body (constant, in kg); weight is the gravitational force on it (W = mg, in newtons), and weight varies with the value of g.

7. State Newton's law of universal gravitation as a formula.

   F = G(m1 m2)/r^2, where G is the universal gravitational constant (6.67 x 10^-11 N m^2/kg^2), m1 and m2 are the masses, and r is the distance between their centres.

8. What is the approximate value of acceleration due to gravity (g) on Earth's surface?

   Approximately 9.8 m/s^2 (often taken as 9.81 m/s^2 or rounded to 10 m/s^2).

9. Define the three states of matter in terms of shape and volume.

   Solid: fixed shape and fixed volume. Liquid: fixed volume but takes the shape of its container. Gas: neither fixed shape nor fixed volume (fills the container).

10. State Archimedes' principle.

    A body wholly or partly immersed in a fluid experiences an upward buoyant force equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces.

11. What is Pascal's law of pressure in fluids?

    Pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished equally in all directions throughout the fluid. It is the basis of hydraulic machines.

12. Define surface tension and give one everyday example of its effect.

    Surface tension is the property by which the surface of a liquid behaves like a stretched elastic membrane due to cohesive forces. Example: water droplets forming spherical shapes.

13. Distinguish between heat and temperature.

    Heat is the total thermal energy transferred due to a temperature difference (measured in joules/calories). Temperature is the measure of the average kinetic energy of particles (measured in K/C/F).

14. Give the formulas for converting Celsius to Fahrenheit and Celsius to Kelvin.

    F = (9/5)C + 32; K = C + 273.15 (often approximated as C + 273).

15. Name the three modes of heat transfer and state which one requires no medium.

    Conduction, convection, and radiation. Radiation requires no material medium (it travels through vacuum).

16. State the first law of thermodynamics.

    Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed. Heat supplied to a system equals the increase in internal energy plus work done by the system: Q = dU + W.

17. What is specific heat capacity, and what is the unusual specific heat property of water?

    Specific heat capacity is the heat needed to raise 1 kg of a substance by 1 C (J/kg.C). Water has an unusually high specific heat (~4200 J/kg.C), so it heats and cools slowly.

18. Define latent heat of fusion and latent heat of vaporization.

    Latent heat of fusion is the heat needed to convert a unit mass of solid to liquid at constant temperature; latent heat of vaporization converts a unit mass of liquid to gas at constant temperature.

19. What is the nature of sound waves, and can sound travel through a vacuum?

    Sound waves are longitudinal mechanical waves requiring a material medium. Sound cannot travel through a vacuum.

20. State the approximate speed of sound in air and explain how it changes with the medium.

    About 343 m/s in air at room temperature. Sound travels fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases (speed increases with medium density/elasticity: solids > liquids > gases).

21. Define the audible frequency range for humans and the terms infrasonic and ultrasonic.

    Humans hear 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Infrasonic is below 20 Hz; ultrasonic is above 20,000 Hz.

22. What is an echo, and what causes it?

    An echo is the repetition of a sound caused by reflection of sound waves from a distant surface, heard distinctly when the reflected sound returns after at least 0.1 second.

23. Give the equation relating the speed, frequency, and wavelength of a wave.

    v = f x lambda, where v = speed, f = frequency, and lambda = wavelength.

24. What is the approximate speed of light in vacuum, and is light a transverse or longitudinal wave?

    About 3 x 10^8 m/s (299,792,458 m/s). Light is a transverse electromagnetic wave.

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