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UPSC NDA General Science Flashcards
50 question-and-answer cards covering General Science as it is examined in UPSC NDA. 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the General Science deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
What is an acid and a base according to the Arrhenius definition?
An acid releases hydrogen ions (H⁺) in aqueous solution; a base releases hydroxide ions (OH⁻) in aqueous solution.
What is the chemical name and formula of common table salt?
Sodium chloride, NaCl.
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 fixed ratio; a mixture is two or more substances physically combined in any ratio.
What is the valency of carbon, and why is it important?
Carbon has a valency of 4, allowing it to form four covalent bonds. This enables the vast diversity of organic compounds.
What is the basic structural and functional unit of all living organisms?
The cell.
What is the powerhouse of the cell, and why?
The mitochondrion, because it produces ATP (energy) through cellular respiration.
State the word equation for photosynthesis.
Carbon dioxide + Water --(sunlight, chlorophyll)--> Glucose + Oxygen. (6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂).
What pigment is responsible for photosynthesis and the green colour of plants?
Chlorophyll.
What is the basic difference between a prokaryotic and a eukaryotic cell?
Prokaryotic cells lack a true membrane-bound nucleus and organelles (e.g., bacteria); eukaryotic cells have a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles (e.g., plants, animals).
Name the four blood groups in the ABO system and the universal donor.
A, B, AB, and O. O (specifically O-negative) is the universal donor; AB is the universal recipient.
Which part of the human body produces insulin, and what does insulin regulate?
The pancreas produces insulin, which regulates blood glucose (sugar) levels.
What is the molecule that carries genetic information, and what is its full form?
DNA — Deoxyribonucleic Acid.
Name the disease caused by deficiency of vitamin C and vitamin D.
Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy; vitamin D deficiency causes rickets (in children).
What is the normal human body temperature?
Approximately 37°C (98.6°F).
How many chromosomes does a normal human cell contain?
46 chromosomes, arranged in 23 pairs.
What is the function of red blood cells?
Red blood cells (erythrocytes) carry oxygen from the lungs to body tissues and carbon dioxide back, using the protein haemoglobin.
Which gas do plants release during the day and absorb during photosynthesis?
Plants release oxygen (O₂) and absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) during photosynthesis.
What is Newton's first law of motion?
An object remains at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external unbalanced force. (Law of inertia.)
What is the difference between mass and weight?
Mass is the amount of matter in a body (constant, measured in kg). Weight is the gravitational force on that mass (varies with g, measured in newtons; W = mg).
Name the seven colours of the visible spectrum (VIBGYOR) and the phenomenon that produces them.
Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red. They are produced by dispersion of white light (e.g., through a prism or in a rainbow).
What is the unit of frequency, and what does it measure?
The hertz (Hz). It measures the number of cycles or oscillations per second.
What is electromagnetic induction?
The generation of an electromotive force (voltage) in a conductor due to a changing magnetic field, as described by Faraday's law. It is the principle behind generators.
What are the three subatomic particles of an atom, their charges, and locations?
Protons (positive) and neutrons (neutral) are in the nucleus; electrons (negative) orbit the nucleus in shells.
What is the difference between conductors and insulators, with examples?
Conductors allow electric current to flow easily due to free electrons (e.g., copper, silver). Insulators resist the flow of current (e.g., rubber, glass, wood).
What this deck covers
The General Science deck follows the UPSC NDA General Science syllabus — 8 chapters and 0 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 6.3 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 97 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
General Science flashcards FAQ
How many General Science flashcards are in this UPSC NDA deck?
50 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these UPSC NDA flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 50-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the General Science cards cover?
They follow the UPSC NDA General Science syllabus — 8 chapters and 0 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.