Physics PYQ
IAS Science — Physics previous year questions with solutions.
Browse by Year
Physics at a glance
Questions per year
98 across 23 yearsDifficulty mix
98 total- easy30 · 31%
- medium68 · 69%
Subtopic-wise weightage
Breakdown of the 98 Physics questions tagged to a subtopic, by year — darker cells mean more questions.
| Subtopic | Weightage | Total | 2026 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Concepts | 22.4% | 22 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | |||||||||||
| Ray Optics And Wave Optics | 14.3% | 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Astronomy And Space Science | 12.2% | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Heat And Thermodynamics | 11.2% | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Electromagnetic Waves | 8.2% | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Sound | 7.1% | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Atomic And Nuclear Physics | 6.1% | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Current Electricity | 6.1% | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Developments In Physics | 4.1% | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Magnetism And Matter | 4.1% | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Communication Systems | 1.0% | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Heating & Cooling Of Atmosphere | 1.0% | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Semiconductor Electronics | 1.0% | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Standards And Units | 1.0% | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| All subtopics | 98 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
All Physics Questions (98)
Which of the following statements with regard to stealth technology is/are correct? 1. Stealth objects have a very small radar cross-section and are coated with Radar Absorbing Material. 2. Stealth objects can be detected using specific frequencies. 3. Stealth objects are coated with metamaterials to increase the scattering of electromagnetic radiation. Select the answer using the code given below:
Consider the following activities : 1. Identification of narcotics on passengers at airports or in aircraft 2. Monitoring of precipitation 3. Tracking the migration of animals In how many of the above activities can the radars be used ?
Consider the following statements : 1. Statement-I : Giant stars live much longer than dwarf stars. 2. Statement-II : Compared to dwarf stars, giant stars have a greater rate of nuclear reactions. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements ?
Consider the following statements : 1. In a seismograph, P waves are recorded earlier than S waves. 2. In P waves, the individual particles vibrate to and fro in the direction of wave propagation whereas in S waves, the particles vibrate up and down at right angles to the direction of wave propagation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following pairs: Objects in space | Description 1. Cepheids | Giant clouds of dust and gas in space 2. Nebulae | Stars which brighten and dim periodically 3. Pulsars | Neutron stars that are formed when massive stars run out of fuel and collapse How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Which one of the following is the context in which the term "qubit" is mentioned ?
If a major solar storm (solar flare) reaches the Earth, which of the following are the possible effects on the Earth ? 1. GPS and navigation systems could fail. 2. Tsunamis could occur at equatorial regions. 3. Power grids could be damaged. 4. Intense auroras could occur over much of the Earth. 5. Forest fires could take place over much of the planet. 6. Orbits of the satellites could be disturbed. 7. Shortwave radio communication of the aircraft flying over polar regions could be interrupted. Select the correct answer using the code given below :
Which one of the following is a reason why astronomical distances are measured in light-years?
In a pressure cooker, the temperature at which the food is cooked depends mainly upon which of the following? 1. Area of the hole in the lid 2. Temperature of the flame 3. Weight of the lid Select the correct answer using the code given below.
With reference to street-lighting, how do sodium lamps differ from LED lamps? 1. Sodium lamps produce light in 360 degrees but it is not so in the case of LED lamps. 2. As street-lights, sodium lamps have longer life span than LED lamps. 3. The spectrum of visible light from sodium lamps is almost monochromatic while LED lamps offer significant colour advantages in street-lighting. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Ball bearings are used in bicycles, cars, etc., because
The known forces of nature can be divided into four classes, viz., gravity, electromagnetism, weak nuclear force and strong nuclear force. With reference to them, which one of the following statements is not correct?
Consider the following phenomena: 1. Size of the sun at dusk 2. Colour of the sun at dawn 3. Moon being visible at dawn 4. Twinkle of stars in the sky 5. Polestar being visible in the sky Which of the above are optical illusions?
Rainbow is produced when sunlight falls on drops of rain. Which of the following physical phenomena are responsible for this? 1. Dispersion 2. Refraction 3. Internal reflection Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Electrically charged particles from space travelling at speeds of several hundred km/sec can severely harm living beings if they reach the surface of the Earth. What prevents them from reaching the surface of the Earth?
Consider the following statements: If there were no phenomenon of capillarity 1. it would be difficult to use a kerosene lamp 2. one would not be able to use a straw to consume a soft drink 3. the blotting paper would fail to function 4. the big trees that we see around would not have grown on the Earth Which of the statements given above are correct?
The surface of a lake is frozen in severe winter, but the water at its bottom is still liquid. What is the reason ?
An artificial satellite orbiting around the Earth does not fall down. This is so because the attraction of Earth 1. does not exist at such distance 2. is neutralized by the attraction of the moon 3. provides the necessary speed for its steady motion 4. provides the necessary acceleration for its motion
India-based Neutrino Observatory is included by the Planning Commission as a mega science project under the 11th Five-Year Plan. In this context, consider the following statements: 1. Neutrinos are charge-less elementary particles that travel close to the speed of light. 2. Neutrinos are created in nuclear reactions of beta decay. 3. Neutrinos have a negligible, but non-zero mass. 4. Trillions of neutrinos pass through the human body every second. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Which one of the following planets has the largest number of natural satellites or moons?
Consider the following statements: 1. Albedo of an object determines its visual brightness when viewed with reflected light. 2. Albedo of Mercury is much greater than the albedo of the Earth. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Assertion (A): Radio waves bend in a magnetic field. Reason (R): Radio waves are electromagnetic in nature. Codes:
Who among the following scientists shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with his son?
Four wires of same material and of dimensions as under are stretched by a load of same magnitude separately. Which one of them will be elongated maximum?