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Physical Science (General Knowledge) Solved Questions & Notes (2026) - Apex Rankers

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Physical Science

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Q. 1 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
The mass of a body is different from its weight because:
A
Mass is a variable quantity whereas weight is constant
B
Mass varies very little at different places whereas weight varies a lot
C
Mass is constant but weight increases as the body moves from the poles to the equator
D
Mass is a measure of the quantity of matter whereas weight is a force
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Mass is an intrinsic property of an object, while weight is the gravitational force acting upon it.
Q. 2 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
The weight of a body is:
A
The same every where on the surface of the earth
B
Maximum at the poles
✓ Correct
C
Maximum at the equator
D
More on the hills than in the plains
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Weight is higher at the poles due to the Earth's oblate spheroid shape and stronger gravitational pull.
Q. 3 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
A body weighs slightly more at the poles than at the equator because;
A
The earth is flat at the poles
B
The earth has the maximum speed of rotation at the equator
C
The attractive force at the poles increases due to the ice cap
D
None of these is a complete explanation
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Centrifugal force at the equator slightly opposes gravity, contributing to the weight difference.
Q. 4 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
A person weighs more in a lift, which is:
A
Moving up with a constant velocity
B
Moving down with a constant velocity
C
Accelerating upward
✓ Correct
D
Accelerating downward
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Apparent weight increases when the normal force must overcome gravity and provide upward acceleration.
Q. 5 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
If a body is taken from the earth to the moon:
A
Its mass will be different but weight will remain the same
B
Both mass and weight will be different
C
Its mass will remain the same but weight will be different
✓ Correct
D
Its mass and weight will remain unchanged
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Mass is a constant property of matter, while weight varies with local gravitational acceleration (g).
Q. 6 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Hard (1 Mark)
A ball tied with a string to a rotating shaft revolves at uniform speed. As the shaft is suddenly brought to rest the string starts getting round the shaft with the angular velocity of the ball:
A
Increasing
✓ Correct
B
Decreasing
C
Remaining constant
D
Becoming zero
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Due to the conservation of angular momentum, angular velocity increases as the radius of rotation decreases.
Q. 7 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
One finds it more difficult to walk on ice than on a concrete road because:
A
Ice is soft and spongy whereas concrete is hard
B
The friction between the ice and the feet is less than that between the concrete and the feet
✓ Correct
C
There is more friction on ice than on concrete
D
None of these
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
The low coefficient of friction of ice reduces the traction required for stable movement.
Q. 8 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
It is easier to roll a barrel than to pull it because:
A
The full weight of the barrel comes into play when it is pulled
B
Rolling friction is much less than sliding friction
✓ Correct
C
The surface area of the barrel in contact with the road is more in the case of pulling
D
Of a reason other than those mentioned
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Rolling friction is significantly lower than the kinetic friction encountered when sliding an object.
Q. 9 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
A sheet of paper can be pulled out quickly from under a glass of water without spilling the water. This phenomenon illustrates.
A
Lack of friction between paper and glass
B
Newton’s third law of motion
C
Inertia
✓ Correct
D
Inertia
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Newton's First Law (Inertia) states that an object at rest will remain at rest unless a force acts upon it.
Q. 10 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
A horse pulling a tonga moves forward due to the force exerted by:
A
The tonga on the horse
B
The horse on the tonga
C
The horse on the ground with his feet
D
The ground on the horse’s feet
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
According to Newton's Third Law, the ground exerts an equal and opposite reaction force on the horse.
Q. 11 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
When the velocity of a body is doubled, its:
A
Acceleration is doubled
B
Momentum is doubled
✓ Correct
C
Kinetic energy is doubled
D
Potential energy is doubled
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Momentum (p = mv) is directly proportional to velocity; doubling velocity doubles momentum.
Q. 12 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Medium (1 Mark)
If two bodies, one heavy and one light, are acted upon by the same force for the same time, then both bodies acquire the:
A
Same velocity
B
Same momentum
✓ Correct
C
Same acceleration
D
None of these
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Impulse (Force x Time) is equal to the change in momentum (Δp).
Q. 13 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Medium (1 Mark)
The work done in holding a weight of 20 kg at a height of 1 m above the ground is:
A
Zero
✓ Correct
B
20 J
C
200 J
D
None of these
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Work is only done when a force causes displacement; static holding involves no displacement.
Q. 14 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Medium (1 Mark)
When the speed of a body is doubled, its kinetic energy become:
A
Double
B
Half
C
Quadruple
✓ Correct
D
One-fourth
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Kinetic energy (KE = 1/2mv²) is proportional to the square of velocity.
Q. 15 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
Winding a watch is actually the process of storing:
A
Electrical energy
B
Pressure energy
C
Kinetic energy
D
Potential energy
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Elastic potential energy is stored in the tension of the coiled mainspring.
Q. 16 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
Conservation of energy means that:
A
Energy can be created as well as destroyed
B
Energy can be created but no destroyed
C
Energy cannot be created but can be destroyed
D
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
The First Law of Thermodynamics states that the total energy of an isolated system remains constant.
Q. 17 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
The period of revolution of a geostationary satellite is:
A
24 hours
✓ Correct
B
30 days
C
365 days
D
Changing continuously
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
A geostationary orbit matches the Earth's sidereal rotation period to remain fixed over one spot.
Q. 18 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Medium (1 Mark)
A train goes past a railway station at a high speed. A young boy standing on the edge of the platform is likely to:
A
Remain unaffected
B
Fall away from the train
C
Fall towards the train
✓ Correct
D
Fall away from or towards the train depending on its speed
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
According to Bernoulli's principle, high-speed air creates a low-pressure zone that draws objects toward the train.
Q. 19 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
Food is cooked faster in a pressure cooker because:
A
Heat cannot escape from the cooker
B
Steam is hotter than the boiling water
C
Due to high pressure the boiling point of water is raised
✓ Correct
D
In the cooker water starts boiling at a lower temperature
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Increased pressure elevates the boiling point, allowing food to cook at temperatures higher than 100°C.
Q. 20 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
The pitch (or shrillness) of a sound to determined by its:
A
Speed
B
Amplitude
C
Frequency
✓ Correct
D
Loudness
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Pitch is the subjective perception of the frequency of the sound wave.
Q. 21 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
The loudness of a sound wave is determined by its:
A
Amplitude
✓ Correct
B
Frequency
C
Wavelength
D
Speed
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Loudness is the human perception of the energy (amplitude) of a sound wave.
Q. 22 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Medium (1 Mark)
Sound travels at maximum speed in:
A
Vacuum
B
Air
C
Water
D
Steel
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Sound waves travel faster in solids than in liquids or gases due to higher elastic properties and density.
Q. 23 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
Sounds cannot travel through:
A
Vacuum
✓ Correct
B
Hydrogen gas
C
Water
D
Steel
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Sound is a mechanical wave that requires a material medium to propagate.
Q. 24 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Medium (1 Mark)
The speed of sound will be highest in:
A
Dry air at 0°C
B
Dry air at 30°C
C
Humid air at 0°C
D
Humid air at 30°C
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Sound speed increases with both temperature and the presence of water vapor in the air.
Q. 25 General Knowledge
Difficulty: Easy (1 Mark)
Thunder is heard much after a flash of lightning is seen because:
A
Thunder is produced much later
B
Clouds obstruct sound waves
C
Light can travel through vacuum but sound cannot
D
Light travels much faster than sound
✓ Correct
💡 Step-by-Step Explanation & Concept Rationale
Light travels at approximately 300,000 km/s, while sound travels at about 0.34 km/s in air.
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