Physics MCQs
Physics Objective (Multiple Choice) General Knowledge & General Science Questions & Answers for SSC-CGL, UPPSC, NDA, CDS and all one day examinations of India.
1. Which among the following is true about Total Internal Reflection?
[A] A ray passing from rarer to denser medium and not able to pass to denser medium at an angle greater than critical angle
[B] A ray passing from denser to rarer medium and not able to pass to rarer medium at an angle greater than critical angle
[C] A ray passing from either denser to rarer medium or rarer to denser medium and not able to pass any medium at an angle smaller than critical angle
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [A ray passing from denser to rarer medium and not able to pass to rarer medium at an angle greater than critical angle]
Notes:
A ray passing from denser to rarer medium and not able to pass to rarer medium at an angle greater than critical angle. Critical angle is the angle in which the incident ray is 90 degrees to that of the refracted ray.
2. The speed of Sound is maximum in which of the following ?
[A] Air at zero degree C
[B] Air at 100 degree C
[C] Water
[D] Same in all
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Water]
Notes:The speed of sound in a medium is determined by the properties of that medium, primarily its density and elasticity. The speed of sound is fastest in solids, followed by liquids, and then gases. Let’s analyze the given options:
[A] Air at zero degrees Celsius: The speed of sound in air increases with temperature. At lower temperatures, the molecules in the air have less kinetic energy, which results in a slower speed of sound. So, the speed of sound in air at 0°C is slower compared to higher temperatures.
[B] Air at 100 degrees Celsius: As mentioned earlier, the speed of sound in air increases with temperature. So, the speed of sound in air at 100°C would be faster than at 0°C but still slower than in a solid or liquid.
[C] Water: The speed of sound in water is significantly faster than in air. Water is denser and more elastic than air, which allows sound waves to travel through it more quickly.
[D] same in all: This statement is not correct. The speed of sound varies depending on the medium. It is not constant and is definitely not maximum everywhere.
So, among the given options, the maximum speed of sound would be in “Water” (Option C).
3. When two mercury drops are brought into contact they form a single bigger drop to get which of the following?
[A] Minimum volume
[B] Minimum surface area
[C] Maximum size
[D] Maximum surface area
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Minimum surface area]
Notes:
When two drops of mercury come into contact, they will tend to merge together and form a single drop with a minimum surface area. This is because of the properties of mercury, which is a liquid metal with a high surface tension. The surface tension of a liquid is a measure of its elasticity, and it is determined by the cohesive forces between the molecules of the liquid. In the case of mercury, the high surface tension causes the molecules at the surface of the liquid to be strongly attracted to each other, which results in the formation of a relatively smooth and spherical surface. When two drops of mercury are brought together, the surface tension causes them to merge and form a single drop with the smallest possible surface area. This phenomenon is known as the “minimization of surface area” and it is a common feature of liquids with high surface tension.
4. Which among the following is the SI physical unit of dynamic viscosity?
[A] Poise
[B] Pascal-second
[C] Newton-second
[D] Poise-second
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Pascal-second]
Notes:
The SI unit for dynamic viscosity η is the Pascal-second (Pa-s). It corresponds to the force (N) per unit area (m2) divided by the rate of shear (s-1).
5. The alpha radiation is not used in radiotherapy because:
[A] It is an ionizing radiation
[B] It is unable to penetrate human skin
[C] It is toxic to human tissues
[D] It is not cost effective
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ It is unable to penetrate human skin]
Notes:
Alpha radiation is not used in radiotherapy because it cannot penetrate human skin. Alpha particles are a highly ionizing form of particle radiation with a short range. They can be stopped by a few centimeters of air or by skin. This means that external therapy would be useless because the alpha radiation would not be able to enter the body. Alpha particles have a very large atomic volume. They are given additional mass by the two neutrons they contain. This facilitates ionization by coulombic interaction or direct collision of the alpha particle with atomic electrons. Radiation therapy is a treatment that uses ionizing radiation to kill or control the growth of malignant cells. It is often delivered by a linear particle accelerator.
6. An object is executing uniform circular motion. Which of the following quantities remain(s) constant during the object’s motion?
[A] Velocity and acceleration
[B] Speed and velocity
[C] Speed and acceleration
[D] Speed only
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [ Speed only]
Notes:
The velocity of an object undergoing uniform circular motion is always changing (because the direction is always changing). Further, since the acceleration is centripetal, it must always point toward the center of the circle; so, as the object moves around the circle, the acceleration vector is also constantly changing direction. Notice that for an object in uniform circular motion, both the velocity and the acceleration are changing because the directions of these vectors are always changing, even though their magnitudes stay the same. In this question, only speed remains unchanged.
7. When you throw a ball with an angle to the horizontal (projectile); the ball has __:
[A] Uniform velocity in horizontal direction but uniform acceleration in vertical direction
[B] Uniform acceleration in horizontal direction but uniform velocity in vertical direction
[C] Uniform acceleration in both horizontal and vertical directions
[D] Uniform velocity in both horizontal and vertical directions
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [ Uniform velocity in horizontal direction but uniform acceleration in vertical direction]
Notes:
The motion of a projectile is two dimensional motion consisting of (i) horizontal motion and (ii) vertical motion. Hence, at any instant, the velocity of a projectile has two components (i) horizontal component and (ii) vertical component. The horizontal component remains unchanged throughout the flight as there is no acceleration in horizontal direction. The vertical component is continuously affected by the force of gravity. Thus, the horizontal motion is uniform motion but the vertical motion is uniformly accelerated motion.)
8. Which of the following scientific discoveries was made by C.V Raman?
[A] Inelastic scattering of light by molecules
[B] Super Conductivity
[C] Controlled nuclear fission
[D] Cyclotron
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Inelastic scattering of light by molecules]
Notes:
C.V Raman discovered the Inelastic scattering of light by molecules in 1928, also named as ‘Raman effect’ Raman scattering is the inelastic scattering of a photon by molecules which are excited to higher vibrational or rotational energy levels. He was the first Indian Physicist to win the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1930. C.V Raman has also been bestowed with the Bharat Ratna Award.
9. The value of acceleration due to gravity is minimum on which of these planets?
[A] Mars
[B] Jupiter
[C] Mercury
[D] Neptune
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Mercury]
Notes:
The value of acceleration due to gravity is minimum on planet Mercury and maximum on planet Jupiter.
10. Which of the following has an effect on the value of acceleration due to gravity?
[A] Shape of the earth
[B] Height above the earth surface
[C] Axial rotation of the earth
[D] All of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [All of the above]
Notes:
The value of acceleration due to gravity vary due to the following factors : (a) Shape of the earth (b) Height above the earth surface (c) Depth below the earth surface (d) Axial rotation of the earth