Explore: All CDS topics · CDS General Knowledge PYQs · CDS hub · Syllabus & pattern · CDS 2026
Answer first
Physics PYQs (previous year questions) for CDS: Physics (General Knowledge) had 235 questions across the 66 official CDS papers we tagged (2016–2026), and appeared in 22 of them. Asked in 11 of 11 years. The concepts asked in the most papers: Optics, Electricity, Motion.
Year-wise question count
Asked in 11 of 11 years, with 2 papers each year.
| Year | Questions |
|---|---|
| CDS 2026 | 30 |
| CDS 2025 | 20 |
| CDS 2024 | 12 |
| CDS 2023 | 21 |
| CDS 2022 | 24 |
| CDS 2021 | 20 |
| CDS 2020 | 22 |
| CDS 2019 | 23 |
| CDS 2018 | 21 |
| CDS 2017 | 22 |
| CDS 2016 | 20 |
Most-asked concepts
Sorted by the number of papers a concept appeared in.
| Concept | Questions | Papers | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optics | 24 | 16 | 2026, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 |
| Electricity | 23 | 11 | 2026, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 |
| Motion | 11 | 9 | 2025, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019 |
| Sound | 12 | 8 | 2023, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 |
| Gravitation | 10 | 8 | 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2017 |
| Magnetism | 10 | 8 | 2026, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2018, 2016 |
| Heat | 6 | 5 | 2023, 2022, 2019, 2016 |
| Electromagnetic Waves | 5 | 5 | 2020, 2018, 2017 |
| Laws of Motion | 5 | 4 | 2026, 2017, 2016 |
| Nuclear Physics | 4 | 4 | 2023, 2021, 2017, 2016 |
| Optical Instruments | 4 | 4 | 2025, 2020, 2019 |
| Waves | 4 | 4 | 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023 |
| Mechanics | 4 | 3 | 2026, 2018 |
| Refraction | 4 | 3 | 2025, 2020 |
| Solar System | 4 | 3 | 2022, 2020, 2019 |
| Atomic Structure | 3 | 3 | 2024, 2020, 2019 |
| Electromagnetic Induction | 3 | 3 | 2025, 2019, 2017 |
| Electrostatics | 3 | 3 | 2025, 2024, 2017 |
| Modern Physics | 3 | 3 | 2026, 2021, 2016 |
| X-rays | 3 | 3 | 2025, 2024, 2020 |
| Computer Basics | 10 | 2 | 2026 |
| Heat and Temperature | 4 | 2 | 2018 |
| Buoyancy | 3 | 2 | 2025, 2019 |
| Current Electricity | 3 | 2 | 2017 |
| Kinematics | 3 | 2 | 2026, 2018 |
| Elasticity | 2 | 2 | 2019, 2016 |
| Electromagnetic Spectrum | 2 | 2 | 2020, 2019 |
| Electromagnetism | 2 | 2 | 2026, 2023 |
| Energy | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Fluid Mechanics | 2 | 2 | 2026, 2018 |
| Heat Transfer | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Power | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Pressure | 2 | 2 | 2021, 2016 |
| Reflection | 2 | 2 | 2025, 2020 |
| Thermodynamics | 2 | 2 | 2017, 2016 |
| Units and Measurement | 2 | 2 | 2018, 2016 |
| Waves and Sound | 2 | 2 | 2022, 2021 |
| Work and Energy | 2 | 2 | 2025, 2020 |
| Astronomy | 2 | 1 | 2019 |
| Capacitors | 2 | 1 | 2017 |
| Evaporation | 2 | 1 | 2019 |
| Heat and Thermodynamics | 2 | 1 | 2026 |
| Lenses | 2 | 1 | 2020 |
| Semiconductors | 2 | 1 | 2017 |
| Atomic Physics | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cathode Rays | 1 | 1 | 2017 |
| Centre of Mass | 1 | 1 | 2017 |
| Circular Motion | 1 | 1 | 2019 |
| Communication Technology | 1 | 1 | 2026 |
| Coordinate Systems | 1 | 1 | 2019 |
| Density | 1 | 1 | 2018 |
| Dimensions | 1 | 1 | 2016 |
| Electric Potential | 1 | 1 | 2019 |
| Electric Power | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Electronics | 1 | 1 | 2016 |
| Energy Resources | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Energy Sources | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Human Eye | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Kinetic Theory | 1 | 1 | 2019 |
| Light | 1 | 1 | 2017 |
| Light and Sound | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Magnetic Effect of Current | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Momentum | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Particle Physics | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Properties of Matter | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Quantum Computing | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Shadows | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Space Technology | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| States of Matter | 1 | 1 | 2019 |
| Temperature | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Units and Dimensions | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Vectors | 1 | 1 | 2019 |
| Work, Energy and Power | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
How to practise Physics PYQs
- Start with the concepts at the top of the table. They have come back the most.
- Solve one year’s Physics questions from the official PDF against the clock, then check the answer listed below.
- Log every miss as a concept gap, a calculation slip or a misread. Each needs a different fix.
- Once a concept is clean in two papers, move to the next. Then sit a full paper from the year pages.
Questions by year
Each line gives the question number and paper, type, concept, our one-line summary and the official answer, with a link to the official PDF.
CDS2026
- Q.11 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Laws of Motion: Statement of Newton's second law of motion PDF
- Q.12 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Heat and Thermodynamics: Temperature and pressure at the triple point of water PDF
- Q.13 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Heat and Thermodynamics: Material with the least thermal conductivity PDF
- Q.14 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Computer Basics: Computer generation that introduced microprocessors PDF
- Q.15 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electromagnetism: Whether X-rays are deflected by electric or magnetic fields PDF
- Q.16 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Image position for an object before a concave mirror PDF
- Q.17 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: How resistivity depends on wire length and area PDF
- Q.18 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Correct statement on primary, secondary cells and emf PDF
- Q.19 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Kinematics: Time to fall for an object projected horizontally from 45 m PDF
- Q.20 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Waves: Statements on longitudinal and transverse waves PDF
- Q.31 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Computer Basics: Which programming languages are assembly languages PDF
- Q.32 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Computer Basics: Which is not a feature of flash memory PDF
- Q.33 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Computer Basics: Incorrect statement about the UNIX operating system PDF
- Q.34 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Computer Basics: Storage needed for 60 minutes of MP3 music PDF
- Q.35 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Communication Technology: Main application of CDMA technology PDF
- Q.51 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Resistor arrangement giving maximum heat from a battery PDF
- Q.52 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Image from a plano-convex lens with its curved side in liquid PDF
- Q.53 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Laws of Motion: Final speed of a car after a force acts for 12 s PDF
- Q.54 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Magnetism: Direction of magnetic field deflecting an alpha particle PDF
- Q.55 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Magnetism: Incorrect statement about magnetic field lines PDF
- Q.56 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Mechanics: Type of equilibrium of a rod balanced on its end PDF
- Q.57 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Mechanics: Smallest and largest resultant of four perpendicular forces PDF
- Q.58 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Fluid Mechanics: Submerged fraction of a floating object on Earth versus Moon PDF
- Q.59 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Magnetism: Net magnetic field of two wires with opposite currents PDF
- Q.60 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Modern Physics: Why metal objects are removed before X-ray imaging PDF
- Q.61 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Computer Basics: Protocol working at the application layer of TCP/IP PDF
- Q.62 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Computer Basics: Task not performed by an operating system PDF
- Q.63 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Computer Basics: Incorrect statement about SGML PDF
- Q.64 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Computer Basics: File holding commands run automatically at start-up PDF
- Q.65 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Computer Basics: MS Word element used to set content alignment PDF
CDS2025
- Q.21 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Reflection: Mirror type that always forms an erect image PDF
- Q.22 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Magnetic Effect of Current: Rule for direction of magnetic field around a straight conductor PDF
- Q.23 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Motion: Displacement of a motorcycle from initial and final velocity PDF
- Q.24 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Power: Minimum power to lift a mass through a height PDF
- Q.25 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Gravitation: Incorrect statement about gravitation PDF
- Q.26 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Buoyancy: Condition for a body to float in a liquid PDF
- Q.27 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Buoyancy: Buoyant force on a sphere immersed in water PDF
- Q.28 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electric Power: Power of a bulb at half its rated voltage PDF
- Q.29 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Optical Instruments: Lens used in a simple microscope PDF
- Q.30 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Gravitation: Name of the force with which Earth attracts objects PDF
- Q.21 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electromagnetic Induction: Rule giving direction of induced current in a rotating coil (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.22 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Motion: Average speed when halves of a distance are covered at two speeds (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.23 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Momentum: Condition for conservation of linear momentum (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.24 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Work and Energy: Work done by string on a stone whirled in a circle (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.25 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Power: Time taken by A from power and work comparisons (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.26 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Waves: Wavelength of a sound wave from crests and troughs per time (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.27 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · X-rays: How an X-ray can be deflected (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.28 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optical Instruments: Objective and eyepiece in a simple astronomical telescope (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.29 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Refraction: Cause of twinkling of stars (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.30 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electrostatics: What a Van de Graaff generator generates (official answer: A) PDF
CDS2024
- Q.10 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Atomic Structure: Which listed particles are subatomic particles (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.11 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Quantum Computing: Field in which the two-valued quantity qubit is used (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.13 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Particle Physics: Rest mass of the Higgs boson (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.14 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Atomic Physics: Working principle of an atomic clock (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.53 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Space Technology: Antenna design of the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.56 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Heat Transfer: Best way to cool a bowl of freshly cooked rice quickly (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.21 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · X-rays: Uses of a radiation for inspecting welds and crystal structure PDF
- Q.22 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Heat Transfer: Example of heat transfer by convection PDF
- Q.23 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Processes involved in rainbow formation PDF
- Q.26 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electrostatics: Why aircraft are fitted with conducting tyres PDF
- Q.28 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Waves: Time for a sound wave to travel 150 wavelengths PDF
- Q.30 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Gravitation: Shape formed by Sun, Earth and Lagrange point L4 PDF
CDS2023
- Q.6 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Sound: Distance of a cliff from the echo delay and speed of sound (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.7 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electromagnetism: Energy conversions in a phone's microphone and speaker (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.8 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Units of energy used by a 100 W bulb over three days (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.9 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Motion: Meaning of area under a velocity-time graph (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.10 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Power of a lens with 10 cm focal length (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.44 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Equivalent resistance of three resistors in parallel (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.45 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: RMS voltage between live and neutral in Indian household supply (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.46 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Nuclear Physics: Processes behind hydrogen and uranium bombs (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.47 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Waves: Nature of sound and light waves in air (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.48 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Motion: Braking distance of a decelerating car (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.90 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Energy: Statements on how a thermal power station works (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.1 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Human Eye: Causes of a defect where distant objects look blurred (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.2 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Motion: Comparing car speeds in three parts of a distance-time graph (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.3 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Image position for an object at the focus of a concave mirror (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.4 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Gravitation: Change in Earth-Moon gravitational force if distance halves (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.5 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Sound: Condition under which a sonic boom is produced (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.34 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Energy: Position of minimum potential energy of a swinging pendulum (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.35 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Sound: Medium in which sound travels fastest (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.36 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Magnetism: When magnetic force on a moving charge is maximum (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.37 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Heat: Relation between Celsius and Fahrenheit scales (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.38 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Behaviour of light going from rarer to denser medium (official answer: A) PDF
CDS2022
- Q.1 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Nature of image when lens magnification is +2 (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.2 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Order of resistivity of silver, nichrome and glass (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.3 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: What happens to current during a short circuit (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.4 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Magnetism: Incorrect statement on motors, induction and wiring (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.5 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Motion: Displacement of a boy on a circular track at two times (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.6 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Gravitation: Effect on gravitational force of doubling mass and distance (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.20 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Heat: How a greenhouse traps infrared radiation (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.21 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Gravitation: Weight on a planet with higher gravity (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.22 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Cause of twinkling of stars (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.23 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Object distance for same-size real image by convex lens (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.24 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Energy Sources: Incorrect statement about biogas (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.13 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Heat: Pair of metals that are good conductors of heat (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.24 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Work, Energy and Power: Momentum and kinetic energy of a moving object (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.25 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Current in a circuit with resistors and a capacitor (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.26 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Waves and Sound: Property that determines the pitch of sound (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.27 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Device that measures electric current (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.28 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Resistance of a wire with doubled diameter (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.60 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Solar System: What Venus's thick yellow clouds are made of (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.83 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Motion: What stays uniform for a falling object (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.84 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Image of an object at the focus of a convex lens (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.85 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Correct statement about aperture of a convex lens (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.86 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Properties of Matter: Change in water density from 0 to 4 C (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.87 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Gravitation: What surface gravity depends on (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.112 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Solar System: Planet with the most known satellites (official answer: D) PDF
CDS2021
- Q.103 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Which copper wire has the highest resistivity (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.104 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Nuclear Physics: Correct statements about the term fission (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.105 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Identify the electric conductor (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.106 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Optics: What a curved shining spoon acts as (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.107 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Pioneer of the heating effect of electric current (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.108 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Magnetism: Law that does not give direction of magnetic field (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.117 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Internal reflections in forming a primary rainbow (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.118 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Motion: Direction of acceleration in uniform circular motion (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.119 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Gravitation: What the weight of an object is due to (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.120 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Modern Physics: Particle size studied in nanotechnology (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.1 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Object position for a real enlarged image by a convex lens (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.2 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Magnetism: Shape of magnetic field lines inside a solenoid (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.3 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Bending of a ray passing from rarer to denser medium (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.4 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Effect on ammeter reading when wire length is halved (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.5 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Pressure: Pressure of a human body on sand standing vs lying (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.6 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Motion: Displacement of an athlete on a circular track at two times (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.19 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Waves and Sound: Time for a sound wave to travel a distance (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.20 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Power of a bulb from voltage and current (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.21 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Cause of refraction of light (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.22 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Motion: Acceleration of a bus reaching a speed in given time (official answer: B) PDF
CDS2020
- Q.7 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Sound: Property of a sound wave that sets its pitch (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.8 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · X-rays: Property that X-rays do not have (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.9 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Reflection: False statement on images in a plane mirror (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.10 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Optical Instruments: Arrangement of mirrors in a periscope (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.11 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Refraction: Speed of light in a medium of given refractive index (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.12 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electromagnetic Spectrum: Radiation with the shortest wavelength (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.13 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Units and Dimensions: Unit of the spring force constant (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.24 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Temperature: Relation between Kelvin and Celsius scales (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.25 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Units of resistivity (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.26 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electromagnetic Waves: Waves used in satellite communication (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.63 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Solar System: Name for the four planets closest to the Sun (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.86 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Work and Energy: Change in kinetic energy when momentum doubles (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.87 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Gravitation: Change in gravitational force when distance doubles (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.88 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Atomic Structure: Incorrect statement on neutrons (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.89 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electromagnetic Waves: Incorrect statement on ultraviolet light (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.90 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Refraction: Formula for refractive index from speeds of light (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.101 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Lenses: Lens that bends light through the largest angle (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.102 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Lenses: Nature of image from a convex lens for a given object distance (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.103 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Refraction: Angle of refraction at normal incidence (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.104 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Light and Sound: Phenomenon showing light travels faster than sound (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.105 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Shadows: Source and screen giving the sharpest shadow (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.106 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Energy Resources: Non-conventional source of energy (official answer: D) PDF
CDS2019
- Q.57 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Astronomy: Star nearest to the earth (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.58 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Solar System: Planet with the least mass (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.59 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Buoyancy: Weights in air of gold and silver equal in water (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.60 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electromagnetic Spectrum: Order of UV, visible and IR wavelengths (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.61 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electric Potential: Speeds of electron and proton after equal acceleration (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.62 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Vectors: Relation between magnitudes of two vectors at an angle (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.82 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Coordinate Systems: y-component of a vector in spherical polar coordinates (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.83 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Kinetic Theory: Statement not true for an ideal gas (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.84 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Astronomy: Definition of a constellation (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.85 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Elasticity: Region of stress-strain curve where Hooke's law holds (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.88 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Optical Instruments: Path of light in a compound microscope (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.44 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Circular Motion: Acceleration of a car in uniform circular motion (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.45 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Sound: Distance of a mountain from echo time (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.46 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Units of energy used by a bulb in 30 days (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.74 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · States of Matter: What a Bose-Einstein condensate is (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.75 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Evaporation: Factor that evaporation rate does not depend on (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.76 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Atomic Structure: Discovery made by Rutherford's gold foil experiment (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.84 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Definition of magnification (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.93 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Evaporation: Factor that raises the rate of evaporation (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.94 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Motion: Distance-time graph of an object at rest (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.97 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electromagnetic Induction: Effect of a faster magnet on current in a coil (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.98 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Sound: Frequency of a note one octave higher (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.115 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Heat: Why cotton clothes suit summer (official answer: A) PDF
CDS2018
- Q.7 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Heat and Temperature: Relation between Kelvin and Celsius temperature (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.8 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Sound: Medium through which sound waves cannot travel (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.9 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Units and Measurement: Value of one nanometre in centimetres (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.10 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Mechanics: Statements on equilibrium, momentum and kinetic energy conservation (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.11 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Principle behind working of safety fuses (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.32 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Heat and Temperature: Principle expressing heat lost equals heat gained (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.33 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Series resistance of two copper wires of different radii (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.34 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Why the Sun appears reddish near the horizon (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.39 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Power dissipated in aluminium vs copper wire of same size (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.40 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Fluid Mechanics: Law associated with pressure varying with depth in a fluid (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.7 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Kinematics: Percent increase in distance in 6th vs 5th second (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.8 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Density: Density of a mixture of equal volumes of two liquids (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.9 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Kinematics: Plane of velocity and direction of acceleration from position vector (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.10 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Mechanics: Tension needed to fully straighten a loaded rope (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.11 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Device that does not convert electrical energy to light (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.18 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electromagnetic Waves: Visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.28 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Minimum object-image distance for a convex lens (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.29 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Magnetism: Terms used to specify Earth's magnetic field direction (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.30 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electricity: Number of 100 W bulbs safe on a 5 A fuse (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.31 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Heat and Temperature: Which extinguishes fire faster: cold, hot, boiling water or ice (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.32 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Heat and Temperature: Case where heat loss is not mainly by convection (official answer: D) PDF
CDS2017
- Q.8 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Semiconductors: Effect of doping silicon with aluminium (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.9 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Current Electricity: Power when voltage is applied to three parallel resistors (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.10 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Semiconductors: Which material is not a semiconductor (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.11 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Capacitors: Capacitance after filling with a dielectric (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.12 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Centre of Mass: Object whose centre of mass lies outside it (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.27 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Light: Wavelengths visible to the human eye (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.28 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Current Electricity: Resistance of two copper wires in parallel (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.29 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Capacitors: Compare capacitors made of gold and aluminium plates (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.30 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Electromagnetic Waves: Incorrect statement comparing X-ray and visible photons (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.31 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Phenomenon mainly responsible for rainbows (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.43 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Cathode Rays: Incorrect statement on cathode rays (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.86 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Gravitation: Who showed planets move in ellipses (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.11 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electrostatics: Electron and proton accelerated through 1000 V (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.12 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Current Electricity: Compare copper and aluminium wires (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.13 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Deviation of a ray reflected from a plane mirror (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.14 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electromagnetic Waves: Incorrect statement on IR, visible and UV (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.15 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electromagnetic Induction: Why big transformers heat up (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.16 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Laws of Motion: How a person moves on frictionless ground (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.57 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Thermodynamics: Nature of the Joule-Thomson process (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.58 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Sound: How ultrasonic waves are produced (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.59 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Laws of Motion: Motion of an object on a frictionless plane (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.60 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Nuclear Physics: Nuclear reactor versus nuclear bomb (official answer: B) PDF
CDS2016
- Q.3 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Laws of Motion: What rate of change of momentum equals (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.4 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Heat: Why water is sprinkled on hot roofs (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.13 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Units and Measurement: SI unit of mechanical power (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.14 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Thermodynamics: Condition for thermal equilibrium of two systems (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.23 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Sound: Speed of sound in different media (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.24 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Sound: Incorrect statement about sound waves (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.34 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Focal length and lens type for -1.25 D (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.35 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Heat: Heat needed to melt 100 g ice at 0°C (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.43 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Magnetism: Correct statement about a bar magnet (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.49 (CDS (I) GK) · MCQ · Sound: Distance of a wall from echo time (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.16 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Elasticity: What a spring constant depends on (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.17 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Nuclear Physics: Effect of gamma decay on mass and atomic number (official answer: D) PDF
- Q.18 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Electronics: Doping levels in a bipolar junction transistor (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.19 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Pressure: Name for pressure of 760 mm mercury column (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.20 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Dimensions: Quantity with same dimensions as Planck's constant (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.21 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Sound: Incorrect statement on hearing and waves (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.37 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: Conditions of total internal reflection (official answer: B) PDF
- Q.38 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Modern Physics: Energy of a photon from its momentum (official answer: A) PDF
- Q.39 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Magnetism: Magnetic property never shown by fluids (official answer: C) PDF
- Q.40 (CDS (II) GK) · MCQ · Optics: When light does not travel in straight lines (official answer: C) PDF
Other General Knowledge topics
- History and Culture PYQs
- Geography PYQs
- Polity PYQs
- Economy PYQs
- Chemistry PYQs
- Biology PYQs
- Current Affairs, Defence and Sports PYQs
FAQ
How many Physics questions come in CDS?
In the official papers we tagged: 30 in 2026, 20 in 2025, 12 in 2024, 21 in 2023, 24 in 2022, 20 in 2021, 22 in 2020, 23 in 2019, 21 in 2018, 22 in 2017 and 20 in 2016 (2 papers each year). That is 235 questions in all, about 9% of General Knowledge.
Which Physics topics repeat in CDS?
Asked in the most papers: Optics, Electricity, Motion. The concept table lists every one with its count.
Are these official CDS questions?
Yes. Every question is from an official CDS paper hosted on our year pages. The one-line summaries are ours; open the PDF linked beside each question for the full text.