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Science & technology

Prelims · Science & technology · 28 questions

Physics & chemistry in everyday life

Every UPSC Prelims question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Physics & chemistry in everyday life questions per year: 2016: 0, 2017: 2, 2018: 1, 2019: 0, 2020: 1, 2021: 4, 2022: 0, 2023: 1, 2024: 1, 2025: 2, 2026: 1 Asked in 8 of 11 years · most in 2021 (4)

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Prelims 2026 · Q44

X-Ray · Core #44 Medium Provisional key

आधुनिक विमानों में प्रयुक्त होने वाले ब्लैक बॉक्सों के संबंध में, निम्नलिखित में से कौन-सा/कौन-से कथन सही है/हैं ?

  1. 1.उनमें लाल प्रकाश स्पंद उत्सर्जित करने वाला एक बीकन होता है ताकि उनकी अंतर्जलीय खोज को सुकर बनाया जा सके।
  2. 2.वे कॉकपिट वॉइस और फ्लाइट डेटा, दोनों को रिकॉर्ड करते हैं।
  3. 3.उनके मेमोरी यूनिटों के निर्माण में या तो जंगरोधी इस्पात (स्टेनलेस स्टील) या टाइटेनियम का उपयोग किया जाता है।

नीचे दिए गए कूट का प्रयोग कर उत्तर चुनिए :

Read this question in English

Which of the following statements with regard to Black Boxes used in modern aircrafts is/are correct?

1. They carry a beacon emitting red light pulses to facilitate underwater detection.

2. They record both the cockpit voice and flight data.

3. Their memory units are made using either stainless steel or titanium.

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only · (b) 2 and 3 only · (c) 1 and 2 only · (d) 1, 2 and 3

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (b) केवल 2 और 3

A black box holds the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, and it is built from tough materials such as steel and titanium. Its locating aid at sea is an underwater beacon that sends an acoustic signal at 37.5 kHz, not red light.

  • ✗ 1. The underwater locator beacon on flight recorders is a 'pinger' that sends an acoustic (sound) signal at 37.5 kHz once it is immersed in water. It is not a red-light beacon.
  • ✓ 2. A flight recorder combines a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder. The Air India AI171 investigation describes recorders that store digital flight data and cockpit voice on the same device.
  • ✓ 3. DD News (Prasar Bharati), reporting on the Air India AI171 recorders, says the device is constructed from highly durable materials like steel and titanium, so the memory units are made of stainless steel or titanium.

Remember · Black box: records flight data and cockpit voice; built from durable steel or titanium; its underwater locator beacon sends a 37.5 kHz acoustic signal, not light.

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's provisional GS Paper I (2026, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

The Syllabus X-Ray of this topic

1 of its 5 sub-topics is Core

1 Core · 1 High · 1 Steady · 2 Rare

  • Core #44Everyday physics: light, sound, heat & electricity · 7 questions
  • HighEveryday chemistry: materials & reactions · 5 questions

The X-Ray ranks all 928 sub-topics of the UPSC syllabus by what UPSC has asked since 2016. The 60 Prelims Core sub-topics are behind 51% of Prelims questions.

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