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Topic Atomic theory
Asked 4 times across 2 UPSC exams over 10 years (2015–2025), peaking in 2015.
Key insights
- Most tested in CDS — 3 of 4 PYQs
- Most asked in 2015
- Recurs across 3 years (2015–2025)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CDS 2015 → NDA 2023
How the concept evolved
Long-running — most appearances (2 of 4) predate 2016, and it still returns.
Related concepts
Ideas UPSC tests alongside this one — keep exploring.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
CDS2025
Which one of the following is not explained by the Dalton's atomic theory ?
- A Law of conservation of mass
- B Law of constant composition
- C Presence of different kind of sub-atomic particles in an atom ✓
- D Law of multiple proportion
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
NDA2023
As proposed by Dalton, which of the following symbol represents phosphorus ?
- A (a)
- B (b)
- C (c)
- D (d) ✓
✓ Correct answer: (D)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
CDS2015
The atomic theory of matter was first proposed by
- A John Dalton ✓
- B Rutherford
- C J. J. Thomson
- D Niels Bohr
✓ Correct answer: (A)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
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