Topic Pressure
Asked 10 times across 5 UPSC exams over 38 years (1988–2026), peaking in 2022.
Key insights
- Most tested in NDA — 3 of 10 PYQs
- Most asked in 2022
- Recurs across 8 years (1988–2026)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CSE 1988 → CDS 2016 → NDA 2020 → GEO 2021 → CAPF 2022
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (8 of 10) are since 2016.
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.
GEO2026
A mercury barometer is placed in an elevator accelerating upwards with a constant acceleration (assume zero air pressure). If h is the height of mercury column in the moving elevator, which one of the following is correct (H is the height of mercury column when the elevator is stationary)?
- A H > h
- B H = h
- C H < h
- D Nothing can be concluded due to insufficient data
Answer key not yet available (pending official release)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
NDA2023
A block of wood (dimensions : 40 cm × 20 cm × 10 cm) is kept on a tabletop in three different positions : (a) with its side of dimensions 20 cm × 10 cm; (b) with its side of dimensions 10 cm × 40 cm; and (c) with its side of dimensions 40 cm × 20 cm. The pressure exerted by the wooden block on the tabletop in these positions is represented by PA, PB and PC, respectively. The pressure follows the trend
- A PA > PB > PC ✓
- B PA < PB < PC
- C PA = PB = PC
- D PA < PB = PC
✓ Correct answer: (A)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
CAPF2022
Which one of the following is not the unit of pressure?
- A pascal (Pa)
- B N/m^2
- C J/m^2 ✓
- D bar
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
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