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Topic Sound Waves
Asked 6 times across 2 UPSC exams over 4 years (2022–2026), peaking in 2023.
Key insights
- Most tested in NDA — 4 of 6 PYQs
- Most asked in 2023
- Recurs across 4 years (2022–2026)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
NDA 2022 → CISF 2023
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (6 of 6) 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.
NDA2026
A very large container consists of an ideal gas. The speed of sound in the gas is x. When the pressure of the gas is doubled while keeping the temperature constant, the speed of sound now becomes y. What is the ratio of x to y?
- A 1 ✓
- B √2
- C 2
- D 4
✓ Correct answer: (A)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
CISF2026
With regard to sound waves, which one among the following is correct?
- A Sound waves are transverse waves.
- B Sound waves follow the same law of reflection as followed by light waves.
- C Sound waves travel faster in a less dense medium.
- D Sound waves can travel in vacuum as well as in atmosphere.
Answer key not yet available (pending official release)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
NDA2024
Which one of the following does not apply to sound waves in fluids?
- A They transport energy
- B They need a medium to travel
- C They are transverse ✓
- D They travel faster in liquids than in gases
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
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