Topic Tension
Asked 2 times across 2 UPSC exams over 5 years (2018–2023), peaking in 2018.
Key insights
- Most tested in CDS — 1 of 2 PYQs
- Most asked in 2018
- Recurs across 2 years (2018–2023)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CDS 2018 → NDA 2023
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (2 of 2) 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.
NDA2023
Two identical spring balances S1 and S2 are connected one after the other and are held vertically as shown in the figure. A mass of 10 kg is hanging from S2. If the readings on S1 and S2 are W1 and W2 respectively, then :
- A W1 = 5 kg and W2 = 10 kg
- B W1 = 10 kg and W2 = 5 kg
- C W1 = 5 kg and W2 = 5 kg
- D W1 = 10 kg and W2 = 10 kg ✓
✓ Correct answer: (D)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
CDS2018
Two persons are holding a rope of negligible mass horizontally. A 20 kg mass is attached to the rope at the midpoint; as a result the rope deviates from the horizontal direction. The tension required to completely straighten the rope is (g = 10 m/s^2)
- A 200 N
- B 20 N
- C 10 N
- D infinitely large ✓
✓ Correct answer: (D)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
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