Category 9 · Science & Technology
Physics – Modern Physics and Astrophysics
9 micro topics in Science & Technology for UPSC Prelims, in book order: Theories and Laws of Physics, Including the Theory of Relativity; Big Bang Theory and Cosmological Singularity; and 7 more.
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9.1
Theories and Laws of Physics, Including the Theory of Relativity
Physics rests on a small number of laws and theories that describe nature from the scale of atoms to the universe. Newton's laws of motion and law of universal gravitation, published in 1687, explain everyday motion…
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9.2
Big Bang Theory and Cosmological Singularity
The Big Bang theory is the leading scientific explanation of the origin and evolution of the universe. It says that the universe began about 13.8 billion years ago from an extremely hot and dense state and…
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9.3
Dark Matter and Dark Energy
Dark matter and dark energy are two unseen components that make up most of the universe. Ordinary matter, which forms stars, planets and people, is only about 5 per cent of the total content. Dark matter…
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9.4
Black Holes
A black hole is a region of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it. The boundary beyond which escape is impossible is the event horizon, and at the…
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9.5
India-Based Neutrino Observatory
The India-Based Neutrino Observatory, INO, is a proposed underground laboratory in India to study neutrinos, which are very light, electrically neutral particles that rarely interact with matter. The project plans to build a 50,000-tonne magnetised iron…
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9.6
Gravitational Waves
Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of spacetime that travel at the speed of light and are produced when massive objects accelerate, especially when black holes or neutron stars orbit and merge. Albert Einstein predicted…
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9.7
Sunspots, Magnetars and Neutron Stars
Sunspots are cooler, darker patches on the surface of the Sun, with a temperature of about 3,800 kelvin compared with about 5,800 kelvin for the rest of the surface, caused by strong magnetic fields that block…
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9.8
Radio Galaxies and the Galaxy Supercluster "Saraswati"
A radio galaxy is a galaxy that gives out very strong radio waves, produced by jets of particles launched by a supermassive black hole at its centre and travelling at near the speed of light into…
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9.9
Space Observatories and Telescopes (Hubble, Chandra X-Ray Observatory, Thirty Metre Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope)
Space observatories are telescopes placed in orbit or deep space so that they can observe the universe without the blurring and absorption caused by the atmosphere of Earth. The Hubble Space Telescope, launched in 1990, studies…
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Frequently asked questions
Which topics are in Physics – Modern Physics and Astrophysics?
Physics – Modern Physics and Astrophysics has 9 micro topics in Science & Technology: Theories and Laws of Physics, Including the Theory of Relativity; Big Bang Theory and Cosmological Singularity; Dark Matter and Dark Energy; Black Holes; India-Based Neutrino Observatory; Gravitational Waves; Sunspots, Magnetars and Neutron Stars; Radio Galaxies and the Galaxy Supercluster "Saraswati"; Space Observatories and Telescopes (Hubble, Chandra X-Ray Observatory, Thirty Metre Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope).
Is Physics – Modern Physics and Astrophysics important for UPSC Prelims?
Physics – Modern Physics and Astrophysics is a part of the UPSC Prelims Science & Technology syllabus map on MaargX UPSC. Each of its 9 published topics has key terms, a Mains angle and practice questions.