General Science
General Science in EPFO SSA is secondary-school level physics, chemistry and biology. Questions test definitions, units, everyday applications and basic human body systems, not advanced numericals.
Core rules
- Physics: speed is scalar, velocity is vector; weight = mass × g; SI unit of force is newton.
- Electricity: V = IR; power = VI; household wiring is parallel so each appliance gets full voltage.
- Chemistry: pH below 7 is acidic, above 7 is basic; litmus turns red in acid and blue in base.
- Periodic table: metals lose electrons, non-metals gain or share; group 1 is alkali metals.
- Biology: photosynthesis uses CO2 and water in chloroplasts; respiration releases energy in mitochondria.
- Human body: the heart has four chambers; blood carries oxygen via haemoglobin.
Worked example
A cyclist covers 60 m in 12 s. Find speed. Speed = distance/time = 60/12 = 5 m/s. Reasoning: keep units consistent; if asked in km/h, multiply by 18/5 to get 18 km/h. Do not confuse speed with velocity, which also needs direction.
Traps
- Mass is constant; weight changes with gravity.
- A vaccine prevents disease; an antibiotic treats bacterial infection, not a virus.
- In pH questions, a lower number is more acidic, not more basic.
- Do not mix up arteries and veins: arteries carry blood away from the heart.