Test: Important Discoveries Relating to Physics - UPSC MCQ

Isaac Newton is credited with discovering the concept of gravity through his work on the laws of motion and universal gravitation. His famous law of gravitation states that every mass attracts every other mass with a force proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

James Chadwick discovered the existence of neutrons in 1932. Neutrons are subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom, along with protons. Chadwick's discovery of neutrons played a crucial role in understanding nuclear reactions and the development of nuclear power.

Albert Einstein proposed the theory of relativity, which revolutionized our understanding of space, time, and gravity. His theory of relativity consists of two parts: the special theory of relativity and the general theory of relativity.

Johannes Kepler discovered the laws of planetary motion. His three laws, known as Kepler's laws of planetary motion, describe the motion of planets around the Sun. Kepler's laws laid the foundation for Isaac Newton's laws of motion and universal gravitation.

Michael Faraday discovered the principles of electromagnetic induction. His experiments demonstrated that a changing magnetic field can induce an electric current in a nearby conductor. Faraday's discoveries laid the groundwork for the development of electric generators and transformers.

The concept of quantum mechanics was first introduced by Max Planck (c) in 1900. He proposed the idea of quantized energy levels, which laid the foundation for the development of quantum theory.

J.J. Thomson discovered the existence of the electron through his experiments on cathode rays. He proposed the "plum pudding" model of the atom, which suggested that electrons were embedded in a positively charged sphere.

Rudolf Clausius is known for formulating the laws of thermodynamics. His work laid the foundation for understanding the principles governing energy transfer and conversion in various systems.

Albert Einstein developed the theory of general relativity, which extended his earlier special theory of relativity. General relativity describes gravity as the curvature of spacetime caused by the presence of mass and energy.

Henri Becquerel discovered the concept of radioactivity in 1896. He observed that uranium salts emitted rays that could penetrate opaque materials and expose photographic plates.

James Prescott Joule discovered the law of conservation of energy, also known as the first law of thermodynamics. This law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be converted from one form to another.

Thomas Young conducted the famous double-slit experiment, which demonstrated the wave-particle duality of light. His experiment showed that light behaves both as a wave and as a particle.

Max Born contributed to the development of quantum mechanics and discovered the principle of superposition. The principle states that a quantum system can exist in multiple states simultaneously until observed or measured.

Albert Einstein developed the theory of special relativity, which deals with the behavior of objects moving at constant speeds relative to each other. The theory introduced concepts like time dilation and length contraction.

Isaac Newton discovered the laws of motion, which are fundamental principles governing the motion of objects. His laws, known as Newton's laws of motion, laid the foundation for classical mechanics.

Ernest Rutherford discovered the concept of atomic structure and the existence of the nucleus. Through his famous gold foil experiment, Rutherford demonstrated that atoms have a small, dense, positively charged nucleus at their center.

Louis de Broglie proposed the concept of wave-particle duality for electrons, known as the de Broglie hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, particles such as electrons exhibit both wave and particle-like properties.

Richard Feynman contributed to the development of quantum electrodynamics (QED). QED is a theory that describes the interactions between charged particles and electromagnetic fields.

While the concept of black holes has roots in the works of various scientists, Stephen Hawking made significant contributions to our understanding of black holes through his research on Hawking radiation and black hole thermodynamics.

Gregor Mendel, an Austrian monk, is known as the father of genetics. He conducted experiments on pea plants and discovered the fundamental principles of heredity, which laid the foundation for the field of genetics.