AEMA Deck Cadet Interview — Q&A
Revision Notes
Rewritten for clarity and correct English phrasing, organised by topic
A. Earth, Astronomy & Time
Q: What is a light-year?
A: A light-year is the distance light travels in one year. It is a unit of length (not time), used to measure very large
astronomical distances.
Q: What is the equator?
A: The equator is an imaginary line drawn around the Earth, equidistant from both poles, that divides the Earth into
the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. It lies at 0° latitude.
Q: What are the poles?
A: The poles are the points where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface — the North Pole and the South Pole.
Q: What is an astronomical unit (AU)?
A: The astronomical unit is a unit of length used to measure distances within the Solar System. One AU is
approximately 1.4 × 10¹¹ m — roughly the average distance between the Earth and the Sun.
Q: What is the difference between oceans and seas?
A: Geographically, seas are smaller than oceans and are usually located where land meets ocean, being partly
enclosed by land. There are five oceans — the Pacific (largest), the Atlantic (busiest, in terms of shipping traffic),
the Indian, the Southern, and the Arctic (smallest). There are seven continents — Asia (largest), Africa, North
America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia (smallest).
Q: What is the time difference between two consecutive longitudes (1° apart)?
A: 4 minutes.
Q: How many longitudes and latitudes are there in total?
A: There are 360 longitudes and 180 latitudes.
Q: What is the distance between two consecutive degrees of latitude?
A: Approximately 111 km (commonly approximated as 110 km).
Q: How is fog formed?
A: Fog forms when warm, humid air meets colder air near the Earth's surface. The water vapour condenses into tiny
droplets that remain suspended in the air, reducing visibility.
Q: What is an equinox?
A: An equinox is an astronomical event where the Earth's equator passes through the centre of the Sun's disc, so that
day and night are of equal length. It occurs twice a year — around 20 March and 23 September.
Q: What are the summer and winter solstices?
A: The summer solstice occurs when the North Pole is tilted closest to the Sun, giving the longest day of the year for
the Northern Hemisphere (around June). The winter solstice occurs when the North Pole is tilted farthest from the
Sun, giving the shortest day of the year for the Northern Hemisphere (around December).
Q: What is syzygy?
A: Syzygy is the alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth in a straight (co-linear) line, as happens during eclipses and
spring tides.
Q: What is GMT?
A: GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time — the mean solar time at the Greenwich meridian, used as the reference
by which the world's time zones are set.
Q: How is a leap year formed?
A: The Earth takes about 365.25 days to complete one revolution around the Sun, but the calendar year is fixed at
365 days. The extra 0.25 day accumulates over four years to make one additional day, which is added to February —
making that year a leap year.
Q: What is 0° latitude?
A: 0° latitude is the equator. The corresponding reference for longitude, 0° longitude (the Prime Meridian), passes
through Greenwich, England.
Q: What are Kepler's laws of planetary motion?
A: First Law: Every planet moves around the Sun in an elliptical orbit, with the Sun at one of the two foci. Second
Law: The areal velocity of a planet around the Sun remains constant (dA/dt = constant) — a planet sweeps out equal
areas in equal time. Third Law: The square of a planet's orbital period is directly proportional to the cube of the
semi-major axis of its elliptical orbit (T² = K·a³), where a is the semi-major axis, T is the orbital period, and K is
Kepler's constant.
Q: How are tides formed?
A: Tides are the periodic rise and fall of large water bodies, caused mainly by the gravitational interaction between
the Earth and the Moon (with a smaller contribution from the Sun).
Q: Why is the ocean salty?
A: Rivers pick up small amounts of mineral salts as they flow over land and carry them into the oceans and seas.
Water continuously evaporates from the ocean surface, but the dissolved salt remains behind, so the ocean has
become progressively saltier over time. On average, seawater is about 3.5% salt by weight.
Q: Why don't the Earth and the Moon collide?
A: The Moon is in constant motion around the Earth rather than being stationary. If there were no gravitational force
between them, the Moon would simply drift away into space. Instead, the Moon's orbital velocity and Earth's
gravitational pull balance each other, keeping it in a stable orbit rather than falling in or escaping.
Q: What is the difference between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn?
A: The Tropic of Cancer is the northernmost latitude at which the Sun can appear directly overhead; it lies at 23.4°
North of the equator. The Tropic of Capricorn is the corresponding southernmost latitude, at 23.4° South of the
equator.
B. Physics
Q: Why does ice float on water?
A: Because the density of water is greater than that of ice. As temperature decreases, water's density normally
increases — but ice has an open crystal structure that makes it less dense than liquid water, so it floats.
Q: What are centripetal and centrifugal force?
A: Centripetal force is the real force required to keep an object moving along a curved path; it acts towards the
centre of the path, given by F = mv²/r (m = mass, v = velocity, r = radius of the circular path). Centrifugal force is
the apparent (pseudo) force felt by the body, opposite to the centripetal force; it appears to act outward, away from
the centre of rotation.
Q: State Newton's laws of motion and their applications.
A: Newton's laws describe the motion of bodies in terms of the forces acting on them. First Law (Law of Inertia): A
body continues in its state of rest or uniform motion unless acted upon by an external unbalanced force. Second Law
(Law of Acceleration): The rate of change of momentum of an object is directly proportional to the resultant force
acting on it, and takes place in the same direction: F = dp/dt = d(mv)/dt = m(dv/dt) = ma. Third Law (Law of
Interaction): For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction — if a body exerts a force on another, the other
body exerts an equal and opposite force back on it.
Q: What is responsible for ozone layer depletion?
A: Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other halogenated compounds.
Q: What is the Archimedes' Principle, and how does it explain buoyancy and floatation?
A: Archimedes' Principle states that the upward buoyant force exerted on a body immersed in a fluid is equal to the
weight of the fluid displaced by that body. A ship floats because it displaces a volume of water whose weight equals
the ship's own weight; the resulting buoyant force supports it.
Q: Why is the sky blue?
A: When white sunlight enters the Earth's atmosphere, it gets scattered by air molecules. Blue light is scattered the
most because it has the shortest wavelength among the visible colours, so the sky appears blue.
Q: How is a rainbow formed?
A: When white sunlight enters tiny water droplets in the atmosphere, it is first refracted, then undergoes total
internal reflection inside the droplet, and finally refracts again as it exits — dispersing into its constituent colours
(Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red — VIBGYOR).
Q: What is the difference between mass and weight?
A: Mass is the amount of matter contained in a body; it is an intrinsic property of the body and does not change with
location. Its SI unit is the kilogram (kg). Weight is the force exerted on a mass due to gravitational acceleration: W =
mg. It varies with location (since g varies), and its unit is the newton (N).
Q: What is the speed of sound in a vacuum?
A: Zero — sound is a mechanical wave and requires a material medium to propagate, so it cannot travel through a
vacuum.
Q: What is atmospheric pressure?
A: Atmospheric pressure is the pressure exerted by the weight of the atmosphere above a given point (1 atm = 10⁵
Pascals). It decreases with an increase in altitude.
Q: What is boiling point?
A: The boiling point is the temperature at which the vapour pressure of a liquid equals the surrounding
(atmospheric) pressure. At this temperature, additional heat converts the liquid into vapour without further raising its
temperature. Boiling point decreases with increasing altitude and increases with increasing pressure.
Q: Why does food cook faster in a pressure cooker?
A: The trapped steam raises the pressure inside the cooker, which in turn raises the boiling point of water — from
around 100°C (212°F) to about 121°C (250°F). This higher temperature cooks food faster.
Q: State the gas laws (Boyle's Law and Charles's Law), with their applications.
A: Boyle's Law: At constant temperature, the pressure of a fixed mass of an ideal gas is inversely proportional to its
volume (P ∝ 1/V, so P₁V₁ = P₂V₂). Applications include the filling of tyres and balloons. Example: A balloon of
volume 2 L filled with gas at 3 atm has its pressure reduced to 0.5 atm. Using P₁V₁ = P₂V₂: 3 × 2 = 0.5 × V₂, giving
V₂ = 12 L — the balloon expands to 12 litres. Charles's Law: At constant pressure, the volume of an ideal gas is
directly proportional to its absolute temperature (V ∝ T, so V₁/T₁ = V₂/T₂). Applications include hot-air balloons
(heating the air inside increases its volume and reduces its density, making it lighter than the surrounding air, so it
rises) and the reduced lung capacity felt in cold winter air (lower temperature reduces air volume, making physical
activity harder). A related effect: deep-sea fish brought rapidly to the surface can die because the drop in
surrounding pressure causes gases dissolved in their blood to expand.
Q: What is the difference between interference and diffraction?
A: Interference occurs due to the interaction of light from two different wavefronts (they reinforce or cancel each
other). Its fringes are of equal width, all bright fringes have the same intensity, and all dark fringes are equally dark.
Diffraction (the bending of light) occurs due to the interaction of light from the same wavefront. Its fringes are not
of equal width, bright fringes do not all have the same intensity, dark fringes are not perfectly dark, and the spacing
between fringes is not uniform.
Q: What is the wave-particle nature of light?
A: Light is a transverse electromagnetic wave visible to the human eye; its wave nature was first demonstrated
through diffraction and interference experiments, and — like all electromagnetic waves — it can travel through a
vacuum. Its particle nature was proposed by Einstein, who described light as a stream of particles called photons,
with the flow of photons constituting the wave. A photon is the smallest discrete unit (quantum) of electromagnetic
radiation.
Q: Which type of mirror is used in cars, and why?
A: A convex mirror is used, because it provides a much wider field of view than a plane or concave mirror.
Q: Define evaporation, boiling, sublimation, condensation, distillation, and deposition.
A: Evaporation: A surface phenomenon in which a liquid changes into the gaseous phase. Boiling: A bulk
phenomenon in which the entire liquid undergoes a phase transition to the gaseous state. Sublimation: The direct
transition of a substance from the solid phase to the gaseous phase (e.g., naphthalene, C₁₀H₈). Condensation: The
transition of water vapour from the gaseous state to the liquid state (e.g., cloud formation, morning dew).
Distillation: A process used to separate the components of a mixture based on differences in their boiling points.
Deposition: The direct transition of a substance from the gaseous phase to the solid phase.
Q: What is Lenz's Law?
A: Lenz's Law states that an induced EMF always gives rise to a current whose magnetic field opposes the change in
the original magnetic flux that produced it. It is expressed by the negative sign in Faraday's Law of Induction: ε =
−dΦ_B/dt, where ε is the induced EMF and Φ_B is the magnetic flux.
Q: What are endothermic and exothermic reactions?
A: An endothermic reaction is a chemical reaction in which heat is absorbed from the surroundings (e.g., the melting
of an ice cube). An exothermic reaction is a chemical reaction in which heat is released to the surroundings (e.g.,
any combustion reaction).
Q: What is specific gravity?
A: Specific gravity, also known as relative density, is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a
standard reference — usually water for solids and liquids, and air for gases.
Q: What is the difference between 'g' and 'G'?
A: g (acceleration due to gravity) is the acceleration produced in a freely falling body due to the Earth's gravitational
pull; it varies from place to place and has units of m/s². G (the universal gravitational constant) is the constant of
proportionality in Newton's law of gravitation — the force of attraction between two unit masses separated by a unit
distance. It is constant throughout the universe, with units of N·m²/kg².
Q: What is Pascal's Law?
A: Pascal's Law states that when external pressure is applied to a fluid in a closed system, that pressure is
transmitted equally in all directions throughout the fluid: F = P × A (F = force applied, P = pressure, A = area).
Applications include hydraulic lifts and car brakes.
Q: What is Bernoulli's Theorem?
A: As the speed of a moving fluid (liquid or gas) increases, the pressure within the fluid decreases. Equivalently, the
sum of the pressure energy, kinetic energy, and potential energy per unit mass of an incompressible, non-viscous
fluid in streamlined flow remains constant: P + ½ρv² + ρgh = constant, where ρ = density of the fluid and h = height
of the fluid column. Applications include the lift generated by aeroplane wings, paint guns, and scent sprays.
Q: Compare the density and freezing/boiling points of fresh water and salt water.
A: Fresh (pure) water has a density of about 1 kg/L (1 kg/1000 cm³), a boiling point of 100°C, and a freezing point
of 0°C. Salt water has a higher density, about 1.025 kg/L. As salt concentration increases, the boiling point rises
only slightly (negligibly above 100°C), while the freezing point drops noticeably — to around −2°C.
Q: What is buoyancy?
A: Buoyancy is the upward force exerted by a fluid that opposes the weight of an object immersed in it: F_b = ρgV,
where ρ = density of the fluid, g = acceleration due to gravity, and V = volume of fluid displaced.
Q: State the ideal gas equation, and define an ideal gas.
A: The ideal gas equation is PV = nRT, where P = pressure, V = volume, n = number of moles, R = the universal
gas constant (8.314 J/mol·K), and T = temperature. An ideal gas is a hypothetical gas whose molecules occupy
negligible volume, have no intermolecular interactions, and obey all the gas laws exactly.
Q: What is potential difference?
A: Potential difference is the difference in electrical potential between two points.
Q: What is refractive index?
A: The refractive index of a medium is the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in that
medium.
Q: What is Snell's Law?
A: For a given pair of media, the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is
constant — this constant is the refractive index of the second medium with respect to the first.
Q: Why does water in earthen pots remain cool?
A: Because water seeps through the tiny pores of the pot and evaporates from its outer surface, and this evaporation
draws heat away, cooling the water inside.
Q: Why does evaporation cause cooling?
A: During evaporation, the liquid absorbs heat energy from its surroundings in order for molecules to escape into the
gas phase. This loss of heat from the surroundings produces a cooling effect.
Q: State Kirchhoff's Laws.
A: First Law (Current Law): The net current entering and leaving a junction in a circuit is zero (conservation of
charge). Second Law (Voltage Law): In any closed loop of a circuit, the sum of the EMFs equals the sum of the
voltage drops around that loop (conservation of energy).
Q: What are stress and strain?
A: Stress is the internal restoring force per unit cross-sectional area developed in a material when an external force
is applied: σ = F/A₀, with units of N/m² (Pascal). Strain is the deformation or displacement of the material that
results from the applied stress (a dimensionless ratio).
Q: What is Young's Modulus (Y)?
A: Young's Modulus is a measure of a material's elasticity — specifically its stiffness under tension or compression.
It is the ratio of normal (longitudinal) stress to longitudinal strain: Y = normal stress / longitudinal strain.
Q: What is Bulk Modulus (K)?
A: Bulk Modulus measures the relative change in the volume of a body in response to stress. It is the ratio of normal
stress to volumetric strain: K = normal stress / volumetric strain.
Q: What is the Modulus of Rigidity?
A: The Modulus of Rigidity is the ratio of shear stress to shear strain. Shear stress is the force acting tangentially
over the surface area of a plane; shear strain is the resulting displacement of that plane.
Q: What is a mirage?
A: A mirage is a naturally occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays bend (due to varying air
density/temperature near the ground) to produce a displaced image of a distant object.
Q: What is the centre of mass? Does it shift when a body is immersed in water?
A: The centre of mass of a body is the point at which the entire mass of the body may be considered to be
concentrated. (The centre of buoyancy, by contrast, is the point at which the buoyant force is considered to act.) The
centre of mass of a rigid body does not shift when the body is immersed in water — only the centre of buoyancy
changes, as it depends on the shape of the submerged volume.
Q: What is the centre of gravity?
A: The centre of gravity is the point from which the weight of a body is considered to act. Under uniform gravity, it
coincides with the centre of mass. For a floating body to be stable, its centre of gravity must lie vertically in line
with (and typically above) its centre of buoyancy.
Q: What is the Doppler Effect, and what are its applications?
A: When there is relative motion between a source and an observer of a wave, the observer perceives a change in its
frequency — this is known as the Doppler Effect. Applications include RADAR (Radio Detection and Ranging),
SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging), and LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging).
Q: Why are warning signals typically red?
A: Red light has the longest wavelength among visible colours and is scattered the least by the atmosphere, allowing
it to be seen clearly over long distances.
Q: State the laws of thermodynamics.
A: Zeroth Law: If two systems are each in thermal equilibrium with a third system, they are in thermal equilibrium
with each other. First Law: The total energy of an isolated system remains constant (energy is conserved). Second
Law: The total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time, and remains constant only if all
processes within it are reversible. Third Law: The entropy of a system at absolute zero temperature is a well-defined
constant.
Q: What is the difference between entropy and enthalpy?
A: Entropy is a measure of the disorder of a system (loosely associated with the distribution of thermal energy); its
unit is joules per kelvin (J/K). Enthalpy is a measure of the total heat content of a system; its unit is joules (J).
Q: Why does the ocean appear blue?
A: Red, orange, and yellow light have longer wavelengths and are absorbed by water more readily than blue light.
So when white sunlight enters the ocean, it is mostly the blue light that gets scattered back, giving the ocean its blue
appearance.
C. Chemistry
Q: What is isomerism?
A: Isomerism is the phenomenon in which two or more compounds have the same chemical (molecular) formula but
different structural arrangements. For example, but-2-yne and but-2-ene are structural/positional isomers with the
same molecular formula but different bonding arrangements.
Q: Define isotopes, isobars, isotones, and isoelectronic species.
A: Isotopes: Atoms of the same element having the same atomic number (Z) but different mass numbers (A) — e.g.,
protium (¹H), deuterium (²H), and tritium (³H). Isotopes have similar chemical properties (since these depend on the
number of electrons, which is equal for isotopes of the same element) but different physical properties (since these
depend on mass number). Isobars: Atoms of different elements having different atomic numbers (Z) but the same
mass number (A). Isotones: Atoms (nuclides) that have the same number of neutrons but different numbers of
protons — e.g., boron-12 and carbon-13, both of which have 7 neutrons. Isoelectronic species: Atoms or ions that
have the same number of electrons — e.g., Na⁺, Ne, and Mg²⁺. Although they have the same number of electrons,
isoelectronic species can still differ in their physical and chemical properties.
Q: What are alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes?
A: These are simple hydrocarbon compounds with no functional group. Alkanes have only single (C–C) bonds —
general formula CₙH₂ₙ₊₂. Alkenes have at least one carbon–carbon double bond — general formula CₙH₂ₙ. Alkynes
have at least one carbon–carbon triple bond — general formula CₙH₂ₙ₋₂.
Q: Should acid be added to water, or water to acid?
A: Acid should always be added to water — never the reverse. Adding water to concentrated acid releases a large
amount of heat rapidly and can cause the acid to splash out of the container. Adding acid to water instead allows the
solution to remain dilute throughout, releasing heat more gradually and safely.
Q: How would you recognise H₂S gas?
A: H₂S (hydrogen sulphide) gas has a characteristic smell of rotten eggs.
Q: How can hydrogen gas be produced?
A: By the electrolysis of water: passing an electric current through water decomposes it into hydrogen and oxygen.
Hydrogen is liberated at the cathode (−) and oxygen at the anode (+).
D. Ships & Maritime Knowledge
Q: How does a ship move?
A: A ship moves with the help of its propeller. When the main engine rotates the propeller, it produces thrust against
the water. Following Newton's Third Law, the water exerts an equal and opposite reaction thrust on the propeller,
which drives the ship forward.
Q: How does a ship float?
A: A ship floats according to Archimedes' Principle: if a body displaces a volume of water whose weight equals the
weight of the body itself, the body will float. It is the buoyant force generated by this displaced water that keeps the
ship afloat.
Q: What are the different types of ships?
A: 1. Tankers 2. Container ships 3. Dry bulk carriers 4. Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) ships 5. General cargo ships 6.
LNG tankers 7. Cruise ships 8. Ferries
Q: Who heads the Directorate General of Shipping (India)?
A: The Ministry of Shipping is headed by the Minister of State (Independent Charge), and the Directorate General
of Shipping is headed by the Director General of Shipping.
Note: The names of the current office-holders (Minister and DG Shipping) should be re-verified closer to the
interview date, as these positions can change — see the note on current affairs below.
E. Indian Geography & General Facts
Q: Give an overview of India's geography.
A: India is the 7th largest country in the world by area. Its coastline is about 7,500 km long, with Gujarat having the
longest coastline of any state. India shares land borders with six neighbouring countries: Pakistan, China, Nepal,
Bhutan, Myanmar, and Bangladesh (a common mnemonic is 'PKMKB'). Highest point: Kanchenjunga (about 8.5
km), in Sikkim. Lowest point: Kuttanad (about −2.2 m), in Kerala. Longest and largest river: the Ganga (about 2,500
km). Extreme points: Northern — Indira Col, Jammu & Kashmir; Southern — Indira Point, Andaman & Nicobar
Islands; Eastern — Kibithu, Arunachal Pradesh; Western — Kutch, Gujarat; Southernmost point of the mainland —
Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin), Tamil Nadu.
Q: What is Indian Standard Time, and how does it relate to GMT?
A: Indian Standard Time (IST) is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of GMT. It is based on the meridian passing through
Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. Capital: New Delhi. Largest city: Mumbai (the financial capital of India). Number of
states: 28; Union Territories: 9 (note: verify the current count, as these have changed in recent years). National
anthem: 'Jana Gana Mana'. National song: 'Vande Mataram'. National motto: 'Satyameva Jayate'. Largest state by
population: Uttar Pradesh; smallest by population: Sikkim. Largest state by area: Rajasthan; smallest by area: Goa.
India–China border: the McMahon Line. India–Pakistan border: the Radcliffe Line. Largest district (by area): Kutch.
Largest dam: Hirakud Dam. Largest delta: the Sundarbans. Largest saline-water lake: Chilika Lake. Pink City:
Jaipur. City of Joy: Kolkata. Manchester of India: Ahmedabad. Uttar Pradesh shares borders with the largest number
of states and Union Territories — 8 in total. Highest literacy rate: Kerala (about 91%). Lowest literacy rate: Bihar
(about 63%).
Note: The 'largest dam' entry in the original notes read 'Hirakund/Hindukund Dam' but was unclear in the
handwriting — this has been read as Hirakud Dam (Odisha), India's longest dam by length. Please double-check
this fact independently before using it.
Q: Name some notable historical Indian personalities.
A: First President: Dr Rajendra Prasad. First Prime Minister: Jawaharlal Nehru. First woman Prime Minister: Indira
Gandhi. Iron Man of India: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Gurudev: Rabindranath Tagore (also the first Indian Nobel
laureate). Nightingale of India: Sarojini Naidu. Lokmanya: Bal Gangadhar Tilak. First Indian in space: Rakesh
Sharma. Father of the Nation: Mahatma Gandhi.
F. Current Affairs — India (Office-Holders)
Note: These notes list office-holders as they stood at the time they were written. Several of these positions
(President, Vice-President, Lok Sabha Speaker, Cabinet Ministers, Chief Justice of India, RBI Governor, etc.)
change periodically, and some entries here are very likely outdated by now. Before the interview, please look up the
current holders of each of these posts rather than relying on this list, since giving an outdated name in the interview
could count against you.
Q: Which current-affairs office-holders were noted (as of when these notes were written)?
A: President — Ram Nath Kovind; Vice-President — Venkaiah Naidu; Lok Sabha Speaker — Om Birla; Prime
Minister — Narendra Modi; Defence Minister — Rajnath Singh; Home Minister — Amit Shah; Finance Minister —
Nirmala Sitharaman; External Affairs Minister — Dr S. Jaishankar; Road Transport & Highways Minister — Nitin
Gadkari; Railways Minister — Piyush Goyal; Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister — Dharmendra Pradhan; HRD
(Education) Minister — Ramesh Pokhriyal; Chief Justice of India — Sharad Arvind Bobde; RBI Governor —
Shaktikanta Das.