BS Nursing Entry Test Physics Syllabus

Physics syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Physics in BS Nursing Entry Test, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Measurements and Units

   3 topics

   • Physical Quantities
   • Errors and Significant Figures
   • Dimensional Analysis
2. 2

   Motion and Force

   3 topics

   • Kinematics
   • Newton's Laws of Motion
   • Momentum and Impulse
3. 3

   Work, Energy and Power

   3 topics

   • Work and Energy
   • Conservation of Energy
   • Power and Efficiency
4. 4

   Heat and Thermodynamics

   3 topics

   • Temperature and Heat
   • Laws of Thermodynamics
   • Heat Transfer
5. 5

   Waves and Oscillations

   3 topics

   • Simple Harmonic Motion
   • Properties of Waves
   • Sound Waves
6. 6

   Electricity and Magnetism

   3 topics

   • Electrostatics
   • Current Electricity
   • Magnetism and Electromagnetism
7. 7

   Light and Optics

   3 topics

   • Reflection and Refraction
   • Lenses and Mirrors
   • Optical Instruments
8. 8

   Modern and Medical Physics

   3 topics

   • Atomic and Nuclear Physics
   • X-Rays and Medical Imaging
   • Radiation in Medicine

Physics flashcards for BS Nursing Entry Test

24 of 52 cards from the Physics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is the difference between base (fundamental) and derived physical quantities? Give two examples of each.

   Base quantities are independent and cannot be defined in terms of others (e.g., length, mass, time). Derived quantities are formed by combining base quantities (e.g., velocity = length/time, force = mass x acceleration).

2. List the seven SI base quantities and their units.

   Length (metre, m), Mass (kilogram, kg), Time (second, s), Electric current (ampere, A), Temperature (kelvin, K), Amount of substance (mole, mol), Luminous intensity (candela, cd).

3. Distinguish between scalar and vector quantities, with one example of each.

   A scalar has magnitude only (e.g., mass, speed, temperature). A vector has both magnitude and direction (e.g., displacement, velocity, force).

4. What is the difference between systematic error and random error?

   Systematic error is a consistent error (same direction/size) from faulty instruments or method (e.g., zero error). Random error varies unpredictably each measurement and can be reduced by averaging repeated readings.

5. Define precision and accuracy in measurement.

   Accuracy is how close a measurement is to the true value. Precision is how close repeated measurements are to one another (reproducibility), regardless of the true value.

6. State the rules for counting significant figures in a number like 0.00420 and 1200.

   Non-zero digits and zeros between them count; leading zeros do not count; trailing zeros after a decimal count. 0.00420 has 3 sig figs (4, 2, 0); 1200 (no decimal) has 2 sig figs.

7. How many significant figures should a calculated result have when multiplying/dividing measured values?

   The result should have the same number of significant figures as the measurement with the fewest significant figures.

8. What are the dimensions of force, work/energy, and pressure in terms of M, L, T?

   Force = [M L T^-2]; Work/Energy = [M L^2 T^-2]; Pressure = [M L^-1 T^-2].

9. What is the principle of homogeneity of dimensions, and what is it used for?

   Every term in a physically correct equation must have the same dimensions. It is used to check the correctness of equations and to derive relationships between quantities.

10. Give one limitation of dimensional analysis.

    It cannot determine dimensionless constants (like 1/2 or 2 pi), cannot derive equations with trigonometric/logarithmic/exponential functions, and cannot distinguish quantities with the same dimensions.

11. Differentiate between distance and displacement.

    Distance is the total path length travelled (scalar, always positive). Displacement is the straight-line change in position from start to end with direction (vector, can be zero or negative).

12. Write the three equations of motion for uniform acceleration.

    v = u + at; s = ut + (1/2)at^2; v^2 = u^2 + 2as, where u = initial velocity, v = final velocity, a = acceleration, s = displacement, t = time.

13. For a body in free fall, what is the value of acceleration and which equation gives the velocity after time t (starting from rest)?

    Acceleration = g ~ 9.8 m/s^2 downward. Starting from rest (u = 0): v = gt.

14. On a velocity-time graph, what do the slope and the area under the graph represent?

    The slope represents acceleration; the area under the graph represents displacement.

15. State Newton's First Law of Motion.

    A body remains at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external (net) force. This property is called inertia (the law of inertia).

16. State Newton's Second Law of Motion and its equation.

    The rate of change of momentum of a body is directly proportional to the applied force and occurs in the direction of the force. F = ma (or F = dp/dt).

17. State Newton's Third Law of Motion.

    For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The two forces act on different bodies, are equal in magnitude, and opposite in direction.

18. What is the difference between mass and weight?

    Mass is the amount of matter in a body (scalar, kg, constant everywhere). Weight is the gravitational force on a body, W = mg (vector, newton, varies with g/location).

19. Define linear momentum and give its formula and SI unit.

    Linear momentum is the product of mass and velocity, p = mv. It is a vector. SI unit: kg m/s (or N s).

20. Define impulse and state its relationship to momentum.

    Impulse is the product of force and the time for which it acts, J = F x t. Impulse equals the change in momentum: F t = m v - m u (impulse-momentum theorem). SI unit: N s.

21. State the law of conservation of linear momentum.

    In the absence of an external force, the total linear momentum of an isolated system remains constant. For a collision: m1u1 + m2u2 = m1v1 + m2v2.

22. Differentiate between elastic and inelastic collisions.

    In an elastic collision both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. In an inelastic collision momentum is conserved but kinetic energy is not (some converts to heat/sound/deformation).

23. Define work and state its formula including the angle between force and displacement.

    Work is done when a force moves an object: W = F s cos(theta), where theta is the angle between force and displacement. SI unit: joule (J). Work is a scalar.

24. Write the formulas for kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy.

    Kinetic energy KE = (1/2)mv^2. Gravitational potential energy PE = mgh, where h is height above the reference level.

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