IPU CET 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 IPU CET, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Mechanics

   6 topics

   • Units, Dimensions and Measurement
     • SI units and dimensional formulae
     • Dimensional analysis and applications
     • Significant figures and error analysis
   • Kinematics
     • Motion in a straight line
     • Projectile and relative motion
     • Vectors and their resolution
   • Laws of Motion
     • Newton's three laws and inertia
     • Friction and its laws
     • Circular motion and banking of roads
   • Work, Energy and Power
     • Work-energy theorem
     • Conservation of mechanical energy
     • Elastic and inelastic collisions
   • Rotational Motion
     • Centre of mass and torque
     • Moment of inertia and theorems
     • Angular momentum conservation
   • Gravitation
     • Newton's law of gravitation
     • Gravitational potential energy
     • Kepler's laws and satellite motion
2. 2

   Properties of Matter, Heat and Thermodynamics

   5 topics

   • Elasticity
     • Stress, strain and Hooke's law
     • Young's, bulk and shear modulus
   • Fluid Mechanics
     • Pressure and Pascal's law
     • Bernoulli's theorem and applications
     • Viscosity and surface tension
   • Thermal Properties of Matter
     • Thermal expansion
     • Calorimetry and latent heat
     • Conduction, convection and radiation
   • Thermodynamics
     • Zeroth and first law
     • Isothermal and adiabatic processes
     • Second law, Carnot engine and entropy
   • Kinetic Theory of Gases
     • Ideal gas equation
     • Degrees of freedom and equipartition
     • Mean free path and RMS speed
3. 3

   Oscillations and Waves

   3 topics

   • Simple Harmonic Motion
     • Displacement, velocity and acceleration in SHM
     • Energy in SHM
     • Simple and compound pendulum
   • Wave Motion
     • Transverse and longitudinal waves
     • Speed of waves on string and in gases
     • Principle of superposition
   • Sound Waves
     • Beats and standing waves
     • Resonance in air columns
     • Doppler effect
4. 4

   Electrostatics and Current Electricity

   3 topics

   • Electrostatics
     • Coulomb's law and electric field
     • Gauss's law and applications
     • Electric potential and capacitance
   • Current Electricity
     • Ohm's law and resistivity
     • Kirchhoff's laws and Wheatstone bridge
     • Potentiometer and metre bridge
   • Heating and Chemical Effects
     • Joule heating and electric power
     • Cells, EMF and internal resistance
5. 5

   Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction

   5 topics

   • Magnetic Effects of Current
     • Biot-Savart law and Ampere's law
     • Force on a current-carrying conductor
     • Moving coil galvanometer
   • Magnetism and Matter
     • Bar magnet and magnetic dipole
     • Dia, para and ferromagnetism
   • Electromagnetic Induction
     • Faraday's and Lenz's laws
     • Self and mutual inductance
     • Eddy currents
   • Alternating Current
     • AC through R, L and C
     • LCR series resonance
     • Transformers and power in AC circuits
   • Electromagnetic Waves
     • Displacement current
     • EM spectrum and properties
6. 6

   Optics and Modern Physics

   5 topics

   • Ray Optics
     • Reflection and refraction at surfaces
     • Lenses, mirrors and lens-maker formula
     • Optical instruments
   • Wave Optics
     • Young's double-slit interference
     • Diffraction at a single slit
     • Polarisation
   • Dual Nature of Matter and Radiation
     • Photoelectric effect
     • de Broglie wavelength
   • Atoms and Nuclei
     • Bohr model of hydrogen atom
     • Radioactivity and decay laws
     • Nuclear fission and fusion
   • Electronic Devices
     • Semiconductors and p-n junction diode
     • Rectifiers and Zener diode
     • Transistors and logic gates

Physics flashcards for IPU CET

24 of 89 cards from the Physics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the seven SI base quantities and their units?

   Length (metre), Mass (kilogram), Time (second), Electric current (ampere), Temperature (kelvin), Amount of substance (mole), and Luminous intensity (candela).

2. What is the dimensional formula of force, work/energy, and power?

   Force = [M L T^-2]; Work/Energy = [M L^2 T^-2]; Power = [M L^2 T^-3].

3. State the rule for significant figures when adding/subtracting versus multiplying/dividing.

   For addition/subtraction, the result keeps the least number of decimal places; for multiplication/division, the result keeps the least number of significant figures among the operands.

4. What is the principle of homogeneity of dimensions?

   Every term on both sides of a physically correct equation must have the same dimensions; it is used to check the correctness of equations and derive relations.

5. Define average velocity and instantaneous velocity.

   Average velocity = total displacement / total time; instantaneous velocity = limit of average velocity as the time interval approaches zero, i.e. v = dx/dt.

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

   v = u + at; s = ut + (1/2)at^2; v^2 = u^2 + 2as.

7. For projectile motion launched at angle θ with speed u, give the time of flight, maximum height, and range.

   Time of flight T = 2u sinθ / g; Maximum height H = u^2 sin^2θ / 2g; Range R = u^2 sin2θ / g (max range at θ = 45°).

8. What is the magnitude and direction of relative velocity of A with respect to B?

   v(AB) = v(A) − v(B) (vector subtraction); it is the velocity of A as observed from B's frame of reference.

9. State Newton's three laws of motion.

   1st: A body remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by a net external force (inertia). 2nd: F = dp/dt = ma. 3rd: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

10. Define impulse and state the impulse-momentum theorem.

    Impulse = F·Δt = change in momentum (Δp); it equals the area under the force-time graph and has units of N·s (kg·m/s).

11. Write the conditions for limiting (static) friction and kinetic friction.

    Limiting friction f(s,max) = μ(s)N; kinetic friction f(k) = μ(k)N, where μ(s) > μ(k). Static friction is self-adjusting up to its maximum.

12. For a body on a banked road of angle θ (no friction), what is the safe/ideal speed?

    v = sqrt(rg tanθ), where r is the radius of the curve; this is the speed for which no friction is needed.

13. Define work done by a force and state when it is zero.

    W = F·d cosθ (dot product of force and displacement); work is zero when F = 0, displacement = 0, or the force is perpendicular to displacement (θ = 90°).

14. State the work-energy theorem.

    The net work done by all forces on a body equals the change in its kinetic energy: W(net) = ΔKE = (1/2)mv^2 − (1/2)mu^2.

15. Compare elastic and inelastic collisions.

    In elastic collisions both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved; in inelastic collisions only momentum is conserved (KE is not). In a perfectly inelastic collision the bodies stick together.

16. What is the gravitational potential energy and elastic (spring) potential energy?

    Gravitational PE = mgh (near Earth's surface); spring PE = (1/2)kx^2, where k is the spring constant and x the extension/compression.

17. Define moment of inertia and write its formula for a system of particles.

    Moment of inertia I = Σ m(i) r(i)^2, the rotational analogue of mass; it depends on mass distribution about the axis of rotation.

18. State the parallel axis and perpendicular axis theorems.

    Parallel axis: I = I(cm) + Md^2. Perpendicular axis (for planar laminae): I(z) = I(x) + I(y), where z is perpendicular to the plane.

19. Give the moment of inertia of a solid sphere, solid disc, and thin ring about their central axes.

    Solid sphere = (2/5)MR^2 (diameter); solid disc = (1/2)MR^2; thin ring/hollow cylinder = MR^2.

20. Write the rotational analogues of v = u + at, F = ma, and KE = (1/2)mv^2.

    ω = ω₀ + αt; τ = Iα; rotational KE = (1/2)Iω^2.

21. State the law of conservation of angular momentum and give an example.

    If net external torque is zero, total angular momentum L = Iω remains constant; e.g. a spinning skater speeds up by pulling arms in (reducing I increases ω).

22. State Newton's law of universal gravitation.

    Every two point masses attract with force F = G m₁m₂ / r^2 along the line joining them, where G = 6.67×10^-11 N·m^2/kg^2.

23. How does acceleration due to gravity g vary with height h and depth d?

    At height: g' = g(1 − 2h/R) for h≪R; at depth: g' = g(1 − d/R). So g decreases with both, and is zero at Earth's centre.

24. Write the formulas for orbital velocity and escape velocity.

    Orbital velocity v(o) = sqrt(GM/r) (≈7.9 km/s near Earth); escape velocity v(e) = sqrt(2GM/R) = sqrt(2)·v(o) ≈ 11.2 km/s.

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