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🇮🇳 ISC Class 11 · subject
ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus
The Physics syllabus for ISC Class 11 in full: 6 chapters and 8 topics, every one listed below, plus 51 Physics flashcards with answers.
Physics syllabus: all 6 chapters
Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.
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Physical World and Measurement
2 topics- Physical World
- Units and Measurements
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Kinematics
2 topics- Motion in a Straight Line
- Motion in a Plane
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Laws of Motion
1 topic- Laws of Motion
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Work, Energy and Power
1 topic- Work, Energy and Power
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Motion of System of Particles and Rigid Body
1 topic- System of Particles and Rotational Motion
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Gravitation
1 topic- Gravitation
ISC Class 11 Physics flashcards — 51 questions with answers
What are the seven fundamental (base) quantities in the SI system 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).
What is a dimensional formula? Give the dimensional formula of force.
It expresses how a physical quantity depends on the base quantities (mass M, length L, time T). Force = mass x acceleration, so its dimensional formula is [M L T^-2].
State the principle of homogeneity of dimensions.
In a physically correct equation, every term on both sides must have the same dimensions. Quantities of different dimensions cannot be added or subtracted.
Define significant figures and state the rule for zeros between non-zero digits.
Significant figures are the meaningful digits in a measurement that carry reliable information. All zeros between two non-zero digits are always significant (e.g. 1005 has 4 significant figures).
Differentiate between accuracy and precision of a measurement.
Accuracy is how close a measured value is to the true value; precision is how close repeated measurements are to one another (the resolution/consistency), independent of the true value.
What is the difference between a systematic error and a random error?
Systematic errors are consistent, one-directional errors from instrument/method flaws (can be minimised by correction); random errors are unpredictable fluctuations in either direction, reduced by taking many readings and averaging.
How do relative (fractional) errors combine when two quantities are multiplied or divided?
The relative errors add. If Z = A x B or A/B, then ΔZ/Z = ΔA/A + ΔB/B.
State the least count formula for a vernier callipers.
Least count = (1 main scale division) − (1 vernier scale division) = value of 1 MSD / number of vernier divisions.
Define a scalar quantity and a vector quantity, with one example of each.
A scalar has only magnitude (e.g. mass, speed, temperature). A vector has both magnitude and direction and obeys the laws of vector addition (e.g. displacement, velocity, force).
What is the difference between distance and displacement?
Distance is the total path length travelled (scalar, always positive); displacement is the shortest straight-line vector from initial to final position. |Displacement| ≤ distance.
Define average velocity and instantaneous velocity.
Average velocity = total displacement / total time. Instantaneous velocity is the velocity at a particular instant, the limit of average velocity as time interval approaches zero: v = dx/dt.
What does the slope and the area under a velocity-time graph represent?
The slope of a v-t graph gives acceleration; the area between the graph and the time axis gives displacement.
Write the three equations of motion for uniform acceleration (1D).
v = u + at; s = ut + (1/2)at^2; v^2 = u^2 + 2as, where u is initial velocity, v final velocity, a acceleration, s displacement, t time.
What is the distance travelled by a freely falling body in the nth second?
s_n = u + (a/2)(2n − 1). For a body dropped from rest under gravity: s_n = (g/2)(2n − 1).
Define uniform velocity and uniform acceleration.
Uniform velocity: equal displacements in equal intervals of time (constant speed and direction). Uniform acceleration: velocity changes by equal amounts in equal intervals of time (constant acceleration).
State the triangle (head-to-tail) law of vector addition.
If two vectors are represented by two sides of a triangle taken in order (head to tail), their resultant is represented by the third side taken in the opposite order (from the tail of the first to the head of the second).
Give the magnitude and direction of the resultant of two vectors A and B with angle θ between them (parallelogram law).
R = √(A² + B² + 2AB cosθ); direction tanα = (B sinθ)/(A + B cosθ), where α is the angle of R with A.
How are the horizontal and vertical motions of a projectile related?
They are independent: horizontal motion has constant velocity (no horizontal acceleration), while vertical motion is uniformly accelerated by gravity g. Time links the two.
Write the formulas for time of flight, maximum height and horizontal range of a projectile launched at speed u and angle θ.
Time of flight T = (2u sinθ)/g; Maximum height H = (u² sin²θ)/(2g); Range R = (u² sin2θ)/g.
At what angle of projection is the horizontal range of a projectile maximum, and what is that range?
At θ = 45°, giving maximum range R_max = u²/g (for given speed u).
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What is the shape of the trajectory of a projectile, and what is its velocity direction at the highest point?
The trajectory is a parabola. At the highest point the vertical velocity is zero, so the velocity is purely horizontal (= u cosθ).
Define uniform circular motion and centripetal acceleration.
Uniform circular motion is motion in a circle at constant speed. Centripetal acceleration is directed toward the centre with magnitude a = v²/r = ω²r, responsible for changing the direction of velocity.
What is the relation between linear velocity v and angular velocity ω in circular motion?
v = ωr, where r is the radius of the circular path and ω is the angular velocity in radians per second.
State Newton's first law of motion and define inertia.
A body remains at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by a net external force. Inertia is the inherent tendency of a body to resist any change in its state of rest or motion.
State Newton's second law of motion in terms of momentum.
The rate of change of momentum of a body is directly proportional to the applied force and is in the direction of the force: F = dp/dt = ma (for constant mass).
State Newton's third law of motion.
To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; the action and reaction forces act on two different bodies, are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
Define linear momentum and state the law of conservation of linear momentum.
Linear momentum p = mv. If no net external force acts on a system, its total linear momentum remains constant (the momentum before = momentum after an interaction).
Define impulse and state the impulse-momentum theorem.
Impulse = force x time = F·Δt (vector). The impulse-momentum theorem states impulse equals the change in momentum: F·Δt = Δp = mv − mu.
Distinguish between static, limiting and kinetic friction.
Static friction is the self-adjusting force opposing impending motion (0 up to a maximum); limiting friction is its maximum value just before sliding; kinetic friction acts once the body is sliding and is generally less than limiting friction.
State the laws of limiting friction (relation between friction and normal force).
Limiting friction f = μ_s N, where μ_s is the coefficient of static friction and N the normal reaction; it is independent of the apparent area of contact and depends on the nature of surfaces.
What is the angle of friction, and how is it related to the coefficient of friction?
The angle of friction λ is the angle between the resultant of friction and normal force and the normal reaction. tanλ = μ (coefficient of friction).
Derive the maximum safe speed for a vehicle on a level circular road of radius r.
Friction provides centripetal force: μmg = mv²/r, so maximum speed v_max = √(μrg).
What is banking of roads and why is it done?
Banking is raising the outer edge of a curved road above the inner edge. It provides a component of the normal reaction to supply the centripetal force, reducing dependence on friction and allowing safer turns.
Define work done by a constant force and state when work is zero.
Work W = F·s = Fs cosθ (force times displacement times cosine of angle between them). Work is zero when force is perpendicular to displacement (θ = 90°) or when displacement is zero.
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)mv² − (1/2)mu².
Define kinetic energy and potential energy, giving their formulas.
Kinetic energy is energy due to motion: KE = (1/2)mv². Potential energy is energy due to position/configuration; gravitational PE near Earth = mgh.
State the law of conservation of mechanical energy.
In the absence of non-conservative forces (like friction), the total mechanical energy (KE + PE) of a system remains constant.
Define power and give its SI unit and the relation P = F·v.
Power is the rate of doing work: P = W/t. SI unit is the watt (W = J/s). Instantaneous power = F·v = Fv cosθ (force times velocity).
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 is lost); in a perfectly inelastic collision the bodies stick together.
In a one-dimensional elastic collision between equal masses (one at rest), what happens to their velocities?
They exchange velocities: the moving body stops and the stationary body moves off with the original velocity of the first.
Define the coefficient of restitution.
e = (relative velocity of separation)/(relative velocity of approach). e = 1 for perfectly elastic, e = 0 for perfectly inelastic, and 0 < e < 1 for real collisions.
Define the centre of mass of a system of particles.
It is the point at which the entire mass of the system may be considered concentrated for describing translational motion; its position is the mass-weighted average of the positions of all particles: R = (Σmᵢrᵢ)/(Σmᵢ).
How does the centre of mass of a system move when only internal forces act?
If the net external force is zero, the centre of mass moves with constant velocity (or stays at rest); internal forces cannot change the motion of the centre of mass.
Define torque (moment of force) and write its formula.
Torque is the turning effect of a force about an axis: τ = r x F, magnitude τ = rF sinθ, where r is the position vector of the point of application and θ the angle between r and F. SI unit: N·m.
Define angular momentum and state its relation to torque.
Angular momentum L = r x p (magnitude rp sinθ). Torque equals the rate of change of angular momentum: τ = dL/dt.
State the law of conservation of angular momentum with an everyday example.
If the net external torque on a system is zero, its total angular momentum remains constant. Example: a spinning ice-skater pulls in arms to reduce moment of inertia and spins faster (L = Iω constant).
Define moment of inertia and state the factors it depends on.
Moment of inertia I = Σmᵢrᵢ² is the rotational analogue of mass, measuring resistance to angular acceleration. It depends on the total mass, its distribution about the axis, and the position/orientation of the axis of rotation.
State the theorem of parallel axes.
The moment of inertia about any axis equals the moment of inertia about a parallel axis through the centre of mass plus Md²: I = I_cm + Md², where d is the distance between the two parallel axes.
State Newton's law of universal gravitation.
Every particle attracts every other particle with a force directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them: F = G m₁m₂/r².
State Kepler's three laws of planetary motion.
1) Law of orbits: planets move in ellipses with the Sun at one focus. 2) Law of areas: the line joining a planet to the Sun sweeps equal areas in equal times. 3) Law of periods: T² ∝ a³ (square of period proportional to cube of semi-major axis).
Write the formulas for the orbital velocity and escape velocity of a satellite near Earth's surface.
Orbital velocity v_o = √(gR) ≈ 7.9 km/s; Escape velocity v_e = √(2gR) = √(2GM/R) ≈ 11.2 km/s. Thus v_e = √2 × v_o.
ISC Class 11 Physics FAQ
What is in the ISC Class 11 Physics syllabus?
ISC Class 11 Physics is split into 6 chapters: Physical World and Measurement, Kinematics, Laws of Motion, Work, Energy and Power, Motion of System of Particles and Rigid Body and Gravitation. Together they contain 8 topics.
How many chapters are in ISC Class 11 Physics?
6 chapters, containing 8 topics. The largest chapter is Physical World and Measurement, with 2 topics.
Are there flashcards for ISC Class 11 Physics?
Yes — a 51-card Physics deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.