JEE Advanced 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 JEE Advanced, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   General Topics

   3 topics

   • Units and Dimensions
   • Error Analysis
   • Experiments
     • Vernier calipers and screw gauge
     • Determination of g using simple pendulum
     • Young’s modulus - elasticity of the material
     • Surface tension of water by capillary rise and effect of detergents
     • Specific heat of a liquid using calorimeter
     • Focal length of a concave mirror and a convex lens using u-v method
     • Speed of sound using resonance column
     • Verification of Ohm’s law using voltmeter and ammeter
     • Specific resistance of the material of a wire using meter bridge and post office box
2. 2

   Mechanics

   7 topics

   • Kinematics
     • One Dimension
     • Two Dimensions
     • Cartesian Coordinates
     • Projectiles
   • Circular Motion
     • Uniform Circular Motion
     • Relative Velocity
   • Newton’s Laws
     • Inertial and Uniformly Accelerated Frames of Reference
     • Static and Dynamic Friction
     • Kinetic and Potential Energy
     • Work and Power
     • Conservation of Linear Momentum and Mechanical Energy
   • Systems of Particles
     • Centre of Mass and its Motion
     • Impulse
     • Elastic and Inelastic Collisions
   • Rigid Body Dynamics
     • Moment of Inertia
     • Angular Momentum
     • Torque
     • Equilibrium of Rigid Bodies
     • Forced and Damped Oscillation
     • Linear and Angular Simple Harmonic Motions
   • Gravitation
     • Law of Gravitation
     • Kepler’s Law
     • Motion of Planets and Satellites
     • Escape Velocity
   • Fluid Mechanics
     • Pressure in a Fluid
     • Pascal’s Law
     • Buoyancy
     • Surface Tension
     • Viscosity
     • Stoke’s Law
     • Bernoulli’s Theorem
     • Wave Motion
3. 3

   Thermal Physics

   4 topics

   • Thermal Expansion
     • Solids
     • Liquids
     • Gases
   • Calorimetry
   • Heat Conduction
   • Thermodynamics
     • Ideal Gas Laws
     • First and Second Law of Thermodynamics
     • Carnot Engine
     • Blackbody Radiation
4. 4

   Electricity and Magnetism

   4 topics

   • Electrostatics
     • Coulomb’s Law
     • Electric Field and Potential
     • Gauss’s Law
     • Capacitance
   • Current Electricity
     • Ohm’s Law
     • Kirchhoff’s Laws
     • Heating Effect of Current
   • Magnetic Effects of Current
     • Biot–Savart’s Law
     • Ampere’s Law
     • Magnetic Field
     • Force on Moving Charges
   • Electromagnetic Induction
     • Faraday’s Law
     • Lenz’s Law
     • Inductance
     • RLC Circuits
5. 5

   Electromagnetic Waves

   1 topic

   • Characteristics
6. 6

   Optics

   2 topics

   • Light
     • Reflection
     • Refraction
     • Total Internal Reflection
     • Dispersion
     • Lenses
   • Wave Optics
     • Huygen’s Principle
     • Interference
     • Diffraction
     • Polarization
7. 7

   Modern Physics

   2 topics

   • Atomic and Nuclear Physics
     • Radioactive Decay
     • Binding Energy
     • Fission and Fusion Processes
   • Quantum Physics
     • Photoelectric Effect
     • Bohr’s Theory
     • X-rays
     • Matter Waves

Physics flashcards for JEE Advanced

24 of 54 cards from the Physics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. State the principle of homogeneity of dimensions.

   Every term in a physically correct equation must have the same dimensions. Two quantities can be added, subtracted, or equated only if they share identical dimensional formulae.

2. Write the dimensional formula of force, work (energy), and power.

   Force: $[\mathrm{M\,L\,T^{-2}}]$; Work/Energy: $[\mathrm{M\,L^{2}\,T^{-2}}]$; Power: $[\mathrm{M\,L^{2}\,T^{-3}}]$.

3. What is the dimensional formula of the gravitational constant $G$?

   From $F=\dfrac{Gm_1m_2}{r^{2}}$, $G=\dfrac{Fr^{2}}{m_1m_2}$, giving $[\mathrm{M^{-1}\,L^{3}\,T^{-2}}]$.

4. List three uses of dimensional analysis.

   (1) Checking the dimensional correctness of an equation, (2) deriving relations among physical quantities, and (3) converting a quantity from one system of units to another.

5. State two limitations of the method of dimensions.

   It cannot determine dimensionless constants (like $\frac{1}{2}$, $2\pi$), and it fails for equations with more than three unknown variables or those involving trigonometric, exponential, or logarithmic functions.

6. What is the dimensional formula of Planck's constant $h$?

   From $E=h\nu$, $h=\dfrac{E}{\nu}$, so $[h]=\dfrac{[\mathrm{M\,L^{2}\,T^{-2}}]}{[\mathrm{T^{-1}}]}=[\mathrm{M\,L^{2}\,T^{-1}}]$.

7. Distinguish between absolute error, relative error, and percentage error.

   Absolute error $\Delta a = |a_{\text{mean}}-a_i|$; relative (fractional) error $=\dfrac{\Delta a_{\text{mean}}}{a_{\text{mean}}}$; percentage error $=\dfrac{\Delta a_{\text{mean}}}{a_{\text{mean}}}\times 100\%$.

8. For $Z=\dfrac{A^{p}B^{q}}{C^{r}}$, how do the fractional errors combine?

   $$\frac{\Delta Z}{Z}=p\frac{\Delta A}{A}+q\frac{\Delta B}{B}+r\frac{\Delta C}{C}$$ Errors in products/quotients add as the sum of fractional errors weighted by the exponents.

9. How do errors combine when two quantities are added or subtracted?

   For $Z=A\pm B$, the maximum absolute error is the sum of absolute errors: $\Delta Z=\Delta A+\Delta B$.

10. Define least count of a measuring instrument.

    The least count is the smallest measurement that can be taken accurately with an instrument; it equals the value of one main-scale division divided by the total number of divisions on the vernier (or circular) scale.

11. What is the least count of a typical vernier caliper with 10 vernier divisions matching 9 main-scale (mm) divisions?

    $\text{LC}=1\text{ MSD}-1\text{ VSD}=1\text{ mm}-0.9\text{ mm}=0.1\text{ mm}=0.01\text{ cm}$.

12. How is the least count of a screw gauge calculated?

    $$\text{LC}=\frac{\text{Pitch}}{\text{No. of divisions on circular scale}}$$ where pitch is the linear distance moved in one full rotation. Typically $\text{LC}=\dfrac{0.5\,\text{mm}}{50}=0.01\,\text{mm}$.

13. Define the pitch of a screw gauge.

    The pitch is the linear distance moved by the screw (along the main scale) in one complete rotation of the circular/head scale.

14. What is a zero error in a screw gauge, and how is the correct reading obtained?

    Zero error is the reading when the studs touch with no object between them. Correct reading $=$ observed reading $-$ (zero error, with sign). Positive zero error is subtracted; negative zero error is added.

15. What is back-lash error in a screw gauge and how is it avoided?

    Back-lash error arises from wear, causing the screw not to move when the head is turned after reversing direction. It is avoided by always rotating the screw in the same direction while taking readings.

16. State the working formula for determining $g$ using a simple pendulum.

    $$T=2\pi\sqrt{\frac{L}{g}}\quad\Rightarrow\quad g=\frac{4\pi^{2}L}{T^{2}}$$ where $L$ is the effective length and $T$ the time period.

17. In the simple pendulum experiment, what is the effective length $L$?

    $L=$ length of the thread from the point of suspension to the top of the bob $+$ radius of the bob ($r$). So $L=l+r$.

18. In the $g$ by simple pendulum experiment, why are 20 oscillations timed instead of one?

    Timing many oscillations and dividing by their number reduces the percentage error in the period $T$, since the human reaction-time error is distributed over more oscillations.

19. What does the graph of $L$ versus $T^{2}$ look like for a simple pendulum, and how is $g$ found from it?

    It is a straight line through the origin with slope $\dfrac{L}{T^{2}}=\dfrac{g}{4\pi^{2}}$. Hence $g=4\pi^{2}\times\text{slope}$.

20. Define Young's modulus of elasticity.

    Young's modulus is the ratio of longitudinal (tensile) stress to longitudinal strain within the elastic limit: $$Y=\frac{\text{stress}}{\text{strain}}=\frac{F/A}{\Delta L/L}=\frac{FL}{A\,\Delta L}.$$

21. Give the working formula for Young's modulus of a wire of radius $r$, length $L$, loaded by mass $m$ producing extension $\ell$.

    $$Y=\frac{mgL}{\pi r^{2}\ell}$$ where $A=\pi r^{2}$ is the cross-sectional area and $F=mg$.

22. What is the SI unit of Young's modulus and its dimensional formula?

    SI unit: $\mathrm{N\,m^{-2}}$ (pascal, Pa). Dimensional formula: $[\mathrm{M\,L^{-1}\,T^{-2}}]$ (same as stress/pressure).

23. Why is the search-method (Searle's) apparatus for Young's modulus designed with two wires?

    Two identical wires from the same support eliminate errors due to changes in temperature and yielding/sagging of the support; the reference wire compensates so only the elongation due to load is measured.

24. State the formula for surface tension determined by the capillary rise method.

    $$T=\frac{r h \rho g}{2\cos\theta}$$ For water in glass $\theta\approx 0$ so $\cos\theta\approx1$, giving $T=\dfrac{rh\rho g}{2}$, where $r$ is tube radius and $h$ the rise.

See more Physics flashcards →

Planning Physics for JEE Advanced

Physics (JEE Advanced) FAQ