KCET 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 KCET, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Mechanics

   6 topics

   • Units, Measurements and Errors
     • SI units and dimensional analysis
     • Significant figures and rounding
     • Errors: absolute, relative, percentage and propagation
   • Kinematics
     • Motion in a straight line: v-t and x-t graphs
     • Projectile motion: range, height and time of flight
     • Relative velocity in two dimensions
   • Laws of Motion
     • Newton's three laws and free-body diagrams
     • Friction: static, kinetic and rolling
     • Dynamics of circular motion and banking of roads
   • Work, Energy and Power
     • Work-energy theorem
     • Conservative forces and potential energy
     • Elastic and inelastic collisions
   • System of Particles and Rotational Motion
     • Centre of mass and its motion
     • Torque, angular momentum and conservation
     • Moment of inertia and parallel/perpendicular axes theorems
   • Gravitation
     • Newton's law of gravitation and variation of g
     • Gravitational potential energy and escape velocity
     • Kepler's laws and satellite orbits
2. 2

   Properties of Matter, Heat and Thermodynamics

   5 topics

   • Mechanical Properties of Solids
     • Stress, strain and Hooke's law
     • Young's, bulk and rigidity modulus
   • Mechanical Properties of Fluids
     • Pressure, Pascal's and Archimedes' principle
     • Surface tension, capillarity and viscosity
     • Bernoulli's theorem and applications
   • Thermal Properties of Matter
     • Thermal expansion and calorimetry
     • Conduction, convection and radiation
     • Newton's law of cooling and Stefan's law
   • Thermodynamics
     • Zeroth and first law of thermodynamics
     • Isothermal and adiabatic processes
     • Second law, heat engines and refrigerators
   • Kinetic Theory of Gases
     • Ideal gas equation and assumptions
     • Degrees of freedom and equipartition of energy
     • Mean free path and RMS speed
3. 3

   Oscillations and Waves

   4 topics

   • Simple Harmonic Motion
     • Equation of SHM, phase and energy
     • Spring and simple pendulum systems
     • Damped and forced oscillations, resonance
   • Wave Motion
     • Transverse and longitudinal waves
     • Speed of waves on strings and in gases
     • Principle of superposition and reflection
   • Standing Waves and Beats
     • Stationary waves in strings and pipes
     • Harmonics and overtones
     • Beats and their formation
   • Doppler Effect
     • Source and observer motion
     • Applications in sound
4. 4

   Electricity and Magnetism

   6 topics

   • Electric Charges and Fields
     • Coulomb's law and superposition
     • Electric field, dipole and field lines
     • Gauss's law and applications
   • Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance
     • Potential due to charges and dipoles
     • Capacitors in series and parallel
     • Energy stored and dielectrics
   • Current Electricity
     • Ohm's law, resistivity and drift velocity
     • Kirchhoff's laws and Wheatstone bridge
     • Cells, EMF, internal resistance and potentiometer
   • Moving Charges and Magnetism
     • Biot-Savart and Ampere's circuital law
     • Force on current-carrying conductor
     • Moving coil galvanometer, ammeter and voltmeter
   • Magnetism, Induction and Alternating Current
     • Magnetism and matter: para-, dia- and ferromagnetism
     • Faraday's and Lenz's laws, inductance
     • LCR series circuit, resonance and transformers
   • Electromagnetic Waves
     • Displacement current
     • EM spectrum and properties
5. 5

   Optics and Modern Physics

   5 topics

   • Ray Optics and Optical Instruments
     • Reflection, refraction and total internal reflection
     • Lens and mirror formula, magnification
     • Microscope and telescope
   • Wave Optics
     • Huygens' principle
     • Young's double slit interference
     • Diffraction and polarisation
   • Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
     • Photoelectric effect and Einstein's equation
     • de Broglie wavelength
   • Atoms and Nuclei
     • Bohr model and hydrogen spectrum
     • Radioactivity and decay law
     • Mass defect, binding energy, fission and fusion
   • Semiconductor Electronics
     • Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors
     • p-n junction diode and rectifiers
     • Logic gates and transistor basics

Physics flashcards for KCET

24 of 82 cards from the Physics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In dimensional analysis, what is the dimensional formula for force, momentum, and energy?

   Force [MLT⁻²], momentum [MLT⁻¹], energy/work [ML²T⁻²].

2. What is the difference between accuracy and precision in measurement?

   Accuracy is how close a measurement is to the true value; precision is how close repeated measurements are to each other (reproducibility), independent of the true value.

3. How do absolute, relative, and percentage errors combine for a quantity Z = AᵖB�q/Cʳ?

   Relative errors add in quadrature-free fashion: ΔZ/Z = p(ΔA/A) + q(ΔB/B) + r(ΔC/C). Powers multiply the fractional error; division still adds the fractional error.

4. In kinematics, state the three equations of motion for constant acceleration.

   v = u + at; s = ut + ½at²; v² = u² + 2as.

5. 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; Max height H = u²sin²θ/(2g); Range R = u²sin2θ/g (max range at θ = 45°).

6. What is the relation between linear and angular variables in circular motion?

   v = rω, a_t = rα, and centripetal acceleration a_c = v²/r = rω², directed toward the center.

7. 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.

8. What is the impulse-momentum theorem?

   Impulse J = F·Δt = change in momentum Δp = m(v − u). The area under a force-time graph equals impulse.

9. How are static, limiting, and kinetic friction related?

   Static friction is self-adjusting up to a maximum (limiting) value f_s(max) = μ_s N; kinetic friction f_k = μ_k N is constant during motion, and μ_k < μ_s.

10. For a vehicle on a banked road (angle θ, no friction), what is the safe speed?

    v = √(rg tanθ), where r is the radius of the curve. Banking provides centripetal force without relying on friction.

11. State the work-energy theorem.

    The net work done by all forces on a body equals its change in kinetic energy: W_net = ΔKE = ½mv² − ½mu².

12. What distinguishes conservative from non-conservative forces?

    For a conservative force (e.g. gravity, spring), work done is path-independent and zero over a closed loop, and a potential energy can be defined. Non-conservative forces (e.g. friction) are path-dependent and dissipate energy.

13. Compare elastic and inelastic collisions.

    In elastic collisions both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. In inelastic collisions momentum is conserved but kinetic energy is not; in a perfectly inelastic collision bodies stick together (coefficient of restitution e = 0; e = 1 for elastic).

14. What is the potential energy stored in a stretched/compressed spring, and what is power?

    Spring PE = ½kx². Power = rate of doing work, P = W/t = F·v (dot product); SI unit watt.

15. Define the centre of mass and state its equation of motion under external forces.

    Centre of mass position R_cm = (Σmᵢrᵢ)/Σmᵢ. It moves as if all mass were concentrated there: M·a_cm = F_external. Internal forces do not affect its motion.

16. State the moment of inertia of a uniform disc, solid sphere, and thin rod (about specified axes).

    Disc about central axis: ½MR². Solid sphere about diameter: ⅖MR². Thin rod about centre perpendicular to length: ML²/12 (about one end: ML²/3).

17. State the parallel axis and perpendicular axis theorems.

    Parallel axis: I = I_cm + Md². Perpendicular axis (planar bodies): I_z = I_x + I_y, where z is perpendicular to the plane.

18. What is the condition for rolling without slipping, and the total KE of a rolling body?

    Rolling without slipping: v = Rω. Total KE = ½mv² + ½Iω² (translational + rotational).

19. State the law of conservation of angular momentum.

    If net external torque is zero, total angular momentum L = Iω is conserved. Hence Iω = constant (e.g. a spinning skater speeds up on pulling in arms).

20. State Newton's law of universal gravitation and the value of G.

    F = G·m₁m₂/r², an attractive force along the line joining the masses. G = 6.67 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg².

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

    At height: g_h = g(1 − 2h/R) for h ≪ R. At depth: g_d = g(1 − d/R). g is maximum at the surface and zero at the centre of the Earth.

22. Give the formulas for orbital velocity and escape velocity from a planet of mass M, radius R.

    Orbital velocity v_o = √(GM/R) = √(gR). Escape velocity v_e = √(2GM/R) = √(2gR) = √2 · v_o ≈ 11.2 km/s for Earth.

23. State Kepler's three laws of planetary motion.

    1st (Law of Orbits): planets move in ellipses with the Sun at one focus. 2nd (Law of Areas): the line joining a planet to the Sun sweeps equal areas in equal times (constant areal velocity). 3rd (Law of Periods): T² ∝ a³.

24. Define stress, strain, and Young's modulus.

    Stress = force/area (N/m²); strain = change in dimension/original dimension (dimensionless); Young's modulus Y = longitudinal stress/longitudinal strain.

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