KEAM 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 KEAM, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Mechanics

   6 topics

   • Units, Dimensions and Measurement
     • SI units and fundamental quantities
     • Dimensional analysis and applications
     • Significant figures and error propagation
   • Kinematics
     • Motion in a straight line and graphs
     • Projectile motion and relative velocity
     • Vectors: addition, dot and cross products
   • Laws of Motion
     • Newton's three laws and momentum
     • Friction: static, kinetic and rolling
     • 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 moment of inertia
     • Torque and angular momentum conservation
     • Rolling motion
   • Gravitation
     • Newton's law of gravitation and g variation
     • Kepler's laws and orbital/escape velocity
     • Gravitational potential energy and satellites
2. 2

   Properties of Matter, Heat and Thermodynamics

   5 topics

   • Mechanical Properties of Solids
     • Stress, strain and Hooke's law
     • Young's, bulk and shear moduli
   • Mechanical Properties of Fluids
     • Pressure, Pascal's and Archimedes' principles
     • Bernoulli's theorem and viscosity
     • Surface tension and capillarity
   • 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 laws of thermodynamics
     • Thermodynamic processes and work done
     • Second law, Carnot engine and efficiency
   • Kinetic Theory of Gases
     • Ideal gas equation and assumptions
     • RMS speed and pressure of a gas
     • Degrees of freedom and mean free path
3. 3

   Oscillations and Waves

   3 topics

   • Simple Harmonic Motion
     • Equation, energy and phase of SHM
     • Spring and simple pendulum systems
     • Damped and forced oscillations, resonance
   • Wave Motion
     • Transverse and longitudinal waves
     • Speed of waves and wave equation
     • Principle of superposition
   • Standing Waves and Sound
     • Stationary waves in strings and pipes
     • Beats and harmonics
     • Doppler effect
4. 4

   Electrodynamics

   5 topics

   • Electrostatics
     • Coulomb's law and electric field
     • Gauss's law and applications
     • Electric potential, capacitors and dielectrics
   • Current Electricity
     • Ohm's law, resistivity and drift velocity
     • Kirchhoff's laws and Wheatstone bridge
     • Potentiometer and meter bridge
   • Moving Charges and Magnetism
     • Biot-Savart and Ampere's circuital law
     • Force on a current-carrying conductor
     • Moving coil galvanometer
   • Electromagnetic Induction and AC
     • Faraday's and Lenz's laws
     • Self and mutual inductance
     • AC circuits, LCR resonance and transformers
   • Electromagnetic Waves
     • Displacement current
     • Electromagnetic spectrum and properties
5. 5

   Optics and Modern Physics

   5 topics

   • Ray Optics
     • Reflection, refraction and total internal reflection
     • Mirrors, lenses and lensmaker's formula
     • Optical instruments: microscope and telescope
   • Wave Optics
     • Huygens' principle and interference
     • Young's double-slit experiment
     • 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-energy, fission and fusion
   • Semiconductor Electronics
     • Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors
     • p-n junction diode and rectifiers
     • Transistors and logic gates

Physics flashcards for KEAM

24 of 61 cards from the Physics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. State the principle of homogeneity of dimensions.

   Every term on both sides of a physically valid equation must have the same dimensions. A dimensionally inconsistent equation is always wrong (though a consistent one is not guaranteed correct).

2. What are the dimensional formulae of force, work/energy, and power?

   Force: [MLT^-2]; Work/Energy: [ML^2T^-2]; Power: [ML^2T^-3].

3. How do absolute, relative, and percentage errors relate?

   Absolute error = |measured - true|; Relative (fractional) error = mean absolute error / mean value; Percentage error = relative error x 100%.

4. For Z = A^a B^b / C^c, how do you find the maximum relative error in Z?

   dZ/Z = a(dA/A) + b(dB/B) + c(dC/C), taking all error contributions as positive (errors add for products, quotients, and powers).

5. Define instantaneous velocity and instantaneous acceleration in calculus terms.

   Instantaneous velocity v = dx/dt; instantaneous acceleration a = dv/dt = d^2x/dt^2.

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 theta with speed u, give time of flight, max height, and range.

   Time of flight T = 2u sin(theta)/g; Max height H = u^2 sin^2(theta)/(2g); Range R = u^2 sin(2theta)/g (max range at theta = 45 deg).

8. State Newton's three laws of motion.

   1st: A body stays 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.

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

   Impulse J = F x t (= integral of F dt). Impulse-momentum theorem: impulse equals the change in momentum, J = Delta p.

10. Distinguish static, limiting, and kinetic friction, with formulas.

    Static friction adjusts up to a maximum (limiting) value f_s(max) = mu_s N; kinetic friction f_k = mu_k N acts during sliding. Generally mu_s > mu_k.

11. What is the maximum safe speed for a car on a level circular road of radius r?

    v_max = sqrt(mu_s g r), where mu_s is the coefficient of static friction (friction provides the centripetal force).

12. State the work-energy theorem.

    The net work done on a body equals its change in kinetic energy: W_net = Delta KE = (1/2)mv^2 - (1/2)mu^2.

13. Compare elastic and inelastic collisions.

    Elastic: both momentum and kinetic energy conserved. Inelastic: momentum conserved but kinetic energy is not; in a perfectly inelastic collision the bodies move together afterward.

14. Define the coefficient of restitution e.

    e = (relative velocity of separation)/(relative velocity of approach). e = 1 for perfectly elastic, e = 0 for perfectly inelastic collisions.

15. Give the moment of inertia of (a) a solid sphere and (b) a solid cylinder/disc, each about its central axis.

    Solid sphere about diameter: I = (2/5)MR^2; Solid cylinder/disc about its central axis: I = (1/2)MR^2.

16. State the parallel axis theorem.

    I = I_cm + Md^2, where I_cm is the moment of inertia about an axis through the centre of mass and d is the perpendicular distance to the parallel axis.

17. Write the rotational analogue of Newton's second law and the relation for angular momentum.

    Torque tau = I*alpha; Angular momentum L = I*omega, and tau = dL/dt. When net external torque is zero, L is conserved.

18. State Newton's law of universal gravitation.

    F = G m1 m2 / r^2, the force of attraction between two point masses, directed along the line joining them; G = 6.67 x 10^-11 N m^2/kg^2.

19. Give the formulas for orbital velocity and escape velocity near Earth's surface.

    Orbital velocity v_o = sqrt(GM/r) (= sqrt(gR) for low orbit ~7.9 km/s); Escape velocity v_e = sqrt(2GM/R) = sqrt(2gR) ~11.2 km/s. v_e = sqrt(2) x v_o.

20. 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 from Sun to planet sweeps equal areas in equal times (constant areal velocity). 3rd (Law of periods): T^2 is proportional to a^3.

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

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

22. State Hooke's law and define the elastic limit.

    Hooke's law: within the elastic limit, stress is proportional to strain. The elastic limit is the maximum stress up to which a body returns to its original shape on removing the load.

23. Define Pascal's law and state how pressure varies with depth in a fluid.

    Pascal's law: pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished to all parts. Pressure at depth h: P = P0 + rho g h.

24. State Archimedes' principle.

    A body fully or partially immersed in a fluid experiences an upward buoyant force equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces.

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