MHT 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 MHT CET, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Mechanics and Motion

   4 topics

   • Rotational Dynamics
     • Moment of inertia and radius of gyration
     • Theorems of parallel and perpendicular axes
     • Torque, angular momentum and its conservation
     • Rolling motion on an inclined plane
   • Gravitation
     • Newton's law and gravitational constant G
     • Variation of g with altitude, depth and latitude
     • Gravitational potential energy and escape velocity
     • Kepler's laws and motion of satellites
   • Mechanical Properties of Fluids
     • Surface tension, surface energy and angle of contact
     • Capillarity and excess pressure inside a drop and bubble
     • Viscosity, Stokes' law and terminal velocity
     • Bernoulli's principle and equation of continuity
   • Elasticity
     • Stress, strain and Hooke's law
     • Young's, bulk and modulus of rigidity
     • Stress-strain curve and elastic potential energy
2. 2

   Oscillations and Waves

   3 topics

   • Simple Harmonic Motion
     • Differential equation and phase of SHM
     • Energy in SHM and simple pendulum
     • Damped and forced oscillations, resonance
   • Superposition of Waves
     • Progressive waves and wave equation
     • Stationary waves in strings and air columns
     • Beats and harmonics, overtones
   • Doppler Effect in Sound
     • Source and observer in relative motion
     • Apparent frequency and applications
3. 3

   Thermal Physics and Kinetic Theory

   3 topics

   • Thermal Properties of Matter
     • Heat transfer: conduction, convection, radiation
     • Stefan-Boltzmann law and Newton's law of cooling
     • Specific heat and calorimetry
   • Kinetic Theory of Gases and Radiation
     • Assumptions and pressure of an ideal gas
     • RMS speed and degrees of freedom
     • Mean free path and equipartition of energy
   • Thermodynamics
     • First law and thermodynamic processes
     • Heat engines, refrigerators and Carnot cycle
     • Second law and entropy concepts
4. 4

   Electricity and Magnetism

   4 topics

   • Electrostatics
     • Coulomb's law and electric field intensity
     • Gauss's law and applications
     • Electric potential, dipole and capacitors
     • Energy stored in a capacitor and dielectrics
   • Current Electricity
     • Kirchhoff's laws and Wheatstone bridge
     • Meter bridge and potentiometer
   • Magnetic Effects and Magnetism
     • Biot-Savart and Ampere's circuital law
     • Moving coil galvanometer, ammeter and voltmeter
     • Magnetic materials: dia, para and ferromagnetism
   • Electromagnetic Induction and AC
     • Faraday's and Lenz's laws, self and mutual inductance
     • AC generator and transformer
     • LC oscillations and AC through LCR circuit
5. 5

   Optics

   3 topics

   • Ray Optics
     • Reflection, refraction and total internal reflection
     • Lens maker's equation and combination of lenses
     • Optical instruments: microscope and telescope
   • Wave Optics
     • Huygens' principle and interference
     • Young's double slit experiment
     • Diffraction at a single slit and resolving power
     • Polarisation and Brewster's law
   • Electromagnetic Waves
     • Displacement current and Maxwell's equations
     • Electromagnetic spectrum and its uses
6. 6

   Modern Physics and Electronics

   3 topics

   • Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
     • Photoelectric effect and Einstein's equation
     • de Broglie hypothesis and Davisson-Germer experiment
   • Atoms, Molecules and Nuclei
     • Bohr model and hydrogen spectrum
     • Radioactivity, decay law and half-life
     • Mass defect, binding energy, fission and fusion
   • Semiconductor Devices
     • p-n junction diode and rectifiers
     • Zener diode, LED and photodiode
     • Transistor action and logic gates

Physics flashcards for MHT CET

24 of 81 cards from the Physics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. State the moment of inertia of a uniform solid sphere of mass M and radius R about its diameter.

   I = (2/5)MR²

2. What is the expression for the kinetic energy of a body of moment of inertia I rotating with angular velocity ω, and how is it split for a rolling body?

   Rotational KE = (1/2)Iω². For a body rolling without slipping, total KE = (1/2)Mv² + (1/2)Iω² (translational + rotational).

3. State the law of conservation of angular momentum and give one example.

   When the net external torque on a system is zero, its total angular momentum L = Iω remains constant. Example: a spinning skater pulls in their arms (I decreases), so ω increases.

4. For a body rolling without slipping down an incline of angle θ, what is its linear acceleration?

   a = (g sinθ) / (1 + I/MR²). For a solid sphere it becomes a = (5/7)g sinθ.

5. What is the radius of gyration K, and how does it relate to moment of inertia?

   K is the distance from the axis at which the whole mass can be assumed concentrated to give the same moment of inertia. I = MK², so K = √(I/M).

6. State Newton's law of gravitation and the value of the universal gravitational constant G.

   Every two point masses attract with force F = G m₁m₂/r², directed along the line joining them. G = 6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg².

7. Give the formulas for orbital velocity and escape velocity of a satellite/body near Earth's surface.

   Orbital velocity (near surface): v₀ = √(gR) ≈ 7.9 km/s. Escape velocity: vₑ = √(2gR) = √2·v₀ ≈ 11.2 km/s.

8. How does acceleration due to gravity vary with height h and depth d below Earth's surface (R = radius)?

   At height: g_h = g(1 + h/R)⁻² ≈ g(1 − 2h/R) for h≪R. At depth: g_d = g(1 − d/R). g is zero at the centre.

9. 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 planet and Sun sweeps equal areas in equal times (areal velocity constant). 3) Law of periods: T² ∝ a³ (square of period ∝ cube of semi-major axis).

10. Define gravitational potential energy of a two-mass system and give the expression for height h above Earth's surface.

    PE of masses m₁,m₂ separated by r: U = −G m₁m₂/r (taken zero at infinity). For mass m at height h: U = −GMm/(R+h).

11. State the equation of continuity for an ideal fluid and what it expresses.

    A₁v₁ = A₂v₂ (Av = constant). It expresses conservation of mass: the volume flow rate of an incompressible fluid is constant along a streamline.

12. State Bernoulli's principle (equation) for streamline flow of an ideal fluid.

    P + (1/2)ρv² + ρgh = constant along a streamline. It expresses conservation of energy per unit volume for a non-viscous, incompressible fluid.

13. Define coefficient of viscosity and state Stokes' law for a sphere moving in a fluid.

    Coefficient of viscosity η: F = ηA(dv/dx), the tangential force per unit area per unit velocity gradient (SI unit Pa·s). Stokes' law: viscous drag on a sphere of radius r moving with velocity v is F = 6πηrv.

14. What is terminal velocity, and give its expression for a sphere falling through a viscous fluid?

    The constant maximum velocity attained when net force is zero. v_t = (2r²(ρ − σ)g)/(9η), where ρ = density of sphere, σ = density of fluid.

15. Define surface tension and give the excess pressure inside a soap bubble and a liquid drop.

    Surface tension T = force per unit length acting along the surface (or surface energy per unit area), SI unit N/m. Excess pressure: liquid drop ΔP = 2T/r; soap bubble (two surfaces) ΔP = 4T/r.

16. State the formula for capillary rise and explain why mercury shows depression.

    h = 2T cosθ / (ρgr), where θ is the angle of contact. Mercury depresses because its angle of contact with glass is obtuse (cosθ negative), making h negative.

17. Define stress and strain and state Hooke's law.

    Stress = restoring force per unit area (N/m²); Strain = ratio of change in dimension to original dimension (dimensionless). Hooke's law: within the elastic limit, stress ∝ strain, so stress/strain = a constant (modulus of elasticity).

18. Define Young's modulus, bulk modulus and modulus of rigidity.

    Young's modulus Y = longitudinal stress / longitudinal strain. Bulk modulus K = −P / (ΔV/V) (volume elasticity). Modulus of rigidity η = shearing stress / shearing strain.

19. What is Poisson's ratio, and what is its theoretical range?

    Poisson's ratio σ = lateral strain / longitudinal strain. Its theoretical limits are −1 to 0.5; for most materials it lies between 0.2 and 0.4.

20. Give the expression for the strain energy stored per unit volume in a stretched wire.

    Energy per unit volume = (1/2) × stress × strain = (1/2) × Y × (strain)². Total strain energy = (1/2) × load × extension.

21. Define simple harmonic motion and give its defining equation.

    SHM is oscillatory motion in which the restoring force (or acceleration) is directly proportional to displacement from the mean position and always directed towards it. Defining equation: a = −ω²x.

22. Write the expressions for velocity and acceleration of a particle in SHM as functions of displacement x (amplitude A).

    v = ±ω√(A² − x²) (max ωA at mean, zero at extremes). a = −ω²x (zero at mean, max ω²A at extremes).

23. Give the period of a simple pendulum and of a mass on a spring.

    Simple pendulum: T = 2π√(L/g). Mass–spring: T = 2π√(m/k).

24. Write the expressions for kinetic, potential and total energy of a particle of mass m executing SHM (amplitude A, angular frequency ω).

    KE = (1/2)mω²(A² − x²); PE = (1/2)mω²x²; Total E = (1/2)mω²A² = constant.

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