RUHS / State Nursing Entrance 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 RUHS / State Nursing Entrance, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Mechanics

   5 topics

   • Units, Dimensions and Measurement
     • SI units and fundamental quantities
     • Dimensional analysis and applications
     • Significant figures and error analysis
   • Kinematics
     • Motion in a straight line and equations of motion
     • Projectile motion
     • Relative velocity and vector resolution
   • Laws of Motion
     • Newton's three laws
     • Friction and its applications
     • Circular motion and centripetal force
   • Work, Energy and Power
     • Work-energy theorem
     • Conservation of mechanical energy
     • Collisions: elastic and inelastic
   • Gravitation
     • Universal law of gravitation
     • Acceleration due to gravity and its variation
     • Satellites and escape velocity
2. 2

   Properties of Matter and Heat

   4 topics

   • Elasticity and Fluid Mechanics
     • Stress, strain and modulus of elasticity
     • Pressure, Pascal's law and Archimedes principle
     • Surface tension and viscosity
   • Thermal Properties
     • Temperature scales and thermal expansion
     • Heat capacity, latent heat and calorimetry
     • Modes of heat transfer
   • Thermodynamics
     • Zeroth and first law of thermodynamics
     • Isothermal and adiabatic processes
     • Second law and heat engines
   • Kinetic Theory of Gases
     • Gas laws and ideal gas equation
     • Kinetic interpretation of temperature
3. 3

   Electricity and Magnetism

   4 topics

   • Electrostatics
     • Coulomb's law and electric field
     • Electric potential and capacitance
   • Current Electricity
     • Ohm's law and resistance
     • Kirchhoff's laws and circuit networks
     • Heating effect of current
   • Magnetic Effects of Current
     • Biot-Savart law and Ampere's law
     • Force on a current-carrying conductor
   • Electromagnetic Induction
     • Faraday's and Lenz's laws
     • Self and mutual inductance
4. 4

   Optics and Modern Physics

   4 topics

   • Ray Optics
     • Reflection and refraction
     • Lenses, mirrors and lens formula
     • Optical instruments: microscope and telescope
   • Wave Optics
     • Interference and Young's double slit
     • Diffraction and polarization
   • Atomic and Nuclear Physics
     • Bohr model of the atom
     • Radioactivity and nuclear reactions
   • Dual Nature and Electronics
     • Photoelectric effect
     • Semiconductors, diodes and logic gates

Physics flashcards for RUHS / State Nursing Entrance

24 of 59 cards from the Physics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. State the principle of homogeneity of dimensions.

   In any physically correct equation, the dimensions of all the terms on both sides must be the same. It is used to check the correctness of equations and to derive relations among physical quantities.

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

   Force = [MLT⁻²]; Work/Energy = [ML²T⁻²]; Power = [ML²T⁻³].

3. Define the SI base unit and dimensional formula of pressure.

   Pressure = force/area. SI unit = pascal (Pa) = N/m². Dimensional formula = [ML⁻¹T⁻²].

4. Distinguish between accuracy and precision in measurement.

   Accuracy is how close a measured value is to the true value; precision is how close repeated measurements are to one another (reproducibility). High precision does not guarantee high accuracy.

5. Write the three equations of motion for uniform acceleration.

   v = u + at; s = ut + ½at²; v² = u² + 2as, where u = initial velocity, v = final velocity, a = acceleration, s = displacement, t = time.

6. At what angle of projection is the horizontal range of a projectile maximum, and what is that range?

   Maximum range occurs at a projection angle of 45°. Maximum range R = u²/g, where u is the launch speed.

7. Differentiate 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 (can be zero or negative). Distance ≥ |displacement|.

8. 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 = ma; net force equals rate of change of momentum. 3rd: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

9. What is impulse, and how is it related to momentum?

   Impulse = force × time of action (J = F·Δt). By the impulse–momentum theorem, impulse equals the change in momentum: J = Δp = mΔv. Units: N·s or kg·m/s.

10. State the law of conservation of linear momentum.

    In the absence of a net external force, the total linear momentum of a system remains constant. For a collision: m₁u₁ + m₂u₂ = m₁v₁ + m₂v₂.

11. Distinguish between static, limiting, and kinetic friction.

    Static friction adjusts to prevent motion (0 ≤ fs ≤ μsN); limiting friction is its maximum value just before sliding (μsN); kinetic friction acts during sliding (μkN) and is slightly less than limiting friction (μk < μs).

12. State the work–energy theorem.

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

13. Write the formulae for kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy.

    Kinetic energy KE = ½mv²; gravitational potential energy (near Earth's surface) PE = mgh, where h is height above the reference level.

14. Differentiate between conservative and non-conservative forces.

    For a conservative force (e.g., gravity, spring), work done is path-independent and around a closed loop is zero; potential energy can be defined. For a non-conservative force (e.g., friction), work is path-dependent and energy is dissipated.

15. Compare 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 converts to heat/sound); in a perfectly inelastic collision the bodies stick together.

16. State Newton's law of universal gravitation.

    Every two point masses attract each other with a force F = G·m₁m₂/r², directed along the line joining them, where G = 6.67 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg².

17. What is acceleration due to gravity g, and how does it relate to G?

    g = GM/R², where M and R are Earth's mass and radius. Standard value ≈ 9.8 m/s². It is independent of the mass of the falling body.

18. Write the formulae for escape velocity and orbital velocity of a satellite near Earth's surface.

    Escape velocity v_e = √(2GM/R) = √(2gR) ≈ 11.2 km/s. Orbital velocity (near surface) v_o = √(GM/R) = √(gR) ≈ 7.9 km/s. Note v_e = √2 · v_o.

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

    1st (Orbits): Planets move in ellipses with the Sun at one focus. 2nd (Areas): The line joining planet and Sun sweeps equal areas in equal times. 3rd (Periods): T² ∝ a³, where a is the semi-major axis.

20. 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. Higher Y means a stiffer (less elastic) material.

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

    Hooke's law: within the elastic limit, stress is directly proportional to strain (stress = E × strain). The elastic limit is the maximum stress up to which a body fully regains its shape after the load is removed.

22. State Pascal's law and give an application.

    Pascal's law: pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished to every part of the fluid and the container walls. Application: hydraulic lift/brakes/jack.

23. State Archimedes' principle.

    A body wholly or partially immersed in a fluid experiences an upward buoyant force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced. It determines flotation and apparent weight loss.

24. State Bernoulli's theorem (equation) for fluid flow.

    For steady, non-viscous, incompressible flow: P + ½ρv² + ρgh = constant along a streamline (sum of pressure, kinetic, and potential energy per unit volume is constant).

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