UVAS DVM Admission Test Physics Syllabus

Write the formula for the horizontal range of a projectile.

R = (v² sin2θ)/g.

At what launch angle is the horizontal range of a projectile maximum, and what is that range?

At θ = 45°, range is maximum and equals v²/g (since sin90° = 1).

What is the shape of a projectile's trajectory and the velocity direction at maximum height?

The trajectory is a parabola; at maximum height the vertical velocity is zero, so velocity is purely horizontal (v cosθ).

Define linear momentum and give its formula and unit.

Momentum is the product of mass and velocity: p = mv. It is a vector; SI unit is kg·m/s (or N·s).

Define impulse and state its relationship with momentum.

Impulse = Force × time (F·Δt) and equals the change in momentum: F·Δt = Δp = m(vf − vi). Unit: N·s.

State the law of conservation of momentum.

In the absence of an external force, the total momentum of an isolated system remains constant before and after a collision/interaction.

What is the difference between 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.

Define work and give its formula.

Work is done when a force moves a body through a displacement: W = F·S·cosθ, where θ is the angle between force and displacement. SI unit: joule (J).

When is the work done by a force zero, maximum, and negative?

Zero when θ = 90°; maximum (positive) when θ = 0°; negative when θ = 180° (force opposes motion).

Write the formulas for kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy.

Kinetic energy KE = ½mv²; gravitational potential energy PE = mgh.

State the work-energy theorem.

The net work done on a body equals the change in its kinetic energy: W = ½mvf² − ½mvi².

State the law of conservation of energy.

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it only changes from one form to another, and the total energy of an isolated system remains constant.

For a body falling freely, how do KE and PE change while total energy stays constant?

As the body falls, PE decreases and KE increases by an equal amount, keeping total mechanical energy (KE + PE) constant.

What is meant by absolute (gravitational) potential energy?

It is the work done in bringing a body from infinity to a point in a gravitational field. U = −GMm/r, taken as zero at infinity (hence negative for a bound body).

Write the formula for escape velocity and its approximate value from Earth.

vesc = √(2GM/R) = √(2gR) ≈ 11.2 km/s for Earth.

Define power and give its formula and SI unit.

Power is the rate of doing work: P = W/t = F·v. SI unit: watt (W), where 1 W = 1 J/s.

Define efficiency and how it is calculated.

Efficiency = (useful output energy or power / total input energy or power) × 100%. It is always less than 100% due to energy losses.

Define angular displacement and its SI unit.

Angular displacement is the angle swept by a rotating body about its axis. SI unit: radian (rad). One revolution = 2π rad.

Define angular velocity and give the relation between linear and angular velocity.

Angular velocity ω = Δθ/Δt (rad/s). Linear velocity v = rω, where r is the radius.

Write the relation between linear acceleration and angular acceleration.

a = rα, where α is angular acceleration (rad/s²) and r is the radius of the circular path.

Define centripetal force and give its formula.

Centripetal force is the net inward force keeping a body in circular motion, directed toward the centre: Fc = mv²/r = mrω².

Define centripetal acceleration and give its formula.

Centripetal acceleration is directed toward the centre of the circle: ac = v²/r = rω².

Define moment of inertia and its SI unit.

Moment of inertia is the rotational analogue of mass, the resistance to angular acceleration: I = Σmr². SI unit: kg·m².

Give the moment of inertia of a solid sphere, a thin hoop/ring, and a solid disc about their central axes.

Solid sphere: I = (2/5)MR². Hoop/ring: I = MR². Solid disc/cylinder: I = ½MR².

Write the formula for rotational kinetic energy and angular momentum.

Rotational KE = ½Iω²; angular momentum L = Iω. Unit of L: kg·m²/s.

Define viscosity and name the coefficient that measures it.

Viscosity is the internal friction or resistance to flow between layers of a fluid. It is measured by the coefficient of viscosity η (unit: Pa·s or N·s/m²).

State Stokes' law for the drag force on a sphere moving through a fluid.

F = 6πηrv, where η is viscosity, r the radius of the sphere, and v its velocity.

Define terminal velocity and write its formula for a sphere falling in a fluid.

Terminal velocity is the constant maximum velocity attained when drag plus buoyancy balance weight: vt = (2r²(ρ − σ)g)/(9η), where ρ is sphere density and σ fluid density.

State Bernoulli's equation and the principle it expresses.

P + ½ρv² + ρgh = constant. It states that for an ideal fluid, the sum of pressure energy, kinetic energy, and potential energy per unit volume stays constant; where speed is high, pressure is low.

Define a progressive (travelling) wave and write the wave speed relation.

A progressive wave transfers energy through a medium without transporting the medium itself. Wave speed v = fλ, where f is frequency and λ is wavelength.