VITEEE 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 VITEEE, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Mechanics and Properties of Matter

   5 topics

   • Laws of Motion and Work, Energy, Power
     • Newton's three laws and free-body diagrams
     • Friction: static, kinetic, and rolling
     • Work-energy theorem and conservation of mechanical energy
     • Power and collisions (elastic and inelastic)
   • Rotational Motion and Moment of Inertia
     • Torque, angular momentum and its conservation
     • Moment of inertia of standard bodies; theorems of parallel and perpendicular axes
     • Rolling motion without slipping
   • Gravitation
     • Newton's law of gravitation and gravitational potential energy
     • Acceleration due to gravity variation with altitude and depth
     • Kepler's laws, orbital velocity and escape velocity
   • Properties of Solids and Liquids
     • Elasticity: stress, strain, Young's modulus
     • Surface tension, capillarity and viscosity
     • Bernoulli's theorem and applications
   • Oscillations and Waves
     • Simple harmonic motion: equations, energy
     • Wave motion, superposition and standing waves
     • Doppler effect in sound
2. 2

   Heat and Thermodynamics

   3 topics

   • Thermal Properties of Matter
     • Thermal expansion of solids, liquids and gases
     • Calorimetry, specific and latent heat
     • Conduction, convection and radiation; Newton's law of cooling
   • Kinetic Theory of Gases
     • Ideal gas equation and assumptions
     • RMS speed and kinetic interpretation of temperature
     • Degrees of freedom and law of equipartition of energy
   • Laws of Thermodynamics
     • First law and thermodynamic processes
     • Second law, heat engines and refrigerators
     • Carnot cycle and efficiency
3. 3

   Electrostatics and Current Electricity

   3 topics

   • Electric Charges and Fields
     • Coulomb's law and superposition principle
     • Electric field and field lines for dipoles and continuous charge
     • Gauss's law and applications
   • Electric Potential and Capacitance
     • Potential due to point charge and dipole
     • Capacitors in series and parallel; energy stored
     • Effect of dielectrics
   • Current Electricity
     • Ohm's law, resistivity and temperature dependence
     • Kirchhoff's laws and Wheatstone bridge
     • Potentiometer and metre bridge
4. 4

   Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction

   4 topics

   • Magnetic Effects of Current
     • Biot-Savart law and Ampere's circuital law
     • Force on a current-carrying conductor and moving charge
     • Moving coil galvanometer; conversion to ammeter and voltmeter
   • Magnetism and Matter
     • Bar magnet as an equivalent solenoid
     • Dia-, para- and ferromagnetism
   • Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Current
     • Faraday's and Lenz's laws; self and mutual inductance
     • AC circuits: LCR, resonance and power factor
     • Transformers and AC generators
   • Electromagnetic Waves
     • Displacement current and Maxwell's equations (qualitative)
     • Electromagnetic spectrum and its uses
5. 5

   Optics and Dual Nature of Radiation

   3 topics

   • Ray Optics
     • Reflection and refraction at spherical surfaces; lens maker's formula
     • Total internal reflection and optical fibres
     • Optical instruments: microscope and telescope
   • Wave Optics
     • Huygens' principle and interference (Young's double slit)
     • Diffraction at a single slit
     • Polarisation and Brewster's law
   • Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
     • Photoelectric effect and Einstein's equation
     • de Broglie wavelength and Davisson-Germer experiment
6. 6

   Modern Physics and Electronics

   3 topics

   • Atoms and Nuclei
     • Bohr model and hydrogen spectrum
     • Radioactivity, decay law and half-life
     • Mass-energy relation, nuclear fission and fusion
   • Semiconductor Electronics
     • Energy bands; intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors
     • p-n junction diode, rectifiers and Zener diode
     • Transistors and logic gates
   • Communication Systems
     • Elements of a communication system
     • Modulation: amplitude and frequency (basics)

Physics flashcards for VITEEE

24 of 79 cards from the Physics deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. State Newton's second law of motion in terms of momentum.

   The net external force on a body equals the rate of change of its linear momentum: F = dp/dt. For constant mass this reduces to F = ma.

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

   Impulse is the product of force and the time for which it acts: J = F·Δt (or ∫F dt). The impulse-momentum theorem states impulse equals the change in momentum: J = Δp = mv − mu.

3. What is the work-energy theorem?

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

4. Give the formulas for kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy near Earth's surface, and the power delivered by a force.

   KE = ½mv²; PE = mgh; Power P = W/t = F·v (dot product of force and velocity).

5. Distinguish between conservative and non-conservative forces with an example of each.

   A conservative force does work independent of path and over a closed loop does zero work (e.g. gravity, spring force). A non-conservative force does path-dependent work and dissipates energy (e.g. friction).

6. For a perfectly elastic one-dimensional collision, what two quantities are conserved?

   Both linear momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. (In an inelastic collision only momentum is conserved; in a perfectly inelastic collision the bodies move together with maximum KE loss.)

7. Define moment of inertia and give its expression for a system of particles.

   Moment of inertia is the rotational analogue of mass, measuring resistance to angular acceleration: I = Σ mᵢrᵢ², where rᵢ is the perpendicular distance of each mass from the axis. SI unit: kg·m².

8. State the parallel axis theorem.

   I = I_cm + Md², where I_cm is the moment of inertia about an axis through the centre of mass, M is the total mass, and d is the perpendicular distance between the parallel axis and the centre-of-mass axis.

9. State the perpendicular axis theorem and where it applies.

   For a planar (laminar) body, I_z = I_x + I_y, where x and y are two perpendicular axes in the plane of the lamina and z is perpendicular to the plane through their intersection.

10. Give the moment of inertia of (a) a solid sphere and (b) a solid cylinder/disc about their central symmetry axes.

    (a) Solid sphere about a diameter: I = (2/5)MR². (b) Solid cylinder/disc about its central axis: I = ½MR².

11. Write the rotational analogue of Newton's second law and the formula for rotational kinetic energy.

    Torque τ = Iα (I = moment of inertia, α = angular acceleration). Rotational KE = ½Iω².

12. 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 is the universal gravitational constant.

13. How does acceleration due to gravity g vary with height h above Earth's surface (for h ≪ R)?

    g_h = g(1 − 2h/R), i.e. it decreases approximately linearly for small heights. Exactly, g_h = g·R²/(R+h)².

14. Derive/state the orbital velocity and escape velocity for a body near Earth's surface.

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

15. 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 from Sun to planet sweeps equal areas in equal times (constant areal velocity). 3) Law of periods: T² ∝ a³, where a is the semi-major axis.

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

    Stress = force per unit area (F/A). Strain = fractional deformation (ΔL/L). Young's modulus Y = longitudinal stress/longitudinal strain = (F/A)/(ΔL/L), measuring stiffness in tension/compression.

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

    Hooke's law: within the elastic limit, stress is directly proportional to strain (stress = modulus × strain). The elastic limit is the maximum stress up to which a material returns to its original shape after removing the load.

18. What are bulk modulus and shear (rigidity) modulus?

    Bulk modulus K = volumetric stress/volumetric strain = −ΔP/(ΔV/V), resistance to uniform compression. Shear/rigidity modulus η = shear stress/shear strain, resistance to change of shape.

19. State Pascal's law and the equation of continuity for fluid flow.

    Pascal's law: pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished to every point of the fluid and the container walls. Continuity equation: A₁v₁ = A₂v₂ (volume flow rate Av is constant for incompressible flow).

20. State Bernoulli's theorem for streamline flow.

    For an ideal incompressible fluid in streamline flow, P + ½ρv² + ρgh = constant along a streamline. It expresses conservation of energy per unit volume (pressure + kinetic + potential energy).

21. Define surface tension and explain capillary rise direction.

    Surface tension is the force per unit length acting along the surface of a liquid (energy per unit area), T = F/L. Liquids that wet the tube (e.g. water in glass) rise; those that don't wet (e.g. mercury) are depressed. Rise h = 2T cosθ/(rρg).

22. State Stokes' law and define terminal velocity.

    Stokes' law: viscous drag on a small sphere moving in a fluid is F = 6πηrv. Terminal velocity is the constant velocity attained when drag plus buoyancy balance gravity: v_t = 2r²(ρ−σ)g/(9η).

23. What is simple harmonic motion (SHM) and its defining equation?

    SHM is oscillatory motion in which the restoring force (or acceleration) is directly proportional to displacement and directed toward the mean position: a = −ω²x. Displacement: x = A sin(ωt + φ).

24. Give the time period of (a) a simple pendulum and (b) a mass-spring system.

    (a) Simple pendulum: T = 2π√(L/g). (b) Mass-spring: T = 2π√(m/k), where k is the spring constant.

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