Physics

SYLLABUS 

Unit 1 – Physical World

What is Physics – Scope and excitement of Physics – Physics, technology and society – Fundamental forces in nature – Gravitational force – Electromagnetic force – Strong nuclear force – Weak nuclear force – Towards unification of forces – Nature of physical laws.

Unit 2 – Units and Measurements

Introduction – International system of units – Measurement of length – Measurement of large distances – Estimation of very small distances – Measurement of mass – Measurement of time – Accuracy and precision – Errors in measurement – Systematic errors – Random errors – Least count error – Absolute error – Relative error – Percentage error – Combination of errors – Significant figures – Arithmetic operations with significant figures – Rounding off uncertain digits – Dimensions of physical quantities – Dimensional formulae – Dimensional equations – Dimensional analysis – Dimensional consistency of equations – Deducing relations among physical quantities.

Unit 3 – Motion in a Straight Line

Position – Path length and displacement – Average velocity and speed – Instantaneous velocity and speed – Acceleration – Kinematic equations for uniformly accelerated motion – Relative velocity.

Unit 4 – Motion in a Plane

Scalars and vectors – Position and displacement vectors – Equality of vectors – Multiplication of vectors by real numbers – Addition and subtraction of vectors – Graphical method – Resolution of vectors – Analytical method of vector addition – Motion in a plane – Position vector and displacement – Velocity – Acceleration – Motion with constant acceleration – Relative velocity in two dimensions – Projectile motion – Equation of trajectory – Maximum height – Time of flight – Horizontal range – Uniform circular motion.

Unit 5 – Laws of Motion

Aristotle’s fallacy – Law of inertia – Newton’s first law – Newton’s second law – Momentum – Impulse – Newton’s third law – Conservation of momentum – Equilibrium of a particle – Common forces in mechanics – Friction – Rolling friction – Circular motion – Motion of vehicles on level and banked roads – Problem solving in mechanics.

Unit 6 – Work, Energy and Power

Scalar product – Work and kinetic energy – Work-energy theorem – Work done by variable force – Potential energy – Conservation of mechanical energy – Potential energy of spring – Various forms of energy – Law of conservation of energy – Heat energy – Chemical energy – Electrical energy – Mass-energy equivalence – Nuclear energy – Power – Elastic and inelastic collisions – One-dimensional collisions – Two-dimensional collisions – Coefficient of restitution.

Unit 7 – Systems of Particles and Rotational Motion

Rigid body motion – Centre of mass – Centre of gravity – Motion of centre of mass – Linear momentum of system of particles – Vector product – Angular velocity – Angular acceleration – Rotational kinematics – Torque – Angular momentum – Conservation of angular momentum – Equilibrium of rigid body – Principle of moments – Moment of inertia – Perpendicular axis theorem – Parallel axis theorem – Rotational dynamics – Rolling motion – Kinetic energy of rolling motion.

Unit 8 – Oscillations

Periodic motion – Oscillatory motion – Period and frequency – Displacement – Simple harmonic motion (SHM) – SHM and uniform circular motion – Velocity and acceleration in SHM – Force law for SHM – Energy in SHM – Spring oscillations – Simple pendulum – Damped oscillations – Forced oscillations – Resonance.

Unit 9 – Gravitation

Kepler’s laws – Universal law of gravitation – Gravitational constant – Acceleration due to gravity – Variation of gravity with height and depth – Gravitational potential energy – Escape velocity – Satellites – Energy of orbiting satellite – Geostationary satellites – Polar satellites – Weightlessness.

Unit 10 – Mechanical Properties of Solids

Elastic behaviour of solids – Stress and strain – Hooke’s law – Stress-strain curve – Elastic moduli – Young’s modulus – Determination of Young’s modulus – Shear modulus – Bulk modulus – Poisson’s ratio – Elastic potential energy – Applications of elasticity.

Unit 11 – Mechanical Properties of Fluids

Pressure – Pascal’s law – Variation of pressure with depth – Atmospheric pressure – Hydraulic machines – Streamline flow – Bernoulli’s principle – Torricelli’s theorem – Venturimeter – Blood flow and heart attack – Dynamic lift – Viscosity – Stokes’ law – Reynolds number – Surface tension – Surface energy – Angle of contact – Drops and bubbles – Capillary rise – Detergents and surface tension.

Unit 12 – Thermal Properties of Matter

Temperature and heat – Measurement of temperature – Ideal gas equation – Thermal expansion – Specific heat capacity – Calorimetry – Change of state – Regelation – Latent heat – Heat transfer – Conduction – Thermal conductivity – Convection – Radiation – Black body radiation – Greenhouse effect – Newton’s law of cooling.

Unit 13 – Thermodynamics

Thermal equilibrium – Zeroth law of thermodynamics – Internal energy – Work and heat – First law of thermodynamics – Specific heat capacity – Thermodynamic state variables – Thermodynamic processes – Isothermal process – Adiabatic process – Isochoric process – Isobaric process – Cyclic process – Heat engines – Refrigerators – Heat pumps – Second law of thermodynamics – Reversible and irreversible processes – Carnot engine – Carnot theorem.

Unit 14 – Kinetic Theory

Molecular nature of matter – Behaviour of gases – Boyle’s law – Charles’ law – Kinetic theory of gases – Pressure of ideal gas – Kinetic interpretation of temperature – Law of equipartition of energy – Specific heat capacities – Monatomic, diatomic and polyatomic gases – Mean free path.

Unit 15 – Waves

Transverse and longitudinal waves – Wave equation – Amplitude – Phase – Wavelength – Wave number – Time period – Frequency – Speed of waves – Waves on stretched strings – Sound waves – Principle of superposition – Reflection of waves – Standing waves – Normal modes – Beats – Doppler effect.

Unit 16 – Ray Optics and Optical Instruments

Reflection by spherical mirrors – Sign convention – Focal length – Mirror equation – Refraction – Total internal reflection – Applications of total internal reflection – Refraction at spherical surfaces – Lenses – Power of lens – Combination of lenses – Prism – Dispersion – Rainbow – Scattering of light – Eye – Microscope – Telescope.

Unit 17 – Wave Optics

Huygens principle – Reflection and refraction of plane waves – Doppler effect – Coherent and incoherent sources – Interference of light – Young’s double slit experiment – Diffraction – Single slit diffraction – Resolving power – Polarization – Polarization by scattering and reflection.

Unit 18 – Electric Charges and Fields

Electric charge – Conductors and insulators – Charging by induction – Coulomb’s law – Electric field – Electric field due to point charges and systems of charges – Electric field lines – Electric flux – Electric dipole – Dipole in external field – Continuous charge distribution – Gauss’s law – Applications of Gauss’s law.

Unit 19 – Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance

Electrostatic potential – Potential due to point charge and dipole – Equipotential surfaces – Relation between field and potential – Potential energy – Conductors – Dielectrics – Polarization – Capacitors – Parallel plate capacitor – Dielectric effect – Combination of capacitors – Energy stored in capacitor – Van de Graaff generator.

Unit 20 – Current Electricity

Electric current – Conductors – Ohm’s law – Drift velocity – Mobility – Resistivity – Temperature dependence of resistivity – Electrical energy and power – Series and parallel combination of resistors – EMF and internal resistance – Cells in series and parallel – Kirchhoff’s laws – Wheatstone bridge – Meter bridge – Potentiometer.

Unit 21 – Moving Charges and Magnetism

Magnetic force – Lorentz force – Motion in magnetic field – Velocity selector – Cyclotron – Biot-Savart law – Magnetic field due to current loop – Ampere’s circuital law – Solenoid – Toroid – Force between parallel conductors – Torque on current loop – Magnetic dipole moment – Moving coil galvanometer.

Unit 22 – Magnetism and Matter

Bar magnet – Magnetic field lines – Equivalent solenoid – Dipole in magnetic field – Earth’s magnetism – Magnetic declination – Magnetic dip – Magnetisation – Magnetic intensity – Diamagnetism – Paramagnetism – Ferromagnetism – Permanent magnets – Electromagnets.

Unit 23 – Electromagnetic Induction

Faraday’s experiments – Magnetic flux – Faraday’s law – Lenz’s law – Motional EMF – Eddy currents – Mutual inductance – Self inductance – AC generator.

Unit 24 – Alternating Current

AC voltage applied to resistor – Inductor – Capacitor – Series LCR circuit – Phasor diagrams – Resonance – Power factor – LC oscillations – Transformers.

Unit 25 – Electromagnetic Waves

Displacement current – Electromagnetic waves – Sources of electromagnetic waves – Nature of electromagnetic waves – Electromagnetic spectrum.

Unit 26 – Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter

Electron emission – Photoelectric effect – Experimental observations – Einstein’s photoelectric equation – Photon concept – Wave nature of matter – de Broglie hypothesis – Davisson and Germer experiment.

Unit 27 – Atoms

Rutherford atomic model – Alpha particle scattering – Atomic spectra – Spectral series – Bohr model – Energy levels – Hydrogen spectrum – de Broglie explanation of Bohr’s theory.

Unit 28 – Nuclei

Atomic masses – Nuclear composition – Nuclear size – Binding energy – Nuclear forces – Radioactivity – Radioactive decay law – Alpha, beta and gamma decay – Nuclear fission – Nuclear reactor – Nuclear fusion.

Unit 29 – Semiconductor Electronics

Classification of materials – Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors – p-n junction – Diode – Rectifier – Zener diode – Voltage regulator – Photodiode – LED – Solar cell – Transistor – CE characteristics – Amplifier – Oscillator – Logic gates – Integrated circuits.

Unit 30 – Communication Systems

Elements of communication system – Communication terminology – Bandwidth – Propagation of electromagnetic waves – Ground waves – Sky waves – Space waves – Modulation – Need for modulation – Antenna – Amplitude modulation – Production and detection of AM waves.