Class XI: Physics Syllabus (Units 1–10)
These units build foundational mechanics, properties of matter, and thermal physics.
| Unit | Topic | Key Subtopics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physics and Measurement | Units of measurement; SI units; fundamental/derived units; least count; significant figures; errors; dimensions; dimensional analysis and applications. |
| 2 | Kinematics | Frame of reference; motion in straight line/plane; position-time/speed-velocity graphs; uniform/non-uniform/accelerated motion; scalars/vectors; vector addition/subtraction/products; relative velocity; projectile/uniform circular motion. |
| 3 | Laws of Motion | Force/inertia; Newton's laws; momentum/impulse; conservation of linear momentum; equilibrium; friction (static/kinetic/rolling); centripetal force (banked roads). |
| 4 | Work, Energy, and Power | Work by constant/variable force; kinetic/potential energy; work-energy theorem; power; spring potential; conservation of mechanical energy; conservative/non-conservative forces; vertical circle motion; elastic/inelastic collisions. |
| 5 | Rotational Motion | Centre of mass (two-particle/rigid body); moment of force/torque; angular momentum/conservation; moment of inertia/radius of gyration; parallel/perpendicular axes theorems; rigid body equilibrium/rotation; linear vs. rotational motion comparison. |
| 6 | Gravitation | Universal law; acceleration due to gravity (variation with altitude/depth); Kepler's laws; gravitational potential energy; escape velocity; satellite motion (orbital velocity/time period/energy). |
| 7 | Properties of Solids and Liquids | Elastic behavior/stress-strain/Hooke's law; Young's/bulk/rigidity moduli; fluid pressure/Pascal's law; viscosity/Stokes' law/terminal velocity; streamline/turbulent flow/Bernoulli's principle; surface tension/energy/contact angle/capillary rise; thermal expansion/specific heat/calorimetry/latent heat; heat transfer (conduction/convection/radiation). |
| 8 | Thermodynamics | Thermal equilibrium/zeroth law/temperature; heat/work/internal energy; first law; isothermal/adiabatic processes; second law (reversible/irreversible). |
| 9 | Kinetic Theory of Gases | Equation of state; work in compression; assumptions/pressure concept; RMS speed; degrees of freedom/equipartition of energy/specific heats; mean free path; Avogadro's number. |
| 10 | Oscillations and Waves | Periodic motion (time period/frequency/displacement); simple harmonic motion (SHM equation/phase/energy); spring/pendulum oscillations; wave motion (longitudinal/transverse/speed/displacement relation); superposition/reflection; standing waves (strings/pipes/fundamentals/harmonics); beats. |
Class XII: Physics Syllabus (Units 11–20)
These units cover electricity, magnetism, waves, optics, and modern physics.
| Unit | Topic | Key Subtopics |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Electrostatics | Charge conservation/Coulomb's law; superposition/continuous distribution; electric field (point charge/lines/dipole/torque/flux); Gauss's law (wire/sheet/sphere); potential (point/dipole/system)/difference/equipotentials/energy; conductors/insulators/dielectrics/polarization; capacitors/combination/energy (with/without dielectric). |
| 12 | Current Electricity | Current/drift velocity/mobility/Ohm's law; resistance/V-I characteristics (Ohmic/non-Ohmic); energy/power; resistivity/conductivity; resistor combinations/temperature dependence; cell emf/internal resistance/combinations; Kirchhoff’s laws; Wheatstone/metre bridge. |
| 13 | Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism | Biot-Savart/Ampere's laws (loop/wire/solenoid); force on charge/conductor; ampere definition; torque on loop/galvanometer (sensitivity/ammeter/voltmeter); magnetic dipole/moment; bar magnet (field lines/axis/perpendicular); torque on dipole; para/dia/ferro-magnetism/temperature effects. |
| 14 | Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents | Faraday's law/induced emf/current/Lenz’s law/eddy currents; self/mutual inductance; AC (peak/RMS/reactance/impedance); LCR series/resonance/power/wattless current; AC generator/transformer. |
| 15 | Electromagnetic Waves | Displacement current; characteristics/transverse nature; spectrum (radio/microwave/IR/visible/UV/X-ray/gamma); applications. |
| 16 | Optics | Reflection (spherical mirrors/formula); refraction (plane/spherical/lens maker/total internal); magnification/power/lens combination/prism; optical instruments (microscope/telescope); wave optics (wavefront/Huygens/principle of reflection/refraction); interference (Young's double-slit/fringe width/coherent sources); diffraction (single slit/central maximum); polarization (plane/Brewster's law/Polaroid). |
| 17 | Dual Nature of Matter and Radiation | Radiation duality; photoelectric effect (Hertz/Lenard/Einstein equation); particle nature of light; matter waves/de Broglie relation. |
| 18 | Atoms and Nuclei | Rutherford's model/Bohr model/energy levels/hydrogen spectrum; nucleus composition/size/masses; mass-energy/mass defect/binding energy/nuclear fission/fusion. |
| 19 | Electronic Devices | Semiconductors/diode (I-V/rectifier); LED/photodiode/solar cell/Zener (voltage regulator); logic gates (OR/AND/NOT/NAND/NOR). |
| 20 | Experimental Skills | Practical experiments: Vernier calipers/screw gauge; pendulum energy dissipation; metre scale moments; Young's modulus; surface tension/capillary; viscosity/terminal velocity; sound speed/resonance tube; specific heat mixtures; resistivity (metre bridge/Ohm's law); galvanometer resistance/merit; focal length (mirrors/lenses/parallax); prism deviation; refractive index (microscope); p-n diode/Zener curves; diode/LED/resistor/capacitor identification. (Spans both classes; focus on observations and basic analysis.) |