Subject notebook
Physics
“Without physics, nothing moves — master the laws that run the universe.”
687 topics · 40 chapters
Topics for Physics
Units, Measurements & Error Analysis
Systems of units
6 topics
Dimensions and dimensional analysis
6 topics
Measurement and errors
7 topics
Physical World & Nature of Physics
Kinematics (Motion in One, Two & Three Dimensions)
Motion in a straight line
10 topics
- Rest and motion, frame of reference
- Distance and displacement
- Speed and velocity (average and instantaneous)
- Acceleration (average and instantaneous)
- Uniform and non-uniform motion
- Kinematic equations for uniformly accelerated motion
- Motion under gravity (free fall)
- Relative velocity in one dimension
- Distance–time and velocity–time graphs
- Area under velocity–time graph
Motion in a plane
13 topics
- Scalars and vectors
- Addition and subtraction of vectors (graphical and analytical)
- Resolution of vectors into components
- Unit vectors and position vectors
- Multiplication of vectors by scalars
- Dot product and cross product of vectors
- Motion in a plane with constant acceleration
- Relative velocity in two dimensions
- Projectile motion (trajectory, range, maximum height, time of flight)
- Projectiles on inclined planes
- Uniform circular motion
- Centripetal acceleration
- Angular displacement, velocity and acceleration
Laws of Motion & Dynamics
Newton's laws
8 topics
Friction and applications
11 topics
- Static and kinetic friction
- Laws of friction and coefficient of friction
- Angle of friction and angle of repose
- Rolling friction
- Methods of reducing friction
- Motion on rough inclined planes
- Pulley systems and connected bodies
- Apparent weight in lifts
- Dynamics of circular motion (banking of roads, bending of cyclist)
- Non-inertial frames and pseudo forces
- Centrifugal force
Work, Energy & Power
Work and energy
10 topics
- Notion of work done by constant force
- Work done by variable force (graphical method)
- Positive, negative and zero work
- Kinetic energy and work–energy theorem
- Conservative and non-conservative forces
- Potential energy and conservative force fields
- Gravitational potential energy
- Elastic potential energy of a spring
- Conservation of mechanical energy
- Motion in a vertical circle
Centre of Mass, Momentum & Collisions
System of particles
6 topics
Rotational Mechanics
Rigid body kinematics
8 topics
Rigid body dynamics
12 topics
- Torque and its calculation
- Angular momentum and its conservation
- Relation between torque and angular momentum
- Rotational kinetic energy
- Work and power in rotational motion
- Equilibrium of rigid bodies
- Toppling and sliding conditions
- Combined translation and rotation
- Rolling motion (without slipping)
- Rolling on inclined planes
- Instantaneous centre of rotation
- Gyroscopic motion (introductory)
Gravitation
Universal gravitation
13 topics
- Kepler's laws of planetary motion
- Newton's universal law of gravitation
- Gravitational constant and its measurement (Cavendish experiment)
- Acceleration due to gravity and its variation (altitude, depth, rotation of Earth)
- Gravitational field and field intensity
- Gravitational potential and potential energy
- Gravitational potential due to standard bodies
- Escape velocity
- Orbital velocity of satellites
- Geostationary and polar satellites
- Weightlessness in satellites
- Binding energy of satellites
- Energy of orbiting satellites
Elasticity & Mechanical Properties of Solids
Stress, strain and Hooke's law
12 topics
- Deforming forces and restoring force
- Stress: longitudinal, shearing and volumetric
- Strain: longitudinal, shearing and volumetric
- Hooke's law and elastic limit
- Stress–strain curve for metals
- Young's modulus of elasticity
- Bulk modulus and compressibility
- Shear (rigidity) modulus
- Poisson's ratio
- Elastic potential energy in stretched wire
- Applications of elastic behaviour of materials
- Determination of Young's modulus (Searle's method)
Fluid Mechanics
Fluid statics
7 topics
Fluid dynamics
9 topics
Oscillations & Simple Harmonic Motion
Simple harmonic motion
12 topics
- Periodic and oscillatory motion
- Simple harmonic motion: definition and characteristics
- Displacement, velocity and acceleration in SHM
- Energy in SHM (kinetic, potential, total)
- Time period and frequency
- Phase and phase difference
- Graphical representation of SHM
- Simple pendulum and its time period
- Determination of g using simple pendulum
- Spring–mass system and oscillation of springs
- Springs in series and parallel
- Torsional pendulum
Waves & Sound
Wave motion
15 topics
- Transverse and longitudinal waves
- Progressive (travelling) waves
- Wave equation and its characteristics
- Speed of transverse wave on a stretched string
- Speed of longitudinal waves (Newton's formula, Laplace correction)
- Speed of sound in gases, liquids and solids
- Energy and power transmitted by waves
- Intensity of waves
- Superposition principle of waves
- Interference of waves
- Stationary (standing) waves and nodes/antnodes
- Vibrations of strings (sonometer) and harmonics
- Vibrations of air columns (open and closed organ pipes)
- Resonance in air columns (resonance tube experiment)
- Beats: formation and applications
Sound waves
7 topics
- Nature and properties of sound
- Audible, infrasonic and ultrasonic waves
- Applications of ultrasonics (SONAR, medical imaging)
- Doppler effect in sound (source/observer motion)
- Applications of Doppler effect (radar, astrophysics)
- Musical sound: pitch, loudness and quality
- Shock waves and Mach number (introductory)
Thermal Properties of Matter
Temperature and thermal expansion
5 topics
Heat transfer and calorimetry
14 topics
- Heat capacity and specific heat capacity
- Molar specific heats
- Calorimetry and principle of mixtures
- Change of state: melting, boiling, evaporation
- Latent heat of fusion and vaporisation
- Regelation and its applications
- Conduction: thermal conductivity
- Convection currents
- Radiation: blackbody radiation basics
- Newton's law of cooling
- Wien's displacement law
- Stefan–Boltzmann law
- Kirchhoff's law of radiation
- Greenhouse effect (introductory)
Thermodynamics
Laws of thermodynamics
14 topics
- Thermal equilibrium and zeroth law
- Heat, work and internal energy
- First law of thermodynamics
- Thermodynamic processes: isothermal, adiabatic, isobaric, isochoric
- Work done in thermodynamic processes
- Molar specific heats Cp and Cv (Mayer's relation)
- Adiabatic relation between P, V and T
- Second law of thermodynamics (Kelvin–Planck, Clausius statements)
- Reversible and irreversible processes
- Heat engines and refrigerators
- Carnot engine and Carnot cycle
- Carnot theorem and thermodynamic temperature scale
- Entropy: concept and second law
- Third law of thermodynamics (introductory)
Thermodynamic potentials (UG)
4 topics
Kinetic Theory of Gases
Molecular model of gases
11 topics
- Postulates of kinetic theory
- Pressure exerted by an ideal gas (derivation)
- Kinetic interpretation of temperature
- RMS speed of gas molecules
- Degrees of freedom of molecules
- Law of equipartition of energy
- Specific heats of gases (monoatomic, diatomic, polyatomic)
- Mean free path of molecules
- Ideal gas equation and gas laws (Boyle's, Charles's, Avogadro's)
- Real gases and van der Waals equation
- Brownian motion (introductory)
Statistical Mechanics (UG Intro)
Classical statistics
5 topics
Electrostatics
Electric charges and fields
10 topics
- Electric charge: properties and quantization
- Conductors and insulators
- Charging by induction
- Coulomb's law in vector form
- Superposition principle for charges
- Electric field and electric field lines
- Electric field due to point charges and dipoles
- Electric dipole: field and torque in uniform field
- Continuous charge distributions (line, surface, volume)
- Electric field due to charged ring, disc and sheet
Gauss's law and applications
4 topics
Electrostatic potential and capacitance
15 topics
- Electrostatic potential and potential difference
- Potential due to point charges and dipoles
- Potential due to system of charges
- Equipotential surfaces
- Relation between field and potential
- Potential energy of charge systems
- Potential energy of dipole in external field
- Capacitors and capacitance
- Parallel plate capacitor (with/without dielectric)
- Spherical and cylindrical capacitors
- Combination of capacitors (series and parallel)
- Energy stored in capacitors
- Dielectrics and dielectric constant
- Polar and non-polar molecules, polarization
- Van de Graaff generator
Current Electricity
Electric current and circuits
17 topics
- Electric current and drift velocity
- Mobility of charge carriers
- Ohm's law and its limitations
- Resistivity and conductivity
- Temperature dependence of resistivity
- Colour code of resistors
- Series and parallel combinations of resistors
- Electrical energy and power (heating effect of current)
- Joule's law of heating
- Electric cell: EMF and internal resistance
- Cells in series and parallel
- Kirchhoff's laws (junction and loop rules)
- Wheatstone bridge and its applications
- Meter bridge for unknown resistance
- Potentiometer: principle and applications (EMF comparison, internal resistance)
- Post office box
- Verification of Ohm's law (experiment)
Electrical instruments
3 topics
Magnetism & Magnetic Effects of Current
Magnetic field and forces
11 topics
- Oersted's experiment
- Biot–Savart law and applications (circular loop, straight wire)
- Ampere's circuital law and applications (solenoid, toroid, wire)
- Magnetic field due to moving charges
- Force on a current-carrying conductor in magnetic field
- Force between two parallel current-carrying wires
- Torque on a current loop in magnetic field
- Magnetic dipole moment of current loop
- Motion of charged particles in electric and magnetic fields
- Cyclotron: principle and working
- Velocity selector
Magnetism and matter
9 topics
- Bar magnet and magnetic field lines
- Magnetic dipole and its field (axial and equatorial)
- Torque on magnetic dipole in uniform field
- Gauss's law for magnetism
- Earth's magnetism: declination, inclination, horizontal component
- Magnetic properties: diamagnetism, paramagnetism, ferromagnetism
- Curie temperature and hysteresis loop
- Permanent magnets and electromagnets
- Moving coil galvanometer: principle and sensitivity
Electromagnetic Induction & Alternating Current
Electromagnetic induction
10 topics
- Faraday's experiments on EMI
- Faraday's laws of electromagnetic induction
- Lenz's law and energy conservation
- Motional EMF
- Eddy currents and applications
- Self-induction and mutual induction
- Coefficient of self and mutual inductance
- Energy stored in an inductor
- AC generator (dynamo) and DC motor basics
- Transformers: principle, working and losses
Alternating current
9 topics
- AC voltage and current: RMS and average values
- Phasors and phase difference
- AC through resistor, inductor and capacitor
- Series LCR circuit and resonance
- Quality factor and bandwidth
- Power in AC circuits and power factor
- Wattless current and chokes
- LC oscillations
- RC, LR and LCR transient circuits (introductory)
Electromagnetic Waves
EM wave fundamentals
7 topics
Electromagnetic Theory (UG)
Vector calculus for EM
4 topics
Maxwell's equations
10 topics
- Maxwell's equations in differential and integral form
- Continuity equation
- Poynting vector and energy flow
- Electromagnetic wave equation in vacuum
- Plane EM waves: polarization states
- Reflection and refraction at boundaries (Fresnel equations, introductory)
- EM waves in conductors: skin depth
- Waveguides and transmission lines (introductory)
- Radiation from accelerated charges (introductory)
- Retarded potentials (introductory)
Ray Optics & Optical Instruments
Reflection and refraction
13 topics
- Laws of reflection and plane mirrors
- Spherical mirrors: image formation and mirror formula
- Magnification by mirrors
- Refraction at plane surfaces: laws of refraction
- Total internal reflection and critical angle
- Applications: optical fibres, mirage, sparkling of diamond
- Refraction through glass slab (lateral shift)
- Spherical refracting surfaces
- Lenses: image formation and lens formula
- Lensmaker's formula
- Power of a lens and combination of lenses
- Magnification by lenses
- Silvered lenses (introductory)
Prism and dispersion
6 topics
Optical instruments
6 topics
- Human eye: structure, accommodation, defects (myopia, hypermetropia, presbyopia) and correction
- Simple microscope and magnifying power
- Compound microscope: construction and magnification
- Astronomical telescope (refracting and reflecting)
- Resolving power of optical instruments (introductory)
- Determination of focal length by u–v method
Wave Optics
Wavefronts and Huygens' principle
3 topics
Interference
7 topics
Diffraction
5 topics
Dual Nature of Radiation & Matter
Photoelectric effect
6 topics
Atoms
Atomic models
12 topics
- Thomson's plum pudding model
- Rutherford's alpha-scattering experiment and nuclear model
- Bohr's model of hydrogen atom
- Bohr's quantization of angular momentum
- Energy levels and hydrogen spectrum (Lyman, Balmer, Paschen, Brackett, Pfund series)
- Rydberg formula
- Limitations of Bohr's model
- de Broglie explanation of Bohr's quantization
- X-rays: production, properties and applications
- Moseley's law
- Atomic spectra: emission and absorption
- Franck–Hertz experiment (introductory)
Nuclei & Radioactivity
Nuclear structure
7 topics
Radioactivity
6 topics
Semiconductor Electronics & Devices
Semiconductors
7 topics
- Energy bands in solids: conductors, insulators, semiconductors
- Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors
- p-type and n-type semiconductors
- p–n junction: formation and depletion region
- p–n junction diode: forward and reverse bias, V–I characteristics
- Zener diode and voltage regulation
- LED, photodiode and solar cell
Transistors and circuits
5 topics
Communication Systems (Basics)
Elements of communication
4 topics
Modulation and propagation
8 topics
Special Theory of Relativity (UG Intro)
Foundations
11 topics
- Inertial frames and Galilean transformations
- Michelson–Morley experiment
- Einstein's postulates of special relativity
- Lorentz transformations
- Simultaneity and relativity of time
- Time dilation and length contraction
- Twin paradox (introductory)
- Relativistic velocity addition
- Relativistic momentum and energy (E = mc²)
- Mass–energy equivalence
- Spacetime diagrams (introductory)
Quantum Mechanics (UG Intro)
Wave mechanics
10 topics
- Failure of classical physics: blackbody radiation, photoelectric effect
- Wave function and its probabilistic interpretation
- Normalization of wave functions
- Operators in quantum mechanics (position, momentum, Hamiltonian)
- Schrödinger's time-dependent and time-independent equations
- Expectation values and Ehrenfest's theorem
- Particle in a one-dimensional box
- Potential step, barrier and quantum tunnelling
- Harmonic oscillator (quantum)
- Hydrogen atom: quantum numbers (introductory)
Formalism and applications
6 topics
Condensed Matter / Solid State Physics (UG Intro)
Crystal structure
8 topics
Solid state phenomena
12 topics
- Lattice vibrations and phonons (introductory)
- Free electron theory of metals
- Band theory of solids
- Metals, semiconductors and insulators from band theory
- Effective mass of electrons (introductory)
- Hall effect
- Superconductivity: Meissner effect, Type I and II
- BCS theory basics (introductory)
- Dielectric properties: polarization mechanisms
- Ferroelectricity and piezoelectricity (introductory)
- Magnetism in solids: dia, para, ferro, antiferro, ferrimagnetism
- Magnetic domains (introductory)
Nuclear & Particle Physics (UG Intro)
Nuclear physics
8 topics
- Nuclear size, shape and charge distribution
- Semi-empirical mass formula
- Nuclear models: liquid drop and shell model (introductory)
- Deuteron problem (introductory)
- Nuclear reactions: Q-value and cross-section
- Compound nucleus theory (introductory)
- Particle accelerators: cyclotron, synchrocyclotron, synchrotron (introductory)
- Particle detectors: GM counter, scintillation, cloud chamber (introductory)
Particle physics
8 topics
Astrophysics, Cosmology & Space (Intro)
The solar system and stars
6 topics
Galaxies and cosmology
8 topics
- Milky Way and types of galaxies
- Hubble's law and expansion of the universe
- Big Bang theory and cosmic microwave background
- Dark matter and dark energy (introductory)
- Black holes: event horizon and Hawking radiation (introductory)
- Exoplanets and their detection (introductory)
- Constellations and celestial coordinates (introductory)
- Telescopes: optical, radio and space telescopes
Atomic, Molecular & Laser Physics (UG Intro)
Atomic and molecular spectra
7 topics
Electronics — Digital & Analog Systems (UG)
Analog electronics
9 topics
- Diode circuits: rectifiers (half/full wave, bridge)
- Filters and voltage regulators
- BJT biasing and amplifiers (CE amplifier analysis)
- FETs and MOSFETs: basics
- Operational amplifiers: ideal characteristics
- Op-amp applications: adder, subtractor, integrator, differentiator, comparator
- Oscillators: RC, LC and crystal (introductory)
- Multivibrators (introductory)
- Power amplifiers basics (introductory)
Digital electronics
10 topics
- Number systems: binary, octal, hexadecimal
- Binary arithmetic and complements
- Boolean algebra and De Morgan's theorems
- Logic gates and universal gates
- Combinational circuits: adders, multiplexers, decoders, encoders
- Sequential circuits: flip-flops (SR, JK, D, T)
- Counters and shift registers
- ADC and DAC basics
- Microprocessors and microcontrollers basics (introductory)
- 8085 microprocessor architecture (introductory)
Classical Mechanics — Advanced (UG)
Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations
9 topics
- Constraints and generalized coordinates
- D'Alembert's principle
- Lagrange's equations of motion
- Applications: pendulum, Atwood machine, central forces
- Hamilton's principle of least action
- Hamilton's equations of motion
- Phase space and Liouville's theorem (introductory)
- Canonical transformations (introductory)
- Poisson brackets (introductory)
Central forces and rigid bodies
7 topics
- Central force motion and Kepler's problem
- Effective potential and orbital stability
- Scattering in central force fields (introductory)
- Euler angles and Euler equations for rigid bodies
- Motion of symmetric tops (introductory)
- Small oscillations and normal modes (introductory)
- Special relativity in classical mechanics (introductory)
Mathematical Methods for Physics (UG)
Vector analysis and coordinate systems
5 topics
Differential equations
5 topics
Special functions and transforms
11 topics
- Legendre polynomials and Bessel functions (introductory)
- Hermite and Laguerre polynomials (introductory)
- Beta and Gamma functions
- Error function (introductory)
- Fourier series and Fourier transforms
- Laplace transforms and applications
- Complex analysis: analytic functions, Cauchy–Riemann equations
- Contour integration and residue theorem (introductory)
- Tensors: introductory concepts
- Matrices: eigenvalues, eigenvectors and diagonalization
- Probability and statistics for physicists (introductory)
Physics Laboratory & Experiments
Mechanics experiments
7 topics
Heat and sound experiments
5 topics
Optics experiments
5 topics
Electricity experiments
10 topics
- Verification of Ohm's law
- Resistivity by meter bridge
- EMF comparison by potentiometer
- Internal resistance of cell by potentiometer
- Galvanometer: figure of merit and conversion to ammeter/voltmeter
- Charging/discharging of capacitors (introductory)
- PN junction diode characteristics
- Zener diode characteristics
- Transistor characteristics (introductory)
- Logic gates verification (introductory)
Applied & Interdisciplinary Physics (Intro)
Energy and environment
6 topics
Materials and nanophysics
4 topics
Medical, bio and geophysics
6 topics