Physics

CSS Syllabus Physics – 200 Marks

I. Mechanics

PAPER—I (Marks-100)

§ Vectors—Dots, Cross and triple products, Gradient, divergence and applications.

§ Newtonian laws of motion; calculus based approach to kinematics, forces and dynamics, conservation law of energy; conservation of linear and angular momentum; Dynamics of rigid body; spin and precession; gyroscope; Gravitation; planetary motion and satellites; Kepler’s laws; centripetal forces

§ Special theory of relativity. Mischelson—Morley experiment and Einstein’s postulates; Lorentz transformation; time dilation and length contraction; equivalence of mass and energy.

II. Fluid Mechanics

§ Surface tension; Viscosity; Elasticity; fluid motion and Bernoulli’s theorem.

III. Waves and Oscillation

§ Free oscillation with one and two degrees of freedom; forced and damped oscillations and phenomenon of resonance. Simple harmonic motion. Traveling waves and transmission of energy; Phase and Group velocity; standing waves. Basics of sound waves.

§ Reflection, Refraction, Interference, Diffraction and Polarization of waves; interfero-meter and Newton’s rings; Diffraction Gratings and their resolving power; spectro-meters. Electromagnetic wave equation; normal and anamolous dispersion; coherence, lasers and applications.

IV. Heat and Thermodynamics

§ Perfect gas and Van der Waals equation; Three Laws of Thermodynamics, internal energy, temperature, entropy. Thermal properties of Simple system production and measurement of low temperatures; kinetic theory of gases; Maxwellian distribution of molecular velocities; Brownian motion; Transport phenomena. Classical Maxwell-Boltzmann Statistics and its application; Quantum Bose—Einstein and Fermi—Dirac Statistics.

PAPER—II (Marks-100) I. Electricity and Magnetism

§ Electric field due to point charges, Gauss’ law Electric potential and Poisson and Laplace’s equation Dielectric medium and Polarization; Capacitance; Moving charges and resulting magnetic field; Ampere’s law; Vector potential; Magnetic properties of matter; Transient current; Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction; Alternating current and LRO circuit. Maxwell’s equations; Poynting theorem and Poynting Vector. Maxwell’s equations in integral and differential form.

II. Modern and Quantum Physics

§ Operators and quantum states, observables, time dependent and independent Schrodinger equation, angular momentum, spin-1/2 particle in a magnetic field, wave mechanics, particle in a box, tunneling, one-dimensional harmonic oscillator, Heisenber’s uncertainty relationship and indeterminacy based on commutation properties of operators, Bohr theory and quantum numbers including electron spin; Pauli’s exclusion principle; Spectra of simple systems with one or two valence electrons. Photo electric effect Compton scattering; pair production; Lande’s g factor and Zeeman effect. Raman effect; Waves and particles and De Broglie’s Hypothesis.

III. Solid State Physics

§ Crystal lattice and structure, Bravais lattice, free electron model, Band theory and electron in a periodic potential, Fermi energy and density of states, n and p type semiconductors, physics of the transistor and MOSFET, dielectric properties, magnetic properties and origin of magnetism.

IV. Nuclear Physics

§ Structure of Nuclei; Radioactivity,a, b and g decay. Methods of detection, Mass Sepectrometer. Accelerators. Phenomenon of fission; reactor and nuclear power, nuclear fusion and its application, Elementary particles and their properties.

SUGGESTED READINGS