FIRST PU PHYSICS MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

Chapter 1: Physical World

1. Mention basic or fundamental forces in nature?
2. Which is the (i) weakest (ii) strongest force in nature?
3. What are conserved physical quantities? Give one example.
4. Who discovered neutron?
5. Who discovered electron?
6. Who discovered positron?
7. Define the terms Unification and Reductionism.

Chapter 2: Units and Measurement

1. What are fundamental units?
2. Explain parallax method of determining the large distance.
3. What is accuracy and precision?
4. Mention the applications of dimensional analysis
5. Check the correctness of an equation v = vo + at by the method of dimensions
6. Check the correctness of an equation v = vo + at2 by the method of dimensions. Where v and vo are velocities, a is
acceleration, t is time
7. Verify dimensionally ½ mv2 = mgh
8. Write any one limitation of dimensional analysis
9. Define the terms (i) Astronomical unit (ii) Light year (iii) Parsec and mention their values in SI units.
10. Write the number of significant figures in (i) 0.00123 (ii) 26530

Chapter 3: Motion in a Straight Line

1. Write three differences between distance (path length) and displacement.
2. Distinguish between speed and velocity.
3. Draw the position time graph of an object
a. at rest
b. uniform velocity
c. moving with negative velocity
d. positive acceleration
4. Define average speed and average velocity.
5. What is v-t graph? Derive v2 - vo2 = 2aS using v-t graph.
6. Derive equation S = vot + ½ at2 using v-t graph
7. What is relative velocity?

Chapter 4: Motion in a plane

1. Define (a) null or zero vector (b) unit vector and (c) position vector
2. State and explain the triangle law of vector addition
3. State and explain the parallelogram law of vector addition.
4. What is a projectile? Give an example for a projectile.
5. What is maximum height in projectile motion? Obtain the equation for maximum height reached by a
projectile.
6. What is horizontal range in projectile motion? And obtain the expression for the horizontal range of a
projectile
7. What is the angle of projection for which the horizontal range of the projectile maximum?
 8. What is uniform circular motion? Mention one example.
9. Define centripetal acceleration and obtain an expression for it.

Chapter 5: Laws of Motion:

1. Define i) inertia of rest ii) inertia of motion iii) inertia of direction with one example for each.
2. State Newton’s first law of motion or principle of inertia
3. State Newton’s II law of motion. Hence derive F = m a.
4. What is impulsive force? Give example.
5. What is impulse of force? Show that impulse of force is equal to change in momentum.
6. State Newton’s III law of motion. Give an example.
7. State and prove law of conservation of linear momentum
8. Define the types of friction.
9. State the laws of friction.
10. Write any three methods of reducing the friction.
11. Mention the advantages and disadvantages of friction.
12. Obtain the expression for the maximum speed with which a vehicle can safely negotiate a curved
roadbanked at an angle .

Chapter 6: Work, Energy and Power

1. What is meant by “work done by a force”?
2. What does area under force-displacement curve represents?
3. State work-energy theorem.
4. Define kinetic energy. Mention the expression for kinetic energy of a body.
5. Define elastic potential energy. Mention an expression for potential energy of a spring.
6. State the law of conservation of mechanical energy. Show that the total mechanical energy of a bodyfalling
freely under gravity is conserved.
7. Distinguish between conservative and non conservative forces.
8. Define power. Mention its SI unit. Obtain the expression for power P = F .V
9. What are elastic and inelastic collisions? Give an example for each.
10. Obtain the expressions for final velocities of two particles undergoing completely inelastic collision inone-
dimension.

Chapter 7: Systems of Particles and Rotational motion

1. Mention the expression for the position vector of a centre of mass of two particle system.
2. Define moment of inertia. Mention its SI unit. Mention the expression for the moment of inertia of a
body.
3. State and explain (i) perpendicular axis theorem (ii) parallel axis theorem of moment of inertia.
4. Define radius of gyration. Write the expression for moment of inertia in terms of radius of gyration.
5. Write the kinematic equations for rotational motion of a body with uniform angular acceleration and
explain the terms
6. Define torque or moment of force. Mention an expression for torque explaining the symbols. Give an
example.
7. State the law of conservation of angular momentum. Explain how it works in the case of ballet dancer.
8. When the rigid body does is said to be in mechanical equilibrium? Mention the conditions of
mechanical equilibrium of a rigid body.

Chapter 8: Gravitation
1. State and explain the Kepler’s law of planetary motion.
 2. State and explain Newton’s law of gravitation.
3. Derive relation between ‘g’ and ‘G’
4. Derive the expression for g at an altitude h.
5. Derive the expression for g at a depth d below the earth
6. Define gravitational potential energy of a body. Mention the expression for gravitational potential energy of a
body.
7. What is orbital velocity of a satellite? Mention the equation for orbital velocity of low altitude orbit satellites.
8. What are (i) polar satellites and (ii) geostationary satellite.
9. Define escape velocity. Mention the expression for escape speed of the body from the surface of earthand
explain the terms

Chapter – 9: Mechanical properties of solids

1. What are elastic bodies?
2. Define stress. Give the S.I. unit of stress.
3. Define strain. Give the S.I. unit of strain.
4. What is elastic limit?
5. State and explain Hooke’s law.
6. Define the three types of moduli of elasticity.
7. Draw typical stress-strain curve for a metal and explain the important features of it.Locate (i) yield point (ii)
fracture point (iii) ultimate tensile strength

Chapter 10: Mechanical properties of fluids

1. Derive the expression for pressure at a point in a liquid.
2. State and explain Pascal’s law.
3. Mention any two applications of Pascal’s law.
4. What are streamline and turbulent motion? Give an example for each.
5. State and explain the equation of continuity for a liquid in motion.
6. State and explain Bernoulli’s theorem.
7. Mention the applications of Bernoulli’s principle.
8. What do you mean by the word “efflux’’. Prove Torricelli’s law.
9. How does the coefficient of viscosity of (i) liquid (ii) gas vary with temperature?

Chapter 11: Thermal properties of matter

1. Write the relation between Celsius scale, Kelvin scale and Fahrenheit scale of temperature?
2. Define the terms (i) Co-efficient of Linear Expansion (ii) coefficient of areal expansion and (iii) coefficient of
volume expansion.
3. Write the expression for (i) Co-efficient of Linear Expansion (ii) coefficient of areal expansion and (iii)
coefficient of volume expansion.
4. Derive v = 1/T for ideal gas.
5. Define specific heat of a substance. Mention its SI unit.
6. Define a) Molar specific heat of gas at constant volume b) Molar specific heat of gas at constant
pressure.
7. Write the relation between specific heat capacities of gases.
8. What is thermal radiation? Give any threer properties of thermal (heat) radiation.
9. Explain three modes of heat transfer.
10. State the law of thermal conductivity.
11. State and explain Newton’s law of cooling

Chapter 12: Thermodynamics

1. Define i) Isothermal process ii) Adiabatic process iii) Isochoric process iv) Isobaric process.
 2. State zeroth law of thermodynamics
3. Derive the equation for work done in isothermal process by using I law of Thermodynamics.
4. What is a heat engine? Explain its working principle and define its efficiency
5. State and explain first law of thermodynamics. What is the significance of I law of thermodynamics?
6. Derive Mayer’s relation Cp – Cv = R.
7. What is a Carnot engine? Explain the Carnot cycle (working of Carnot engine) with PV diagram
8. What is refrigerator? Mention the expression for coefficient of performance of a refrigerator.
9. State second law of thermodynamics.

Chapter 13: Kinetic Theory of gases

1. State and explain Boyle's law.
2. State and explain Charles’ law.
3. Write any two postulates of kinetic theory of ideal gases.
4. What is ideal gas? Write ideal gas equation and explain the terms.
5. How does average kinetic energy of a gas molecule depend on absolute temperature of the gas?
6. What is meant by degrees of freedom?
7. State and explain the law of equipartition of energy.
8. Write the number of degrees of freedom for (i) Monatomic gas (ii) diatomic gas and triatomic gas
molecules?
9. Define mean free path of a gas molecule.

Chapter-14: Oscillations
1. What is a periodic motion? Give an example.
2. Define simple harmonic motion. Give an example.
3. Write any three characteristics of SHM.
4. Define the term a) period b) frequency of periodic motion.
5. What are free oscillations and forced oscillations? Give example
6. Mention the expression for the kinetic energy and potential energy and total energy of a harmonic
oscillator.

Chapter 15: Waves

1. Give any five differences between longitudinal wave and transverse wave.
2. Mention the relation between wave frequency, wavelength and wave velocity.
3. What is Newton’s formula for the speed of sound in a gas? What is Laplace’s correction? Explain
4. State and explain principle of superposition of waves.
5. What are beats? Mention any two applications of beats.
6. What is Doppler effect? Derive the expression for apparent frequency of a sound due to Doppler effect in the
general case.
7. Distinguish between stationary waves and progressive waves.
 FIRST PU PHYSICS MOST IMPORTANT NUMERICALS

Chapter 4: Motion in a plane

1. A cricket ball is thrown at a speed of 56 ms–1 in a direction 30° above the horizontal. Calculate (a) the
maximum height, (b) the time taken by the ball to return to the same level, and (c) the distance from
the thrower to the point where the ball returns to the same level. (g = 9.8 ms-2)
2. A football player kicks a ball at an angle of 30o to the horizontal with a velocity of 15ms -1. Assuming
that ball travels in a vertical plane. Calculate a) maximum height b) time of flight c) the horizontal
range. (d) the velocity with which it hits the ground at end of its flight (e) velocity at the highest point
and time taken to reach that point. (g = 9.8 ms-2)
3. A football player kicks a ball at a distance 10m from a vertical pole at an angle of 45 o. The ball just
clears the tip of the pole and falls at a distance of 10m on the other side. Determine the height of the
vertical pole. (g = 9.8 ms-2)
4. The ceiling of a long hall is 25m high. What is the maximum horizontal distance that a ball thrown
with a speed of 40 ms-1 can go without hitting the ceiling of the hall?
(g = 9.8 ms-2)
5. A cricketer can throw a ball to a maximum horizontal distance of 100 m. How much high above the
ground can the cricketer throw the same ball? (g = 9.8 ms-2)
6. A stone tied to the end of a string 80 cm is whirled in a horizontal circle with constant speed. If the
stone makes 14 revolutions in 26 s, then what is the magnitude and direction of the force on the stone?

Chapter 6: Work, Energy and Power

1. A car weighing 900 kg moving with a velocity 20 ms-1 is uniformly accelerated with an acceleration of
20 ms-2 for 10 s. Calculate the work done and the force required to accelerate the car
2. A bullet of mass 40 g enters a block of wood with a velocity of 60 ms-1 and penetrates to a depth of
60cm. Calculate the average resistive force of the wood to the penetration of the bullet.
3. A bullet of mass 15g hits a metal plate of thickness 10cm with a velocity of 400ms -1 and emerges from
it with a velocity of 260 ms-1. Find (i) work done (ii) the average resistance offered by the plate to the
motion of bullet.
4. A pump on the ground floor of a building pumps water to fill a tank of volume 30 m3 in 15 minutes. If
the tank is 40 m above the ground and efficiency of the pump is 30%, how much electrical power is
consumed by the pump? (Density of water = 1000 kgm–3, g = 9.8 ms-2)
5. A man weighing 60 kg climbs to the top of a building 100 m tall in 6 minute. Calculate the work done
by the man and his power. (g = 10 ms-2)

Chapter 7: Systems of Particles and Rotational motion

1. A solid cylinder of mass 20 kg rotates about its axis with angular speed 100 rads -1. The radius of the
cylinder is 0.25 m. What is the kinetic energy associated with the rotation of the cylinder? What is the
magnitude of angular momentum of the cylinder about its axis?
2. The angular speed of a motor wheel is increased from 1200 rpm to 3120 rpm in 16 seconds. (i) What is
its angular acceleration, assuming the acceleration to be uniform? (ii) How many revolutions does the
engine make during this time?
3. The moment of inertia of a grind stone about its axis of rotation is 25 kgm2. Starting from rest it
acquires a speed of 120 rpm in 10 s. Find the torque acting on it.
4. Weighs of 10 kg and 15 kg are suspended from the ends of a light rod 5 m long. At which point must
the rod be suspended by a string to keep it horizontal?
5.
A metre stick is balanced on a knife edge at its centre. When two coins, each of mass 5g are put one on
top of the other at the 12.0 cm mark, the stick is found to be balanced at 45cm. What is the mass of the
metre stick?
Chapter 11: Thermal properties of matter
1. A brass wire of 1.8 m long at 300 K temperature is held stretched between two rigid supports. If the
wire is cooled to a temperature of 234 K, then what is the tension developed in the wire if its radius 1
mm? [Given: Coefficient of linear expansion of brass = b = 2 x 10-5 K-1, Young’s modulus of brass =
Yb = 0.91 x 1011 Pa]
2. In an experiment on specific heat of a metal, a 0.20 kg block of the metal at 150oC is dropped in a
copper calorimeter (of water equivalent 0.025 kg) containing 150 cm3 of water at 27oC. The final
temperature is 40oC. Compute the specific heat of the metal. If heat losses to the surroundings are not
negligible, is your answer greater or smaller than the actual value for the specific heat of the metal.
Specific heat of water = 4180Jkg–1K–1, density of water = 1000 kgm-3
3. A copper block of mass 2.5 kg is heated in a furnace to a temperature of 500oC and then placed on a
large ice block. What is the maximum amount of ice that can melt? (Specific heat of copper = 390 Jkg – 1
K – 1, heat of fusion of water = 335 kJkg–1)
4. When 0.15 kg of ice of 0oC mixed with 0.30 kg of water at 50oC in a container, the resulting
temperature is 6.7oC. Calculate the heat of fusion of ice. (Cwater = 4186 Jkg-1 K-1)
5. Calculate the heat required to convert 3 kg of ice at -12o C kept in a calorimeter to steam at 100oC at
atmospheric pressure. Given specific heat capacity of ice = 2100 J kg-1 K-1, specific heat capacity of
water = 4186 J kg-1 K-1, latent heat of fusion of ice = 3.35  105 J kg-1 and latent heat of steam = 2.256
 106 J kg-1.
6. A metal cylinder of length 0.628 m having diameter 0.04 m has one end in boiling water at 100oC and
other end in melting ice. Calculate the amount of ice melted in one hour. Given thermal conductivity of
metal cylinder is 378 Wm-1K-1. Latent heat of fusion of ice = 3.36  105 J kg-1
7. The lower surface of a cubical slab of stone of side 0.1 m is exposed to steam at 373 K and thick layer
of ice covers the upper surface and the other faces are covered by non-conducting material. If in 40
minutes 0.15 kg of ice melts then find the thermal conductivity for the stone. (Give latent heat of ice =
336  103 Jkg-1)
8. A thermocole ice box is a cheap and efficient method for storing small quantities of cooked food in
summer in particular. A cubical icebox of side 30 cm has a thickness of 5.0 cm. If 4.0 kg of ice is put
in the box, estimate the amount of ice remaining after 6 hour. The outside temperature is 45 oC, and
coefficient of thermal conductivity of thermocole is 0.01 Wm–1K–1.
[Heat of fusion of ice = 335 kJkg–1]
9. A man is inside a room where the air temperature is 20oC. If his body temperature is 28oC, find the rate
at which his body loses heat. Assume that the surface of the skin is 2m2 and emissivity of the skin is
0.97. (Stefan’s constant = 5.67  10-8 Wm-2 K-4)

Chapter 15: Waves

1. Progressive wave is represented by equation y = 0.002 sin (20x – 7t), where x, y are in metre and t is in
second. Find (a) period (b) frequency (c) Wavelength and (d) Wave velocity of progressive wave.
2. Progressive wave is represented by equation y = 2sin(40t – 2x), where x, y are in metre and t is in
second. Find (a) frequency (b) Wavelength and (c) Wave velocity of progressive wave
3. A wave travelling along a string is described by, y (x, t) = 0.005 sin (80.0 x – 3.0 t), in which the
numerical constants are in SI units. Calculate (a) amplitude (b) wavelength (c) period (d) frequency of
the wave. Also, calculate the displacement y of the wave at a distance x = 30.0 cm and time t = 20 s?
4. A police man blows a whistle of frequency 300 Hz as a car speeds past him with a velocity of 36
kmph. Find the change in the frequency as heard by the driver of the car just as he passes the police
man.
5. A train standing at the outer signal of a railway station blows a whistle of frequency 400 Hz in still air.
(i) What is the frequency of whistle for a platform observer when the train (a) approaches the platform
 with speed of 10 ms-1 (b) recedes from the platform with the speed of 10 ms -1. ii) What is the speed of
the sound in each case? [The speed of sound in still air = 340 ms-1]
6. A train moving at a speed of 30 ms-1 approaches a station and sounds a horn of frequency 500 Hz.
What is the apparent frequency of the horn as heard by a man on the platform as the train approaches
him. Calculate the change in frequency as heard by the man. Speed of sound = 340 ms-1 [2018]
7. Two pipes of same diameter, one closed at one end and other open at both the ends are 0.75 m and
1.56 m long when sounded together 17 beats are heard in 4s. Calculate their frequencies. [2013]
8. A steel rod 100 cm long is clamped at its middle. The fundamental frequency of longitudinal
vibrations of the rod is given to be 2.53kHz. What is the speed of sound in steel? [2016]