Syllabus and Books Recommended For IPhO

SYLLABUS.......
A. . THEORETICAL PART
1. MECHANICS
a] Foundation of kinematics of a point mass
* Note: vector description of the position of the point mass, velocity and
acceleration as vectors
b] Newton's laws, inertial systems
* Note: problems may be set on changing mass
c] Closed and open systems, momentum and energy, work, power
d] Conservation of energy, conservation of linear momentum, impulse
e] Elastic forces, frictional forces, the law of gravitation, potential energy and
work in a gravitational field
* Note: Hooke's law, coefficient of friction (F/R=const), frictional forces

static and kinetic, choice of zero of potential energy
f] Centripetal acceleration, Kepler's laws
2] MECHANICS OF RIGID BODIES
a] Statics, center of mass, torque
* Note: couples, conditions of equilibrium of bodies
b] Motion of rigid bodies, translation, rotation, angular velocity, angular

acceleration, conservation of angular momentum
* Note: conservation of angular momentum about fixed axis only
c] External and internal forces, equation of motion of a rigid body around the
fixed axis, moment of inertia, kinetic energy of a rotating body
* Note: parallel axes theorem (Steiner's theorem), additivity of the moment

of inertia
d] Accelerated reference systems, inertial forces
* Note: knowledge of the Coriolis force formula is not required
3] HYDROMECHANICS
No specific questions will be set on this but students would be expected to

know the elementary concepts of pressure, buoyancy and the continuity law.
4] THERMODYNAMICS AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
a] Internal energy, work and heat, first and second laws of thermodynamics
* Note: thermal equilibrium, quantities depending on state and quantities

depending on process
b] Model of a perfect gas, pressure and molecular kinetic energy, Avogadro's

number, equation of state of a perfect gas, absolute temperature
* Note: also molecular approach to such simple phenomena in liquids and

solids as boiling, melting etc.
c] Work done by an expanding gas limited to isothermal and adiabatic

processes
* Note: proof of the equation of the adiabatic process is not required
d] The Carnot cycle, thermodynamic efficiency, reversible and irreversible

processes, entropy (statistical approach), Boltzmann factor
* Note: entropy as a path independent function, entropy changes and

reversibility, quasistatic processes
5] OSCILLATIONS AND WAVES
a] Harmonic oscillations, equation of harmonic oscillation
* Note: solution of the equation for harmonic motion, attenuation and

resonance - qualitatively
b] Harmonic waves, propagation of waves, transverse and longitudinal

waves, linear polarization, the classical Doppler effect, sound waves
* Note: displacement in a progressive wave and understanding of graphical

representation of the wave, measurements of velocity of sound and light,
Doppler effect in one dimension only, propagation of waves in homogeneous
and isotropic media, reflection and refraction, Fermat's principle
c] Superposition of harmonic waves, coherent waves, interference, beats,

standing waves
* Note: realization that intensity of wave is proportional to the square of its

amplitude. Fourier analysis is not required but candidates should have some
understanding that complex waves can be made from addition of simple
sinusoidal waves of different frequencies. Interference due to thin films and
other simple systems (final formulas are not required), superposition of
waves from secondary sources (diffraction)
6] ELECTRIC CHARGE AND ELECTRIC FIELD
a] Conservation of charge, Coulomb's law
b] Electric field, potential, Gauss' law
* Note: Gauss' law confined to simple symmetric systems like

sphere,cylinder, plate etc., electric dipole moment
c] Capacitors, capacitance, dielectric constant, energy density of electric field
7] CURRENT AND MAGNETIC FIELD
a] Current, resistance, internal resistance of source, Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's

laws, work and power of direct and alternating currents, Joule's law
* Note: simple cases of circuits containing non-ohmic devices with known VI characteristics
b] Magnetic field (B) of a current, current in a magnetic field, Lorentz force
* Note: particles in a magnetic field, simple applications like cyclotron,

magnetic dipole moment
c] Ampere's law
d] Law of electromagnetic induction, magnetic flux, Lenz's law, selfinduction, inductance, permeability, energy density of magnetic field
* Note: magnetic field of simple symmetric systems like straight wire,

circular loop and long solenoid
e] Alternating current, resistors, inductors and capacitors in AC-circuits,

voltage and current (parallel and series) resonances
* Note: simple AC-circuits, time constants, final formulae for parameters of

concrete resonance circuits are not require
8] ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
a] Oscillatory circuit, frequency of oscillations, generation by feedback and

resonance
b] Wave optics, diffraction from one and two slits, diffraction grating,
resolving power of a grating, Bragg reflection
c] Dispersion and diffraction spectra, line spectra of gases
d] Electromagnetic waves as transverse waves, polarization by reflection,

polarizers
* Note: superposition of polarized waves
e] Resolving power of imaging systems
f] Black body, Stefan-Boltzmanns law
* Note: Planck's formula is not required
9] QUANTUM PHYSICS
a] Photoelectric effect, energy and impulse of the photon
* Note: Einstein's formula is required
b] De Broglie wavelength, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
10] RELATIVITY
a] Principle of relativity, addition of velocities, relativistic Doppler effect
b] Relativistic equation of motion, momentum, energy, relation between

energy and mass, conservation of energy and momentum
11] MATTER
a] Simple applications of the Bragg equation
b] Energy levels of atoms and molecules (qualitatively), emission,

absorption, spectrum of hydrogenlike atoms
c] Energy levels of nuclei (qualitatively), alpha-, beta- and gamma-decays,

absorption of radiation, halflife and exponential decay, components of nuclei,
mass defect, nuclear reactions.
B. PRACTICAL PART
The Theoretical Part of the Syllabus provides the basis for all the
experimental problems. The experimental problems given in the
experimental contest should contain measurements.
Additional requirements:
1] Candidates must be aware that instruments affect measurements.
2] Knowledge of the most common experimental techniques for measuring

physical quantities mentioned in Part A.
3] Knowledge of commonly used simple laboratory instruments and devices

such as calipers, thermometers, simple volt-, ohm- and ammeters,
potentiometers, diodes, transistors, simple optical devices and so on.
4] Ability to use, with the help of proper instruction, some sophisticated

instruments and devices such as double-beam oscilloscope, counter,
ratemeter, signal and function generators, analog-to-digital converter
connected to a computer, amplifier, integrator, differentiator, power supply,
universal (analog and digital) volt-, ohm- and ammeters.
5] Proper identification of error sources and estimation of their influence on

the final result(s).
6]Absolute and relative errors, accuracy of measuring instruments, error of a

single measurement, error of a series of measurements, error of a quantity
given as a function of measured quantities.
7] Transformation of a dependence to the linear form by appropriate choice

of variables and fitting a straight line to experimental points.
8] Proper use of the graph paper with different scales (for example polar and
logarithmic papers).
9] Correct rounding off and expressing the final result(s) and error(s) with
correct number of significant digits.
10] Standard knowledge of safety in laboratory work. (Nevertheless, if the

experimental set-up contains any safety hazards the appropriate warnings
should be included into the text of the problem.)
Please note:
The syllabus for National Standard Examination in Physics (NSEP) is

broadly equivalent to the senior secondary level (Class XI and Class XII)
of CBSE Physics. This is only a rough guideline, and there is no detailed
syllabus given for NSEP.
The syllabus for Indian National Physics Olympiad (INPhO) is broadly
similar to NSEP but the difficulty level of the questions will be higher.
Questions and problems in National Olympiads are usually nonconventional and of high difficulty level, comparable to International
Olympiads.
BOOKs
Indian National Physics Olympiad - Theory Problems and Solutions (2006 - 2009),
Prof. Vijay A. Singh and Mr. Praveen Pathak.
Price Rs. 90/- (Purchase in person from HBCSE) or by sending a Demand Draft of Rs. 140/The Demand Draft includes postage charges for registered parcel and should be in favor of
Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education,
payable at Mumbai
and sent to:
HBCSE Publications Section,
Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (TIFR),
V. N. Purav Marg, Mankhurd, Mumbai 400 088.
Sr.
No.
Book
Author
Publications
1]
Physics (I &II)
Robert Resnick,
David Halliday.
Wiley Eastern
Private
Limited(New
Delhi).
2]
University Physics
Hugh Young, Mark

Zemansky, Fransis
Sears.
Narosa Publishing
House(New Delhi,
Madras).
Physics- A Textbook for Senior Secondary Class

(Class XI)- Part I & II
National Council of
Educational Research
and Training
(NCERT), New
Delhi.
Physics- A Textbook for Senior Secondary Class

(Class XII)- Part I & II
National Council of
Educational Research
3]
4]
-----
-----
and Training
(NCERT), New
Delhi.
5]
6]
Indian National Physics Olympiad - Theory

Problems (1998 - 2005)
Training in Experimental Physics Through
Demonstrations and Problems, First Edition,
August 2009
http://www.penram.com/bookdetails.php?q=12
Prof. Vijay A. Singh,

Mr. Shirish R.
Pathare
Rajesh B. Khaparde,
H. C. Pradhan
Homi Bhabha
Centre for Science
Education,
Mumbai
Homi Bhabha
Centre for Science
Education,
Mumbai
The book number 5 above, can be purchased from

In-Charge,
HBCSE Publications Section,
Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education,
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research,
V. N. Purav Marg, Mankhurd,
Mumbai - 400088. India
Price: Rs. 60/- (for cash purchases made in person at HBCSE)
This book can also be purchased by sending a Demand Draft of Rs. 100/- (which
includes postage charges for registered parcel) in favour of Homi Bhabha Centre for
Science Education, payable at Mumbai and sent to the address above.
In the experimental component of the OCSC physics, topics like error

calculation, graph plotting have great importance. The following articles may
help you prepare these topics.
Article
Error Analysis
Graph Plotting

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SYLLABUS.......

a] Foundation of kinematics of a point mass

b] Newton's laws, inertial systems

* Note: problems may be set on changing mass

c] Closed and open systems, momentum and energy, work, power

d] Conservation of energy, conservation of linear momentum, impulse

* Note: Hooke's law, coefficient of friction (F/R=const), frictional forces

f] Centripetal acceleration, Kepler's laws

2] MECHANICS OF RIGID BODIES

a] Statics, center of mass, torque

* Note: couples, conditions of equilibrium of bodies

b] Motion of rigid bodies, translation, rotation, angular velocity, angular

* Note: conservation of angular momentum about fixed axis only

* Note: parallel axes theorem (Steiner's theorem), additivity of the moment

d] Accelerated reference systems, inertial forces

* Note: knowledge of the Coriolis force formula is not required

No specific questions will be set on this but students would be expected to

4] THERMODYNAMICS AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS

* Note: thermal equilibrium, quantities depending on state and quantities

b] Model of a perfect gas, pressure and molecular kinetic energy, Avogadro's

* Note: also molecular approach to such simple phenomena in liquids and

c] Work done by an expanding gas limited to isothermal and adiabatic

* Note: proof of the equation of the adiabatic process is not required

d] The Carnot cycle, thermodynamic efficiency, reversible and irreversible

* Note: entropy as a path independent function, entropy changes and

5] OSCILLATIONS AND WAVES

a] Harmonic oscillations, equation of harmonic oscillation

* Note: solution of the equation for harmonic motion, attenuation and

b] Harmonic waves, propagation of waves, transverse and longitudinal

* Note: displacement in a progressive wave and understanding of graphical

c] Superposition of harmonic waves, coherent waves, interference, beats,

* Note: realization that intensity of wave is proportional to the square of its

6] ELECTRIC CHARGE AND ELECTRIC FIELD

a] Conservation of charge, Coulomb's law

b] Electric field, potential, Gauss' law

* Note: Gauss' law confined to simple symmetric systems like

c] Capacitors, capacitance, dielectric constant, energy density of electric field

7] CURRENT AND MAGNETIC FIELD

a] Current, resistance, internal resistance of source, Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's

b] Magnetic field (B) of a current, current in a magnetic field, Lorentz force

* Note: particles in a magnetic field, simple applications like cyclotron,

* Note: magnetic field of simple symmetric systems like straight wire,

e] Alternating current, resistors, inductors and capacitors in AC-circuits,

* Note: simple AC-circuits, time constants, final formulae for parameters of

a] Oscillatory circuit, frequency of oscillations, generation by feedback and

c] Dispersion and diffraction spectra, line spectra of gases

d] Electromagnetic waves as transverse waves, polarization by reflection,

* Note: superposition of polarized waves

e] Resolving power of imaging systems

f] Black body, Stefan-Boltzmanns law

* Note: Planck's formula is not required

a] Photoelectric effect, energy and impulse of the photon

* Note: Einstein's formula is required

b] De Broglie wavelength, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle

a] Principle of relativity, addition of velocities, relativistic Doppler effect

b] Relativistic equation of motion, momentum, energy, relation between

a] Simple applications of the Bragg equation

b] Energy levels of atoms and molecules (qualitatively), emission,

c] Energy levels of nuclei (qualitatively), alpha-, beta- and gamma-decays,