CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2023-24
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) prescribes the CBSE Class 12 syllabus every year for the students who are going to take the exams. The CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2023-24 has been published at the official website www.cbseacademic.nic.in. As per the official syllabus pdf, the CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2023-24 consists of a total of 9 units and 14 chapters. The theory part carries 70 marks while the evaluation scheme part carries 30 marks. Students of the science stream are advised to go through the CBSE 12 Physics Syllabus 2023-24 as detailed below to learn the basic concepts of physics from the NCERT textbooks. Questions in competitive exams such as JEE Main, JEE Advanced, BITSAT, and NEET, etc are also asked from the CBSE Syllabus.
Physics Class 12 Syllabus 2023-24
The CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2023-24 has been divided into 9 units which comprise 14 chapters in total. The Physics Class 12 Syllabus 2023-24 serves as a blueprint as it helps the students know the weightage of marks each chapter carries which will help them divide their time accordingly. The theory part is of 70 marks and the units along with the respective chapters have been detailed below-
| Units | Chapters | Marks |
| Unit–I: Electrostatics | Chapter–1: Electric Charges and Fields | 16 |
| Chapter–2: Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | ||
| Unit-II: Current Electricity | Chapter–3: Current Electricity | |
| Unit-III: Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism | Chapter–4: Moving Charges and Magnetism | 17 |
| Chapter–5: Magnetism and Matter | ||
| Unit-IV: Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents | Chapter–6: Electromagnetic Induction | |
| Chapter–7: Alternating Current | ||
| Unit–V: Electromagnetic Waves | Chapter–8: Electromagnetic Waves | 18 |
| Unit–VI: Optics | Chapter–9: Ray Optics and Optical Instruments | |
| Chapter–10: Wave Optics | ||
| Unit–VII: Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter | Chapter–11: Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter | 12 |
| Unit–VIII: Atoms and Nuclei | Chapter–12: Atoms | |
| Chapter–13: Nuclei | ||
| Unit–IX: Electronic Devices | Chapter–14: Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits | 7 |
| Total | 70 | |
CBSE 12th Physics Syllabus 2023-24 (Chapter-wise)
The important topics from all the units and chapters have been detailed below for the reference of the students. CBSE 12th Physics Syllabus 2023-24 plays a very important role in the academic career of the students of class 12th as it gives an idea about the topics to be covered to excel in the exams. Scroll through the page to know all the topics mentioned in the CBSE Class 12 Syllabus 2023-24 for Physics.
Chapter–1 (Electric Charges and Fields)
Chapter–1: Electric Charges and Fields
- Electric charges
- Conservation of charge
- Coulomb’s law force between two-point charges
- Forces between multiple charges; superposition principle and continuous charge distribution.
- Electric field, electric field due to a point charge, electric field lines, electric dipole, electric field due to a dipole, torque on a dipole in a uniform electric field.
- Electric flux
- Statement of Gauss’s theorem and its applications to find field due to infinitely long straight wire, uniformly charged infinite plane sheet and uniformly charged thin spherical shell (field inside and outside).
Chapter 2 (Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance)
Chapter–2: Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance
- Electric potential, potential difference, electric potential due to a point charge, a dipole and system of charges;
- Equipotential surfaces, electrical potential energy of a system of two-point charges and of electric dipole in an electrostatic field.
- Conductors and insulators, free charges and bound charges inside a conductor.
- Dielectrics and electric polarization.
- Capacitors and capacitance.
- Combination of capacitors in series and in parallel.
- Capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor with and without dielectric medium between the plates, energy stored in a capacitor (no derivation, formulae only).
Chapter 3 (Current Electricity)
Chapter-3: Current Electricity
- Electric current, flow of electric charges in a metallic conductor,
- Drift velocity, mobility and their relation with electric current
- Ohm’s law
- V-I characteristics (linear and non-linear)
- Electrical energy and power
- Electrical resistivity and conductivity, temperature dependence of resistance.
- Internal resistance of a cell, potential difference and emf of a cell, combination of cells in series and in parallel
- Kirchhoff’s rules
- Wheatstone bridge.
Chapter 4 (Moving Charges and Magnetism)
Chapter-4: Moving Charges and Magnetism
- Concept of magnetic field, Oersted’s experiment
- Biot – Savart law and its application to the current carrying circular loop.
- Ampere’s law and its applications to infinitely long straight wire.
- Straight solenoid (only qualitative treatment), force on a moving charge in uniform magnetic and electric fields.
- Force on a current-carrying conductor in a uniform magnetic field, the force between two parallel current-carrying conductors.
- Definition of ampere, torque experienced by a current loop in a uniform magnetic field.
- Current loop as a magnetic dipole and its magnetic dipole moment, moving coil galvanometer its current sensitivity and conversion to ammeter and voltmeter.
Chapter 5 (Magnetism and Matter)
Chapter-5: Magnetism and Matter
- Bar magnet, bar magnet as an equivalent solenoid (qualitative treatment only),
- Magnetic field intensity due to a magnetic dipole (bar magnet) along its axis and perpendicular to its axis (qualitative treatment only),
- Torque on a magnetic dipole (bar magnet) in a uniform magnetic field (qualitative treatment only),
- Magnetic field lines.
- Magnetic properties of materials- Para-, dia- and ferromagnetic substances with examples,
- Magnetization of materials, effect of temperature on magnetic properties.
Chapter 6 (Electromagnetic Induction)
Chapter-6: Electromagnetic Induction
- Electromagnetic induction
- Faraday’s laws, induced EMF and current
- Lenz’s Law
- Self and mutual induction.
Chapter 7 (Alternating Current)
Chapter-7: Alternating Current
- Alternating currents, peak and RMS value of alternating current/voltage;
- Reactance and impedance
- LCR series circuit (phasors only), resonance, power in AC circuits, power factor, watt less current.
- AC generator
- Transformer.
Chapter 8 (Electromagnetic Waves)
Chapter-8: Electromagnetic Waves
- Basic idea of displacement current, Electromagnetic waves, their characteristics, their transverse nature (qualitative idea only).
- Electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays) including elementary facts about their uses.
Chapter–9 (Ray Optics and Optical Instruments)
Chapter–9: Ray Optics and Optical Instruments
- Ray Optics: Reflection of light, spherical mirrors, mirror formula, refraction of light, total internal reflection and optical fibers, refraction at spherical surfaces, lenses, thin lens formula, lens maker’s formula, magnification, power of a lens, combination of thin lenses in contact, refraction of light through a prism.
- Optical instruments: Microscopes and astronomical telescopes (reflecting and refracting) and their magnifying powers.
Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2023-24- Chapter-10 (Wave Optics)
Chapter-10: Wave Optics
- Wave optics: Wave front and Huygens principle, reflection and refraction of plane wave at a plane surface using wave fronts.
- Proof of laws of reflection and refraction using Huygens principle. Interference.
- Young’s double slit experiment and expression for fringe width (No derivation final expression only), coherent sources and sustained interference of light, diffraction due to a single slit, and width of central maxima (qualitative treatment only).
Chapter 11- (Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter)
Chapter-11: Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
- Dual nature of radiation.
- Photoelectric effect.
- Hertz and Lenard’s observations.
- Einstein’s photoelectric equation-particle nature of light.
- Experimental study of photoelectric effect.
- Matter waves-wave nature of particles, de-Broglie relation.
Chapter 12- (Atoms)
Chapter-12: Atoms
- Alpha-particle scattering experiment.
- Rutherford’s model of atom.
- Bohr model of hydrogen atom.
- Expression for radius of nth possible orbit, velocity and energy of electron in his orbit, of hydrogen line spectra (qualitative treatment only).
Chapter 13 ( Nuclei)
Chapter-13: Nuclei
- Composition and size of nucleus, nuclear force Mass-energy relation, mass defect.
- Binding energy per nucleon and its variation with mass number.
- Nuclear fission.
- Nuclear fusion.
Chapter 14 (Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits)
Chapter-14: Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits
- Energy bands in conductors
- Semiconductors and insulators (qualitative ideas only)
- Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors- p and n type, p-n junction
- Semiconductor diode – I-V characteristics in forward
- Reverse bias application of junction diode -diode as a rectifier.
CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2023-34 PDF Download Link
CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2023-24 for Practical
Class 12th Physics Practical Evaluation Scheme: The evaluation scheme consists of the following sections, Two experiments one from each section, Practical record [experiments and activities], One activity from any section, Investigatory Projects and Viva on experiments and activities. Marks are allotted to each section separately. All the sections combined consist of 30 marks. Break up of marks for each section given below in table-
| Class 12th Physics Practical Evaluation Scheme | |
| Particulars | Marks |
| Two experiments one from each section | 7+7 Marks |
| Practical record [experiments and activities] | 5 Marks |
| One activity from any section | 3 Marks |
| Investigatory Project | 3 Marks |
| Viva on experiments and activities | 5 Marks |
| Total | 30 Marks |
Section A
| S.No. | Experiments: |
| 1. | To determine resistivity of two / three wires by plotting a graph for potential difference versus current. |
| 2. | To find resistance of a given wire / standard resistor using meter bridge. |
| 3. | To verify the laws of combination (series) of resistances using a meter bridge. OR To verify the laws of combination (parallel) of resistances using a meter bridge. |
| 4. | To determine resistance of a galvanometer by half-deflection method and to find its figure of merit. |
| 5. | To convert the given galvanometer (of known resistance and figure of merit) into a voltmeter of desired range and to verify the same. OR To convert the given galvanometer (of known resistance and figure of merit) into an ammeter of desired range and to verify the same. |
| 6. | To find the frequency of AC mains with a sonometer. |
| S.No. | Activities: |
| 1. | To measure the resistance and impedance of an inductor with or without iron core. |
| 2. | To measure resistance, voltage (AC/DC), current (AC) and check continuity of a given circuit using multimeter. |
| 3. | To assemble a household circuit comprising three bulbs, three (on/off) switches, a fuse and a power source. |
| 4. | To assemble the components of a given electrical circuit. |
| 5. | To study the variation in potential drop with length of a wire for a steady current. |
| 6. | To draw the diagram of a given open circuit comprising at least a battery, resistor/rheostat, key, ammeter and voltmeter. Mark the components that are not connected in proper order and correct the circuit and also the circuit diagram. |
SECTION-B
| S.No. | Experiments |
| 1. | To find the value of v for different values of u in case of a concave mirror and to find the focal length. |
| 2. | To find the focal length of a convex mirror, using a convex lens. |
| 3. | To find the focal length of a convex lens by plotting graphs between u and v or between 1/u and 1/v. |
| 4. | To find the focal length of a concave lens, using a convex lens. |
| 5. | To determine angle of minimum deviation for a given prism by plotting a graph between angle of incidence and angle of deviation. |
| 6. | To determine refractive index of a glass slab using a travelling microscope. |
| 7. | To find the refractive index of a liquid using convex lens and plane mirror. |
| 8. | To find the refractive index of a liquid using a concave mirror and a plane mirror. |
| 9. | To draw the I-V characteristic curve for a p-n junction diode in forward and reverse bias. |
| S.No. | Activities |
| 1. | To identify a diode, an LED, a resistor and a capacitor from a mixed collection of such items. |
| 2. | Use of multimeter to see the unidirectional flow of current in case of a diode and an LED and check whether a given electronic component (e.g., diode) is in working order. |
| 3. | To study effect of intensity of light (by varying distance of the source) on an LDR. |
| 4. | To observe refraction and lateral deviation of a beam of light incident obliquely on a glass slab. |
| 5. | To observe diffraction of light due to a thin slit. |
| 6. | To study the nature and size of the image formed by a (i) convex lens, or (ii) concave mirror, on a screen by using a candle and a screen (for different distances of the candle from the lens/mirror). |
| 7. | To obtain a lens combination with the specified focal length by using two lenses from the given set of lenses. |
| S.No. | Investigatory Projects |
| 1. | To study various factors on which the internal resistance/EMF of a cell depends. |
| 2. | To study the variations in current flowing in a circuit containing an LDR because of a variation in (a) the power of the incandescent lamp, used to ‘illuminate’ the LDR (keeping all the lamps at a fixed distance). (b) the distance of a incandescent lamp (of fixed power) used to ‘illuminate’ the LDR. |
| 3. | To find the refractive indices of (a) water (b) oil (transparent) using a plane mirror, an equiconvex lens (made from a glass of known refractive index) and an adjustable object needle. |
| 4. | To investigate the relation between the ratio of (i) output and input voltage and (ii) number of turns in the secondary coil and primary coil of a self-designed transformer. |
| 5. | To investigate the dependence of the angle of deviation on the angle of incidence using a hollow prism filled one by one, with different transparent fluids. |
| 6. | To estimate the charge induced on each one of the two identical Styrofoam (or pith) balls suspended in a vertical plane by making use of Coulomb’s law. |
| 7. | To study the factor on which the self-inductance of a coil depends by observing the effect of this coil, when put in series with a resistor/(bulb) in a circuit fed up by an A.C. source of adjustable frequency. |
| 8. | To study the earth’s magnetic field using a compass needle-bar magnet by plotting magnetic field lines and tangent galvanometer. |
How to complete the CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2023-24?
Students must go through the entire CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2023-24 and sort the chapters based on the difficulty level. Prepare a monthly plan and divide the units according to that plan. For example- you can choose a unit according to your convenience. Complete the first reading of a chapter from the chosen unit. If you find any difficulty in any topic then take help to your teacher or you can search that topic on the internet. Likewise, complete all the chapters and revise them periodically. That’s how you can retain all the units for a longer duration by multiple revisions. Repeat this process for all the units.
How to Develop Interest in Class 12 Physics?
Most of the students find physics difficult. They failed to solve numerical problems and failed to remember derivations. Here are some tips listed below follow them and make physics interesting.
- Start with basics, yes you have heard it right. If you want to understand what is the gravitational force, first learn what is force.
- Imagine and relate concepts with your daily life.
- Understand derivation step by step, don’t mug up.
- Start with easy numerical then gradually increase their level. If it is not working for you then thoroughly read the topic of that numerical and start practicing.
- Last but not least, physics is all about concepts don’t try to mug up them, try to understand them. Practice questions as much as you can it will boost your confidence.
How to increase sitting to complete CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus
You can increase sitting gradually, it’s not a one-day process. Take baby steps i.e. the first day sit for 2 hours and don’t involve yourself in these two hours anywhere except studies. Break these 2 hours into 4 slots. Each slot consists of 30 minutes. study with full focus in these 30 minutes and complete all the chunks likewise. Then second or third day increase an hour. This process will make you consistent and studies will become a habit. That’s how you can increase these hours as per your need and increase your sitting.