Physics Grade XII
About This Course
Physics in Grade XII builds directly on the foundation laid in Grade XI and pushes into deeper, more mathematical territory — rotational mechanics, thermodynamics, wave optics, electromagnetism, and modern physics. This is also the core content tested in engineering entrance exams like IOE and CEE, and medical entrance exams like MBBS/BDS preparation tracks, so time spent understanding these chapters properly pays off twice.
Course Structure: Five Major Units
Mechanics
Extends linear motion from Grade XI into rotational systems — torque, angular momentum, moment of inertia — then covers simple harmonic motion and closes with fluid statics: pressure, buoyancy, surface tension, and viscosity.
Heat and Thermodynamics
Two core principles: the First Law covers internal energy, work, and heat exchange across thermodynamic processes; the Second Law explains why heat doesn’t flow backward on its own, introducing entropy, heat engines, and refrigerators.
Wave and Optics
The largest unit in the syllabus — wave properties, resonance in pipes and strings, acoustic phenomena like beats and the Doppler effect, then the classic wave-optics topics: interference, diffraction, and polarization.
Electricity and Magnetism
Moves from circuits to fields — Kirchhoff’s laws, the Seebeck/Peltier/Thomson effects, magnetic fields and materials, closing with electromagnetic induction and alternating current: how generators, transformers, and AC circuits actually work.
Modern Physics
The physics that shaped the 20th century — the photoelectric effect, semiconductor devices, early quantum theory, nuclear decay and half-life, closing with a conceptual look at superconductivity, nanotechnology, and astrophysics.
How to Study This Course Effectively
Read the notes first. Get the concept in plain language before touching a formula sheet.
Watch the lecture for anything unclear. Use it to fill the specific gap, not as a substitute for reading.
Solve the numericals immediately. NEB papers are roughly half numerical — understanding without practice still loses marks.
Run the chapter MCQs as a self-check. Catch weak spots before moving to the next chapter, not before the exam.
Revisit past board questions per chapter. NEB reuses question patterns across years, especially for derivations.
Why Choose NN Education
Notes in plain language
Structured, student-friendly material written the way a teacher would say it, not the way a textbook prints it.
Numericals, not just theory
Step-by-step solved numericals for every chapter, alongside video lectures and practice questions.
Continuously updated
Notes, solved numericals, and MCQ sets are updated regularly to help improve academic performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chapters are in the NEB Grade XII Physics syllabus?
25 chapters across five units: Mechanics, Heat and Thermodynamics, Wave and Optics, Electricity and Magnetism, and Modern Physics.
Which unit carries the most weight in the board exam?
Wave and Optics is the largest unit by chapter count and typically carries substantial weight, but Electricity and Magnetism and Modern Physics are also heavily tested, particularly in the numerical and short-answer sections.
Is this useful for engineering and medical entrance exams?
Yes — rotational dynamics, electromagnetism, optics and modern physics form a large part of the syllabus for IOE, CEE and MBBS/BDS preparation, so a solid understanding here directly supports entrance exam prep.
What’s the best way to balance theory and numerical practice?
Read the conceptual notes first, watch the video lecture for anything unclear, then immediately attempt the numericals for that chapter before moving on. Leaving numericals until just before exams tends to cause more difficulty than spacing them out chapter by chapter.
Do all chapters carry equal importance?
No. Chapters such as Electromagnetic Induction, Alternating Currents, and Photons are historically high-yield in board exams, while others are more conceptual and lighter in numerical weight. Reviewing past papers per chapter is the most reliable way to gauge this.
PDF of exam prep guide
Most expected NEB questions. Step-by-step answers. Prepare with confidence. Preview available samples, then unlock complete resources with NN Premium.
Physics XII Most Expected Questions & Solutions for NEB 2084
Free Vs NN Premium
Compare your access at a glance. One Premium subscription brings the available PDFs, courses and mock tests together.
Free
Explore selected resources
- Sample pages of expected-question PDFs
- Limited chapters from courses
- Selected notes
- Limited question bank questions
- Limited MCQ sets
- One entrance mock set
- Selected Exam Prep files
- No new Premium content updates
NN Premium
Your complete preparation toolkit
- All expected-question PDFs with answers
- Every chapter in all courses
- Complete notes for every chapter
- Full question banks
- All MCQs with explanations
- All entrance mock tests
- Exam Prep numerical solutions for every chapter
- All future Premium content included
Course Roadmap
25 chapters · Learn in order or jump to any available chapter.
Equation of angular motion, Relation between linear and angular kinematics, Kinetic energy of rotation of rigid body, Moment of inertia, Radius of gyration, Moment of inertia of a uniform rod, Torque and angular acceleration for a rigid body, Work and power in rotational motion, Angular momentum, conservation of angular momentum
Equation of simple harmonic motion (SHM), Energy in SHM, Application of SHM: vertical oscillation of mass suspended from coiled spring, Angular SHM, simple pendulum, Oscillatory motion: Damped oscillation, Forced oscillation and resonance.
Fluid statics: Pressure in a fluid; Buoyancy, Surface tension: Theory of surface tension; Surface energy, Angle of contact, capillarity and its applications, Fluid Dynamics: Newton's formula for viscosity in a liquid; Coefficient of viscosity, Poiseuille's formula and its application, Stokes law and its applications, Equation of continuity and its applications, Bernoulli's equation and its applications.
Thermodynamic systems, Work done during volume change, Heat and work; Internal energy and First law of thermodynamics, Thermodynamic processes: Adiabatic, isochoric, isothermal and isobaric, Heat capacities of an ideal gas at constant pressure and volume and relation between them, Isothermal and Adiabatic processes for an ideal gas.
Thermodynamic systems and direction of thermodynamic processes, Second law of thermodynamics, Heat engines, Internal combustion engines: Otto cycle, Diesel cycle; Carnot cycle, Refrigerator, Entropy and disorder (introduction only)
Progressive waves, Mathematical description of a wave, Stationary waves
Speed of wave motion; Velocity of sound in solid and liquid, Velocity of sound in gas, Laplace's correction, Effect of temperature, pressure, humidity on velocity of sound.
Stationary waves in closed and open pipes, Harmonics and overtones in closed and open organ pipes, End correction in pipes, Velocity of transverse waves along a stretched string, Vibration of string and overtones, Laws of vibration of fixed string.
Sound waves: Pressure amplitude, Characteristics of sound: Intensity; loudness, quality and pitch, Doppler's effect.
Huygen's principle, Reflection and Refraction according to wave theory
Phenomenon of Interferences: Coherent sources, Young's double slit experiment.
Diffraction from a single slit, Diffraction pattern of image; Diffraction grating, Resolving power of optical instruments
Phenomenon of polarization, Brewster's law; transverse nature of light, Polaroid.
Kirchhoff's law, Wheatstone bridge circuit; Meter bridge, Potentiometer: Comparison of e.m.f., measurement of internal resistances of a cell, Super conductors; Perfect conductors, Conversion of galvanometer into voltmeter and ammeter; Ohmmeter, Joule's law
Seebeck effect; Thermocouples, Peltier effect: Variation of thermoelectric e.m.f. with temperature; Thermopile
Magnetic field lines and magnetic flux; Oersted's experiment, Force on moving charge; Force on a conductor, Force and Torque on rectangular coil, Moving coil galvanometer, Hall effect, Magnetic field of a moving charge, Biot and Savert law and its application to (i) a circular coil (ii) a long straight conductor (iii) a long solenoid, Ampere's law and its applications to (i) a long straight conductor (ii) a straight solenoid (ii) a long straight conductor (iii) a long solenoid, Ampere's law and its applications to (i) a long straight conductor (ii) a straight solenoid (iii) a toroidal solenoid, Force between two parallel conductors carrying current-definition of ampere
Magnetic field lines and magnetic flux, Flux density in magnetic material; Relative permeability; Susceptibility, Hysteresis, Dia, -para- and ferro-magnetic materials.
Faraday's laws; Induced electric fields, Lenz's law, Motional electromotive force, A.C. generators; Eddy currents, Self-inductance and mutual inductance, Energy stored in an inductor, Transformer.
Peak and rms value of AC current and voltage, AC through a resistor, a capacitor and an inductor, Phasor diagram, Series circuits containing combination of resistance, capacitance and inductance, Series resonance, quality factor, Power in AC circuits: power factor
Millikan's oil drop experiment, Motion of electron beam in electric and magnetic fields, Thomson's experiment to determine specific charge of electrons
Quantum nature of radiation, Einstein's photoelectric equation; Stopping potential, Measurement of Planck's constant
P-N Junction, Semiconductor diode: Characteristics in forward and reverse bias, Full wave rectification, Logic gates; NOT, OR, AND, NAND and NOR.
Bohr's theory of hydrogen atom, Spectral series; Excitation and ionization potentials, Energy level; Emission and absorption spectra, De Broglie Theory; Duality, Uncertainty principle, X-rays: Nature and production; uses, X-rays diffraction, Bragg's law.
Alpha-particles; Beta-particles, Gamma rays, Laws of radioactive disintegration, Half-life, mean-life and decay constant, Geiger-Muller Tube, Carbon dating, Medical use of nuclear radiation and possible health hazard.
Seismology: Surface waves: Rayleigh and Love waves, Internal waves: S and P-waves, Wave patterns of Gorkha Earthquake 2015, Gravitational Wave, Nanotechnology, Higgs Boson