CBSE Class 11 Physics Syllabus 2026-27

PHYSICS

Subject Code – 042

Class XI (2026-27)

Senior Secondary stage of school education is a stage of transition from general education to discipline-based focus on curriculum. The present updated syllabus keeps in view the rigor and depth of disciplinary approach as well as the comprehension level of learners. Due care has also been taken that the syllabus is comparable to the international standards. Salient features of the syllabus include:

Emphasis on basic conceptual understanding of the content.

Emphasis on use of SI units, symbols, nomenclature of physical quantities and formulations as per international standards.

Providing logical sequencing of units of the subject matter and proper placement of concepts with their linkage for better learning.

Reducing the curriculum load by eliminating overlapping of concepts/content within the discipline and other disciplines.

• Promotion of process-skills, problem-solving abilities and applications of Physics concepts.

Besides, the syllabus also attempts to

Strengthen the concepts developed at the secondary stage to provide firm foundation for further learning in the subject.

Expose the learners to different processes used in Physics-related industrial and technological applications.

Develop process-skills and experimental, observational, manipulative, decision making and investigatory skills in the learners.

Promote problem solving abilities and creative thinking in learners.

Develop conceptual competence in the learners and make them realize and appreciate the interface of Physics with other disciplines.

PHYSICS (Code No. 042) COURSE STRUCTURE Class XI - 2026-27 (Theory)

Time: 3 hrs.

Max Marks: 70

UNIT CHAPTERS MARKS

Unit-I Physical World and Measurement Chapter–1: Units and Measurements Unit-II Kinematics Chapter–2: Motion in a Straight Line 23

Chapter-3: Motion in a Plane Unit-III Laws of Motion Chapter-4: Laws of Motion Unit-IV Work, Energy and Power Chapter–5: Work, Energy and Power Unit-V Motion of System of Particles and Rigid Body 17

Unit-VI Gravitation Chapter–7: Gravitation Unit-VII Properties of Bulk Matter Chapter–8: Mechanical Properties of Solids Chapter–9: Mechanical Properties of Fluids Chapter–10: Thermal Properties of Matter Unit-VIII Thermodynamics 20

Chapter–11: Thermodynamics Unit-IX Behaviour of Perfect Gases and Kinetic Theory of Gases Chapter–12: Kinetic Theory Unit-X Oscillations and Waves Chapter-13: Oscillations 10

Chapter-14: Waves Total 70

Unit I: Physical World and Measurements

Chapter–1: Units and Measurements

Need for measurement: Units of measurement; systems of units; SI units, fundamental and derived units. significant figures, Determining the uncertainty in result. Dimensions of physical quantities, dimensional analysis and its applications.

Unit II: Kinematics

Chapter-2: Motion in a Straight Line

Frame of reference, Motion in a straight line, Elementary concepts of differentiation and integration for describing motion, uniform and non-uniform motion, average speed and average velocity and instantaneous velocity, uniformly accelerated motion, velocity - time and position-time graphs. Relations for uniformly accelerated motion (graphical and calculus treatment).

Chapter—3: Motion in a Plane

Scalar and vector quantities; position and displacement vectors, general vectors and their notations; equality of vectors, multiplication of vectors by a real number; addition and subtraction of vectors, Unit vector; resolution of a vector in a plane, rectangular components, Scalar and Vector product of vectors.

Motion in a plane, cases of uniform velocity and uniform acceleration- projectile motion, uniform circular motion.

Unit III: Laws of Motion

Chapter–4: Laws of Motion

Intuitive concept of force, Inertia, Newton's first law of motion; momentum and Newton's second law of motion; impulse; Newton's third law of motion.

Law of conservation of linear momentum and its applications.

Equilibrium of concurrent forces, Static and kinetic friction, laws of friction, rolling friction, lubrication.

Dynamics of uniform circular motion: Centripetal force, examples of circular motion (vehicle on a level circular road, vehicle on a banked road).

<u>Unit IV:</u> Work, Energy and Power

Chapter– 5: Work, Energy and Power

Work done by a constant force and a variable force; kinetic energy, work- energy theorem, power.

Notion of potential energy, potential energy of a spring, conservative forces: non-conservative forces, motion in a vertical circle; elastic and inelastic collisions in one and two dimensions.

Unit V: Motion of System of Particles and Rigid Body

Chapter–6: System of Particles and Rotational Motion

Centre of mass of a two-particle system, momentum conservation and Centre of mass motion. Centre of mass of a rigid body; centre of mass of a uniform rod. Moment of a force, torque, angular momentum, law of conservation of angular momentum and its applications.

Equilibrium of rigid bodies, rigid body rotation and equations of rotational motion, comparison of linear and rotational motions.

Moment of inertia, radius of gyration, values of moments of inertia for simple geometrical objects (no derivation).

Unit VI: Gravitation

Chapter – 7: Gravitation

Kepler's laws of planetary motion, universal law of gravitation. Acceleration due to gravity and its variation with altitude and depth.

Gravitational potential energy and gravitational potential, escape speed, orbital velocity of a satellite, energy of an orbiting satellite.

Unit VII: Properties of Bulk Matter

Chapter–8: Mechanical Properties of Solids

Elasticity, Stress-strain relationship, Hooke's law, Young's modulus, bulk modulus, shear modulus of rigidity (qualitative idea only), Poisson's ratio; elastic energy. Application of elastic behavior of materials (qualitative idea only).