FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. ELECTRIC CHARGES AND FIELDS

Q. Mention the basic properties of charges.
Q. State and explain Coulomb's law in electrostatics.
Q. Define coulomb (or unit charge).
Derive the expression for electric field at a point on the axial line of an electric
dipole.
Q. Derive the expression for electric field at a point on the equatorial line of an
electric dipole.
Q. What is an electric dipole? Obtain the expression for the torque acting on an
electric dipole in a uniform electric field.
Q. Write any two properties of electric field lines.
Q. State Gauss's law in electrostatics. Derive the expression for electric field at
any point due to a charged spherical conductor (shell) using Gauss' theorem.
Q. Derive the expression for electric field at a point due to an infinitely long
straight uniformly charged thin wire using Gauss' theorem.
2. ELECTROSTATIC POTENTIAL AND CAPACITANCE
Q. Derive the expression for electric potential at a point due to an isolated point
charge.
Q. Derive the relation between electric field and electric potential due to a point
charge.
Q. Derive the expression for potential energy of a system of two charges in the
absence of external electric field
Q. Derive the expression for capacitance of a parallel plate air capacitor.
Q. Derive an expression for the effective capacitance of two capacitors
connected in (i) series and (il) parallel.
Q. Derive the expression for energy stored in a charged capacitor.
3. CURRENT ELECTRICITY
Q. Define drift velocity of electrons. Derive the expression for drift velocity of free
electrons in a conductor. •
Q. Define mobility of free electron. Mention its St unit.
Q. State and explain Ohm's law.
Q. Mention two limitations of Ohm's law.
Q. Derive the expression for electrical conductivity of a material in terms of
relaxation time, by assuming the expression for drift velocity.
Q. What is an equivalent resistance? Obtain the expression for the equivalent
resistance of two resistors connected in (i) series and (il) parallel.
Q. Define 'internal resistance' and 'emf of a cell.
Q. Derive the expressions for equivalent emf and equivalent internal resistance,
when two different cells are connected in (i) series and (ii) parallel.
Q. State and explain Kirchhoff's rules for electrical network.
Q. Obtain the bridge balanced condition of Whetstone's bridge network by using
Kirchhoff's rules.
4. MOVING CHARGES AND MAGNETISM
Q. Mention the expression for force experienced by a charged particle moving in
uniform magnetic field and explain the terms.
Q. When does the force experienced by a charged particle moving in a magnetic
field becomes (i) minimum (il) maximum?
Q. What is Lorentz force? Mention the expression for it.
Q. Obtain the expression for radius of circular path traversed by à charge in a
uniform magnetic field.
Q. State and explain Biot-Savart's law.
Q. Derive the expression for the magnetic field at a point on the axis of a circular
current loop.
Q. State and explain Ampere's circuital law.
Q. Derive the expression for force acting between two parallel current carrying
conductors. Hence define 'ampere'.
Q. What is the nature of the force between two long straight parallel conductors
carrying currents in the (i) same direction? (ii) opposite direction?
Q. Derive an expression for magnetic dipole moment of a revolving electron in a
hydrogen atom.
Q. Explain with a circuit diagram how a galvanometer can be converted into (i) a
voltmeter and (ii) an ammeter.

5. MAGNETISM AND MATTER

Q. Write any three properties of magnetic field lines.
Q. State and explain Gauss law in magnetism.
Q. Define the terms: (i) Magnetic declination and (ii) Magnetic inclination.
Q. Define magnetisation of a sample. Write its SI unit.
Q. Write three distinguishing properties of diamagnetic and paramagnetic
materials.
Q. Write any three properties of ferromagnetic materials.
6. ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION
Q. Explain briefly the coil-magnet experiment to demonstrate electromagnetic
induction.
Q. State and explain Lenz's law for induced emf Mention the significance of
Lenz's law.
Q. What is motional emf? Derive the expression for motional emf induced in a
conductor moving in a uniform magnetic field.
Q. What are eddy currents? Write any three applications of eddy currents.
Q. Derive the expression for energy stored in the cell (or solenoid) carrying
current.
7. AC CURRENT
Q. Derive an expression for instantaneous induced emf in an AC generator.
Q. Derive the expression for resonant frequency of series LCR circuit.
Q. Distinguish between inductive reactance and capacitive reactance.
Q. What is the power factor of an AC circuit containing (i) pure capacitor and (ii)
pure resistor?
Q. Mention the sources of energy losses in a transformer.
Q. What is displacement current? Write the expression for displacement current.
8. ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
Q. What are electromagnetic waves? Who predicted the existence of
electromagnetic waves?
Q. Write the expression for speed of electromagnetic wave in vacuum in terms of
permeability of free space and permittivity of free space.
Q. State any two characteristics of electromagnetic waves.
Q. Write any two applications of (i) X-rays, (ii) Infrared radiations, (iii) Microwaves
and (iv) Ultraviolet radiations.
9. RAY OPTICS AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS
Q. Arrive at the relation f=R/2 in the case of concave mirror.
Q. What is refraction of light? State the laws of refraction of light
Q. What is total internal reflection? Mention the conditions for TIR.
Q. Mention three applications of total internal reflection of light.
Q. Define critical angle for TIR.
Q. Derive lens maker's formula for a thin convex lens.
Q. How does the power of a lens vary with its focal length?
Q. Derive an expression for equivalent focal length of combination of two thin
lenses in contact.
Q. Derive the expression for the refractive index of the material of a prism in
terms of the angle of prism and angle of minimum deviation.
Q. Name the phenomenon responsible for blue colour of the sky.
Q. Draw the ray diagram of a Compound microscope when the image is formed
at (near point) least distance of distinct vision.
10. WAVE OPTICS
Q. What is a wave front? Arrive at Snell's law of refraction using Huygen's
principle.
Q. What is interference of light? Give the condition for constructive and
destructive interference in terms of path difference between the interfering
waves.
Q. What is diffraction of light?
Q. Write three differences between diffraction pattern and interference of light.
Q. Write the expressions for limit of resolution of (a) microscope and (b)
telescope.
Q. Mention any three uses of polaroids.
Q. State Malu's law for polaroids.
11. DUAL NATURE OF RADIATION AND MATTER
Q. Write any two types of electron emission.
Q. Define electron volt.
Q. Define the terms: (i) Photoelectric work function, (ii) Threshold frequency and
(iii) Stopping potential
Q. Mention three experimental observations of photoelectric effect for laws of
photoelectric emission.
Q. Write Einstein's equation of photoelectric effect. Give Einstein's explanation of
photoelectric effect.
Q. Mention three characteristics of photon.
Q. What are matter waves or de-Broglie waves? Mention the expression for de-
Broglie wavelength of moving particle and explain the terms.
12. ATOM
Q. State Bohr's postulates of hydrogen atom. Mention two limitations of Bohr's
atomic model.
Q. Derive an expression for radius of n" stationary orbit of electron revolving
round the nucleus of H-atom, by assuming Bohr's postulates. Hence write Bohr
radius.
Q. Derive an expression for total energy of an electron in the nth stationary orbit
of H-atom.
Q. What are isotopes and isobars?
Q. Define atomic mass unit.
13. NUCLEI
Q. Define the terms: (i) Mass defeat and (ii) Nuclear binding energy.
Q. What are nuclear forces? Mention any one property of nuclear forces.
Q. Define activity of a radioactive substance. Name the Si unit of activity.
Q. Identify the particle X in the following reactions: (i) n-->p+e+X and (ii) p--
>n+e+X.
14. SEMICONDUCTOR ELECTRONICS
Q. Classify conductors, semiconductors and insulators based on the band theory
of solids.
Q. Distinguish between intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors.
Q. Write any three differences between n-type and p-type semiconductor.
Q. Explain the working of pn junction diode when it is in (a) forward bias and (b)
reverse bias conditions.
Q. What is rectifier? Describe with a circuit diagram, the working of a pn junction
diode as a half wave rectifier. Draw the input and output wave forms.
Q. What is rectification? Describe with a circuit diagram, the working of a
semiconductor diode as a full wave
rectifier. Draw the input and output waveforms.
O. With a circuit diagram, explain the working of Zener diode as a voltage
regulator.
Q. What is photodiode? Mention any two uses of photodiode.
Q. Mention any three applications of LED.
Q. Give any three advantages of LED's over conventional incandescent lamps:
Q. Write the circuit symbol and truth table of the following; OR gate, (il) AND
gate, (i) NOR gate and (iv) NAND gate.
NUMERICAL PROBLEMS
1. Electric potential and Capacitance
2. Current Electricity
3. Alternating Current
4. Wave Optics
5. Nuclei