CBSE Class 11 Physics Syllabus 2026-27
Subject Code: 042 | Academic Year: 2026-27
The CBSE Class 11 Physics syllabus 2026-27 covers 10 units centred on Mechanics, Thermodynamics, and Waves. Theory paper carries 70 marks with 30 marks for practicals. Class 11 Physics is the foundation of JEE Physics — the Mechanics portion (Units I-VI) alone forms a significant part of JEE Main and Advanced questions, making strong Class 11 preparation essential for engineering entrance aspirants.
Marks Distribution
| Unit | Unit Name | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| I | Physical World and Measurement | 3 |
| II | Kinematics | 10 |
| III | Laws of Motion | 10 |
| IV | Work, Energy and Power | 7 |
| V | Motion of System of Particles and Rigid Body | 7 |
| VI | Gravitation | 7 |
| VII | Properties of Bulk Matter | 13 |
| VIII | Thermodynamics | 5 |
| IX | Behaviour of Perfect Gas and Kinetic Theory | 3 |
| X | Oscillations and Waves | 5 |
| Theory Total | 70 | |
| Practical | 30 | |
| Grand Total | 100 | |
Unit-wise Syllabus
Unit I: Physical World and Measurement
3 marks- Physical World — scope of Physics, fundamental forces, nature of physical laws
- Units and Measurements — SI units, significant figures, dimensional analysis, errors in measurement
Unit II: Kinematics
10 marks- Motion in a Straight Line — position, displacement, velocity, acceleration, equations of motion, relative velocity, motion under gravity
- Motion in a Plane — scalar and vector quantities, position vector, displacement vector, projectile motion, uniform circular motion
Unit III: Laws of Motion
10 marks- Newton's first, second and third laws of motion, law of conservation of linear momentum
- Equilibrium of concurrent forces, static and kinetic friction, laws of friction, rolling friction
- Dynamics of circular motion — centripetal force, banking of curves
Unit IV: Work, Energy and Power
7 marks- Work done by a constant and variable force, kinetic energy, work-energy theorem
- Power, potential energy, conservation of mechanical energy, different forms of energy
- Elastic and inelastic collisions in one and two dimensions
Unit V: Motion of System of Particles and Rigid Body
7 marks- Centre of mass, motion of centre of mass, momentum conservation
- Moment of a force, torque, angular momentum, conservation of angular momentum
- Equilibrium of rigid bodies, moment of inertia, theorem of parallel and perpendicular axes, rolling motion
Unit VI: Gravitation
7 marks- Kepler's laws, universal law of gravitation, acceleration due to gravity
- Gravitational potential energy, escape speed, orbital velocity, satellites (geo-stationary and polar)
Unit VII: Properties of Bulk Matter
13 marks- Mechanical Properties of Solids — elastic behaviour, Hooke's law, Young's modulus, bulk modulus, shear modulus
- Mechanical Properties of Fluids — pressure, Pascal's law, Bernoulli's theorem, viscosity, Stokes' law, surface tension, capillarity
- Thermal Properties of Matter — heat and temperature, thermal expansion, specific heat, calorimetry, change of state, latent heat
Unit VIII: Thermodynamics
5 marks- Thermal equilibrium, zeroth law, heat, internal energy, work
- First law of thermodynamics, isothermal and adiabatic processes
- Second law, Carnot engine, heat pumps, refrigerators, reversible and irreversible processes
Unit IX: Behaviour of Perfect Gas and Kinetic Theory
3 marks- Equation of state of a perfect gas, Boyle's and Charles' laws, kinetic theory of gases
- RMS speed, degrees of freedom, law of equipartition of energy, mean free path
Unit X: Oscillations and Waves
5 marks- Oscillations — simple harmonic motion, amplitude, frequency, phase, displacement as function of time, restoring force, spring-mass system, energy in SHM, free, forced and damped oscillations, resonance
- Waves — wave motion, transverse and longitudinal waves, speed of transverse wave, reflection of waves, standing waves, normal modes, Doppler effect
Recommended Reference Books
- ★Physics Part I & II — Class XI — NCERT (primary)
- ★Concepts of Physics Vol 1 — H.C. Verma (best for JEE and board — covers all Class 11 chapters)
- ★DC Pandey Mechanics Part 1 & 2 (excellent for Laws of Motion and Rotation chapters)
- ★Pradeep's Fundamental Physics Class XI (detailed for board exam preparation)
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How many units are in CBSE Class 11 Physics syllabus 2026-27?▾
There are 10 units in CBSE Class 11 Physics covering Physical World and Measurement, Kinematics, Laws of Motion, Work-Energy-Power, Motion of Particles, Gravitation, Properties of Matter, Thermodynamics, Kinetic Theory, and Oscillations and Waves.
What is the marks distribution for CBSE Class 11 Physics?▾
Theory paper is 70 marks. Practical carries 30 marks, totalling 100 marks. Units I-IV (Mechanics) together carry around 40 marks, making them the most important for the board exam.
Which chapters are most important in CBSE Class 11 Physics?▾
Laws of Motion (Chapter 5), Work, Energy and Power (Chapter 6), Rotational Motion (Chapter 7), Gravitation (Chapter 8), and Thermodynamics (Chapters 11-12) are high-weightage chapters. For JEE, all chapters are important — especially Mechanics (Units I-VI).
Is CBSE Class 11 Physics syllabus relevant for JEE?▾
Yes. Class 11 Physics (Mechanics) forms the largest portion of JEE Physics. Chapters like Laws of Motion, Rotational Dynamics, Gravitation, Thermodynamics, and Waves are directly tested in JEE Main and Advanced. Students who build a strong Class 11 Physics base find JEE preparation significantly smoother.
What are the best reference books for CBSE Class 11 Physics?▾
NCERT Physics Part I & II (Class XI) is primary. H.C. Verma's Concepts of Physics Vol 1 is the most recommended for JEE aspirants. DC Pandey Mechanics is excellent for Mechanics chapters. Pradeep's Physics is good for board exam preparation.
What is covered in the Mechanics portion of Class 11 Physics?▾
Mechanics in Class 11 Physics covers Units and Measurements, Kinematics (motion in a straight line and plane), Laws of Motion (Newton's laws, friction, circular motion), Work-Energy-Power, System of Particles and Rigid Body (rotational motion), and Gravitation.
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