CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2025-26: Download PDF, Topics & Practical Details

Unit No.

Chapter Name

Topics Included

I

Chapter 1: Electric Charges and Fields

Electric charges, conservation of charge, Coulomb's law, superposition principle, continuous charge distribution; Electric field and lines, field due to point charge and dipole, torque on dipole; Gauss's theorem and applications: field due to infinite wire, plane sheet, spherical shell (inside & outside).

Chapter 2: Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance

Electric potential, potential difference, field due to point charge, dipole, system of charges; equipotential surfaces; energy of system of charges; conductors and insulators, polarisation, capacitors in series/parallel; parallel plate capacitor with/without dielectric; energy stored in capacitor.

II

Chapter 3: Current Electricity

Electric current, drift velocity, mobility, Ohm’s law, V-I characteristics; electrical energy and power, resistivity, conductivity, temperature dependence; emf, internal resistance, series/parallel cells, Kirchhoff's laws, Wheatstone bridge.

III

Chapter 4: Moving Charges and Magnetism

Magnetic field, Oersted’s experiment, Biot-Savart law, Ampere's law, solenoid, force on charge/current in magnetic field, force between conductors, torque on current loop, magnetic dipole, galvanometer and its conversion to ammeter/voltmeter.

Chapter 5: Magnetism and Matter

Bar magnet, equivalent solenoid, field due to magnetic dipole (qualitative), torque on dipole (qualitative), magnetic materials (para-, dia-, ferro-), magnetisation, temperature effect.

IV

Chapter 6: Electromagnetic Induction

Faraday’s laws, Lenz’s law, induced EMF, current, self and mutual induction.

Chapter 7: Alternating Current

AC, peak/RMS values, reactance, impedance, LCR circuit (phasor only), resonance, power, power factor, wattless current, AC generator, transformer.

V

Chapter 8: Electromagnetic Waves

Displacement current, electromagnetic waves, transverse nature (qualitative), EM spectrum and uses (radio to gamma rays).

VI

Chapter 9: Ray Optics and Optical Instruments

Reflection, spherical mirrors, mirror formula, refraction, total internal reflection, optical fibers, lens formula, magnification, lens maker’s formula, prism, microscope and telescope (types, magnifying power).

Chapter 10: Wave Optics

Wave front, Huygen’s principle, interference, Young’s double slit experiment (expression only), coherent sources, diffraction by single slit (qualitative), fringe width.

VII

Chapter 11: Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter

Photoelectric effect (Einstein’s equation), Hertz/Lenard’s observations, matter waves, de Broglie relation.

VIII

Chapter 12: Atoms

Rutherford’s experiment, Bohr model, orbit radius, velocity, energy expressions, hydrogen spectra (qualitative).

Chapter 13: Nuclei

Composition and size, nuclear force, mass-energy relation, binding energy, fission and fusion.

IX

Chapter 14: Electronic Devices

Energy bands (conductors/semiconductors/insulators), intrinsic/extrinsic semiconductors, p-n junction, diode characteristics, diode as rectifier.

Particulars

Details

Apparatus for Identification & Familiarity

Meter scale, voltmeter, ammeter, battery/power supply, connecting wires, standard resistances, meter bridge, screw gauge, jockey, galvanometer, resistance box, potentiometer, Leclanché cell, Daniell cell, rheostat, plug-in/tapping keys, diode, resistors, capacitors, inductors, electric/electronic bell, lenses (convex/concave), mirrors (convex/concave), core/hollow wooden cylinder, insulated wire, transformer core, ferromagnetic rod.

List of Experiments

1. Find resistance per cm of wire (V-I graph)

2. Verify laws of resistance (series/parallel)

3. Measure resistance using a meter bridge

4. Find galvanometer resistance (half deflection method)

5. Identify the resistor, capacitor, inductor, and diode

6. Distinguish between convex/concave lenses and mirrors; estimate the power difference

7. Design inductor coil; study effects of turns and core material

8. Design a step-up/step-down transformer and study the input-output voltage relation