ICSE Class 11 Physics Syllabus

Introduction to ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus

ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus is a vital study resource for students preparing for the ISC Class 11 Physics board examination. Students should know the entire Syllabus of each subject before they start preparing for their test. Hence to help the candidates, subject experts at Extramarks have created a comprehensive curriculum for the ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus. In-depth knowledge and understanding of ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus will help prepare a proper study schedule for the examination. 

ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus

Before preparing for any examination, the students need to plan for a study timetable, and without a complete curriculum, it can be difficult for them to create one. Hence, the Syllabus is essential for examination preparations to acquire better results

A Brief Summary:

ISC Class 11 Physics textbook consists of 10 chapters as mentioned below:

Physical World and Measurements:

  • Units & Measurements
  • Measurement: units of measure, need for measurement, systems of units: fundamental and derived units in SI; measurement of length, mass and time and significant figures.
  • Dimensional analysis and its implementation, the dimensional formula of physical quantities and constants.

Kinematics:

  • Motion in a Plane(Axis).
  • Scalar & vector quantity with samples. Position and displacement of vectors, general vectors and their notations; addition and subtraction of vectors, equality of vectors, unit vector, relative velocity, vector resolution in a plane, rectangular components, scalar and vector product of two vectors. Projectile motion and uniform circular motion.

Law of Motion:

  • Newton’s first law of motion, the general concept of force, inertia and momentum, Newton’s second law of motion and impulse, and Newton’s third law of motion.
  • Law of conservation of linear non-stop momentum and its applications.
  • Equilibrium of concurrent forces. Friction: Laws of friction, Static and kinetic friction, rolling friction and lubrication.
  • Dynamics of uniform circular motion: Centripetal(Outward) force, Examples of circular motion (vehicle on a level circular road, vehicle on a banked road).

Work, Power and Energy:

  • Work done by a constant and variable force;work-energy theorem, power and kinetic energy.
  • The potential energy of a spring, conservative force and mechanical energy (kinetic & potential energy); Conservative and non-conservative forces of energy. 

The motion of system of particles & Rigid (Stiff) Body:

  • The idea of centre of mass – the centre of mass or a two-particle system, centre of mass motion and momentum conservation. Centre of mass of a rigid body and uniform rod.
  • Moment of a force, laws of conservation of angular momentum and its applications, torque and angular momentum.
  • Balancing of rigid bodies, their rotation and their equations of rotational motion, comparative study of linear and rotational motions.
  • Statement of parallel axes and perpendicular axes theorems and their applications. Moment of inertia, the radius of gyration, & moments of inertia for simple geometrical objects (no derivation)

   Gravitation:

  • Kepler’s laws of planetary motion and its universal law of gravity. Acceleration due to gravitational force (g) and its variation with altitude, latitude and depth.
  • Gravitational potential and its energy, escape velocity, orbital velocity of a satellite and Geo-stationary satellites.

   Properties of Bulk Matter:

  • Mechanical Properties of Solids: elastic behaviour of solids, stress-strain relationship; Hooke’s law – young’s modulus, bulk modulus, shear modulus of rigidity, Poisson’s ratio and elastic energy.
  • Mechanical properties of fluids: vISCosity, Bernoulli’s theorem and its applications, Stokes’ law, terminal velocity, streamline and turbulent flow, critical velocity. Surface energy and its tension, angle of contact, and an excess of pressure across a curved area, application of surface tension.

     Heat and Thermodynamics:

  • Heat transfer – conduction, convection and radiation, thermal conductivity, qualitative ideas of Blackbody radiation, Wein’s displacement Law, Stefan’s law, and the Greenhouse effect
  • Thermodynamics: Meaning of thermal balancing, the definition of temperature, work, heat and internal forces energy.
  • The 1st law of thermodynamics, isothermal and adiabatic processes.
  • The 2nd law of thermodynamics process includes reversible and irreversible process, heat engine & refrigerator.

    Behaviour of Perfect Gases and Kinetic Theory of Gases:

  • Kinetic theory: equation of the perfect gas state, work done in compressing a gas. Kinetic theory of gases – assumptions, the concept of pressure. 

Oscillations and Waves:

  • Oscillations: Periodic motion, time period, frequency, displacement as a function of time, periodic functions. Simple harmonic motion (SHM) and its equation; phase; oscillations of a spring, restoring force and force constant; energy in SHM, Kinetic and potential energies; simple pendulum and derivation of expression for its time period.
  • Waves: Wave motion, Transverse and longitudinal waves, displacement relation for a progressive wave, principle of superposition of waves, reflection of waves, standing waves in strings and organ pipes, fundamental mode and harmonics beats.

ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus: Study Materials

The ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus can be accessed from the link mentioned below.

Along with the complete Syllabus, other study materials that can help Students score admirably can easily be accessed through the following links: 

ISC & ICSE Syllabus

ICSE Solutions

ICSE Sample Question Papers

ICSE Important Questions

ICSE Question Paper

ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus: Examination Pattern & Chapter Weightage

ISC Physics Class 11 paper is divided into two parts: 

Examination Paper I-Theory

There will be no choice in the overall paper for Class 11 ICSE Physics Syllabus. Students are supposed to answer all questions compulsorily but with an option of internal choice in two questions which carry 2 marks each, two questions of three marks each, and all the three questions of 5 marks each. As mentioned in the table below:

Sl No. Unit Name Marks
1 Physical World and Measurement 23 Marks
2 Kinematics
3 Laws of Motion
4 Work, Power and Energy 17 Marks
5 The Motion of the System of Particles and Rigid Body
6 Gravitation
7 Properties of Bulk Matter 20 Marks
8 Heat and Thermodynamics
9 The Behaviour of Perfect Gases and Kinetic 10 Marks
10 Gravitation
Total Marks 70 Marks

Examination Paper II-Practical

This will consist of 30 marks. The subdivision is mentioned below:

  • Practical work duration is 3 hours – 15 marks.
  • Project work weightage – 10 marks.
  • Practical file weightage – 5 marks.

Extramarks recommend students complete all the experiments from the below-given list:

  • To measure the diameter of a spherical body(Curved body) using Vernier Calipers. Calculate the dimensions with suitable significant values. Also, measure the volume using a graduated cylinder and compare the two.
  • Find the diameter of a wire using a micrometre screw gauge and determine the percentage error in the cross-sectional area.
  • Determine the radius of curvature of a spherical surface like watch glass by a spherometer.
  • Equilibrium of three concurrent coplanar forces. To verify the parallelogram law of parties and determine the weight of a body.
  • Inclined Plane, Friction.
  • Find the acceleration due to gravity by measuring the variation in the time period (T) with the effective length (L) of a simple pendulum.


ISC Physics Class 11 Syllabus

Theory paper is of 3 hours duration and 7 marks. The syllabus consists of 10 units.

1. Physical World and Measurement

(i) Physical World

Scope of Physics and its application in everyday life. Nature of physical laws.

(ii) Units and Measurements

Measurement: need for measurement; units of measurement; systems of units: fundamental and derived units in SI; measurement of length, mass and time; accuracy and precision of measuring instruments; errors in measurement; significant figures.

Dimensional formulae of physical quantities and constants, dimensional analysis and its applications.

2. Kinematics

(i) Motion in a Straight Line

Frame of references, Motion in a straight line (one dimension): Position-time graph, speed and velocity.

Elementary concepts of differentiation and integration for describing motion, uniform and non- uniform motion, average speed, velocity, average velocity, instantaneous velocity and uniformly accelerated motion, velocity – time and position – time graphs. Relations for uniformly accelerated motion (graphical treatment).

(ii) Motion in a Plane

Scalar and Vector quantities with examples. Position and displacement vectors, general vectors and their notations; equality of vectors, addition and subtraction of vectors, relative velocity, Unit vector; resolution of a vector in a plane, rectangular components, Scalar and Vector product of two vectors. Projectile motion and uniform circular motion.

3. Laws of Motion

General 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. Friction: 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).

4. Work, Power and Energy

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

Potential energy, potential energy of a spring, conservative forces: conservation of mechanical energy (kinetic and potential energies); Conservative and non-conservative forces. Concept of collision: elastic and inelastic collisions in one and two dimensions.

5. Motion of System of Particles and Rigid Body

Idea of centre of mass: 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, laws of conservation of angular momentum and its applications.

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

Moment of inertia, radius of gyration, moments of inertia for simple geometrical objects (no derivation). Statement of parallel and perpendicular axes theorems and their applications.

6. Gravitation

Kepler’s laws of planetary motion, universal law of gravitation. Acceleration due to gravity (g) and its variation with altitude, latitude and depth.

Gravitational potential and gravitational potential energy, escape velocity, orbital velocity of a satellite, Geo-stationary satellites.

7. Properties of Bulk Matter

(i) Mechanical Properties of Solids

Elastic behaviour of solids, Stress-strain relationship, Hooke’s law, Young’s modulus, bulk modulus, shear modulus of rigidity,
Poisson’s ratio; elastic energy.

(ii) Mechanical Properties of Fluids

Pressure due to a fluid column; Pascal’s law and its applications (hydraulic lift and hydraulic brakes), effect of gravity on fluid pressure.

Viscosity, Stokes’ law, terminal velocity, streamline and turbulent flow, critical velocity, Bernoulli’s theorem and its applications.

Surface energy and surface tension, angle of contact, excess of pressure across a curved surface, application of surface tension ideas to drops, bubbles and capillary rise.

8. Heat and Thermodynamics

(i) Thermal Properties of Matter

Heat, temperature, thermal expansion; thermal expansion of solids, liquids and gases, anomalous expansion of water; specific heat capacity, calorimetry; change of state, specific latent heat capacity.

Heat transfer-conduction, convection and radiation, thermal conductivity, qualitative ideas of Blackbody radiation, Wein’s displacement Law, Stefan’s law, and Greenhouse effect.

(ii) Thermodynamics

Thermal equilibrium and definition of temperature (zeroth law of thermodynamics), heat, work and internal energy. First law of thermodynamics, isothermal and adiabatic processes.

Second law of thermodynamics: reversible and irreversible processes, Heat engine and refrigerator.

9. Behaviour of Perfect Gases and Kinetic Theory of Gases

(i) Kinetic Theory

Equation of state of a perfect gas, work done in compressing a gas. Kinetic theory of gases – assumptions, concept of pressure. Kinetic interpretation of temperature; rms speed of gas molecules; degrees of freedom, law of equi-partition of energy (statement only) and application to specific heat capacities of gases; concept of mean free path, Avogadro’s number.

10. Oscillations and Waves

(i) Oscillations

Periodic motion, time period, frequency, displacement as a function of time, periodic functions. Simple harmonic motion (S.H.M) and its equation; phase; oscillations of a spring, restoring force and force constant; energy in S.H.M., Kinetic and potential energies; simple pendulum and derivation of expression for its time period.

Free, forced and damped oscillations (qualitative ideas only), resonance.

(ii) Waves

Wave motion, Transverse and longitudinal waves, speed of wave motion, displacement relation for a progressive wave, principle of superposition of waves, reflection of waves, standing waves in strings and organ pipes, fundamental mode and harmonics, Beats, Doppler effect.

Please register to view this section

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. Why do I require the ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus?

We require a map to reach a particular destination. Through the map, we can decide the route that will be suitable for us and lead us to the right path , and then we will start walking in that direction. Similarly, if a student wishes  to be among the top scorers in the examination, they have to create a  path to reach that destination, and in this case, the Syllabus is required. Consider the Syllabus as a map for the students, and only after you have  the Syllabus  you make a timetable that suits your  study timings for the examinations.

2. Where can I find the ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus?

  1. If the student is looking for the ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus, they don’t have to look any  further because Extramarks has covered everything. You can find the ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus on the Extramarks website. The ICSE Class 11 Physics Syllabus is easily accessible for the Students. All the necessary information on the subject is provided in the Syllabus. Extramarks recommend students go  through their online resources and start preparing for the examinations as soon as possible.

3. Why should I study the ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus from the Extramarks website?

Extramarks have a team of experienced teachers /Trainers with actual knowledge of the subject. Most importantly, the Syllabus is prepared by the top educators from our team. Students will find all the information they may require regarding the ISC Class 11 Physics Syllabus. The Syllabus provides chapter-wise weightage and gives a comprehensive list of experiments for the Paper 2 examination, the project work details and the practical file.