IIT-JAM (Physics) is conducted by IIT’s for the selection of eligible candidates to M.Sc Physics course. Topics like Electricity, Mechanics, Modern Physics, and Solid State Physics forms the syllabus of the exam.

Main Topics covered under IIT-JAM (Physics)

• Electricity
• Magnetism
• General Properties of Matter
• Kinetic theory
• Mathematical Methods
• Mechanics
• Devices and Electronics
• Modern Physics
• Oscillations
• Solid State Physics
• Waves and Optics

Detailed Syllabus for IIT-JAM (Physics)

Oscillations, Waves and Optics

• Damped and forced oscillators
• Diffraction gratings
• Doppler Effect
• Double refraction
• Energy density and energy transmission in waves
• Fermat’s Principle
• Fraunhofer diffraction
• General theory of image formation
• Group velocity and phase velocity
• Interference of light
• Optical path retardation
• Optical rotation
• Polarization
• Rayleigh criterion and resolving power
• Simple harmonic oscillator
• Sound waves in media
• Wave equation

Modern Physics

• Blackbody radia­tion
• Bohr’s atomic model
• Compton Effect
• Laws of radioactive decay
• Lorentz transformations
• Mass and binding energy
• Mass energy equivalence
• Pauli Exclusion prin­ciple
• Photoelectric effect
• Postulates of special relativity
• Ra­dioactivity and its applications
• Relativistic velocity addi­tion theorem
• Schrödinger equation
• Structure of atomic nucleus
• Uncertainty principle
• Wave-particle duality
• X-rays

Electricity and Magnetism

• Alternating current
• Ampere’s law
• Biot-Savart law
• Capacitors
• Conductors
• Coulomb’s law
• Dielectric interface
• Dielectric polarization
• Dielectrics
• Displacement current
• Electric field
• Electrostatic energy
• Faraday’s law of electromag­netic induction
• Gauss’s law
• Lorentz Force
• Maxwell’s equations
• Poynting’s theorem
• Self and mutual inductance

Mathematical Methods

• Algebra of complex numbers
• Bernoulli’s theorem
• Calculus
• Centre of mass
• Conservation of linear and angular momentum
• Divergence theorem
• Elastic and inelastic collisions
• Equation of continuity
• Euler’s equation
• Fixed axis rotations
• Fourier series
• Gravitational Law
• Green’s theorem
• Kepler’s laws
• Kinematics of moving fluids
• Matrices
• Mechanics and General Properties of Matter
• Mo­tion under a central force
• Multiple integrals
• Newton’s laws of motion
• Partial derivatives
• Rigid body motion
• Stokes’ theorem
• Taylor expansion
• Vector algebra
• Vector Calculus

Kinetic theory, Thermodynamics

• Carnot cycle
• Clausius-Clapeyron equation
• Equi-partition of energy
• Ideal gas
• Irreversible
• Iso­thermal and adiabatic processes
• Kinetic theory of gases
• Laws of thermodynamics
• Maxwell’s thermodynamic relations
• Mean free path
• Phase transitions
• Quasi-static processes
• Reversible
• Second law and entropy
• Specific heat
• Thermal equilibrium
• Thermodynamic potentials
• Velocity distribution
• Zeroeth law

Solid State Physics, Devices and Electronics

• Amplifier circuits with transistors
• Bragg’s law
• Braves lattices and basis
• Crystal structure
• Fermi level
• Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors
• Miller indices
• Operational amplifiers
• Transistor circuits
• X-ray diffraction

Above mentioned are the main topics covered under the exam. Candidate can also expect questions from the sub topics covered under these main topics. Preparation for the exam can be made with the help of e-books, reference books, etc. Practicing previous year’s question paper will help candidate to gain insight into the exam pattern and to identify the important topics covered in the exam.