CBSE Class 12 Physics notes help students understand important concepts, strengthen their fundamentals, and prepare for board examinations and competitive exams. The subject explores the principles behind everyday phenomena and their applications in science, engineering, and modern technology.
Chapter 1 - Electric Charges and Fields
The concepts of electric charges and fields are applied in devices such as photocopiers and lightning protection systems.
- Electric Charge
- Conductors and Insulators
- Charging by Induction
- Basic Properties of Electric Charge
- Coulomb’s Law
- Electric Field
- Electric Field Lines
- Electric Flux
- Electric Dipole
- Continuous Charge Distribution
- Gauss’s Law
- Applications of Gauss’s Law
Chapter 2 - Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance
The principles of electrostatic potential and capacitance are used in camera flashes and electronic energy-storage devices.
- Electrostatic Potential
- Potential Due to a Point Charge
- Potential Due to an Electric Dipole
- Potential Due to a System of Charges
- Equipotential Surfaces
- Potential Energy of a System of Charges
- Potential Energy in an External Field
- Electrostatics of Conductors
- Dielectrics and Polarisation
- Capacitors and Capacitance
- The Parallel Plate Capacitor
- Effect of Dielectric on Capacitance
- Combination of Capacitors
- Energy Stored in a Capacitor
Chapter 3 - Current Electricity
The study of current electricity helps explain how household appliances and electronic devices operate through electric circuits.
- Electric Current
- Electric Currents in Conductors
- Ohm’s Law
- Drift of Electrons
- Origin of Resistivity
- Temperature Dependence of Resistivity
- Electrical Energy, Power
- Combination of Resistors—Series and Parallel
- Cells, Emf, Internal Resistance
- Cells in Series and in Parallel
- Kirchhoff’s Rules
- Wheatstone Bridge
- Meter Bridge
- Potentiometer
Chapter 4 - Moving Charges and Magnetism
The magnetic effects of moving charges form the basis of electric motors, loudspeakers, and other electromechanical devices.
- Magnetic Force
- Motion in a Magnetic Field
- Motion in Combined Electric and Magnetic Fields
- Magnetic Field Due to a Current Element
- Biot-Savant Law
- Magnetic Field on the Axis of a Circular Current Loop
- Ampere’s Circuital Law
- The Solenoid and the Toroid
- Force Between Two Parallel Current-Carrying Conductors
- Torque on Current Loop, Magnetic Dipole
- The Moving Coil Galvanometer
Chapter 5 - Magnetism and Matter
The properties of magnetic materials are useful in compasses, permanent magnets, speakers, and magnetic storage devices.
- Magnetism
- Gauss’s Law of Magnetism
- The Earth’s Magnetism
- Magnetization and Magnetic Intensity
- Magnetic Properties of Materials
- Permanent Magnets and Electromagnets
Chapter 6 - Electromagnetic Induction
Electromagnetic induction is the working principle behind electric generators and induction-based electrical devices.
- Experiments of Faraday and Henry
- Magnetic Flux
- Faraday’s Law of Induction
- Lenz’s Law and Conservation of Energy
- Motional Electromotive Force
- Energy Consideration: a Quantitative Study
- Eddy Currents
- Inductance
- Ac Generator
Chapter 7—Alternating Current
The principles of alternating current are essential for household electricity supply, transformers, and efficient power transmission.
- AC Voltage Applied to a Resistor
- Representation of AC Current and Voltage by Rotating Vectors—Phasors
- AC Voltage Applied to an Inductor
- AC Voltage Applied to a Capacitor
- AC Voltage Applied to a Series LCR Circuit
- Power in AC Circuit: the Power Factor
- LC Oscillations
- Transformer
Chapter 8 - Electromagnetic Waves
Electromagnetic waves play an important role in radio broadcasting, satellite communication, radar, and wireless communication systems.
Chapter 9 - Ray Optics and Optical Instruments
The principles of ray optics explain the working of eyeglasses, cameras, microscopes, telescopes, and other optical instruments.
- Reflection of Light by Spherical Mirrors
- Refraction
- Total Internal Reflection
- Refraction at Spherical Surfaces and by Lenses
- Refraction Through a Prism
- Optical Instruments
Chapter 10 - Wave Optics
Wave optics helps explain phenomena such as interference, diffraction, and polarisation, which are important in various optical technologies.
- Huygens Principle
- Refraction and Reflection of Plane Waves Using Huygens Principle
- Coherent and Incoherent Addition of Waves
- Interference of Light Waves and Young’s Experiment
- Diffraction
- Polarisation
Chapter 11 - Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
The dual nature of radiation and matter is demonstrated in applications such as solar cells, photoelectric sensors, and electron microscopes.
- Electron Emission
- Photoelectric Effect
- Experimental Study of Photoelectric Effect
- Einstein’s Photoelectric Equation: Energy Quantum of Radiation
- Dual Nature of light
- Wave Nature of Matter
- Davisson and Germer Experiment
Chapter 12 - Atoms
The study of atomic structure and energy levels helps explain atomic spectra and supports the identification of elements through spectroscopy.
- Alpha-particle Scattering and Rutherford’s Nuclear Model of the Atom
- Atomic Spectra
- Bohr Model of the Hydrogen Atom
- The Line Spectra of the Hydrogen Atom
- De Broglie’s Explanation of Bohr’s Second Postulate of Quantization
Chapter 13 - Nuclei
The concepts of nuclear physics are applied in nuclear power generation, medical diagnosis, and cancer radiotherapy.
- Atomic Masses and Composition of Nucleus
- Size of the Nucleus
- Mass energy and nuclear binding energy
- Nuclear Force
- Radioactivity
- Nuclear Energy
Chapter 14 - Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices, and Simple Circuits
Semiconductor principles form the foundation of modern electronic devices, including computers, smartphones, LEDs, and digital circuits.
- Classification of Metals, Conductors, and Semiconductors
- Intrinsic and Extrinsic Semiconductor
- P-N Junction
- Semiconductor Diode
- Special Purpose P-n Junction Diodes
- Digital Electronics and Logic Gates
