Overview JEE Physics

Myself: Hi, I am Dr. Tejaswi. My field of research in PhD was Quantum Physics - study of
Matter-Laser interactions (Ireland). I am an alumnus of IIT Madras where I obtained my
Masters in condensed matter physics. Prior to that I obtained my B.Tech in ECE from
LNMIIT Jaipur. So I am an engineer cum physicist. The way I understand physics is
unique. It is derived from the sense of visualization and intuition rather than memory. Of
course minimum memory is needed for base formulae, but when it comes to complex
problems, one needs to go beyond this memory bank and enter the domain of
cleverness. I have taught physics to undergrads in Ireland as well as in India. Over the
course I realized that what students lack is proper guidance which shows them to think
independently. This is what I aim at - Independent thinking. After all, I can not sit with a
student in an exam right? So a student must develop the art of problem solving without
any external help and this will be my goal in teaching. I achieve this by first explaining
the intricate parts of a chapter and then encouraging the student to self-study as well as
solve many problems. This puts them in the flow that resonates with JEE examiner's
mindset who expects students to answer their questions by going beyond the expected
norms in an intellectual sense.
All the best!

JEE-Overview: JEE - Mains and Advanced - is one of the toughest exams in India and a
sure gateway to many of the students' dreams. The thrill of preparing for JEE does not
lie solely in giving the exam but also resides in its journey. NCERT and other syllabi
takes a student only to those depths which barely touches the real meaning of science.
This makes many students think that the JEE syllabus is huge and out of their reach.
But the syllabus is on par with any other syllabi of class - 11 & 12 of Indian school or
junior colleges. The toughness and beauty of JEE lies in the style of questioning and its
out of box testing methods. Therefore, a JEE aspirant trains themselves to think like a
true scientist who goes beyond the general outlook of the subject and dives deep into
the mysteries of enchanting Universe.

JEE-Physics: The specific topics covered in JEE physics can be looked at the attached
sheets. They suggest the following flow of line of thought:

Mechanics: The world around us is the first thing that we deal with - car journeys, ball
throws, pendulum swings, rocket launchings, building blocks, etc. To understand this
practical world, we need the laws which govern it. It is the topic of Mechanics which
helps us understand this exact scenario. JEE - mechanics part carries huge weightage
and it requires high standards of visualization. Pure formula approach does not help.
Therefore a student is continuously encouraged to apply their imaginative capabilities in
understanding the current topic and solving problems therein.

Thermodynamics: Our day starts with a warm bath and a hot breakfast. Our hot
summers need cold air supplies whereas cold winters need warmth retaining blankets.
The science which helps us in the core understanding of what we call "heat" and "cold"
is Thermodynamics. In essence, it is a study of Temperature and Heat transfer! The JEE
part of this topic may not need much visualization but needs much familiarity with the
mathematical part of the subject.

Waves and Oscillations: Though this is a sub part of Mechanics, it is often studied
individually for the reason that it carries with itself a rich library of mathematical tools.
There is the existence of wave-nature of things starting from the tangible waves - such
as rope oscillations or waves of an ocean to intangible waves of light and matter.
Therefore, a thorough foundation is needed in properly understanding the trend of
NATURE. This chapter lays such a foundation. Being introductory in nature, the
concentration in this chapter lies in understanding the physics of mathematics relating
the phenomena of wave-motion, interference, oscillations, etc.

Electricity and Magnetism: Starting from the visual beauties of nature around us to the
tech-equipment we use everyday has the hand of E&M in its very core. Without the
development of E&M through the course of the history of mankind, we would still have
been in the dark ages (materially speaking). Eminent scientists such as Maxwell, Lenz,
Lorentz, Sommerfeld, etc., have contributed to this grand field of science. This chapter
is second to mechanics whose weightage in JEE is almost huge. Visualization,
Mathematical agility, tricks under the sleeve, etc., should be one's arsenal in attacking
problems related to this chapter. Sometimes, Mechanics and E&M are mixed to grill the
trained mind of a JEE aspirant and check their limits of understanding. So, one should
remember that Physics is one body with these topics as its many limbs.

Optics: Ask a person whose eye sight has a defect - the usefulness of a power
correcting spectacles. Ask a biologist the importance of a microscope and ask an
astronomer the importance of a telescope. Ask a submarine the ingenuity of the
discovery of periscope. Why them, just as yourself if you can imagine a world without a
reflecting surface -- how could you see yourself then?! Therefore the laws governing the
mechanism of LIGHT and Matter interactions, at its base level, are dealt with by this
chapter. The JEE part of this chapter often devises clever designs and combinations of
concepts to test a student. So be prepared to be puzzled!

Modern Physics: This is the bridge course between the real contemporary physics and
the class-12 physics. It is an introduction to Quantum Physics, Atomic Physics and
Nuclear Physics. Therefore, one can understand its importance in a practical sense. But,
the JEE part of this topic mostly is confined to elementary concepts and hence is
relatively easy with respect to the other topics. But do not be fooled by this previous
statement. The nature of the atomic and subatomic world does not behave according to
common sense and therefore it is a sure pitfall for those who skip the concepts and
jump into mugging the formulae! But those who open their inquisitiveness to the new
laws of nature that were found in the recent 100-200 years, can easily attempt most of
the JEE questions of this chapter with utmost success.

This is the general overview of each topic in Physics in general and in relation to JEE.

A Word of Advice: Many books in the market confuse the student by giving unnecessary
information and un-original problems. There is another phobia which usually circulates
amongst the students that a change in JEE pattern may result in unexpected results.
First, a pattern is only to test the elasticity of one's intuitive and logical mind. Second,
how can a question asked in one pattern be easy and the other pattern be difficult? A
question's difficulty lies only in two things:

● Visualization and understanding of the problem.

● Mathematical ability to solve the equations at hand.

If one is sure of their basics and mathematical armory, what does a multiple choice or a
fill in the blank or a subjective question do to them? Therefore, first start your
preparation with the aim of understanding the subject rather than aiming to score high
in JEE. Understanding the subject mixed with regular practice of a variety of problems
gives enough eligibility to be successful at JEE. So stop thinking about the structure and
start thinking about the content. Just because you poke two holes on a chapati does
not make it a fearing face with two eye-holes, It is still a chapati and you can still eat as
normally as you would!

The Art of Self-Study: Attending class only helps 50% of the preparation. The rest 50%
relies on your understanding of the topic and self-attempt at home. The following
guidelines can be utilized in self-preparation at home.

● Before a chapter is started in the class, read the chapter from prescribed book(s)
and make a preliminary note.
● Then listen to the class carefully and ask any questions you have.
● Read again the same chapter from different prescribed books and make your
own notes (or update).
● Start solving the assignments and problems from different books.
● Even when you enter a new chapter, try to regularly practice the old chapter's
problems (at least 20 per week) so as to keep in touch and enhance your thinking
ability.
● Discuss with your teacher the unsolved questions and their hidden mysteries.

Keys to Success:

● Understand basics to the core

● Solve as many problems from different books as possible.
● Never look into solution manuals even for the sake of curiosity. It destroys
creativity.
● Prepare summary sheets after learning the basics and update it after solving
enough problems.
 Art of Problem Solving
Any problem in physics can be tackled using simple tips. Most of these follow the tips
pertaining to Mechanics and hence first let us enlist the tips needed for solving the
Mechanics problems at hand. When one is well versed with this, they can easily solve
any other topic's problems. The only difference occurs in the flavor of the problem but
not the fundamentals of approaching the problem. At any rate, necessary tips will be
given where appropriate for necessary topics.

● Graphics: First, draw the diagram pertaining to the problem at hand. Without this
it is hard initially to get used to tackling the physics problems.

● Isolation of Masses (IOM): Analyze the situation in following terms - system

under consideration and complement of this i.e, everything that is not under
consideration. To draw the mental line between our system and total system is
very important for proper understanding of the mechanical system.

● Reference Frame and Coordinate System (RF & CS): Mark the reference frame
from which the observation is being made and then attach a coordinate system
to the reference frame. This is a crucial step. Never forget this. Many students
commit mistakes in this step and end at paradoxical results.

● Free-Body-Diagrams (FBDs): Assume the extended objects like Car, Ball, Bat,
Block, Train, etc., are point masses (zero volume) and then draw the external
Force vectors on these point objects. This facilitates the use of Newton's laws.

● Equations of Motion (EOMs): Resolve the force vectors as per convenience of

the third step and then use Newton's laws to arrive at simple equations of
motion. This allows one to study the motion of the system which is the goal of
mechanics.

● Constraint Equations: Some situations are dependent on constraints inherent in

the system. Therefore, one must keep an eye for these constraints which can
offer extra simplification of mathematical analysis in the process of
understanding the motion of a system.
 ● Conservation Laws: In some situations, Mechanical Energy or Linear Momentum
or Angular Momentum of a system are conserved. These introduce extra set of
equations which aid in our exploration. In the first part of mechanics, these do
not appear as they give redundant equations. But in the later part of mechanics
they play a crucial role! In fact where the FBD approach fails i.e., where forces are
hard to mark (or analyze) the aforementioned conserved quantities may be easy
to obtain. The nag of what to use is obtained only through experience and a
constant habit of practicing.

● Solution: This is the final step in the process of problem solving. We find the best
possible solutions for the EOMs that were obtained including the constraints if
any. The best possible solution is nothing but the description of the motion of the
system at hand. To solve the EOMs, one may require the methods of Integrations
and Differentiations and vector Calculus. So be thorough with the Math part of
Physics!

That is all there is to the art of problem solving. If one follows the above steps, any kind
of complex problem can be easily tackled in Mechanics.

*Caution: Never resort to Formula mugging approach which leads a student to a sure
failure in the long run. Most of the time stick to the steps prescribed above.

All The Best!

I wish you great success and a fruitful journey!

-Dr. Tejaswi.