Updated New Curriculum 2081 BS

NEB Class 11 & 12
Physics Syllabus

Complete chapter-wise breakdown of Nepal’s NEB Physics curriculum for Grade 11 and Grade 12 — units, topics, teaching hours, and key concepts all in one place.

📅 Board: NEB Nepal

📚 Grades: 11 & 12

🔬 Stream: Science

🗓 Framework: NCF 2076

⚛️ Subject: Physics

Curriculum at a Glance

⚗️26Chapters in Class 11

🔭25Chapters in Class 12

⚡5Major Units per Grade

🌌NCFNational Curriculum Framework 2076

🎯+2Science Stream (Grade 11–12)

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About this curriculum: Designed for students with diverse aspirations — whether pursuing higher sciences, technical/vocational fields, or other streams. The focus is on developing scientific knowledge, skill competences, and attitudes required at secondary level, aligned with Nepal’s National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2076.

Chapter-wise Syllabus

🔧 Mechanics

#	Chapter	Hours	Topics Covered
01	Physical Quantities⏱ 3 hrs	3	Precision and significant figures Dimensions and uses of dimensional analysis
02	Vectors⏱ 4 hrs		Triangle, parallelogram and polygon laws of vectors Resolution of vectors; Unit vectors Scalar and vector products
03	Kinematics⏱ 5 hrs		Instantaneous velocity and acceleration Relative velocity Equation of motion (graphical treatment) Motion of a freely falling body Projectile motion and its applications
04	Dynamics⏱ 6 hrs		Linear momentum and Impulse Conservation of linear momentum Application of Newton’s laws Moment, torque and equilibrium Solid friction: Laws and verifications
05	Work, Energy and Power⏱ 6 hrs		Work done by constant and variable force Power Work-energy theorem; Kinetic and potential energy Conservation of energy Conservative and non-conservative forces Elastic and inelastic collisions
06	Circular Motion⏱ 6 hrs		Angular displacement, velocity and acceleration Relation between angular and linear velocity & acceleration Centripetal acceleration and centripetal force Conical pendulum Motion in a vertical circle Applications of banking
07	Gravitation⏱ 10 hrs		Newton’s law of gravitation Gravitational field strength Gravitational potential and potential energy Variation of ‘g’ due to altitude and depth Centre of mass and centre of gravity Orbital velocity and time period of satellite Escape velocity Potential and kinetic energy of the satellite Geostationary satellite and GPS
08	Elasticity⏱ 5 hrs		Hooke’s law: Force constant Stress, Strain, Elasticity and Plasticity Elastic moduli: Young’s, Bulk, Shear modulus Poisson’s ratio Elastic potential energy

🌡️ Heat & Thermodynamics

#	Chapter	Topics Covered
09	Heat and Temperature⏱ 3 hrs	Molecular concept of thermal energy, heat and temperature Cause and direction of heat flow Meaning of thermal equilibrium and Zeroth law of thermodynamics Thermal equilibrium as a working principle of mercury thermometer
10	Thermal Expansion⏱ 4 hrs	Linear expansion and its measurement Cubical & superficial expansion and relation with linear expansion Liquid expansion: Absolute and apparent Dulong and Petit method of determining expansivity of liquid
11	Quantity of Heat⏱ 6 hrs	Newton’s law of cooling Measurement of specific heat capacity of solids and liquids Change of phases and Latent heat Specific latent heat of fusion and vaporization Measurement of specific latent heat Triple point
12	Rate of Heat Flow⏱ 5 hrs	Conduction: Thermal conductivity and measurement Convection Radiation: Ideal radiator and Black-body radiation Stefan–Boltzmann law
13	Ideal Gas⏱ 8 hrs	Ideal gas equation Molecular properties of matter Kinetic-molecular model of an ideal gas Derivation of pressure exerted by gas Average translational kinetic energy of gas molecules Boltzmann constant and root mean square speed Heat capacities of gases and solids

🌊 Wave & Optics

#	Chapter	Topics Covered
14	Reflection at Curved Mirror⏱ 2 hrs	Real and virtual images Mirror formula
15	Refraction at Plane Surfaces⏱ 4 hrs	Laws of refraction: Refractive index Relation between refractive indices Lateral shift Total internal reflection
16	Refraction through Prisms⏱ 3 hrs	Minimum deviation condition Relation between angle of prism, minimum deviation and refractive index Deviation in small angle prism
17	Lenses⏱ 3 hrs	Spherical lenses and angular magnification Lens maker’s formula Power of a lens
18	Dispersion⏱ 3 hrs	Pure spectrum and dispersive power Chromatic and spherical aberration Achromatism and its applications

⚡ Electricity & Magnetism

#	Chapter	Topics Covered
19	Electric Charges⏱ 3 hrs	Electric charges and charging by induction Coulomb’s law – force between two point charges Force between multiple electric charges
20	Electric Field⏱ 3 hrs	Electric field due to point charges; Field lines Gauss Law and Electric Flux Application of Gauss law: charged sphere, line charge, charged plane conductor
21	Potential, Potential Difference & Potential Energy⏱ 4 hrs	Potential difference, potential due to a point charge Potential energy, electron volt Equipotential lines and surfaces Potential gradient
22	Capacitor⏱ 7 hrs	Capacitance and capacitor Parallel plate capacitor Combination of capacitors Energy of a charged capacitor Effect of a dielectric, polarization and displacement
23	DC Circuits⏱ 10 hrs	Electric currents; Drift velocity and its relation with current Ohm’s law; Electrical resistance; Resistivity; Conductivity Current-voltage relations; Ohmic and Non-Ohmic resistance Resistances in series and parallel Potential divider Electromotive force of a source and internal resistance Work and power in electrical circuits

☢️ Modern Physics

#	Chapter	Topics Covered
24	Nuclear Physics⏱ 6 hrs	Nucleus: Discovery, nuclear density, mass number, atomic number Atomic mass and isotopes Einstein’s mass-energy relation Mass defect, packing fraction, BE per nucleon Creation and annihilation Nuclear fission and fusion; energy released
25	Solids⏱ 3 hrs	Energy bands in solids (qualitative ideas) Difference between metals, insulators and semiconductors using band theory Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors
26	Recent Trends in Physics⏱ 6 hrs	Particle physics: Particles & antiparticles, Quarks (baryons & mesons), Leptons (neutrinos) Universe: Big Bang and Hubble’s law Expansion of the Universe, Dark matter, Black Hole and gravitational waves

🔧 Mechanics

#	Chapter	Topics Covered
01	Rotational Dynamics	Equation of angular motion; relation between linear and angular kinematics Kinetic energy of rotation of rigid body Moment of inertia; Radius of gyration Moment of inertia of a uniform rod Torque and angular acceleration for a rigid body Work and power in rotational motion Angular momentum and conservation of angular momentum
02	Periodic Motion	Equation of simple harmonic motion (SHM) Energy in SHM Application of SHM: vertical oscillation of mass on spring Angular SHM and simple pendulum Damped oscillation, Forced oscillation and resonance
03	Fluid Statics	Fluid statics: Pressure in a fluid and Buoyancy Surface tension: Theory, surface energy, angle of contact, capillarity Newton’s formula for viscosity; Coefficient of viscosity Poiseuille’s formula and Stokes law and their applications Equation of continuity and its applications Bernoulli’s equation and its applications

🌡️ Heat & Thermodynamics

#	Chapter	Hours	Topics Covered
04	First Law of Thermodynamics		Thermodynamic systems Work done during volume change Heat, work, internal energy and First law of thermodynamics Thermodynamic processes: Adiabatic, isochoric, isothermal, isobaric Heat capacities of ideal gas at constant pressure and volume Isothermal and adiabatic processes for an ideal gas
05	Second Law of Thermodynamics		Thermodynamic systems and direction of thermodynamic processes Second law of thermodynamics Heat engines Internal combustion engines: Otto cycle, Diesel cycle, Carnot cycle Refrigerator Entropy and disorder (introduction)

🌊 Wave & Optics

#	Chapter	Topics Covered
06	Wave Motion	Progressive waves Mathematical description of a wave Stationary waves
07	Mechanical Waves	Speed of wave motion; Velocity of sound in solid and liquid Velocity of sound in gas Laplace’s correction Effect of temperature, pressure and humidity on velocity of sound
08	Wave in Pipes and Strings	Stationary waves in closed and open pipes Harmonics and overtones in closed and open organ pipes End correction in pipes Velocity of transverse waves along a stretched string Vibration of string and overtones; Laws of vibration of fixed string
09	Acoustic Phenomena	Sound waves: Pressure amplitude Characteristics of sound: Intensity, loudness, quality and pitch Doppler’s effect
10	Nature and Propagation of Light	Huygen’s principle Reflection and refraction according to wave theory
11	Interference	Phenomenon of interference: Coherent sources Young’s double slit experiment
12	Diffraction	Diffraction from a single slit Diffraction pattern of image; Diffraction grating Resolving power of optical instruments
13	Polarization	Phenomenon of polarization Brewster’s law; Transverse nature of light Polaroid

⚡ Electricity & Magnetism

#	Chapter	Topics Covered
14	Electrical Circuits	Kirchhoff’s law Wheatstone bridge circuit and Meter bridge Potentiometer: comparison of e.m.f., measurement of internal resistance Superconductors and perfect conductors Conversion of galvanometer into voltmeter, ammeter; Ohmmeter Joule’s law
15	Thermoelectric Effects	Seebeck effect and thermocouples Peltier effect; Variation of thermoelectric e.m.f. with temperature; Thermopile
16	Magnetic Field	Magnetic field lines and magnetic flux; Oersted’s experiment Force on moving charge; Force on a conductor Force and torque on rectangular coil; Moving coil galvanometer Hall effect; Magnetic field of a moving charge Biot and Savart law (circular coil, straight conductor, solenoid) Ampere’s law and its applications Force between two parallel current-carrying conductors; Definition of ampere
17	Magnetic Properties of Materials	Flux density in magnetic material; Relative permeability; Susceptibility Hysteresis Dia-, para- and ferro-magnetic materials
18	Electromagnetic Induction	Faraday’s laws; Induced electric fields Lenz’s law; Motional electromotive force A.C. generators and Eddy currents Self-inductance and mutual inductance Energy stored in an inductor; Transformer
19	Alternating Currents	Peak and rms value of AC current and voltage AC through a resistor, a capacitor and an inductor Phasor diagram Series circuits with resistance, capacitance and inductance Series resonance and quality factor Power in AC circuits and power factor

☢️ Modern Physics

#	Chapter	Topics Covered
20	Electrons	Millikan’s oil drop experiment Motion of electron beam in electric and magnetic fields Thomson’s experiment to determine specific charge of electrons
21	Photons	Quantum nature of radiation Einstein’s photoelectric equation; Stopping potential Measurement of Planck’s constant
22	Semiconductor Devices	P-N Junction Semiconductor diode: characteristics in forward and reverse bias Full wave rectification Logic gates: NOT, OR, AND, NAND and NOR
23	Quantization of Energy	Bohr’s theory of hydrogen atom Spectral series; Excitation and ionization potentials Energy level; Emission and absorption spectra De Broglie Theory and wave-particle duality Uncertainty principle X-rays: Nature, production, uses and diffraction; Bragg’s law
24	Radioactivity and Nuclear Reaction	Alpha-particles, Beta-particles and Gamma rays Laws of radioactive disintegration Half-life, mean-life and decay constant Geiger-Muller Tube Carbon dating Medical use of nuclear radiation and possible health hazards
25	Recent Trends in Physics	Surface waves: Rayleigh and Love waves Internal waves: S and P-waves Wave patterns of Gorkha Earthquake 2015 Gravitational Wave; Nanotechnology; Higgs Boson

Quick Comparison – Class 11 vs 12

#	⚡ Class 11 Chapters	🚀 Class 12 Chapters
1	Physical Quantities	Rotational Dynamics
2	Vectors	Periodic Motion
3	Kinematics	Fluid Statics
4	Dynamics	First Law of Thermodynamics
5	Work, Energy & Power	Second Law of Thermodynamics
6	Circular Motion	Wave Motion
7	Gravitation	Mechanical Waves
8	Elasticity	Wave in Pipes and Strings
9	Heat & Temperature	Acoustic Phenomena
10	Thermal Expansion	Nature & Propagation of Light
11	Quantity of Heat	Interference
12	Rate of Heat Flow	Diffraction
13	Ideal Gas	Polarization
14	Reflection at Curved Mirror	Electrical Circuits
15	Refraction at Plane Surfaces	Thermoelectric Effects
16	Refraction through Prisms	Magnetic Field
17	Lenses	Magnetic Properties of Materials
18	Dispersion	Electromagnetic Induction
19	Electric Charges	Alternating Currents
20	Electric Field	Electrons
21	Potential, Potential Difference & Potential Energy	Photons
22	Capacitor	Semiconductor Devices
23	DC Circuits	Quantization of Energy
24	Nuclear Physics	Radioactivity & Nuclear Reaction
25	Solids	Recent Trends in Physics
26	Recent Trends in Physics	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 5 major units in NEB Physics? ▼

Both Class 11 and 12 are divided into 5 major units: Mechanics, Heat & Thermodynamics, Wave & Optics, Electricity & Magnetism, and Modern Physics. Class 11 builds the foundational concepts while Class 12 advances each unit further.

How many chapters are in NEB Class 11 Physics? ▼

NEB Class 11 Physics has 26 chapters spread across 5 major units, covering topics from Mechanics (chapters 1–8) to Modern Physics (chapters 24–26).

What new chapters are introduced in Class 12 Physics? ▼

Class 12 introduces advanced topics such as Rotational Dynamics, Fluid Statics, First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics, Wave Motion, Interference, Diffraction, Polarization, Electromagnetic Induction, Alternating Currents, Quantization of Energy, Radioactivity, and Gravitational Waves.

Is Nepal’s local content included in the NEB Physics syllabus? ▼

Yes! Class 12 includes a topic on wave patterns of the Gorkha Earthquake 2015 under Recent Trends in Physics, connecting global seismology concepts with Nepal’s own historical earthquake event.

What modern physics topics are covered in NEB Class 12? ▼

Class 12 Modern Physics covers Electrons (Millikan’s experiment, Thomson’s experiment), Photons (photoelectric effect), Semiconductor Devices (P-N junction, logic gates), Quantization of Energy (Bohr’s theory, X-rays), Radioactivity, and Recent Trends including Gravitational Waves, Nanotechnology, and the Higgs Boson.

🔭 NEB Nepal – Physics Curriculum | Science Stream | National Curriculum Framework 2076 | Grades 11 & 12

For educational reference only. Always verify with your school or the official NEB website for the most current updates.

NEB Class 11 & 12Physics Syllabus

Curriculum at a Glance

Chapter-wise Syllabus

Quick Comparison – Class 11 vs 12

Frequently Asked Questions

NEB Class 11 & 12
Physics Syllabus