IIT JAM is conducted for seven subjects. Among these subjects, the maximum number of students appearing for IIT JAM physics is high. Since there is a lot of competition, you must ensure you prepare well for the exam, here are the best IIT JAM Physics books.
If you want to pursue a career in physics, there is no better place to begin than at one of the IITs. IITs are well-known for their career opportunities and high placement rates. IIT JAM Physics is a stepping stone for graduates interested in pursuing a master’s degree in Physics at any of the IITs. Every year, a big number of applicants take the JAM Exam in the hopes of being accepted into one of the various IITs’, IISC, and NITs for M.Sc. Physics programs.
Best Books for IIT JAM Physics
Here in this section, we will discuss the IIT JAM Physics syllabus, important topics, best books to prepare from and important preparatory tips.
IIT JAM Physics Exam Pattern
IIT JAM follows a predetermined pattern for Physics. To achieve the objectives, all aspirants must have a thorough understanding of the exam.
- Mode of the exam – Online( Computer-based test)
- Duration – 3 hours
- Language – English
- Total Questions – 60
- Total Marks – 100
- Type of Questions – Multiple Choice Questions, Multiple Select Questions, Numerical Answer Type Questions
There will be three sections to the JAM Physics paper. The IIT JAM exam pattern is shown below.
| Sections | Type of Questions | Negative Marking |
| Section A |
|
|
| Section B |
|
No Negative marking |
| Section C |
|
No Negative marking |
IIT JAM Physics Syllabus
JAM Physics has a strong competition because every year over 15000 candidates compete for a limited number of seats in IITs, NITs, and other institutions. If you are one of these candidates, you should begin your study with the IIT JAM Physics syllabus, which is listed below.
| TOPIC | SUB-TOPICS |
| Mathematical Methods | Calculus of single and multiple variables, partial derivatives, Jacobian, imperfect and perfect differentials, Taylor expansion, Fourier series. Vector algebra, Vector Calculus, Multiple integrals, Divergence theorem, Green’s theorem, Stokes’ theorem. First-order equations and linear second-order differential equations with constant coefficients. Matrices and determinants, Algebra of complex numbers. |
| Mechanics and General Properties of Matter | Newton’s laws of motion and applications, Velocity and acceleration in Cartesian, polar and cylindrical coordinate systems, uniformly rotating frame, centrifugal and Coriolis forces, Motion under a central force, Kepler’s laws, Gravitational Law and field, Conservative and non-conservative forces. System of particles, Center of mass, equation of motion of the CM, conservation of linear and angular momentum, conservation of energy, variable mass systems. Elastic and inelastic collisions. Rigid body motion, fixed axis rotations, rotation and translation, moments of Inertia and products of Inertia, parallel and perpendicular axes theorem. Principal moments and axes. Kinematics of moving fluids, equation of continuity, Euler’s equation, Bernoulli’s theorem. |
| Oscillations, Waves and Optics | Differential equation for simple harmonic oscillator and its general solution. Superposition of two or more simple harmonic oscillators. Lissajous figures. Damped and forced oscillators, resonance. Wave equation, traveling, and standing waves in one-dimension. Energy density and energy transmission in waves. Group velocity and phase velocity. Sound waves in media. Doppler Effect. Fermat’s Principle. General theory of image formation. Thick lens, thin lens, and lens combinations. Interference of light, optical path retardation. Fraunhofer diffraction. Rayleigh criterion and resolving power. Diffraction gratings. Polarization: linear, circular, and elliptic polarization. Double refraction and optical rotation. |
| Electricity and Magnetism | Coulomb’s law, Gauss’s law. Electric field and potential. Electrostatic boundary conditions, Solution of Laplace’s equation for simple cases. Conductors, capacitors, dielectrics, dielectric polarization, volume and surface charges, electrostatic energy. Biot-Savart law, Ampere’s law, Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction, Self and mutual inductance. Alternating currents. Simple DC and AC circuits with R, L, and C components. Displacement current, Maxwell’s equations and plane electromagnetic waves, Poynting’s theorem, reflection, and refraction at a dielectric interface, transmission, and reflection coefficients (normal incidence only). Lorentz Force and motion of charged particles in electric and magnetic fields. |
| Kinetic theory, Thermodynamics | Elements of Kinetic theory of gases. Velocity distribution and Equipartition of energy. Specific heat of Mono-, di- and tri-atomic gases. Ideal gas, van-der-Waals gas, and equation of state. Mean free path. Laws of thermodynamics. Zeroth law and the concept of thermal equilibrium. First law and its consequences. Isothermal and adiabatic processes. Reversible, irreversible, and quasi-static processes. Second law and entropy. Carnot cycle. Maxwell’s thermodynamic relations and simple applications. Thermodynamic potentials and their applications. Phase transitions and Clausius-Clapeyron equation. Ideas of ensembles, Maxwell-Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac, and Bose-Einstein distributions. |
| Modern Physics | Inertial frames and Galilean invariance. Postulates of special relativity. Lorentz transformations. Length contraction, time dilation. Relativistic velocity addition theorem, mass-energy equivalence. Blackbody radiation, photoelectric effect, Compton effect, Bohr’s atomic model, X-rays. Wave-particle duality, Uncertainty principle, the superposition principle, calculation of expectation values, Schrödinger equation, and its solution for one, two, and three-dimensional boxes. Solution of Schrödinger equation for the one-dimensional harmonic oscillator. Reflection and transmission at a step potential, Pauli exclusion principle. Structure of the atomic nucleus, mass, and binding energy. Radioactivity and its applications. Laws of radioactive decay. |
| Solid State Physics, Devices, and Electronics | Crystal structure, Bravais lattices, and basis. Miller indices. X-ray diffraction and Bragg’s law; Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors, variation of resistivity with temperature. Fermi level. p-n junction diode, I-V characteristics, Zener diode, and its applications, BJT: characteristics in CB, CE, CC modes. Single-stage amplifier, two-stage R-C coupled amplifiers. Simple Oscillators: Barkhausen condition, sinusoidal oscillators. OPAMP and applications: Inverting and non-inverting amplifier. Boolean algebra: Binary number systems; conversion from one system to another system; binary addition and subtraction. Logic Gates AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR exclusive OR; Truth tables; a combination of gates; de Morgan’s theorem. |
Topic-wise Weightage
| TOPIC | Easy | Moderate | Difficult | Low Weightage | High Weightage |
| Mathematical Methods | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Mechanics and General Properties of Matter | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Oscillations, Waves and Optics | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Electricity and Magnetism | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Kinetic theory, Thermodynamics | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Modern Physics | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Solid State Physics, Devices, and Electronics | ✓ | ✓ |
Best Physics Books for IIT JAM
With the IIT JAM syllabus in your hand, you will now know which book will be the best choice for you. Here is the list of the books.
| Book Name | Author/Publisher | Price | Buy Now |
| Mathematical Methods in The Physical Sciences | Mary L Boas | ₹ 6450 | Buy Now |
| Advanced Engineering Mathematics | Erwin Kreyszig | ₹ 899 | Buy Now |
| Vector Analysis: Schaum Series | Murray R Spiegel | ₹ 429 | Buy Now |
| Mathematical Physics | HK Dass | ₹ 448 | Buy Now |
| Waves and Oscillations | Brij Lal & N Subrahmanyam | ₹ 444 | Buy Now |
| Optics | Hecht, AR Ganesan | ₹ 454 | Buy Now |
| Classical Mechanics | JC Upadhyaya | ₹ 560 | Buy Now |
| Classical Mechanics & General Properties of Matter | AB Gupta | ₹ 675 | Buy Now |
| Introduction to Quantum Mechanics | David J Griffiths | ₹ 1926 | Buy Now |
| Foundations of Electricity & Magnetism | B Ghosh | ₹ 700 | Buy Now |
| Solid State Physics | Puri & Babbar | ₹ 282 | Buy Now |
| Digital Fundamentals | Floyd | ₹ 465 | Buy Now |
IIT JAM Physics Exam Preparation Tips
The IIT JAM Physics exam is a very important exam as the competition is tough. Here are some IIT JAM preparation tips for you to follow.
- After reviewing the Syllabus, the candidate must create a timetable to prepare for IIT JAM Physics. Early mornings are a great time to pick up a book and learn something new or go over notes from the day before.
- Making notes of formulas is essential for a thorough preparation of IIT JAM Physics, as it will come in handy during last-minute preparation.
- Thermodynamics is an important chapter for the JAM Exam, so candidates should concentrate on mastering thermodynamics concepts in order to solve problems quickly, and they should not abandon any problem until they have conceptual clarity around the solution.
- Physics is a subject that requires a lot of practice. IIT JAM Physics preparation necessitates an increasing amount of practice, and the best way to do so is to solve previous year’s question papers and mock tests. It gives you an idea of how difficult the test is and how much preparation you’ll need to do well.
- Start recognizing questions in any topic. Practicing helps you grasp the concepts; each question generates at least ten similar questions, which you can solve once you understand the basics.
- In the IIT JAM Exam, electricity and magnetism are heavily weighted. It necessitates that the candidate has a strong conceptual understanding of the subject.
- For JAM preparation, try to solve as many IIT JAM previous year question papers as possible. This will give you an idea of the paper pattern and difficulty level of the questions.
- Most importantly, practice tests and mock tests reveal which topics candidates have not mastered and encourage them to concentrate on the weaker subjects. Test anxiety will be reduced as a result of the practice tests.
- For better preparation, work on your weaker areas. More time should be spent on the subjects in which you are weak. Do not abandon a problem until you have a clear understanding of the solution.
Conclusion
Candidates can easily score well in the IIT JAM Physics paper if they follow the proper guidelines and use some efficient methods. We hope the list of best IIT JAM Physics books we have created for you to prepare is sufficient for you.
The IIT JAM Physics exam will be a cakewalk for you if you have the correct amount of knowledge, devotion, and attention. Please let us know if any of your favorite books that you prepared from our list are missing.
Good Luck!
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