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Sunday, 25 October

JEE Main · Physics · Class 12

Wave Optics: JEE Main previous year questions

94 questions in 80 of the 108 JEE Main shifts Lumi analysed, asked in 8 of 8 years. Here is what this chapter tests and how.

Study this chapter
Questions
94
in 80 of 108 shifts · 8 of 8 years
Average a shift
0.9
of 25 Physics · 1.2 since 2024 +0.5
Typical range
0.5–1.3
questions a shift; fewest 0.5, most 1.5
Weighted estimate
1.0
model, recent years count more · about 4 marks
  • Typical range (fact)
  • Average a shift (fact)
  • Weighted estimate (model)

Questions are counted per shift, out of the 25 each subject has, in the shifts Lumi analysed; papers that offered 30 a subject (2017, 2021–2024) are scaled to 25. Typical range: the middle six of the eight years (2017, 2020–2026), leaving out the single highest and lowest year. The average and the range are historical fact. The weighted estimate is a model: each year's share, with recent years counting more (half-life three years), and chapters NTA dropped from the syllabus set near zero. It is a guide to effort, not a forecast of the paper.

What to do

How to spend time on Wave Optics

Priority

Should do

One of the 10 Physics chapters that took Physics from half to 80% of its questions in the 108 shifts analysed. How bands are set

Past questions
94in 80 of 108 shifts
Study plan gives it
15 hover 12 months; 11 h over 6
Study this chapter →

Ideas asked most often

  1. YDSE Fringe Width14×
  2. Resultant Intensity Formula13×
  3. Malus's Law Calculation7×
  4. Intensity at Fractional Path Differences6×
  5. Intensity Ratio from Slit Widths6×

127 of the 169 ideas in Lumi’s map of this chapter have not been asked or touched in the shifts analysed. Of its idea-tagged questions from 2024 on, 22% tested an idea not asked in an earlier year, so learn the whole chapter, not just the list above.

Within each subject, chapters in NTA's 2026 syllabus are ranked by their average questions a shift over all 8 years analysed (history, not the model). Going down that list, the chapters that together held the first half of the subject's questions are Must do; the next ones, up to 80%, are Should do; the rest are Lower priority.

Key findings

Wave Optics at a glance

  1. 01

    78%

    of its 40 questions from 2024 on that Lumi matched to an idea tested one JEE Main had asked in an earlier year; 100% came from a topic asked in an earlier year.

  2. 02

    75%

    of the 169 ideas in Lumi's map of the chapter have not been asked or touched on in the shifts analysed.

  3. 03

    38%

    of its questions asked for a numerical answer, 1.3 times the Physics average.

  4. 04

    2%

    of its questions were rated hard, against 5% across all Physics questions in the same shifts.

Questions a shift, year by year

Out of the 25 Physics questions in a shift. Years differ in how many shifts Lumi analysed, so each year is scaled to one shift.

0240.8’170.8’200.5’210.7’220.5’230.9’241.3’251.5’26

Raw count: 2017: 1 in 1 shift · 2020: 10 in 12 shifts · 2021: 14 in 24 shifts · 2022: 20 in 24 shifts · 2023: 7 in 12 shifts · 2024: 19 in 18 shifts · 2025: 10 in 8 shifts · 2026: 13 in 9 shifts.

Kind of question

SHARE OF QUESTIONS
  • Calculation39%
  • Numerical answer38%
  • Conceptual9%
  • Application6%
  • Multi-step3%
  • Diagram based2%
  • Recall, single correct1%
  • Assertion–reason1%

Most common asks: max to min intensity ratio (6); slab thickness from fringe shift (2); intensity through two polaroids (2).

Profile

This chapter in numbers

Where it ranks, how steady it is, and what it costs to study.

Rank, all JEE chapters
#38
of 70 by weighted estimate
Rank in Physics
#9
of 28 chapters
Share of Physics
3.5%
of its questions, all shifts analysed
Busiest year
2026
1.5 questions a shift
Year to year
Some swing
varies by about 0.3 questions a shift
Long-run direction
+0.06
questions a shift, per year
Easy questions
55%
2% rated hard
Numerical answer
38%
1.3× the Physics rate
With a figure
3%
graph, diagram or structure
Study time
15 h
11 h on a 6-month plan
Marks per study hour
0.26
#8 of 70 chapters
Foundation for others
44%
of its ideas are used in other chapters

Difficulty, year by year

Each question rated easy, medium or hard. Each bar is that year’s split, so years compare directly; the number is the questions in that year’s analysed shifts (1 to 24 shifts a year).

  • 20171
  • 202010
  • 202114
  • 202220
  • 20237
  • 202419
  • 202510
  • 202613
  • Easy
  • Medium
  • Hard

What it asks you to do

SHARE OF QUESTIONS
  • Calculation73%
  • Conceptual11%
  • Multi-step9%
  • Application6%
  • Recall1%

Coverage

How much of the chapter JEE Main has used

We split the chapter into 169 ideas. In the 108 shifts analysed, JEE Main built a question around 31 of them. Most of the chapter has never been the main idea of a question, so past questions alone leave most of it out.

Asked as the main idea
31
Touched on in a question
11
Never asked
127

Topics

What repeats, topic by topic

This chapter's questions per topic in each year's analysed shifts. The number is the count; the shade is scaled to one shift, so a year with more analysed shifts (1 to 24 a year) does not look darker. 3 questions had no close topic in Lumi's map and count for the chapter only.

’17’20’21’22’23’24’25’26
014+questions in that year’s analysed shifts, shaded per shift
  • Young's Double Slit

    As a topic: 56 questions in 8 of 8 years, most often single correct, 41% numerical answer. Recent asks: numerical: intensity ratio at fractional path differences; numerical: path difference from intensity fraction; numerical: fringe width in different medium.

  • Single Slit Diffraction

    As a topic: 17 questions in 7 of 8 years, most often numerical value, 53% numerical answer.

  • Polarization

    As a topic: 14 questions in 7 of 8 years, most often single correct, 29% numerical answer.

  • Refraction and Snell's Law

    As a topic: 40 questions in 7 of 8 years, most often single correct, 33% numerical answer.

Drill down

Topic, idea, question

Open a topic to see every idea JEE Main tested inside it, then open an idea to read the questions. Each row shows its 8 years.

  • Open56 · 60%710144956

    16 ideas inside

    • OpenRepeated14 · 25%273
    • OpenRepeated13 · 23%5232
    • OpenRepeated6 · 11%23
    • OpenRepeated6 · 11%22
    • OpenRepeated3 · 5%
    • OpenRepeated2 · 4%
    • OpenRepeated2 · 4%
    • OpenRepeated2 · 4%
    • Open1 · 2%
    • Open1 · 2%
    • Open1 · 2%
    • Open1 · 2%
    • Open1 · 2%
    • Open1 · 2%
    • Open1 · 2%
    • Open1 · 2%
  • Open16 · 17%2623
  • Open13 · 14%2323
  • Open3 · 3%
  • Open1 · 1%
  • Open1 · 1%
  • Open1 · 1%
  • 2 Apr ’25 S1 · Q40
    A light wave is propagating with plane wave fronts of the type x+y+z=constantx+y+z=\text{constant}. The angle made by the direction of wave…

    mediumSingle correct

  • 5 Apr ’24 S1 · Q46
    Light emerges out of a convex lens when a source of light kept at its focus. The shape of wavefront of the light is :

    easySingle correct

  • 16 Mar ’21 S2 · Q4
    Read the question

    easySingle correct

Squares are the 8 years with analysed shifts, 2017 to 2026. A number is the questions that year when there is more than one; the shade is scaled to one shift, so a year with more analysed shifts (1 to 24 a year) does not look darker. Share is of the level above.

Ideas

The exact ideas JEE Main has asked

Inside the topics, 36 different ideas were tested; 17 came more than once. These are the repeats, then the ideas new since 2024.

Dots are the 8 years with analysed shifts, 2017 to 2026.

Every question

All 94 Wave Optics questions

Newest first, shift by shift. The newest 40 show their opening words; older ones name the idea they tested. Each opens with its options and the official answer.

JEE Main 202613 questions

  1. 2 Apr 2026, Shift 1 · Q46In single slit diffraction pattern, the wavelength of light used is 628628 nm and slit width is 0.20.2 mm, the angular width of central…EasyNumerical value
  2. 2 Apr 2026, Shift 2 · Q46In a Young's double slit experiment, the intensity at some point on the screen is found to be 34\frac{3}{4} times of the maximum of the…MediumNumerical value
  3. 4 Apr 2026, Shift 1 · Q33A slit of width aa is illuminated by light of wavelength λ\lambda. The linear separation between 1st1^{\text{st}} and 3rd3^{\text{rd}}…EasySingle correct
  4. 4 Apr 2026, Shift 1 · Q44A telescope with objective diameter RR is used to observe a distant star emitting light of wavelength 500500 nm, at a resolution of…EasySingle correct
  5. 4 Apr 2026, Shift 1 · Q45An unpolarized light is incident on the plane interface of air-dielectric medium shown in figure. If the incident angle is equal to…HardDiagram basedHas a figure
  6. 4 Apr 2026, Shift 2 · Q42An unpolarized light of certain intensity passes through a combination of two polarizers whose transmission axes are at 30∘30^\circ and…MediumSingle correct
  7. 4 Apr 2026, Shift 2 · Q50In a double slit experiment, when one of the slits is covered by a transparent mica sheet of refractive index 1.56, the central fringe…MediumNumerical value
  8. 5 Apr 2026, Shift 1 · Q39In Young's double slit experiment, the fringe width of the interference pattern produced on the screen is 2.4 μ2.4\ \mum. If the experiment…EasySingle correct
  9. 5 Apr 2026, Shift 2 · Q42The maximum intensity in a Young's double slit experiment is I0I_0. Distance between the slits (dd) is 5λ5\lambda, where λ\lambda is the…MediumSingle correct
  10. 6 Apr 2026, Shift 1 · Q36In interference experiment the path difference between two interfering waves at a point AA on the screen is λ/3\lambda/3, where λ\lambda…EasySingle correct
  11. 6 Apr 2026, Shift 1 · Q47An unpolarized light of intensity I0I_0 passes through polarizer and then through a certain optically active solution and finally it goes…MediumNumerical value
  12. 6 Apr 2026, Shift 2 · Q45In a Young double slit experiment, the wavelength of incident light is 6000 Å, the separation between slits S1S_1 and S2S_2 is 5 cm and…MediumDiagram basedHas a figure
  13. 8 Apr 2026, Shift 2 · Q47Some distant star is to be observed by some telescope of diameter of objective lens aa, at an angular resolution of 3.0×10−73.0 \times 10^{-7}…EasyNumerical value

JEE Main 202510 questions

  1. 2 Apr 2025, Shift 1 · Q40A light wave is propagating with plane wave fronts of the type x+y+z=constantx+y+z=\text{constant}. The angle made by the direction of wave…MediumSingle correct
  2. 2 Apr 2025, Shift 1 · Q50If the measured angular separation between the second minimum to the left of the central maximum and the third minimum to the right of the…MediumNumerical value
  3. 3 Apr 2025, Shift 1 · Q50Two coherent monochromatic light beams of intensities 4I and 9I are superimposed. The difference between the maximum and minimum…EasyNumerical value
  4. 3 Apr 2025, Shift 2 · Q41Two monochromatic light beams have intensities in the ratio 1:9. An interference pattern is obtained by these beams. The ratio of the…EasySingle correct
  5. 3 Apr 2025, Shift 2 · Q42A monochromatic light of frequency 5×10145 \times 10^{14} Hz travelling through air, is incident on a medium of refractive index '2'.…EasySingle correct
  6. 3 Apr 2025, Shift 2 · Q43Width of one of the two slits in a Young's double slit interference experiment is half of the other slit. The ratio of the maximum to the…MediumSingle correct
  7. 4 Apr 2025, Shift 2 · Q40Two polarisers P1P_1 and P2P_2 are placed in such a way that the intensity of the transmitted light will be zero. A third polariser P3P_3…MediumSingle correct
  8. 4 Apr 2025, Shift 2 · Q46In a Young's double slit experiment, two slits are located 1.5 mm apart. The distance of screen from slits is 2 m and the wavelength of…MediumNumerical value
  9. 7 Apr 2025, Shift 1 · Q41Two plane polarized light waves combine at a certain point whose electric field components are E1=E0sin⁡ωtE_1 = E_0 \sin\omega t…EasySingle correct
  10. 8 Apr 2025, Shift 2 · Q42In a Young's double slit experiment, the source is white light. One of the slits is covered by red filter and another by a green filter.…MediumSingle correct

JEE Main 202419 questions

  1. 4 Apr 2024, Shift 1 · Q59Two wavelengths λ1\lambda_1 and λ2\lambda_2 are used in Young's double slit experiment. λ1=450\lambda_1 = 450 nm and λ2=650\lambda_2 = 650 nm. The…MediumNumerical value
  2. 4 Apr 2024, Shift 2 · Q46The width of one of the two slits in a Young's double slit experiment is 4 times that of the other slit. The ratio of the maximum of the…EasySingle correct
  3. 5 Apr 2024, Shift 1 · Q46Light emerges out of a convex lens when a source of light kept at its focus. The shape of wavefront of the light is :EasySingle correct
  4. 5 Apr 2024, Shift 1 · Q58In Young's double slit experiment, carried out with light of wavelength 5000 Å, the distance between the slits is 0.3 mm and the screen is…EasyNumerical value
  5. 5 Apr 2024, Shift 2 · Q53In a single slit experiment, a parallel beam of green light of wavelength 550 nm passes through a slit of width 0.20 mm. The transmitted…EasyNumerical value
  6. 6 Apr 2024, Shift 1 · Q46Which of the following phenomena does not explain by wave nature of light. A. reflection B. diffraction C. photoelectric effect D.…EasySingle correct
  7. 6 Apr 2024, Shift 2 · Q54Two coherent monochromatic light beams of intensities II and 4I4I are superimposed. The difference between maximum and minimum possible…EasyNumerical value
  8. 8 Apr 2024, Shift 1 · Q59A parallel beam of monochromatic light of wavelength 600 nm passes through single slit of 0.4 mm width. Angular divergence corresponding…EasyNumerical value
  9. 8 Apr 2024, Shift 2 · Q59Two slits are 1 mm apart and the screen is located 1 m away from the slits. A light of wavelength 500 nm is used. The width of each slit…MediumNumerical value
  10. 9 Apr 2024, Shift 1 · Q59In a Young's double slit experiment, the intensity at a point is (14)th\left(\frac{1}{4}\right)^{th} of the maximum intensity, the minimum…MediumNumerical value
  11. 9 Apr 2024, Shift 2 · Q52Monochromatic light of wavelength 500500 nm is used in Young's double slit experiment. An interference pattern is obtained on a screen.…MediumNumerical value
  12. 1 Feb 2024, Shift 1 · Q45A monochromatic light of wavelength 6000A˚\mathrm{\AA} is incident on the single slit of width 0.01 mm. If the diffraction pattern is…MediumSingle correct
  13. 1 Feb 2024, Shift 2 · Q45A microwave of wavelength 2.0 cm falls normally on a slit of width 4.0 cm. The angular spread of the central maxima of the diffraction…EasySingle correct
  14. 1 Feb 2024, Shift 2 · Q59In Young's double slit experiment, monochromatic light of wavelength 5000 Å is used. The slits are 1.0 mm apart and screen is placed at…MediumNumerical value
  15. 29 Jan 2024, Shift 1 · Q59In a double slit experiment shown in figure, when light of wavelength 400 nm is used, dark fringe is observed at PP. If D=0.2 m, the…MediumNumerical valueHas a figure
  16. 30 Jan 2024, Shift 1 · Q45The diffraction pattern of a light of wavelength 400 nm diffracting from a slit of width 0.2 mm is focused on the focal plane of a convex…MediumSingle correct
  17. 30 Jan 2024, Shift 2 · Q45A beam of unpolarised light of intensity IoI_o is passed through a polaroid AA and then through another polaroid BB which is oriented so…EasySingle correct
  18. 31 Jan 2024, Shift 1 · Q59Resultant Intensity Formula · Medium · Numerical value
  19. 31 Jan 2024, Shift 2 · Q45Brewster's Angle · Easy · Single correct

JEE Main 20237 questions

  1. 6 Apr 2023, Shift 2 · Q45Optical Path Length Calculation · Easy · Assertion–reason
  2. 6 Apr 2023, Shift 2 · Q55Coinciding Maxima of Two Wavelengths · Medium · Numerical value
  3. 8 Apr 2023, Shift 2 · Q46YDSE Fringe Width · Easy · Single correct
  4. 10 Apr 2023, Shift 1 · Q57Malus's Law Calculation · Medium · Numerical value
  5. 10 Apr 2023, Shift 2 · Q47Resultant Intensity Formula · Easy · Single correct
  6. 13 Apr 2023, Shift 2 · Q46Resultant Intensity Formula · Easy · Single correct
  7. 15 Apr 2023, Shift 1 · Q46Single Slit Minima Condition · Easy · Single correct

JEE Main 202220 questions

  1. 26 Jul 2022, Shift 1 · Q35Effect of Medium on Fringes · Easy · Single correct
  2. 27 Jul 2022, Shift 1 · Q53Resultant Intensity Formula · Easy · Numerical value
  3. 27 Jul 2022, Shift 2 · Q46Resultant Intensity Formula · Medium · Single correct
  4. 28 Jul 2022, Shift 1 · Q53YDSE Fringe Width · Easy · Numerical value
  5. 29 Jul 2022, Shift 1 · Q57Resultant Intensity Formula · Easy · Numerical value
  6. 29 Jul 2022, Shift 2 · Q39Malus's Law Calculation · Easy · Single correct
  7. 30 Jul 2022, Shift 2 · Q14Malus's Law Calculation · Easy · Single correct
  8. 24 Jun 2022, Shift 1 · Q55Secondary Maxima Condition · Medium · Numerical value
  9. 24 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q49Resultant Intensity Formula · Easy · Single correct
  10. 25 Jun 2022, Shift 1 · Q43Resultant Intensity Formula · Medium · Single correct
  11. 25 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q44Intensity Ratio from Slit Widths · Medium · Single correct
  12. 25 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q45Brewster's Angle · Medium · Single correct
  13. 26 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q46Light Doppler Approximation · Easy · Single correct
  14. 27 Jun 2022, Shift 1 · Q53Position of nth Maximum and Minimum · Medium · Numerical value
  15. 27 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q47Invariance of Frequency in Refraction · Easy · Single correct
  16. 28 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q46Fringe Shift by Thin Slab · Medium · Single correct
  17. 28 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q53Angular Fringe Width · Easy · Numerical value
  18. 29 Jun 2022, Shift 1 · Q49YDSE Fringe Width · Easy · Single correct
  19. 29 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q59YDSE Fringe Width · Medium · Numerical value
  20. 30 Jun 2022, Shift 1 · Q47Intensity Ratio from Slit Widths · Easy · Single correct

JEE Main 202114 questions

  1. 3 Aug 2021, Shift 2 · Q27YDSE Fringe Width · Easy · Numerical value
  2. 26 Aug 2021, Shift 1 · Q27YDSE Fringe Width · Medium · Numerical value
  3. 26 Aug 2021, Shift 2 · Q26Intensity Halving of Unpolarized Light · Medium · Numerical value
  4. 27 Aug 2021, Shift 2 · Q18Resultant Intensity Formula · Easy · Single correct
  5. 31 Aug 2021, Shift 2 · Q24YDSE Fringe Width · Easy · Numerical value
  6. 24 Feb 2021, Shift 1 · Q20Intensity Ratio from Slit Widths · Easy · Single correct
  7. 24 Feb 2021, Shift 1 · Q22Malus's Law Calculation · Easy · Numerical value
  8. 24 Feb 2021, Shift 2 · Q14YDSE Fringe Width · Easy · Single correct
  9. 25 Feb 2021, Shift 1 · Q13Fringe Visibility and Contrast · Medium · Single correct
  10. 25 Feb 2021, Shift 2 · Q14Angular Width of Central Max · Medium · Single correct
  11. 26 Feb 2021, Shift 1 · Q17YDSE Fringe Width · Easy · Single correct
  12. 25 Jul 2021, Shift 1 · Q8YDSE Fringe Width · Medium · Single correct
  13. 16 Mar 2021, Shift 2 · Q4Open the question · Easy · Single correct
  14. 18 Mar 2021, Shift 1 · Q7YDSE Fringe Width · Easy · Single correct

JEE Main 202010 questions

  1. 8 Jan 2020, Shift 2 · Q17Intensity at Fractional Path Differences · Easy · Single correct
  2. 9 Jan 2020, Shift 1 · Q16Rayleigh Criterion · Medium · Single correct
  3. 9 Jan 2020, Shift 2 · Q24YDSE Fringe Width · Easy · Numerical value
  4. 2 Sep 2020, Shift 1 · Q17Position of nth Fringe · Easy · Single correct
  5. 2 Sep 2020, Shift 2 · Q16YDSE Fringe Width · Easy · Single correct
  6. 3 Sep 2020, Shift 1 · Q17Angular Fringe Width · Easy · Single correct
  7. 3 Sep 2020, Shift 2 · Q16Optical Path Length Calculation · Easy · Single correct
  8. 4 Sep 2020, Shift 1 · Q17Time-Averaged Intensity in Rotating Analyzer · Hard · Single correct
  9. 4 Sep 2020, Shift 2 · Q25Maximum Observable Minima · Medium · Numerical value
  10. 6 Sep 2020, Shift 2 · Q24Intensity at Fractional Path Differences · Medium · Numerical value

JEE Main 20171 question

  1. 2 Apr 2017 (offline) · Q23Coincidence of Polychromatic Fringes · Medium · Single correct

Questions from the official JEE Main papers published by NTA. Chapter, topic and idea tags, counts and notes are Lumi’s. Pattern: Asked most years.

More Physics, Class 12

All JEE Main chaptersJEE Main Physics analysisStudy plan