JEE Main · Physics · 2017–2026
JEE Main Physics: chapter-wise weightage
All 3,084 Physics questions from the 108 JEE Main shifts Lumi analysed, by chapter, unit and topic. Which chapters carry the marks, how the questions have changed, and what is rising.
- Questions analysed
- 3,084
- 108 shifts, 2017–2026
- Chapters in the syllabus
- 28
- 1 not in the 2026 syllabus
- Chapters for half the questions
- 11
- ranked by share
- From Class 12
- 53%
- 2026: 53%
- Easy
- 44%
- hard: 5.3%
- Numerical answer
- 30%
- 2026: 20%
- Calculation or multi-step
- 69%
- 2026: 78%
- Use a figure
- 21%
- 2026: 19%
Key findings · JEE Main Physics
- 1
11 of the 28 Physics chapters in the 2026 syllabus carry half its questions. The top five hold 27%: Current Electricity; System of Particles and Rotational Motion; Ray Optics and Optical Instruments; Moving Charges and Magnetism; Units and Measurements.
- 2
Units and Measurements has risen most: 1.6 questions a shift since 2024, up from 1.0 before (out of 25).
- 3
Current Electricity has fallen most: 1.3 a shift since 2024, down from 1.8.
- 4
37% of Physics questions in the 2026 shifts were easy, against 44% of all 3,084 analysed.
- 5
20% of Physics questions in 2026 had a numerical answer, against 30% of all 3,084 analysed.
- 6
14 Physics topics were asked in all eight years Lumi analysed, led by Kinetic Theory of Gases, Kinematics in 1D, Bohr's Atomic Model.
Chapter weightage
Every Physics chapter, ranked
Share is the chapter’s average share of the Physics questions, year by year. “A shift” counts are scaled to the 25 questions a subject has in a shift. “Weighted est.” is a model: recent years count more. A guide to effort, not a forecast.
- 1Ray Optics and Optical Instruments1.4Class 12 · 5.1% share · 148 questions+0.5
- 2Current Electricity1.4Class 12 · 6.3% share · 193 questions-0.5
- 3Units and Measurements1.4Class 11 · 4.9% share · 148 questions+0.7
- 4System of Particles and Rotational Motion1.4Class 11 · 5.8% share · 165 questions-0.1
- 5Moving Charges and Magnetism1.3Class 12 · 5.0% share · 155 questions0.2
- 6Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance1.1Class 12 · 4.6% share · 124 questions-0.1
- 7Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits1.1Class 12 · 4.2% share · 137 questions-0.1
- 8Thermodynamics1.0Class 11 · 3.8% share · 114 questions0.2
- 9Wave Optics1.0Class 12 · 3.5% share · 94 questions+0.5
- 10Mechanical Properties of Fluids1.0Class 11 · 3.2% share · 102 questions+0.5
- 11Work, Energy and Power0.9Class 11 · 3.7% share · 114 questions0.0
- 12Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter0.9Class 12 · 4.0% share · 113 questions-0.3
- 13Laws of Motion0.9Class 11 · 3.4% share · 115 questions0.1
- 14Gravitation0.9Class 11 · 3.7% share · 123 questions-0.4
- 15Electric Charges and Fields0.8Class 12 · 3.0% share · 103 questions0.3
- 16Alternating Current0.8Class 12 · 2.7% share · 108 questions0.2
- 17Electromagnetic Waves0.8Class 12 · 2.9% share · 103 questions0.0
- 18Atoms0.8Class 12 · 3.3% share · 86 questions-0.1
- 19Mechanical Properties of Solids0.7Class 11 · 2.6% share · 71 questions0.3
- 20Motion in a Plane0.7Class 11 · 2.7% share · 99 questions0.2
- 21Nuclei0.7Class 12 · 2.8% share · 84 questions0.0
- 22Kinetic Theory0.7Class 11 · 2.9% share · 90 questions-0.2
- 23Motion in a Straight Line0.7Class 11 · 2.8% share · 87 questions-0.1
- 24Oscillations0.6Class 11 · 2.7% share · 89 questions-0.2
- 25Electromagnetic Induction0.6Class 12 · 2.7% share · 81 questions-0.2
- 26Waves0.6Class 11 · 2.3% share · 78 questions-0.1
- 27Thermal Properties of Matter0.5Class 11 · 2.5% share · 58 questions-0.4
- 28Magnetism and Matter0.4Class 12 · 1.7% share · 47 questions-0.1
Right: weighted estimate (model, of 25 a shift), and the change since 2024.
Not in NTA's 2026 syllabus: Communication Systems (56). Their questions here come from older shifts.
Drill down
Chapter, topic, idea, question
Every Physics chapter, opened all the way down: its topics, the ideas inside them, and every question, each linked to its shift.
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.
Year by year
Every chapter in every year
Questions a shift for each chapter in the 2026 syllabus, year by year, scaled to the 25 questions a subject has in a shift. Highest weighted estimate first; the total is the raw count across all 108 shifts.
- Ray Optics and Optical Instruments · 148 questions0.81.31.211.20.92.11.7
- Current Electricity · 193 questions2.51.41.51.71.71.90.91
- Units and Measurements · 148 questions0.811.11.10.81.41.81.7
- System of Particles and Rotational Motion · 165 questions1.72.31.41.10.91.21.81.2
- Moving Charges and Magnetism · 155 questions0.81.70.91.31.11.51.11.5
- Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance · 124 questions1.71.30.8110.81.51
- 0.811.41.110.911.1
- Thermodynamics · 114 questions0.8110.80.70.81.41.1
- Wave Optics · 94 questions0.80.80.50.70.50.91.31.5
- Mechanical Properties of Fluids · 102 questions1.10.30.80.91.211.1
- Work, Energy and Power · 114 questions0.810.90.91.10.90.90.9
- Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter · 113 questions1.71.210.80.80.80.61
- Laws of Motion · 115 questions0.80.30.81.40.81.20.51
- Gravitation · 123 questions0.811.20.91.510.50.6
- Electric Charges and Fields · 103 questions0.80.90.80.611.10.7
- Alternating Current · 108 questions0.311.20.610.60.8
- Electromagnetic Waves · 103 questions0.90.80.910.90.40.9
- Atoms · 86 questions1.70.50.60.60.90.90.90.6
- Mechanical Properties of Solids · 71 questions0.80.30.50.60.60.60.61.2
- Motion in a Plane · 99 questions0.50.80.90.810.80.6
- Nuclei · 84 questions0.80.50.60.70.80.80.60.7
- Kinetic Theory · 90 questions0.810.70.70.80.70.60.4
- Motion in a Straight Line · 87 questions0.80.70.80.70.70.70.60.6
- Oscillations · 89 questions0.80.31.20.60.80.60.30.8
- Electromagnetic Induction · 81 questions0.80.80.70.510.70.10.8
- Waves · 78 questions0.80.60.70.80.40.90.2
- Thermal Properties of Matter · 58 questions1.70.80.50.60.30.10.60.3
- Magnetism and Matter · 47 questions0.80.30.50.40.40.30.50.2
| Chapter | 2017 | ’20 | 2021 | ’22 | 2023 | ’24 | 2025 | ’26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Optics and Optical Instruments148 questions | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 1.7 |
| Current Electricity193 questions | 2.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 1 |
| Units and Measurements148 questions | 0.8 | 1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.7 |
| System of Particles and Rotational Motion165 questions | 1.7 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 |
| Moving Charges and Magnetism155 questions | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 1.5 |
| Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance124 questions | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 1 |
| Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits137 questions | 0.8 | 1 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1 | 0.9 | 1 | 1.1 |
| Thermodynamics114 questions | 0.8 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.1 |
| Wave Optics94 questions | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 1.5 |
| Mechanical Properties of Fluids102 questions | · | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1 | 1.1 |
| Work, Energy and Power114 questions | 0.8 | 1 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter113 questions | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1 |
| Laws of Motion115 questions | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 1 |
| Gravitation123 questions | 0.8 | 1 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| Electric Charges and Fields103 questions | · | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1 | 1.1 | 0.7 |
| Alternating Current108 questions | · | 0.3 | 1 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 1 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
| Electromagnetic Waves103 questions | · | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.9 |
| Atoms86 questions | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.6 |
| Mechanical Properties of Solids71 questions | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.2 |
| Motion in a Plane99 questions | · | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1 | 0.8 | 0.6 |
| Nuclei84 questions | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| Kinetic Theory90 questions | 0.8 | 1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Motion in a Straight Line87 questions | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| Oscillations89 questions | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.8 |
| Electromagnetic Induction81 questions | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.8 |
| Waves78 questions | · | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.2 |
| Thermal Properties of Matter58 questions | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.3 |
| Magnetism and Matter47 questions | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
Units
Units, ranked
Chapters in the 2026 syllabus grouped into Physics units, by the unit most of their topics belong to. Share is the unit’s average share of the Physics questions, year by year.
Physics units
AVERAGE SHARE- Mechanics · 6 chapters · ~5.4 a shift (est.)22%
- Modern Physics · 5 chapters · ~4.2 a shift (est.)17%
- Thermodynamics · 3 chapters · ~2.2 a shift (est.)9%
- Optics · 2 chapters · ~2.5 a shift (est.)9%
- Electrostatics · 2 chapters · ~2.0 a shift (est.)8%
- Magnetism · 2 chapters · ~1.7 a shift (est.)7%
- Current Electricity · 1 chapter · ~1.4 a shift (est.)6%
- Properties of Matter · 2 chapters · ~1.7 a shift (est.)6%
- EMI and Alternating Current · 2 chapters · ~1.4 a shift (est.)5%
- Waves and SHM · 2 chapters · ~1.2 a shift (est.)5%
- Units and Measurements · 1 chapter · ~1.4 a shift (est.)5%
Trend
Rising and falling chapters
Change in questions a shift (of 25): 2024–26 against 2017–23, for chapters in the 2026 syllabus. A move under half a question in a small chapter is noise.
Rising
- Units and Measurements+0.71.0 → 1.6 a shift · slope +0.10 a year
- Wave Optics+0.50.7 → 1.2 a shift · slope +0.06 a year
- Ray Optics and Optical Instruments+0.51.1 → 1.6 a shift · slope +0.10 a year
- Mechanical Properties of Fluids+0.50.6 → 1.1 a shift · slope +0.11 a year
- Electric Charges and Fields+0.30.6 → 0.9 a shift · slope +0.08 a year
- Mechanical Properties of Solids+0.30.6 → 0.8 a shift · slope +0.04 a year
- Thermodynamics+0.20.9 → 1.1 a shift · slope +0.03 a year
- Alternating Current+0.20.6 → 0.8 a shift · slope +0.08 a year
Falling
- Current Electricity−0.51.8 → 1.3 a shift · slope -0.13 a year
- Gravitation−0.41.1 → 0.7 a shift · slope -0.03 a year
- Thermal Properties of Matter−0.40.8 → 0.4 a shift · slope -0.13 a year
- Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter−0.31.1 → 0.8 a shift · slope -0.09 a year
- Electromagnetic Induction−0.20.8 → 0.5 a shift · slope -0.03 a year
- Kinetic Theory−0.20.8 → 0.6 a shift · slope -0.04 a year
- Oscillations−0.20.8 → 0.5 a shift · slope -0.02 a year
- Magnetism and Matter−0.10.5 → 0.3 a shift · slope -0.05 a year
Shape of the questions
How Physics questions have changed
Class balance, difficulty, the work asked and the question format in each year's analysed shifts, as shares of that year. Tap a year to open it.
Class 11 and Class 12
Difficulty
What the questions ask you to do
Question format
Multiple choice and numerical value
The two halves of Physics
Since 2020, every Physics section has had numerical-value questions alongside the multiple-choice ones. How the split moved by year, and which chapters bring the numericals.
Questions by type, by year
By chapter, all shifts
- Current ElectricityMultiple choice 100 · Numerical 9310093
- System of Particles and Rotational MotionMultiple choice 87 · Numerical 788778
- Moving Charges and MagnetismMultiple choice 113 · Numerical 4211342
- Ray Optics and Optical InstrumentsMultiple choice 96 · Numerical 529652
- Units and MeasurementsMultiple choice 134 · Numerical 14134
- Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple CircuitsMultiple choice 106 · Numerical 3110631
- Electrostatic Potential and CapacitanceMultiple choice 81 · Numerical 438143
- GravitationMultiple choice 110 · Numerical 13110
- Laws of MotionMultiple choice 91 · Numerical 249124
- ThermodynamicsMultiple choice 91 · Numerical 239123
- Work, Energy and PowerMultiple choice 76 · Numerical 387638
- Dual Nature of Radiation and MatterMultiple choice 102 · Numerical 11102
- Alternating CurrentMultiple choice 67 · Numerical 416741
- Electric Charges and FieldsMultiple choice 73 · Numerical 307330
- Electromagnetic WavesMultiple choice 85 · Numerical 188518
- Mechanical Properties of FluidsMultiple choice 68 · Numerical 346834
- Motion in a PlaneMultiple choice 69 · Numerical 306930
- Wave OpticsMultiple choice 58 · Numerical 365836
- Kinetic TheoryMultiple choice 77 · Numerical 137713
- OscillationsMultiple choice 59 · Numerical 305930
- Motion in a Straight LineMultiple choice 62 · Numerical 256225
- AtomsMultiple choice 55 · Numerical 315531
- NucleiMultiple choice 64 · Numerical 206420
- Electromagnetic InductionMultiple choice 42 · Numerical 394239
- WavesMultiple choice 37 · Numerical 413741
- Mechanical Properties of SolidsMultiple choice 38 · Numerical 333833
- Thermal Properties of MatterMultiple choice 41 · Numerical 174117
- Magnetism and MatterMultiple choice 36 · Numerical 113611
Topics
Physics topics asked most
The 20 Physics topics with the most questions across the 108 shifts. A filled dot is a year the topic was asked.
Kinetic Theory
Motion in a Straight Line
Current Electricity
Atoms
Mechanical Properties of Solids
Current Electricity
Work, Energy and Power
Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits
Laws of Motion
Oscillations
Wave Optics
Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
Gravitation
Thermodynamics
Moving Charges and Magnetism
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance
Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits
Electromagnetic Induction
System of Particles and Rotational Motion
“A shift” is the topic’s average questions a shift across the eight years, scaled to the 25 questions a subject has in a shift.
Repeats
Physics ideas asked more than once
An idea is the specific result or method a question tests. 496 of the 1015 Physics ideas came in two or more shifts, and 456 in two or more years.
- Combinational Logic Circuits · Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits31 times
- Ground-to-Ground Parameters · Motion in a Plane19 times
- Elastic Moduli · Mechanical Properties of Solids18 times
- Series and Parallel Combinations · Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance17 times
- Adiabatic Process Analysis · Thermodynamics16 times
- Carnot Efficiency Limit · Thermodynamics15 times
- Faraday's Law Magnitude · Electromagnetic Induction15 times
- Wavelength Ratios of Different Particles · Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter15 times
- Zener Diode Regulation · Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits15 times
- Joule Heating and Power · Current Electricity15 times
- Einstein's Photoelectric Equation · Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter14 times
- YDSE Fringe Width · Wave Optics14 times
- Combinational Logic Circuits · Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits7 years
- Elastic Moduli · Mechanical Properties of Solids7 years
- Adiabatic Process Analysis · Thermodynamics7 years
- Ideal vs. Practical Diode Circuit Analysis · Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits7 years
- Kinetic Energy and Temp · Kinetic Theory7 years
- Ground-to-Ground Parameters · Motion in a Plane6 years
- Series and Parallel Combinations · Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance6 years
- Faraday's Law Magnitude · Electromagnetic Induction6 years
- Joule Heating and Power · Current Electricity6 years
- Wavelength Ratios of Different Particles · Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter6 years
- Charge Sharing and Heat Loss · Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance6 years
- Energy Level Calculations · Atoms6 years
Papers