JEE Main · Physics · Laws of Motion
Circular Motion: JEE Main previous year questions
38 questions in the 108 JEE Main shifts Lumi analysed, in 6 of 8 years. Pattern: Asked most years. 10 came in 2024–26. Here is how it is asked and which ideas come back.
- Questions
- 38
- in 35 of 108 shifts
- Years asked
- 6/8
- last asked 2026
- Weighted estimate
- 0.3
- model; history: 0.2 a shift on average, typically 0.0–0.3
Key findings
- 01
Asked in 6 of 8 years with analysed shifts and in 35 of 108 shifts: 38 questions, #88 of 196 topics. The years that asked it were 1.2 apart on average.
- 02
53% of its questions since 2020 tested an idea no earlier year had asked; 11 repeated an idea from the year before.
- 03
The most repeated idea is Vertical Circular Motion, asked 7 times in 7 shifts (2021, 2022), most often as “change in velocity in vertical circular motion”.
- 04
JEE Main has asked 15 of the 55 ideas in this topic; 37 have never been asked, directly or inside another question.
- 05
Mostly asked as single correct (66%); 18% need a numerical answer, 45% are easy and 8% hard.
- 06
The skill tested most is calculation (37%), then application (34%).
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.
Raw count: 2017: 0 in 1 shift · 2020: 4 in 12 shifts · 2021: 10 in 24 shifts · 2022: 10 in 24 shifts · 2023: 4 in 12 shifts · 2024: 7 in 18 shifts · 2025: 0 in 8 shifts · 2026: 3 in 9 shifts.
- Up to 2023
- 0.3
- a shift, of 25
- Since 2024
- 0.2
- 0.0
- Usual gap
- 1.2 yrs
- between years asking it
- Shifts with it
- 35/108
- 32% of analysed shifts
How it is asked
Difficulty, format and skill
Across all 38 questions on Circular Motion since 2017.
Difficulty
QUESTIONS- Easy17 · 45%
- Medium18 · 47%
- Hard3 · 8%
Format
SHARE- Single correct · 25 Q66%
- Numerical value · 7 Q18%
- Diagram based · 5 Q13%
- Two statements · 1 Q3%
Skill tested
SHARE- Calculation · 14 Q37%
- Application · 13 Q34%
- Multi-step · 7 Q18%
- Data or graph · 2 Q5%
- Conceptual · 2 Q5%
Repeats
New idea, or one asked before?
Each column is a year. Blue questions tested an idea no earlier year had asked; navy ones went back to an idea from an earlier year. 2017 is the first year, so everything in it counts as new. Heights are question counts, and Lumi analysed 1 to 24 shifts a year, so compare the split inside a column rather than heights across years.
- Idea asked for the first time
- Idea asked in an earlier year
Coverage of the topic
JEE Main has asked 15 of the 55 ideas in this topic. 37 have never been asked yet.
- Asked directly15 · 27%
- Touched inside another question3 · 5%
- Never asked37 · 67%
Ideas come from Lumi’s JEE syllabus map. A never-asked idea is not a safe skip: across all of JEE Main, 22% of questions since 2024 tested an idea no earlier year had asked.
Drill down
Chapter, idea, question
Every idea JEE Main tested in this topic, with its eight years. Open one to read the questions.
12 ideas inside
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
Every idea inside this topic
15 different ideas were tested; 9 came more than once.
change in velocity in vertical circular motion
Numerical value · 7 shifts · 4 numericalratio of speeds at constant centripetal force
Single correct · 6 shiftstension in spring for horizontal circular motion
Single correct · 5 shiftsangular acceleration from angle function
Single correct · 3 shiftsradial velocity of bead in rotating radial groove
Single correct · 3 shifts · 1 numericalbanking height for rail curve
Diagram based · 2 shiftsmaximum angular speed before coin slips
Single correct · 2 shiftsstatement i/ii on turning on road
Numerical value · 2 shifts · 1 numericalspeed of conical pendulum from radius and string length
Diagram based · 2 shiftspendulum angle in turning vehicle
Single correct · 1 shiftslipping radius on rotating table
Single correct · 1 shiftmax speed before string breaks
Single correct · 1 shiftforce by liquid in rotating tube
Numerical value · 1 shift · 1 numericalangular speed of bead on rotating wire
Diagram based · 1 shiftdirection of velocity and acceleration from position vector
Single correct · 1 shift
| Idea | Years asked | Times | Shifts | Format | Numerical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical Circular Motionchange in velocity in vertical circular motion | 7 | 7 | Numerical valueMulti-step | 4 | |
| Centripetal Accelerationratio of speeds at constant centripetal force | 6 | 6 | Single correctCalculation | – | |
| Spring-Mass in Circular Motiontension in spring for horizontal circular motion | 5 | 5 | Single correctApplication | – | |
| Angular and Linear Kinematicsangular acceleration from angle function | 3 | 3 | Single correctCalculation | – | |
| Centrifugal Pseudo-Forceradial velocity of bead in rotating radial groove | 3 | 3 | Single correctCalculation | 1 | |
| Banking of Roadsbanking height for rail curve | 2 | 2 | Diagram basedApplication | – | |
| Coin Slipping on a Rotating Discmaximum angular speed before coin slips | 2 | 2 | Single correctApplication | – | |
| Friction on Unbanked Flat Curvesstatement i/ii on turning on road | 2 | 2 | Numerical valueApplication | 1 | |
| Conical Pendulum Dynamicsspeed of conical pendulum from radius and string length | 2 | 2 | Diagram basedApplication | – | |
| Pendulum in an Accelerating Turning Vehiclependulum angle in turning vehicle | 1 | 1 | Single correctApplication | – | |
| Coin on a Rotating Turntableslipping radius on rotating table | 1 | 1 | Single correctApplication | – | |
| Breaking Tension Limitsmax speed before string breaks | 1 | 1 | Single correctCalculation | – | |
| Rotating Liquid Tubeforce by liquid in rotating tube | 1 | 1 | Numerical valueMulti-step | 1 | |
| Bead on a Rotating Hoopangular speed of bead on rotating wire | 1 | 1 | Diagram basedMulti-step | – | |
| Vector Cross Products in Circular Motiondirection of velocity and acceleration from position vector | 1 | 1 | Single correctConceptual | – |
Times and shifts count every analysed shift. Across JEE Main, 78% of questions since 2024 went back to an idea an earlier year had asked; the rest were new. All repeated ideas
Every question
Circular Motion questions, year by year
The opening words of each question as it appeared in the official paper, with the idea it tested. Open one for its options and the official answer.
JEE Main 20263 questions in 3 shifts
- 2 Apr, Shift 1Q31A particle is rotating in a circular path and at any instant its motion can be described as . The…
Idea: Angular and Linear Kinematics
EasySingle correct - 5 Apr, Shift 2Q30A wheel initially at rest is subjected to a uniform angular acceleration about its axis. In the first 2 s it rotates through an angle…
Idea: Angular and Linear Kinematics
EasySingle correct - 8 Apr, Shift 2Q28A car moving with a speed of 54 km/h takes a turn of radius 20 m. A simple pendulum is suspended from the ceiling of the car. Determine…
Idea: Pendulum in an Accelerating Turning Vehicle
New ideaEasySingle correct
JEE Main 20247 questions in 7 shifts
- 5 Apr, Shift 2Q32A man carrying a monkey on his shoulder does cycling smoothly on a circular track of radius 9 m and completes 120 resolutions in 3…
Idea: Centripetal Acceleration
Asked the year beforeEasySingle correct - 8 Apr, Shift 1Q32A clock has 75 cm, 60 cm long second hand and minute hand respectively. In 30 minutes duration the tip of second hand will travel …
Idea: Angular and Linear Kinematics
New ideaEasySingle correct - 8 Apr, Shift 2Q52A circular table is rotating with an angular velocity of rad/s about its axis (see figure). There is a smooth groove along a…
Idea: Centrifugal Pseudo-Force
Asked the year beforeHardNumerical value · figure - 1 Feb, Shift 1Q34A ball of mass 0.5 kg is attached to a string of length 50 cm. The ball is rotated on a horizontal circular path about its vertical axis.…
Idea: Centripetal Acceleration
Asked the year beforeEasySingle correct - 27 Jan, Shift 1Q34A train is moving with a speed of 12 m/s on rails which are 1.5 m apart. To negotiate a curve of radius 400 m, the height by which the…
Idea: Banking of Roads
MediumSingle correct - 29 Jan, Shift 1Q33If the radius of curvature of the path of two particles of same mass are in the ratio 3:4, then in order to have constant centripetal…
Idea: Centripetal Acceleration
Asked the year beforeEasySingle correct - 31 Jan, Shift 1Q33A coin is placed on a disc. The coefficient of friction between the coin and the disc is . If the distance of the coin from the…
Idea: Coin Slipping on a Rotating Disc
EasySingle correct
JEE Main 20234 questions in 4 shifts
- 6 Apr, Shift 1Q48A small block of mass 100 g is tied to a spring of spring constant 7.5 N/m and length 20 cm. The other end of spring is fixed at a…
Idea: Spring-Mass in Circular Motion
Asked the year beforeMediumSingle correct - 6 Apr, Shift 2Q34A child of mass 5 kg is going round a merry-go-round that makes 1 rotation in 3.14 s. The radius of the merry-go-round is 2 m. The…
Idea: Centrifugal Pseudo-Force
EasySingle correct - 11 Apr, Shift 1Q48A coin placed on a rotating table just slips when it is placed at a distance of 1 cm from the center. If the angular velocity of the table…
Idea: Coin on a Rotating Turntable
New ideaEasySingle correct - 13 Apr, Shift 2Q34A vehicle of mass kg is moving along a levelled curved road of radius m with angular velocity of rad/s. The centripetal…
Idea: Centripetal Acceleration
Asked the year beforeEasySingle correct
JEE Main 202210 questions in 8 shifts
- 29 Jul, Shift 1Q34A smooth circular groove has a smooth vertical wall as shown in figure. A block of mass m moves against the wall with a speed . Which…
Idea: Centripetal Acceleration
Asked the year beforeMediumDiagram based · figure - 29 Jul, Shift 2Q51A tube of length 50 cm is filled completely with an incompressible liquid of mass 250 g and closed at both ends. The tube is then rotated…
Idea: Rotating Liquid Tube
New ideaMediumNumerical value - 30 Jul, Shift 2Q4A mass of 0.5 kg is attached to one end of a massless spring whose natural length is 1 m and spring constant is 800 N/m The other end of…
Idea: Spring-Mass in Circular Motion
MediumSingle correct - 24 Jun, Shift 1Q37A boy ties a stone of mass 100 g to the end of a 2 m long string and whirls it around in a horizontal plane. The string can withstand the…
Idea: Breaking Tension Limits
New ideaMediumSingle correct - 24 Jun, Shift 2Q33A stone of mass m, tied to a string is being whirled in a vertical circle with a uniform speed. The tension in the string is
Idea: Vertical Circular Motion
Asked the year beforeEasySingle correct - 25 Jun, Shift 2Q33A disc with a flat small bottom beaker placed on it at a distance from its center is revolving about an axis passing through the…
Idea: Coin Slipping on a Rotating Disc
New ideaEasySingle correct - 25 Jun, Shift 2Q52A curved in a level road has a radius 75 m. The maximum speed of a car turning this curved road can be 30 m/s without skidding. If radius…
Idea: Friction on Unbanked Flat Curves
Asked the year beforeEasyNumerical value - 26 Jun, Shift 1Q34A ball is released from rest from point P of a smooth semi-spherical vessel as shown in figure. The ratio of the centripetal force and…
Idea: Vertical Circular Motion
Asked the year beforeHardDiagram based · figure - 27 Jun, Shift 2Q34One end of a massless spring of spring constant and natural length is fixed while the other end is connected to a small object…
Idea: Spring-Mass in Circular Motion
EasySingle correct - 27 Jun, Shift 2Q35A stone tide to a string of length L is whirled in a vertical circle with the other end of the string at the centre. At a certain instant…
Idea: Vertical Circular Motion
Asked the year beforeMediumSingle correct
JEE Main 202110 questions in 9 shifts
- 3 Aug, Shift 1Q6As shown in the figure, a string of length ‘' holds a small bob of mass ‘' while suspended from a point `O'. The bob revolves about…
Idea: Conical Pendulum Dynamics
New ideaMediumDiagram based · figure - 3 Aug, Shift 1Q21The given figure shows a loop-the-loop track having radius 760 . A car without engine starts from a platform at a distance ‘' above…
Idea: Vertical Circular Motion
New ideaMediumNumerical value · figure - 4 Aug, Shift 2Q25A small solid spherical marble of mass M and radius 5 cm rolls along loop track without slipping. The height above the base, from where it…
Idea: Vertical Circular Motion
New ideaHardNumerical value · figure - 26 Aug, Shift 2Q9A particle of mass m is suspended from a ceiling through a string of length L. The particle moves in a horizontal circle of radius r such…
Idea: Conical Pendulum Dynamics
New ideaEasySingle correct - 27 Aug, Shift 2Q23A bullet of 10 g, moving with velocity , collides head-on with the stationary bob of a pendulum and recoils with velocity 100 m/s. The…
Idea: Vertical Circular Motion
New ideaMediumNumerical value · figure - 24 Feb, Shift 2Q4A body weighs 49 N on a spring balance at the north pole. What will be its weight recorded on the same weighing machine, if it is shifted…
Idea: Centrifugal Pseudo-Force
New ideaMediumSingle correct - 25 Feb, Shift 1Q24A small bob tied at one end of a thin string of length 1 m is describing a vertical circle so that the maximum and minimum tension in the…
Idea: Vertical Circular Motion
New ideaMediumNumerical value - 26 Feb, Shift 1Q10A particle is moving with uniform speed along the circumference of a circle of radius R under the action of a central fictitious force F…
Idea: Centripetal Acceleration
New ideaMediumSingle correct - 16 Mar, Shift 2Q15Statement I : A cyclist is moving on an unbanked road with a speed of 7 and takes a sharp circular turn along a path…
Idea: Friction on Unbanked Flat Curves
New ideaMediumTwo statements - 17 Mar, Shift 1Q2A modern grand - prix racing car of mass m is travelling on a flat track in a circular arc of radius R with a speed . If the…
Idea: Banking of Roads
New ideaMediumDiagram based · figure
JEE Main 20204 questions in 4 shifts
- 8 Jan, Shift 1Q2A particle of mass m is fixed to one end of a light spring having force constant k and unstretched length . The other end is fixed. The…
Idea: Spring-Mass in Circular Motion
New ideaMediumSingle correct - 8 Jan, Shift 2Q2A particle moves such that its position vector where is a constant and t…
Idea: Vector Cross Products in Circular Motion
New ideaEasySingle correct - 9 Jan, Shift 2Q6A spring mass system (mass , spring constant and natural length ) rests in equilibrium on a horizontal disc. The free end of the…
Idea: Spring-Mass in Circular Motion
New ideaMediumSingle correct - 2 Sep, Shift 1Q4A bead of mass stays at point on a wire bent in the shape of a parabola and rotating with angular speed …
Idea: Bead on a Rotating Hoop
New ideaMediumDiagram based · figure
Questions from the official JEE Main Paper 1 shifts published by NTA (CBSE for 2017). Questions NTA dropped are left out. Topic and idea tags, counts and notes are Lumi’s.