Class 12 Sample Paper 2026 Physics

2026
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PRACTICE PAPERS
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FOR
CBSE BOARD
AND
STATE BOARDS

ANNUAL PRACTICE PAPER

(SESSION: 2025-26)

CLASS: XII SUBJECT: PHYSICS (042)

Time Allowed: 3 hours Maximum Marks: 70
General Instructions

(1) There are 33 questions in all. All questions are compulsory.

(2) This question paper has five sections: Section A, Section B, Section C, Section D and
Section E.

(3) All the sections are compulsory.

(4) Section A contains sixteen questions, twelve MCQ and four assertion reasoning based of
1 mark each, Section B contains five questions of two marks each, Section C contains seven
questions of three marks each, Section D contains two case study-based questions of four
marks each and Section E contains three long answer questions of five marks each.

(5) There is no overall choice. However, an internal choice has been provided in two
questions in Section B, one question in Section C and all three questions in Section E. You
have to attempt only one of the choices in such questions.

(6) Use of calculators is not allowed. You may use the following values of physical constants
where ever necessary

(7) You may use the following values of physical constants where ever necessary

1

SECTION (A) [16X1=16]
Q.N. QUESTIONS MARKS
1 An infinitely long uniformly charged wire produces an electric field of 1
4
1.8 x 10 N/C at a distance of 1·0 cm. The linear charge density on the wire
is:
(A) 1·12 x10 -14 C/m (B) 3·08 x10 -15 C/m
(C) 1·0 x 10 -9 C/m (D) 1·0 x10 -7 C/m
2. A wire of resistance R, connected to an ideal battery consumes a power P. If 1
the wire is gradually stretched to double its initial length, and connected
across the same battery, the power consumed will be:
(A) P/4 (B) P/2 (C) P (D) 2P
3. A long straight wire of radius ‘a' carries a steady current ‘I'. The current is 1
uniformly distributed across its area of cross-section. The ratio of
magnitude of magnetic field B₁ at a/2 and B₂ at distance 2a is:
(A) ½ (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 4
4. Which of the following has its permeability less than that of free space? 1
(A) Copper (B) Aluminium
(C) Copper chloride (D) Nickel
5. A transformer is a device used for converting: 1
(A) high ac voltage and large ac current to low ac voltage and small ac
current
(B) high ac voltage and small ac current to low ac voltage and small ac
current
(C) low ac voltage and large ac current to high ac voltage and small ac
current
(D) low ac voltage and small ac current to high ac voltage and large ac
current.
6. The amplitude of electric field in an electromagnetic wave in free space is 1
1000 V/m. The amplitude of the magnetic field in this electromagnetic
wave is:
(A) 3·0 × 10-3 T (B) 3·33 × 10-8 T
(C) 3·0 × 1011 T (D) 3·33 × 10 -6 T
7. A tank is filled with liquid of (refractive index 4/3) up to a height H. A coin 1
is placed at its bottom. The depth of the coin, when viewed along the near
normal direction, will be
(A) H/4 (B) 3H/4
(C) H (D) 4H/3

2

8. Two coherent sources, each of intensity I 0, produce interference pattern on 1
a screen. The average intensity of light on the screen is:

(A) zero (B) I0 (C) 2I0 (D) 4I0

9. A beam of red light and a beam of blue light have equal intensities. Which 1
of the following statements is true?

(A)The blue beam has a greater number of photons than the red beam.
(B) The red beam has a greater number of photons than the blue beam.
(C) Wavelength of red light is lesser than wavelength of blue light.
(D) The blue light beam has lesser energy per photon than that in the red-
light beam.

10. In a Geiger-Marsden experiment, what is the distance of closest approach 1
to the nucleus of a 7.7 MeV α-particle before it comes momentarily to rest
and reverses its direction?

(A) 3.84 × 10–16 Z m (B) 3.84 × 10–14Z m

(C) 3.84 × 10–12 Z m (D) 3.84 × 10–18 Z m

11. At a certain temperature in an intrinsic semiconductor, the electrons and 1
holes concentration are 1·5x 10 16 /m3. When it is doped with a trivalent
dopant, hole concentration increases to 4·5 x10 22 /m3. In the doped
semiconductor, the concentration of electrons (ne) will be:

(A) 3 x106 /m3 (B) 5 X107 /m3
(C) 5x 109 /m3 (D) 6·75x 1038 /m3

12. A semiconductor device is connected in series with a battery, an ammeter, 1
and a resistor. A current flow in the circuit. If the polarity of the battery is
reversed, the current in the circuit almost becomes zero. The device is a/an

(A) intrinsic semiconductor (B) p-type semiconductor
(C) n-type semiconductor (D) p-n junction diode

3

Questions number 16 to 18 are Assertion (A) and Reason (R) type questions. Two
statements are given one labelled Assertion (A) and the other labelled Reason (R). Select
the correct answer from the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d) as given below.
(a)Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct
explanation of the Assertion (A).
(b) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct
explanation of the Assertion (A).
(c)Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
(d) Assertion (A) is false and Reason (R) is also false.
13. Assertion (A): Hydrogen atom consists of only one electron but its 1
emission spectrum has many lines.

Reason (R): Only Lyman series is found in the absorption spectrum of
hydrogen atom whereas in the emission spectrum, all the series are found.

14. Assertion (A): A ray of light is incident normally on the face of a prism. 1
The emergent ray will graze along the opposite face of the prism when the
critical angle at glass-air interface is equal to the angle of the prism.

Reason (R): The refractive index of a prism depends on angle of the prism.

15. Assertion (A): The average power consumed in the circuit having 1
resistance over a cycle is zero.

Reason (R): The current is leading the voltage by π/2.

16. Assertion (A): At resonance the impedance of a series LCR circuit is Z=R. 1

Reason (R): 𝒁 = √𝑅 2 + (𝑋𝐶 − 𝑋𝐿 )2 and at resonance the inductive
reactance 𝑋𝐿 is equal to capacitive reactance 𝑋𝐶 .

SECTION (B) [5X2=10]
17. Two-point charges q1 (= 16μ C) and q2 (= 1 µC) are placed at points 2
𝑟1 = (3 m)𝑖̂ and ⃗⃗⃗
⃗⃗⃗ 𝑟2 = (4 m)𝑗̂ .
Find the net electric field 𝐸⃗ at point 𝑟 = (3 m)𝑖̂ + (4 m)𝑗̂ .

4

18. Two long straight wires 1 and 2 are kept as shown in the figure. The linear 2
charge density of the two wires is 𝜆1 = 1.0 C/m and 𝜆2 = 2.0 C/m. Find the
net force experienced by an electron held at point P.

19. (a) Find the current flowing in 1Ω resistance, when a battery of emf 10 V is 2
applied between points A and B for the network shown in the figure.

OR
(b) A cell of emf E and internal resistance r is connected to an external
variable resistance R. Plot a graph showing the variation of terminal 2
voltage V of the cell as a function of current I, supplied by the cell. Explain
how the emf of the cell and its internal resistance can be found from it.

20. (a) How is an electromagnetic wave produced? 2

(b) An electromagnetic wave is travelling in vertically upward direction. At
an instant, its electric field vector points in west direction. In which
direction does the magnetic field vector point at that instant?

21. (a) Explain the property of a p-n junction which makes it suitable for 2
rectifying alternating voltages. Differentiate between a half-wave and a
full-wave rectifier.
OR

5

(b) Explain the roles of diffusion current and drift current in the formation
of the depletion layer in a p-n junction diode. 2

SECTION (C) [7X3=21]
22. (i) When a potential difference is applied across the ends of a conductor, 3
the free electrons must accelerate along the length of the conductor. But
they acquire a steady drift speed. Explain why.

(ii)A conductor of length L is connected to a battery of emf E. This
conductor is replaced by another conductor of the same material and the
same cross-sectional area, but of length 4L. How will the drift speed
change?

23. (a) Briefly describe how the current sensitivity of a moving coil 3
galvanometer can be increased.
(b) A galvanometer of resistance G is converted into a voltmeter of range (0
V) by using a resistance R. Find the resistance, in terms of R and G,
required to convert it into a voltmeter of range (0 to V/2).

24. (a)Two coils ‘1’ and ‘2’ are placed close to each other as shown in the 3
figure. Find the direction of induced current in coil ‘1’ in each of the
following situations, justifying your answers:

(a) Coil ‘2’ is moving towards coil ‘1’.

(b) Coil ‘2’ is moving away from coil ‘1’.

(c) The resistance connected with coil ‘2’ is increased keeping both the
coils stationary.

For VI students

(a) Define mutual inductance and write its SI units. 3

6

(b) Derive an expression for the mutual inductance of two long co-axial
solenoids of same length wound one over the other.

(c) In an experiment, two coils C1 and C2 are placed close to each other.
Find out the expression for the emf induced in the coil C 1 due to a change
in the current through the coil C2.

25. A convex lens of focal length 20 cm and a concave lens of focal length 15 3
cm are kept 30 cm apart with their principal axes coincident. When an
object is placed 30 cm in front of the convex lens, calculate the position of
the final image formed by the combination. Would this result change if the
object were placed 30 cm in front of the concave lens? Give reason.

26. (a) The work function of cesium metal is 2.14 eV. When light of frequency 3
6×1014 Hz is incident on the metal surface, photoemission of electrons
occurs. Find the-
(i) maximum kinetic energy of the emitted electrons?
(ii) stopping potential and
(iii) maximum speed of emitted electrons?
OR
(b)An electron and a photon, each has a wavelength of 1.00 nm. Find
3
(i) their momenta
(ii) the energy of the photon and
(iii) the kinetic energy of electron.
27. Show the variation of binding energy per nucleon with mass number. Write 3
the significance of the binding energy curve.

For VI students

Two nuclei with lower binding energy per nucleon form a nuclei with more 3
binding energy per nucleon.
(i) What type of nuclear reaction is it?
(ii) Whether the total mass of nuclei increases, decreases or remains
unchanged?
(iii) Does the process require energy or produce energy?

7

28. (i) Write any two distinguishing features between conductors, 3
semiconductors and insulators on the basis of
(a) valance band and conduction band at room temperature
(b) energy gaps between two bands.
(ii) How does the change in temperature affect the behaviors of these
materials? Explain briefly.
SECTION (D) [4X2=8]
29. Diffraction of light is bending of light around the corners of an object
whose size is comparable with the wavelength of light. Diffraction actually
defines the limits of ray optics. This limit for optical instruments is set by
the wavelength of light. An experimental arrangement is set up to observe
the diffraction pattern due to a single slit. Answer the following questions
based on the above:
(i) How will the width of central maximum be affected if the wavelength of 1
light is increased?
(ii) Under what condition is the first minimum obtained? 1
(iii) Two students are separated by a 7 m partition wall in a room 10 m
2
high. If both light and sound waves can bend around obstacles, how is it
that the students are unable to see each other even though they can converse
easily?

30. A hydrogen atom consists of an electron revolving in a circular orbit of
radius r with certain velocity v around a proton located at the nucleus of the
atom. The electrostatic force of attraction between the revolving electron
and the proton provides the requisite centripetal force to keep it in the orbit.
According to Bohr’s model, an electron can revolve only in certain stable
orbits. The angular momentum of the electron in these orbits is some
ℎ
integral multiple of , where h is the Planck’s constant. Further, when an
2𝜋

electron makes a transition from one orbit of higher energy to that of lower
energy, a photon is emitted having energy equal to the difference between
energies of the initial and final states. Assuming the mass and charge of an
electron as m and e respectively, answer the following questions.

8

(i) The expression for the speed of electron v in terms of radius of the orbit 1
1
(r) and physical constant (K= )
4𝜋𝜖0

(ii) The total energy of the atom in terms of r and physical constant K is: 1

(A) Ke²/r (B) -Ke²/2r
(C) Ke²/2r (D) 3 Ke²/2r
(iii) A photon of wavelength 500 nm is emitted when an electron makes a 1
transition from one state to the other state in an atom. The change in the
total energy of the electron and change in its kinetic energy in eV as per
Bohr's model, respectively will be:
(A) 2.48, - 2.48 (B) - 1.24, 1.24
(C) - 2.48, 2.48 (D) 1.24, - 1.24
(iv) In Bohr's model of hydrogen atom, the frequency of revolution of 1
electron in its nth orbit is proportional to:

(A) n (A) 1/n (C) 1/n2 (D) 1/n3

SECTION (E) [5X3=15]
31. (a) (i) A conducting slab of thickness ‘t=d/2’ and dielectric slab of dielectric 5
constant ‘K’ and thickness ‘t=d/4’ is inserted between plates of parallel
plate capacitor of plate separation d and plate area A. Obtain an expression
for its capacitance.

(ii) Two capacitors of different capacitances are connected first in (1) series
and (2) then in parallel across a dc source of 100 V. If the total energy
stored in the combination in two cases are 40mJ and 250 mJ respectively,
find the capacitance of the capacitors.

OR

9

(b) (i)Two-point charges + q and -q are held at (r, 0) and (- r, 0) in x-y 5
plane. Obtain an expression for the net electric field due to the charges at a
point (0, y). Hence, find electric field at a far-off point (y >> r).

(ii) Four-point charges of 2 mC, 1 mC, 3 mC and 4mC are kept at the
vertices A, B, C and D of a square of side 20 cm. Find the total amount of
work done in shifting the charges from A to A1, B to B1 , C to C1 and D to
D1. Here A1 , B1, C1 and D1 are the midpoints of sides AB, BC, CA and DA
respectively.

32. (a) (i) Derive an expression for the force acting on a current carrying 5
straight conductor kept in a magnetic field. State the rule which is used to
find the direction of this force. Give the condition under which this force is
(1) maximum, and (2) minimum.

(ii) Two long parallel straight wires A and B are 2.5 cm apart in air. They
carry 5 .0 A and 2.5 A currents respectively in opposite directions.
Calculate the magnitude of the force exerted by wire A on a 10 cm length of
wire B.
OR

(b) (i) A particle of mass m and charge q, at the origin moves with a 5

velocity angle v in xy-plane making an angle θ with x-axis. It is subjected
to a uniform magnetic field B along x-axis. Justify that the particle will
move in a helical path. Hence, obtain expression for the radius of the helix.

(ii) A closely wound circular coil of radius 6·28 cm, having 50 turns carries
a steady current of 4 A. Find the magnetic field at the centre of the coil.
How will the magnitude of the magnetic field be affected if the radius of
the coil is halved keeping other factors same?

10

33. (a) (i) A ray of light is incident on one face of a triangular glass prism of 5
refractive index n and is refracted out from the opposite face. Deduce the
expression for Snell’s law in terms of the angle of minimum deviation and
angle of the prism.
(ii) A right-angled isosceles glass prism ABC is kept in contact with an
equilateral triangular prism DBC as shown in the figure. Both prisms are
made of the same glass of refractive index 1·6. Trace the path of the ray
MN incident normally on face AB as it passes through the combination.

For VI students

(ii) A ray of light is incident at an angle i on a parallel sided glass slab of
diagram to show its path as it emerges out of the slab of thickness ‘d’ and
gets refracted into the slab at an angle r. Hence, obtain an expression for the
lateral shift of the ray. Under what condition will the shift be minimum?

OR

(b) (i) Draw a ray diagram showing the image formation when a concave 5
mirror produces a real, inverted and magnified image of an object and
hence obtain the mirror formula.

For VI students

(i)Use mirror formula to deduce that a convex mirror always produces a
virtual image of an object kept in front of it.
(ii) A concave mirror has radius of curvature 20 cm. Calculate the distance
of an object from the mirror so as to form an image of magnification. Also
find the location of the image.

11