Come April 11 and lakhs of Indian students who aspire to study at premier Indian Institutes of Technology will be appearing for their joint entrance exam, popularly known as the IIT JEE. Here are some basic tips that JEE aspirants must keep in mind while preparing for physics.
1. Revise concepts using formulae
Take for example, the kinematic equation S= ut+1/2 at^2 (square)
Here the student has to really analyse the formula by asking herself/himself questions like:
Is this a vector or a scalar equation?
What is the actual meaning of each symbol in the formula. For example, S is not merely the displacement, but one has to think what the reference point is and that displacement is connected with time by what relation.
2. Don't go in for questions that involve too much of algebra or calculus
Most of the questions in IITs now are not calculation-intensive, but demand conceptual clarity on the part of the student.
Last minute practice can be done by reviewing the exercises of books like 'University Physics' by Young or 'Fundamentals of Physics' by Resnick and Halliday.
3. Imagine different aspects of a problem
For example, when you are reviewing the image formation of a concave mirror, you may ask yourself and answer questions like:
In what direction does the image move when the object moves towards the image?
How can we calculate their relative speeds?
How can we calculate the rate of growth of image as the object moves towards the mirror?
Try to ask questions at every step of the questions and find a way to reach the answers. This would be the ideal way to prepare for an exam of the calibre of IIT JEE.
Tips for effective time management during the exam
Read the instructions regarding different sections and marking scheme carefully
While attempting questions:
Start by attempting questions that you find easy and the ones that carry maximum marks. This will give you the confidence that you have started off well.
Pay special attention while attempting multiple correct answer type and matrix match type questions. Some answers might have more than one correct answer and you need to check all the answer choices before finally marking the answer.
Use elimination method/ substitution method
Before starting to solve a question, check the anwers choices first. In some questions, you may arrive at the solution simply by eliminating the options that are clearly wrong. Sometimes simply substituting the values in the given answers can provide the solution.
Viji Raj is a physics expert and faculty at TCY.
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