List of top Questions asked in IISER

Three infinite plane sheets which have uniform positive surface charge densities $\sigma$, $\sigma$ and $2\sigma$, are arranged parallel to each other with a separation of $d$ as shown in the figure. A spherical Gaussian surface $S$ of radius $d/2$ has its center on the middle sheet. Which of the following statements regarding the electric flux $\Phi_L$ through the left hemisphere and the electric flux $\Phi_R$ through the right hemisphere of the Gaussian surface is correct?

Consider two Carnot engines of efficiencies $\eta_1$ and $\eta_2$. The first engine absorbs heat $Q_1$ from a heat reservoir A and releases heat $Q_2$ to a heat reservoir B. The second engine takes heat $Q_2$ from B and releases heat $Q_3$ to a heat reservoir C. If $Q_1 > Q_2 > Q_3$, what is the net efficiency of this combination of the two Carnot engines?

An experimental study of the photoelectric effect involves a metal of work function $\phi_0$. What is the smallest wavelength of the incident photon to photoemit an electron of mass $m$ which has the same de Broglie wavelength as that of the incident photon? [Given $h$ is the Planck's constant, $c$ is the speed of light, and $\phi_0 \ll mc^2$]

The acceleration of a point particle is given by the equation \[ \frac{d^2\mathbf{x}}{dt^2} = \alpha \frac{\mathbf{x}}{|\mathbf{x}|^7} + \beta \frac{d\mathbf{x}}{dt} \] where $\mathbf{x}$ denotes position and $t$ denotes time. Which of the following relations show the correct dimensions for $\alpha$ and $\beta$?

A jar is filled with two monoatomic non-interacting gases A and B with total masses $M_A$ and $M_B$, respectively. The molar mass of A is double the molar mass of B. If the jar is kept at temperature $T$, what is the ratio of the total pressure of the combined gas to the partial pressure due to the gas A?

The three numbers: (number of protons, number of neutrons, the radius) characterize a nucleus. What is the value of $\frac{r_1}{r_2}$ for two nuclei characterized by $(1, 0, r_1)$ and $(4, 4, r_2)$?

Consider normal incidence of a monochromatic beam of photons of power $P$ on a flat surface. Of the incident beam, 10% gets absorbed, 10% gets transmitted, and the rest is reflected by the flat surface. If $c$ is the speed of light, what is the force exerted on the flat surface by the beam?

A particle of mass $m_1$ and electric charge $q$ starts from rest under the influence of a uniform external electric field $\mathbf{E}$ to travel a distance $d$ in time $t_1$. If the particle had mass $m_2$, it would take time $t_2$ to travel the same distance. What is the ratio $\frac{t_1}{t_2}$?

A planet is revolving in a circular orbit with a time period $T$ around the center of a star solely under the gravity of the star. Suppose the distance between the star and the planet is halved. The individual radii of the star and the planet are also halved, keeping their uniform mass densities unchanged. What will be the time period of the new orbit of the planet?

An exotic spherical jellyfish has a bulk modulus $B$. Close to the surface of the sea (depth $d=0$), its radius is $R$. When it dives to a depth $d$ ($d \gg R$), its radius is reduced by $\Delta R > 0$. Given the density of the incompressible sea water $\rho$, and the uniform acceleration due to gravity $g$ such that $\rho g d \ll B$, what is $\frac{\Delta R}{R}$?

The position of a particle of mass 1 kg at time $t$ is given by $\mathbf{r} = t\hat{i} + \hat{j} + 2t^2\hat{k}$, where $t$ is in seconds and the coefficients have the proper units for $\mathbf{r}$ to be in metres. What is the component of the angular momentum (with respect to the origin) in kg m$^2$ s$^{-1}$ along the vector $(\hat{i} + \hat{j})$?

A simple pendulum of length $L$, mass $m$ and electric charge $q$ on its bob is oscillating with a time period $T$ under uniform gravity which is in the $-\hat{z}$ direction. Upon applying a uniform electric field $|E|\hat{n}$ (where $\hat{n}$ is a unit vector in the plane of oscillation), the time period of the pendulum decreases. Which of the following statements is NOT correct?

A long solenoid of initial radius $R_0$ is put in a region of uniform magnetic field $\mathbf{B}$ with the axis of the solenoid aligned along the magnetic field. The solenoid is a part of a closed circuit that has no initial current running through it. If the radius of the solenoid starts increasing at a uniform rate, how do the magnetic field strength $B_{in}$ and the associated magnetic energy $U_{in}$ inside the solenoid change?

A spherical concave mirror of focal length 10 cm and a double convex lens of focal length 5 cm are arranged on the common principal axis as shown in the figure. A small object is placed on the principal axis between the focal points $F_1$ and $F_2$ of the mirror and the lens, respectively. If two real and mutually inverted images are formed by the lens at the same location on the principal axis, what is the distance of the object from the mirror on the principal axis?

A sphere and a cube of equal masses on a horizontal frictionless floor, are confined between two vertical walls, as shown in the figure. The cube is attached to the wall by a massless spring. At the equilibrium position of the spring, the sphere just touches the cube. The cube is moved towards the left by a small amount $\ell$ from its equilibrium position, compressing the spring and is released at $t = 0$. The system keeps returning to its initial configuration as that of $t = 0$ with a time period $T$. If all the collisions are elastic, which of the following statements is correct?

Suppose there are two boxes $B_1$ and $B_2$, each having 3 red and 4 black balls. One ball is drawn at random from $B_1$. If it is red, 4 red balls are put into $B_2$, otherwise 3 black balls are put into $B_2$. Then one ball is randomly drawn from $B_2$. If this ball is red, what is the conditional probability that the ball drawn from $B_1$ was also red?

Let $a_1, a_2, a_3, \dots$ be a geometric progression of positive integers such that $a_1 = 3$ and $a_{n+2} - 2a_n = a_{n+1}$ for all positive integers $n$. What is the value of $a_1 + a_2 + a_3 + a_4 + a_5$?

Let $f : \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ be the function given by \[ f(x) = |x - 2| + 3|x - 1| + ||x - 2| - 1| . \] What is the number of points where $f$ is NOT differentiable?

Let $n = 20^{26}$. What is the remainder when $49^n + 41^n + 10n$ is divided by 100?

Let $\mathcal{C}$ be the set of all the circles in a plane. If \[ \mathcal{R} = \{(C_1, C_2) \in \mathcal{C} \times \mathcal{C} \mid C_1 \text{ and } C_2 \text{ intersect}\} , \] then which of the following statements is TRUE?

For a $2 \times 2$ matrix $A$, whose elements are real numbers, denote by $A^m$ the product $AA\dots A$ ($m$ times), where $m$ is a positive integer. Define $x_0 = 0$, $x_1 = 1$, $x_n = x_{n-1} + x_{n-2}$, for all $n \ge 2$ and \[ A_n = \begin{bmatrix} x_{n+1} & x_n\\ x_n & x_{n-1} \end{bmatrix}, \text{ for all } n \ge 1. \] Which of the following statements is TRUE for all $m \ge 3$?

Consider the data of scores obtained by students in an examination. If the score of every student is increased by 2 marks, then which of the following statements is TRUE?

For real numbers $a$ and $b$, consider the function $f : \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ given by \[ f(x) = \begin{cases} -ax - b ;& \text{if } x \\ 5x + 1 ;& \text{if } -1 \le x \le 1, \\ a^2x + 3b ;& \text{if } x > 1 . \end{cases} \] How many pairs $(a, b)$ are there for which $f$ is continuous at every point of $\mathbb{R}$?

What is the value of $\int_{-1}^{2} \min\{1 - x, 1 - x^3\} \, dx$?

Consider the function $f : \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ defined by $f(x) = \sin^2(7x) - \sin^2(5x)$. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?