Tamil Nadu 12th Physics Answer Key 2026 (OUT) LIVE: Paper Difficulty Level; Solved Question Paper

01 55 PM IST - 13 Mar'26

Answer Key Released

Tamil Nadu 12th Physics Answer Key 2026 has been released. Cross verify the correct answers with your responses to get an idea about your exam performance!

01 20 PM IST - 13 Mar'26

Answer key soon

Tamil Nadu 12th Physics Answer Key 2026 will be released here soon! Stay tuned for solved question paper.

01 15 PM IST - 13 Mar'26

Tamil Nadu 12th Physics Exam 2026 Concludes

• Now that the exam is over, take some time to relax and refresh your mind.
• After some time, check the official exam timetable to confirm the date of your next paper and start preparing for the same.

12 00 PM IST - 13 Mar'26

What to do after the Tamil Nadu 12th Physics exam 2026? - Part 2

Spend exactly 30 minutes doing something completely non-academic, listen to music, play a sport, or help with a chore. This "palate cleanser" helps your brain's neuroplasticity switch from the microscopic world of atoms to the logic of your next subject.

11 00 AM IST - 13 Mar'26

What to do after the Tamil Nadu 12th Physics exam 2026? - Part 1

• Try not to discuss every answer with friends outside the exam hall.
• Avoid rushing to YouTube or websites for "unofficial answer keys" the moment you get home.

10 00 AM IST - 13 Mar'26

Tamil Nadu 12th Physics Exam 2026 Begins

• The exam for the Tamil Nadu class 12th Physics has been started.
• The exam is being held for 3 hours and will include 4 sections.

09 00 AM IST - 13 Mar'26

Checklist for Tamil Nadu 12th Physics Exam - Part 2

The "Mental" Formula Refresh for topics like Electrostatics, Magnetism, Optics, Modern Physics, and Constants.

08 00 AM IST - 13 Mar'26

Checklist for Tamil Nadu 12th Physics Exam - Part 1

The "Physical" Bag Check (Final Look):

• Hall Ticket
• Primary Pens
• The Geometry Kit
• Watch
• ID Card

07 00 AM IST - 13 Mar'26

What if my Tamil Nadu 12th Physics Exam went badly?

If your 2026 Physics exam didn't go as planned, stay calm. One paper does not define your future. You can improve your aggregate through upcoming exams or opt for the Supplementary Exam held shortly after results to boost your score

06 00 AM IST - 13 Mar'26

Things to do after the exam

Identify "Carry-Forward" Lessons - Ask yourself: "Did I run out of time?" or "Did I forget to write units?" Carry those lessons forward. If you struggled with time management in Physics, plan to start with the 5-mark section in your next exam to secure big marks early.

05 00 AM IST - 13 Mar'26

Appearing for Mathematics, Microbiology/ Zoology, Commerce/ Nutrition and Dietetics/ Food Service Management/ Textiles and Dress Designing/ Agricultural Science/ Nursing exam next?

On March 17, 2026, the exam for Mathematics, Microbiology/ Zoology, Commerce/ Nutrition and Dietetics/ Food Service Management/ Textiles and Dress Designing/ Agricultural Science/ Nursing will be conducted. After the Physics exam is over, start preparing for the test that you will be appearing for.

04 00 AM IST - 13 Mar'26

Short note on Electrostatic Induction

Electrostatic induction is the process of charging a conductor without any physical contact with a charged body. It is a redistribution of charges within an object caused by the influence of a nearby charge.

03 00 AM IST - 13 Mar'26

Short note on Electronics & Communication

Electronics and Communication (E&C) is the field that translates the principles of physics into the gadgets we use every day. While Atomic physics deals with electrons in shells, E&C focuses on how to control those electrons to process information and transmit it across distances.

02 00 AM IST - 13 Mar'26

Short note on Atomic and Nuclear Physics

While they are often grouped together, Atomic Physics and Nuclear Physics focus on different scales of the "unseen" world. Atomic physics deals with the atom as a whole (mainly the electrons), while nuclear physics dives deep into the tiny, dense core at the center.

01 00 AM IST - 13 Mar'26

Short note on Dual Nature of Radiation

The concept of the dual nature of radiation is one of the most transformative discoveries in modern physics. It suggests that electromagnetic radiation (like light) does not behave exclusively as a wave or a particle, but possesses characteristics of both depending on the experiment being performed.

12 00 AM IST - 13 Mar'26

Short note on Wave Optics:

Wave optics, also known as Physical Optics, is the study of light as a wave rather than a collection of rays. While ray optics handles reflections and lenses just fine, wave optics explains the "weird" behaviors of light that occur when it encounters objects or openings comparable to its wavelength.

11 00 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Short note on Electromagnetic Waves:

Electromagnetic (EM) waves are synchronized oscillations of electric and magnetic fields that propagate through space. Unlike sound waves, which require a medium like air or water to travel, EM waves are "self-sustaining" and can travel through the vacuum of space at the speed of light.

10 00 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Short note on Zener Diode

A Zener diode is a special type of semiconductor diode designed to operate in the reverse breakdown region without getting damaged. Unlike an ordinary diode, which blocks current in reverse bias, a Zener diode allows current to flow when the reverse voltage reaches a specific value called the Zener voltage. At this point, the diode maintains a constant voltage across its terminals.

09 40 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Short note on Stopping Potential

Stopping Potential is the minimum negative potential applied to the anode of a photoelectric tube that stops the flow of photoelectrons completely. In the photoelectric effect, electrons are emitted from a metal surface when light falls on it. If a negative voltage is applied to the anode, it repels the emitted electrons. The value of voltage at which even the fastest electrons are stopped, and the photocurrent becomes zero, is called the stopping potential.

09 20 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Short note on Work Function

Work Function is the minimum amount of energy required to remove an electron from the surface of a metal. In metals, electrons are held by attractive forces inside the material. To release an electron from the metal surface, a certain minimum energy must be supplied. This minimum energy is called the work function.

09 00 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Short note on Huygens’ Principle

Huygens’ Principle is a theory that explains the propagation of light waves. It was proposed by Christiaan Huygens. According to Huygens’ Principle, every point on a wavefront acts as a source of secondary wavelets, which spread out in all directions with the same speed as the original wave.

08 40 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Short note on Brewster’s Law:

Brewster’s Law describes the relationship between the angle of incidence at which light is reflected from a surface and the refractive index of the medium. According to Brewster’s Law, when unpolarized light falls on a transparent surface at a particular angle called the Brewster angle, the reflected light becomes completely plane polarized.

08 20 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Short note on Total Internal Reflection (TIR):

Total Internal Reflection (TIR) is the phenomenon in which a ray of light traveling from a denser medium to a rarer medium is completely reflected back into the denser medium instead of passing into the second medium. This occurs when the angle of incidence becomes greater than the critical angle for the pair of media. At this stage, the light does not refract but reflects entirely inside the medium.

08 00 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Self-Induction vs. Mutual Induction:

• Self: Production of induced emf in a coil due to a change in current in the same coil.
• Mutual: Production of induced emf in a secondary coil due to a change in current in a primary coil nearby.

07 40 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Short note on Dielectric Strength

Dielectric Strength is the maximum electric field intensity that an insulating material (dielectric) can withstand without breaking down and becoming conductive. When a dielectric material is placed in a strong electric field, it normally prevents the flow of electric current. However, if the electric field becomes too strong, the material loses its insulating property, and current suddenly flows through it.

07 20 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Short note on Equipotential Surface

A surface where all points are at the same electric potential. No work is done in moving a charge along this surface. Electric field lines are always perpendicular to it.

07 00 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Things forbidden inside the exam hall

• Mobile phone
• Smartwatch / Bluetooth devices
• Calculators
• Books, notes, or loose papers
• Bags, wallets, or electronic gadgets

06 30 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

High-Priority 2 and 3-Mark Concepts - Part 3:

• Magnetism: Conversion of a Galvanometer into an Ammeter and a Voltmeter.
• Modern Physics: Properties of Cathode rays, Half-life and Mean-life of radioactive nuclei, Logic Gates

06 15 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

High-Priority 2 and 3-Mark Concepts - Part 2:

• Conceptual Topics: Electrostatics: Properties of electric field lines, Capacitance in series and parallel.
• Electricity: Distinction between drift velocity and mobility, Temperature coefficient of resistance.

06 00 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

High-Priority 2 and 3-Mark Concepts - Part 1:

Laws to Memorize: Coulomb’s Law, Gauss Law, Ohm’s Law, Kirchhoff’s Rules, Biot-Savart Law, Ampere’s Circuital Law, Faraday’s and Lenz’s Laws, Brewster’s Law, and De-Broglie’s Wave Equation.

05 45 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Most Expected 5-Mark Questions - Part 5:

• Bohr’s Atom Model: Derivation of radius and energy of the n^th orbit of a hydrogen atom.
• Full Wave Rectifier: Construction and working of a bridge rectifier with input and output waveforms.

05 30 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Most Expected 5-Mark Questions - Part 4:

• Young’s Double Slit Experiment (YDSE): Derivation for fringe width
• Einstein’s Photoelectric Equation: Explanation and its verification.

05 15 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Most Expected 5-Mark Questions - Part 3:

• Transformer: Principle, construction, working, and efficiency (including energy losses).
• Lens Maker's Formula: Derivation for a thin lens.
• Prism: Determination of the refractive index of the material of a prism.

05 00 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Most Expected 5-Mark Questions - Part 2:

• Wheatstone Bridge: Condition for balance using Kirchhoff’s Laws.
• Cyclotron: Principle, construction, working, and limitations.

04 45 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Most Expected 5-Mark Questions - Part 1:

• Axial and Equatorial Fields: Derivation of the electric field due to an electric dipole at a point on the axial and equatorial lines.
• Van de Graaff Generator: Principle, construction, and working (with a neat diagram).

04 30 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Things to do during the exam - Part 2

Reserve the last 10 minutes for "Verification Time" to ensure your Register Number is on every sheet and all questions are numbered correctly.

04 15 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Things to do during the exam - Part 1

• Use a pencil and scale for all diagrams and circuits. Highlight your final numerical answer by drawing a box around it.
• Even if you don't know the full solution to a problem, write the given data and the relevant formula. You will get partial marks.

04 00 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

What to do before the exam: - Part 2

• Eat a light, healthy meal. Avoid oily foods that might make you feel sluggish or uneasy during the 3 hours.
• Look at your old mid-term or previous year papers and specifically check where you lost marks previously to avoid repeating those mistakes.

03 45 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

What to do before the exam: - Part 1

• Do not try to learn a completely new chapter 12 hours before the exam. Focus on what you already know.
• Aim for at least 6-7 hours of sleep. Physics requires logical reasoning; a tired brain will make "silly" calculation errors.

03 30 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Instructions to abide by during the examination:

• Arrive at the exam center at least 30 to 45 minutes before the exam commences.
• You will be given 10 minutes specifically to read the question paper. Use this to plan which questions to attempt first.

03 15 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Things to carry to the exam hall:

• Valid Photo ID (Aadhaar card/school ID)
• Blue/Black Ball Pens (2–3)
• Pencil
• Eraser & Sharpener
• Scale / Ruler

03 00 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

The first artificial satellite launched by India is:

a) Rohini
b) Aryabhata
c) INSAT
d) Chandrayaan

Correct Option: b

02 45 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Which of the following is used in optical fiber communication?

a) Total internal reflection
b) Scattering
c) Diffraction
d) Refraction

Correct Option: a

02 30 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

A Zener diode is used for:

a) Rectification
b) Amplification
c) Voltage regulation
d) Oscillation

Correct Option: c

02 15 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

The width of the depletion layer in a P-N junction diode increases under:

a) Forward bias
b) Reverse bias
c) No bias
d) High temperature

Correct Option: b

02 00 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

In a P-type semiconductor, the majority charge carriers are:

a) Electrons
b) Holes
c) Protons
d) Neutrons

Correct Option: b

01 45 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

In nuclear reactors, cadmium rods are used as:

a) Fuel
b) Moderator
c) Control rods
d) Coolant

Correct Option: c
 

01 30 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

The mass defect is converted into:

a) Kinetic energy
b) Binding energy
c) Potential energy
d) Electrical energy

Correct Option: b

01 15 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Davisson-Germer experiment confirmed:

a) Particle nature of light
b) Wave nature of electrons
c) Photoelectric effect
d) Polarization

Correct Option: b

01 00 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

Photons have:

a) Zero rest mass
b) Zero energy
c) Mass equal to electron
d) Infinite momentum

Correct Option: a

12 45 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

The stopping potential depends on:

a) Intensity of incident light
b) Frequency of incident light
c) Distance of source
d) Nature of cathode

Correct Option: b

12 30 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

The phenomenon of polarization proves that light is:

a) A particle
b) A longitudinal wave
c) A transverse wave
d) A scalar

Correct Option: c

12 15 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

An air bubble in water behaves like a:

a) Convex lens
b) Concave lens
c) Plane mirror
d) Glass slab

Correct Option: b

12 00 PM IST - 12 Mar'26

In Young’s double-slit experiment, if the distance between the slits is doubled, the fringe width:

a) Becomes double
b) Becomes half
c) Remains the same
d) Becomes four times

Correct Option: b

11 45 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

Critical angle is minimum for which color?

a) Red
b) Green
c) Yellow
d) Violet

Correct Option: d

11 30 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

The displacement current exists only when:

a) The electric field is constant
b) The magnetic field is constant
c) Electric flux is changing with time
d) Circuit is DC

Correct Option: c

11 15 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

The ozone layer absorbs:

a) Infrared radiation
b) Ultraviolet radiation
c) X-rays
d) Radio waves

Correct Option: b

11 00 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

Electromagnetic waves are:

a) Longitudinal
b) Transverse
c) Stationary
d) None of the above

Correct Option: b

10 45 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

Which of the following has the shortest wavelength?

a) Radio waves
b) Microwaves
c) Gamma rays
d) Infrared

Correct Option: c

10 30 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

The unit of self-inductance is:

a) Weber
b) Tesla
c) Henry
d) Farad

Correct Option: c

10 15 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

The working of a transformer is based on:

a) Self-induction
b) Mutual induction
c) Eddy currents
d) Hall effect

Correct Option: b

10 00 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

Lenz’s law is a consequence of the law of conservation of:

a) Charge
b) Energy
c) Momentum
d) Mass

Correct Option: b

09 45 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

The force between two parallel wires carrying currents in the same direction is:

a) Repulsive
b) Attractive
c) Zero
d) Perpendicular

Correct Option: b

09 30 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

A galvanometer can be converted into a voltmeter by connecting a:

a) Low resistance in series
b) High resistance in parallel
c) High resistance in series
d) Low resistance in parallel

Correct Option: c

09 15 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

The magnetic field inside a long solenoid is:

a) Zero
b) Uniform
c) Non-uniform
d) Decreasing towards the center

Correct Option: b

09 00 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

The internal resistance of a fresh cell is:

a) Low
b) High
c) Zero
d) Infinite

Correct Option: a

08 45 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

The specific resistance of a conductor depends upon:

a) Its length
b) Its area of cross-section
c) Its temperature and material
d) The current flowing through it

Correct Option: c

08 30 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

The electric potential at a point on the equatorial line of a dipole is:

a) Maximum
b) Minimum
c) Zero
d) Infinite

Correct Option: c

08 15 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

If a dielectric slab is introduced between the plates of a charged capacitor (isolated), the capacitance:

a) Decreases
b) Increases
c) Remains the same
d) Becomes zero

Correct Option: b

08 00 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

The electric field at a point on the axial line of an electric dipole is:

a) Parallel to the dipole moment
b) Antiparallel to the dipole moment
c) Perpendicular to the dipole moment
d) Zero

Correct Option: a

07 45 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

Important exam tip regarding formulas

Never forget to write the SI unit in your final answer, otherwise you might endup losing half a mark. In the exam, answers are often evaluated step-wise. That means marks are given not just for the final number, but for the correct formula, substitution, calculation, and unit. Because of this marking scheme, the unit itself carries marks.

07 30 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

Quick formulas to revise before the exam - Part 4

Drift Velocity & Current:

I =  nAev_d where v_d = eRr/m

Resistivity & Temperature:
⍴t = ⍴0 [1 + ɑ(T-T0)]

07 15 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

Quick formulas to revise before the exam - Part 3

Brewster’s Law:

n = tani_p

Kirchhoff’s Rules:

ΣI = 0(Junction) and ΣV = 0 (Loop)

07 00 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

Quick formulas to revise before the exam - Part 2

Mirror Formula:
1/f = 1/v+ 1/u

Lens Maker’s Formula:
1/f = (n-1) (1/R1 - 1/R2)

06 45 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

Quick formulas to revise before the exam - Part 1

De Broglie Wavelength:
ƛ = h/p = h/ mv

Half-life:
T1/2 = 0.693/ ƛ

06 30 AM IST - 12 Mar'26

Tamil Nadu 12th Physics Exam tomorrow: High Weightage topics

• Optics
• Current Electricity
• Electrostatics
• Semiconductor Electronics