JAMB Syllabus for Physics 2025/2026

(a) Length, area and volume: Metre rule,
Venier calipers, Micrometer Screw-guage, measuring cylinder.

(b) Mass
(i) unit of mass;
(ii) use of simple beam balance;
(iii) concept of beam balance.

(c) Time
(i) unit of time;
(ii) time-measuring devices.

(d) Fundamental physical quantities

(e) Derived physical quantities and their
units
(i) Combinations of fundamental quantities
and determination of their units;
ix. deduce the units of derived
physical quantities;

(f) Dimensions
(i) definition of dimensions
(ii) simple examples

(g) Limitations of experimental
measurements
(i) accuracy of measuring
instruments;
(ii) simple estimation of errors;
(iii) significant figures;
(iv) standard form.

(h) Measurement, position, distance and
displacement
(i) concept of displacement;
(ii) distinction between distance and
displacement;
(iii) concept of position and coordinates;
(iv) frame of reference.

i. identify the units of length, area and volume;

ii. use different measuring instruments;

iii. determine the lengths, surface
areas and volume of regular and irregular bodies;

iv. identify the unit of mass;

v. use simple beam balance, e.g Buchart’s balance and chemical balance;

vi. identify the unit of time;

vii. use different time-measuring devices;

viii. relate the fundamental physical quantities to their units;

ix. deduce the units of derived physical quantities;

x. determine the dimensions of physical quantities;

xi. use the dimensions to determine the units of physical quantities;

xii. test the homogeneity of an equation;

xiii. determine the accuracy of measuring instruments;

xiv. estimate simple errors;

xv. express measurements in standard
form.

Candidates should be able to:
i. use strings, meter ruler and engineering calipers, vernier calipers and micrometer, screw guage;

ii. note the degree of accuracy;

iii. identify distance travel in a specified direction;

iv. use compass and protractor to locate points/directions;

v. use Cartesianssystems to locate positions in x-y plane;

vi. plot graph and draw inference from the graph.

(i) definition of scalar and vector quantities;

(ii) examples of scalar and vector
quantities;

(iii) relative velocity;

(iv) resolution of vectors into two
perpendicular directions including graphical methods of solution.

i. distinguish between scalar and vector quantities;

ii. give examples of scalar and vector quantities;

iii. determine the resultant of two or more vectors;

iv. determine relative velocity;

v. resolve vectors into two
perpendicular components;

vi. use graphical methods to
solve vector problems.

(a) Types of motion: translational, oscillatory, rotational, spin
and random

(b) Relative motion

(c) Causes of motion

(d) Types of force
(i) contact
(ii) force field

(e) linear motion
(i) speed, velocity and acceleration;
(ii) equations of uniformly accelerated motion;
(iii) motion under gravity;
(iv) distance-time graph and velocity time graph;
(v) instantaneous velocity and acceleration.

(f) Projectiles:
(i) calculation of range, maximum height
and time of flight from the ground and
a height;
(ii) applications of projectile motion.

(g) Newton’s laws of motion:
(i) inertia, mass and force;
(ii) relationship between mass and acceleration;
(iii) impulse and momentum;
(iv) force – time graph;
(v) conservation of linear momentum (Coefficient of restitution not necessary).

(h) Motion in a circle:
(i) angular velocity and
angular acceleration;
(ii) centripetal and centrifugal forces;
(iii) applications.
(i) Simple Harmonic Motion (S.H.M):
(i) definition and explanation of simple harmonic motion;
(ii) examples of systems that execute S.H.M;
(iii) period, frequency and amplitude of S.H.M;
(iv) velocity and acceleration of S.H.M;
(iii) simple treatment of energy change
in S.H.M;
(iv) force vibration and resonance
(simple treatment).

i. identify different types of motion;

ii. solve numerical problem on collinear motion;

iii. identify force as cause of motion;

iv. identify push and pull as forms of force;

v. identify electric and magnetic attractions, gravitational pull as forms of field forces;

vi. differentiate between speed, velocity and acceleration;

vii. deduce equations of uniformly accelerated motion;

viii. solve problems of motion under gravity;

ix. interpret distance-time graph and velocity-time graph;

x. compute instantaneous velocity and acceleration;

xi. establish expressions for the range,
maximum height and time of flight of projectiles, rockets, missiles

xii. solve problems involving projectile
motion;

xiii.solve numerical problems
involving impulse and momentum;

xiv. interpretation of area

xvi. compare inertia, mass and force;

xvii. deduce the relationship between
mass and acceleration;

xviii. interpret the law of conservation
o f l i n e a r m o m e n t u m a n d application;

xix. establish expression for angular
velocity, angular acceleration and centripetal force;

xx. s o l v e n u m e r i c a l p r o b l e m s
involving motion in a circle;

xxi. establish the relationship between period and frequency;

xxii. analyse the energy changes
occurring during S.H.M;

xxiii. identify different types of forced
vibration;

xxiv. enumerate applications of resonance.

(i) Newton’s law of universal gravitation;
(ii) gravitational potential;
(iii) conservative and nonconservative fields;
(iv) acceleration due to gravity;
(v) variation of g on the earth’s surface;
(vi) distinction between mass and weight escape velocity;
(vii) parking orbit and weightlessness

i. identify the expression for gravitational force between two bodies;

ii. apply Newton’s law of universal gravitation;

iii. give examples of conservative and
non- conservative fields;

iv. deduce the expression for gravitational field potentials;

v. identify the causes of variation on the earth’s surface;

vi. differentiate between mass and weight;

vii. determine escape velocity.