Electromagnetic Waves CBSE Class 12 PYQ Chapter Wise

Explore: All CBSE Class 12 chapters · CBSE Class 12 Physics PYQs · CBSE Class 12 hub · Syllabus & pattern · Class 12 2026

Answer first

Electromagnetic Waves PYQs (previous year questions) for CBSE Class 12: Electromagnetic Waves (Physics) had 17 questions across the 50 official CBSE Class 12 papers we tagged (2016–2026), and appeared in 10 of them. Asked in 10 of 10 years. The concepts asked in the most papers: Electromagnetic Spectrum, Displacement Current, EM Wave Properties.

Year-wise question count

Asked in 10 of 10 years.

Most-asked concepts

Sorted by the number of papers a concept appeared in.

How to practise Electromagnetic Waves PYQs

1. Start with the concepts at the top of the table. They have come back the most.
2. Solve one year’s Electromagnetic Waves questions from the official PDF against the clock, then check the answer listed below.
3. Log every miss as a concept gap, a calculation slip or a misread. Each needs a different fix.
4. Once a concept is clean in two papers, move to the next. Then sit a full paper from the year pages.

Questions by year

Each line gives the question number and paper, type, concept, our one-line summary, with a link to the official PDF.

CBSE Class 122026

• Q.5 (Physics (55/1/1)) · MCQ · EM Wave Properties: Change in wavelength and frequency of EM wave entering a medium PDF
• Q.7 (Physics (55/1/1)) · MCQ · Electromagnetic Spectrum: Wavelength range of EM waves used in medical diagnosis PDF

CBSE Class 122025

• Q.7 (Physics (55/1/1)) · MCQ · Electromagnetic Spectrum: Match points on photon energy vs wavelength curve to EM waves PDF
• Q.25 (Physics (55/1/1)) · Short answer · Displacement Current: Conduction plus displacement current in a capacitor circuit PDF

CBSE Class 122024

• Q.8 (Physics (55/1/1)) · MCQ · Displacement Current: Region where displacement current exists for given field forms PDF
• Q.26 (Physics (55/1/1)) · Short answer · Electromagnetic Spectrum: EM wave examples; short-wave radio and why X-ray astronomy needs satellites PDF

CBSE Class 122023

• Q.8 (Physics (55/1/1)) · MCQ · Displacement Current: Expression for the current between capacitor plates while charging PDF
• Q.20 (Physics (55/1/1)) · Very short answer · Displacement Current: Which induced field, magnetic or electric, is easier to observe PDF

CBSE Class 122022

• Q.11 (Physics Term 2 (55/1/1)) · Short answer · Electromagnetic Spectrum: Why frequency stays fixed on refraction; identify a 10^11 Hz radiation PDF

CBSE Class 122020

• Q.16 (Physics (55/1/1)) · Very short answer · Displacement Current: Mathematical form of the Ampere-Maxwell law PDF
• Q.32 (Physics (55/1/1)) · Long answer · Electromagnetic Spectrum: Speed of light in a medium; waves used in radar and crop satellites PDF

CBSE Class 122019

• Q.15 (Physics (55/1/1)) · Short answer · Electromagnetic Spectrum: Waves for radar and eye surgery; equal E and B energy densities PDF

CBSE Class 122018

• Q.2 (Physics (55/1)) · Very short answer · Electromagnetic Spectrum: EM radiations used for water purification and eye surgery PDF
• Q.8 (Physics (55/1)) · Short answer · Electromagnetic Spectrum: Why infrared waves are heat waves; meaning of EM waves carrying momentum PDF

CBSE Class 122017

• Q.2 (Physics (55/1)) · Very short answer · EM Wave Properties: Whether EM waves carry energy and momentum PDF
• Q.7 (Physics (55/1)) · Short answer · Electromagnetic Spectrum: Identify EM waves from wavelength ranges and give a use of each PDF

CBSE Class 122016

• Q.15 (Physics (55/1/N)) · Short answer · EM Wave Properties: Production, energy source, field equations and properties of EM waves PDF

Electromagnetic Waves in other exams

The same chapter in other official papers we tagged: JEE Main (11 questions), NEET (2 questions).

Other Physics chapters

• Electric Charges and Fields PYQs
• Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance PYQs
• Current Electricity PYQs
• Moving Charges and Magnetism PYQs
• Magnetism and Matter PYQs
• Electromagnetic Induction PYQs
• Alternating Current PYQs
• Ray Optics and Optical Instruments PYQs
• Wave Optics PYQs
• Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter PYQs
• Atoms PYQs
• Nuclei PYQs
• Semiconductor Electronics PYQs
• Communication Systems PYQs

FAQ

How many Electromagnetic Waves questions come in CBSE Class 12?

In the official papers we tagged: 2 in 2026, 2 in 2025, 2 in 2024, 2 in 2023, 1 in 2022, 2 in 2020, 1 in 2019, 2 in 2018, 2 in 2017 and 1 in 2016. That is 17 questions in all, about 6% of Physics.

Which Electromagnetic Waves topics repeat in CBSE Class 12?

Asked in the most papers: Electromagnetic Spectrum, Displacement Current, EM Wave Properties. The concept table lists every one with its count.

Are these official CBSE Class 12 questions?

Yes. Every question is from an official CBSE Class 12 paper hosted on our year pages. The one-line summaries are ours; open the PDF linked beside each question for the full text.