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Physics - Thermodynamics

Practise 36 NEST (NISER) previous year questions on Thermodynamics, compiled from papers spanning 2011 to 2026. Each question is pulled directly from the actual exam paper it appeared in, so you're practising in the exact style and difficulty NEST (NISER) tests.

Thermodynamics has been asked in 14 of the 16 years of NEST (NISER) papers analysed (2011–2026), with 36 questions in all. 0% of them were easy, 75% moderate and 25% tough. Most of its questions came from 2021, with 5 questions that year. In the last three years (2024–2026) it had 7 questions across 4 papers, about 1.8 per paper.

The chapter's 4 topics are not weighted equally: First Law of Thermodynamics (16 questions, 44%), Thermodynamic Processes (12 questions, 33%), and Heat Engine, Refrigerator and<br>Second Law of Thermodynamics (4 questions, 11%) have been asked the most. Over the last five years the most frequent topics have been Thermodynamic Processes (9), First Law of Thermodynamics (3), and Thermodynamic Systems (2). First Law of Thermodynamics has produced the most tough questions (5).

  1. 1One mole of a monatomic ideal gas undergoes a transformation from an initial state with temperature K and volume litres to a final state wit2026First Law of Thermodynamics
  2. 2A qualitative phase diagram of a substance is shown in the figure below. Choose the correct option from the following statements.2025Thermodynamic Systems
  3. 3An ideal monoatomic gas, initially at pressure , is kept in a spherical container of volume . The container is adiabatically compressed to h2025Thermodynamic Processes
  4. 4An ideal gas inside a container is heated such that its internal energy changes at a slow constant rate . Due to a leak in the container, th2024 (Session 1)First Law of Thermodynamics
  5. 5In an adiabatic compression of a monoatomic ideal gas, the pressure increases to times the original pressure. Let be a typical inter-particl2024 (Session 1)Thermodynamic Processes
  6. 6An ideal gas undergoes expansion via various processes. Select the correct option.2024 (Session 2)Thermodynamic Processes
  7. 7Two identical samples of an ideal gas in identical conditions are separately heated by wires carrying equal currents for the same amount of 2024 (Session 2)Thermodynamic Processes
  8. 8Thermodynamic processes in which an ideal gas passes through states 1,2 and 3 are shown in the figure where are pressure, volume and tempera2023 (Session 1)Thermodynamic Processes
  9. 9The correct statement(s) about an ideal gas is(are)2023 (Session 1)First Law of Thermodynamics
  10. 10Two air bubbles of equal initial volume rise from the bottom of a lake to the surface. One bubble ascends and expands adiabatically while th2023 (Session 2)Thermodynamic Processes
  11. 11In an isobaric process involving an ideal gas the mean distance between the molecules is quadrupled (four times). Then, the ratio of final t2023 (Session 2)Thermodynamic Processes
  12. 12A turbo-pump working at constant pumping speed of is used to evacuate a vessel of 1000 L of an ideal gas at room temperature. The approximat2022 (Session 1)Thermodynamic Processes
  13. 13In an adiabatic expansion process, the density of an ideal gas changes from to such that . Select the correct statement(s) about this proces2022 (Session 1)Thermodynamic Processes
  14. 14A horizontal cylinder, closed at one end, is rotated with a constant angular velocity about a vertical axis passing through the open end of 2022 (Session 2)Thermodynamic Systems
  15. 15The population of ill patients during an epidemic in a country is given by the following equation where is the initial population of ill pat2021 (Session 1)Thermodynamic Processes
  16. 16The variation in the atmospheric pressure with height can be estimated by balancing force due to gradient in pressure with the gravity. Assu2021 (Session 1)Thermodynamic Systems
  17. 17The inhalation and exhalation processes of breathing are modelled using a relationship between the gauge pressure and volume of lungs as whe2021 (Session 1)First Law of Thermodynamics
  18. 18A refrigerator with a 50 W motor is to be used to freeze 2 kg of water at 273 K in an insulated vessel. The outside temperature is 300 K . T2021 (Session 2)Heat Engine, Refrigerator and<br>Second Law of Thermodynamics
  19. 19In an experiment, 1 kg of water, initially at 283 K is heated to 363 K via two processes. In process I, water is brought into contact with a2021 (Session 2)First Law of Thermodynamics
  20. 20An ice cube of mass 30 g at is left sitting on the kitchen table where it gradually melts and reaches the kitchen temperature of . The laten2020 (Session 1)First Law of Thermodynamics
  21. 21In a certain experiment, liquid helium at an initial temperature of 1 K is to be further cooled by bringing it into contact with a paramagne2020 (Session 2)First Law of Thermodynamics
  22. 22A heat engine uses one mole of ideal gas as its working substance which performs the following cyclic process, as shown in the figure below.2020 (Session 2)First Law of Thermodynamics
  23. 23The compressor of a Carnot refrigerator consumes 5 J of energy per cycle. The hot reservoir is at temperature and the amount of energy relea2019 (Session 1)Heat Engine, Refrigerator and<br>Second Law of Thermodynamics
  24. 24A horizontal cylinder closed at one end contains an ideal gas which is compressed by a tight-fitting and frictionless piston. The piston is 2019 (Session 1)Thermodynamic Processes
  25. 25An ideal diatomic gas of moles and with initial pressure and volume undergoes a thermodynamic process. In this process the pressure is direc2019 (Session 2)First Law of Thermodynamics
  26. 26Two containers and of volumes and respectively hold the same ideal gas and are connected by a thin horizontal tube of negligible volume with2019 (Session 2)First Law of Thermodynamics
  27. 27The pressure versus temperature plot of a cyclic process for an ideal gas is shown in the figure. The corresponding density versus temperatu2018Thermodynamic Systems
  28. 28Two solid blocks at temperatures and are put in thermal contact for a long time inside an insulated container. Choose the correct statement(2018First Law of Thermodynamics
  29. 29Two bodies each of mass and temperature independent specific heat are initially at temperatures 100 K and 400 K . A reversible engine is use2016First Law of Thermodynamics
  30. 30A Carnot engine is made to operate as a refrigerator. This refrigerator is used to freeze water at to ice at and the heat from the working s2015Heat Engine, Refrigerator and<br>Second Law of Thermodynamics
  31. 31A body of mass with specific heat at temperature 500 K is brought into contact with an identical body at temperature 100K. The system is iso2015First Law of Thermodynamics
  32. 32Two experiments P and Q are performed with water in various states of phases. Both experiments are performed at constant pressures. Heat is 2015Thermodynamic Processes
  33. 33A body of mass with specific heat at temperature is brought into thermal equilibrium by contact with an identical body which was initially a2014First Law of Thermodynamics
  34. 34The three processes in a thermodynamic cycle shown in the figure are: Process is isothermal; Process is isochoric (volume remains constant);2014First Law of Thermodynamics
  35. 35An engine absorbs heat at a temperature of and exhausts heat at a temperature of . The engine operates at the maximum possible efficiency. T2013Heat Engine, Refrigerator and<br>Second Law of Thermodynamics
  36. 36An ideal gas initially occupies volume at pressure . Its volume and pressure are changed to and through a certain process which is represent2011First Law of Thermodynamics

Frequently Asked Questions

1.How many questions are available for Thermodynamics?

This chapter includes 36 questions compiled from NEST (NISER) papers spanning 2011 to 2026.

2.Are these questions only from NEST (NISER), or from other exams too?

These are NEST (NISER) questions specifically for the Thermodynamics chapter. Questions from other exams like JEE Main or NTA Abhyas (JEE Main) are organised separately under their respective exam sections.

3.Is Thermodynamics an important chapter for NEST (NISER) Physics?

Thermodynamics has appeared in 14 of the 16 years of NEST (NISER) papers covered here, with 36 questions across 20 papers - about 2 per paper it appears in.

4.What is the difficulty level of Thermodynamics questions in NEST (NISER)?

Of the 36 questions analysed for this chapter, 0% are easy, 75% moderate and 25% tough. 2021 had the most, with 5 questions.

5.Which topics in Thermodynamics should I focus on?

These topics have carried the most weightage in Thermodynamics:

  • First Law of Thermodynamics - 16 questions (44%)
  • Thermodynamic Processes - 12 questions (33%)
  • Heat Engine, Refrigerator and<br>Second Law of Thermodynamics - 4 questions (11%)
  • First Law of Thermodynamics has produced the most tough questions (5).
6.Is Thermodynamics's weightage in NEST (NISER) going up or down?

Across all 20 papers analysed, Thermodynamics has averaged about 1.8 questions per paper. In the last three years (2024–2026), that average has stayed about the same, at about 1.8 questions per paper. Use the year-wise numbers on this page for the exact trend before you decide how much time to give it.