NEET Physics Nuclei PYQ Analysis 2020–2026: Topic-wise Trends & Practice
Nuclei (NEET Physics): 13 questions in 2020–2026, 3.4% of the subject. Topic-wise trends, difficulty split, repeated topics and PYQ practice.
Edurack Team
October 13, 2026
Nuclei gave 13 of the 387 NEET Physics questions asked between 2020 and 2026 (Re-NEET 2026 included). That is 3.4% of the subject and the #14 chapter out of 30 by weightage, about 1.6 questions per paper. It peaked at 3 in NEET 2020.
Of the 13 questions tagged for difficulty, 69% were easy, 31% medium and 0% hard, so this is a chapter where NCERT-level preparation pays off directly.
It has been asked less often lately: 1 questions per paper across 2025, 2026 and Re-NEET 2026, against 2.7 per paper in 2020–2022.
Year-wise questions from Nuclei
| Paper | Questions |
|---|---|
| NEET 2020 | 3 |
| NEET 2021 | 3 |
| NEET 2022 | 2 |
| NEET 2023 | 1 |
| NEET 2024 | 1 |
| NEET 2025 | 0 |
| NEET 2026 | 2 |
| Re-NEET 2026 | 1 |
Difficulty split
| Level | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 9 | 69% |
| Medium | 4 | 31% |
| Hard | 0 | 0% |
Topic-wise analysis
Every topic tagged under Nuclei, most-asked first. "Papers" is the number of the 8 papers in which the topic appeared.
| Topic | Total Qs | Easy | Medium | Hard | Papers | Asked in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mass-Energy and Nuclear Binding Energy | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2020, 2021 and 2026 |
| Radioactivity (Half-Life and Mean-Life) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2021 and 2023 |
| Size of the Nucleus (Nuclear Density) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2022 and 2026 |
| Atomic Masses and Composition of Nucleus (Composition of Nucleus: Nuclei are Composed of Prot…) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2022 |
| Atomic Masses and Composition of Nucleus (Electron Volt (eV)) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2020 |
| Nuclear Energy (Chain Reaction) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2024 |
| Nuclear Energy (Fission) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2020 |
| Radioactivity (Alpha Decay and Beta Decay) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2021 |
| Radioactivity (Q-Value in Radioactive Decays) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Re-NEET 2026 |
Which topics matter most
Most-tested topics
- Mass-Energy and Nuclear Binding Energy: 3 Qs
- Radioactivity (Half-Life and Mean-Life): 2 Qs
- Size of the Nucleus (Nuclear Density): 2 Qs
- Atomic Masses and Composition of Nucleus (Composition of Nucleus: Nuclei are Composed of Prot…): 1 Q
- Atomic Masses and Composition of Nucleus (Electron Volt (eV)): 1 Q
Topics that keep coming back
These appeared in three or more different papers:
- Mass-Energy and Nuclear Binding Energy: 3 papers (2020, 2021 and 2026)
What the latest papers asked
Topics from NEET 2026 and Re-NEET 2026:
- Mass-Energy and Nuclear Binding Energy
- Size of the Nucleus (Nuclear Density)
- Radioactivity (Q-Value in Radioactive Decays)
How to use this data
- Only 1 topic appeared in three or more papers (23% of the chapter's questions), so repetition alone is a weak guide here. Cover the whole NCERT chapter.
- 69% of tagged questions were easy, so NCERT lines, definitions and standard examples are worth locking in first.
- Re-solve the 3 topics from NEET 2026 and Re-NEET 2026, since they show the current style of questions.
- Then attempt the chapter's past questions under a timer and note which topics cost you marks.
Practise Nuclei PYQs
Solve every Nuclei question from 2020–2026 with solutions on Edurack:
Related chapters
- Motion in a Straight Line: #13 in Physics, 13 questions
- Atoms: #15 in Physics, 12 questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions came from Nuclei in NEET 2020–2026?
Nuclei contributed 13 NEET Physics questions across the 8 papers from 2020–2026, which is 3.4% of the subject.
Which topics of Nuclei are asked most often?
The most-tested topics are Mass-Energy and Nuclear Binding Energy: 3 Qs, Radioactivity (Half-Life and Mean-Life): 2 Qs and Size of the Nucleus (Nuclear Density): 2 Qs.
Is Nuclei easy or difficult in NEET?
Of 13 difficulty-tagged questions, 69% were easy, 31% medium and 0% hard.
Was Nuclei asked in NEET 2026?
Yes. It had 2 questions in NEET 2026 and 1 question in Re-NEET 2026.