A Guide to WAEC/JAMB Physics Past Questions and Answers
Physics is a crucial subject in both the WAEC and JAMB examinations, and understanding its core concepts can significantly improve your chances of excelling in these exams. One of the most effective ways to prepare for the Physics exams is by practicing with past questions. Past questions give insight into the type of questions that frequently appear and help you develop strategies for answering them. In this hall, we will highlight some key past questions and answers for Physics, covering various topics typically tested in the WAEC and JAMB exams.
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100 Physics WAEC/JAMB past questions and answers to help with exam preparation:
1. What is the SI unit of force?
Answer: The SI unit of force is Newton (N).
2. A car accelerates from 5 m/s to 25 m/s in 10 seconds. What is the acceleration?
Answer:
Using the formula a=v−u/t, where:
- v=25v = 25 m/s (final velocity)
- u=5u = 5 m/s (initial velocity)
- t=10t = 10 s (time)
a=25−5/10=20/10=2 m/s²
3. What is the formula for kinetic energy?
Answer: The formula for kinetic energy is:
KE=1/2mv²
Where m is mass and v is velocity.
4. What is the principle of conservation of momentum?
Answer: The principle of conservation of momentum states that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant, provided no external forces act on it.
5. What happens to the pressure of a gas if the volume is reduced at constant temperature?
Answer: According to Boyle’s Law, if the volume of a gas is reduced at constant temperature, its pressure increases.
6. What is the formula for the speed of a wave?
Answer: The speed of a wave is given by the formula:
v=f×λv = f \times \lambda
Where f is frequency and λ\ is wavelength.
7. What is the unit of electric charge?
Answer: The unit of electric charge is Coulomb (C).
8. How is the frequency of a wave related to its period?
Answer: The frequency (f) of a wave is the reciprocal of its period (T),
f=1/T
9. A current of 3 A flows through a resistance of 5 Ω. What is the potential difference across the resistance?
Answer: Using Ohm’s Law, V=IRV = IR,
Where I=3I = 3 A and R=5R = 5 Ω,
V=3×5=15 VV = 3 \times 5 = 15 \, \text{V}
10. Define work done in terms of force and displacement.
Answer: The work done is given by the formula:
W=F×dW = F \times d
Where FF is the force applied and dd is the displacement.
11. What is the relationship between the refractive index and the speed of light in a medium?
Answer: The refractive index n of a medium is the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum cc to the speed of light in the medium v,
n=c/v = \frac{c}{v}
12. What is the law of reflection?
Answer: The law of reflection states that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
13. What is the formula for calculating the period of a simple pendulum?
Answer: The period (T) of a simple pendulum is given by:
T=2πLgT = 2
Where L is the length of the pendulum and g is the acceleration due to gravity.
14. If a wave has a frequency of 60 Hz and a wavelength of 5 meters, what is its velocity?
Answer: Using the wave velocity formula,
v=f×λv = f \times \lambda
Where f=60f = 60 Hz and λ=5\lambda = 5 m,
v=60×5=300 m/sv = 60 \times 5 = 300 \, \text{m/s}
15. What is Ohm’s Law?
Answer: Ohm’s Law states that the current (I) through a conductor is directly proportional to the potential difference (V) across it and inversely proportional to the resistance (R),
V=I/R
16. What happens to the gravitational force between two objects if the distance between them is doubled?
Answer: According to Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation, the gravitational force decreases by a factor of 4 when the distance between two objects is doubled.
17. What is the unit of power?
Answer: The unit of power is Watt (W), which is equivalent to one joule per second.
18. What is the frequency of a wave with a period of 0.2 seconds?
Answer: The frequency is the reciprocal of the period,
f=1T=10.2=5 Hz
19. What is the relationship between current and resistance in a circuit at constant voltage?
Answer: According to Ohm’s Law, current is inversely proportional to resistance at constant voltage,
I=V/R.
Batch No, 2 100 Physics WAEC/JAMB past questions and answers
20. What is the unit of electric power?
Answer: The unit of electric power is the Watt (W), where
P=IVP = IV
Where P is power, I is current, and V is voltage.
Batch no 2 WAEC/JAMB Physics Past Questions and Answers
21. What is the SI unit of energy?
Answer: The SI unit of energy is the Joule (J).
22. A body is dropped from a height. What is its initial velocity?
Answer: The initial velocity of a body dropped from a height is 0 m/s, since it starts from rest.
23. What is the difference between scalar and vector quantities?
Answer:
- Scalar quantities have only magnitude (e.g., mass, temperature, time).
- Vector quantities have both magnitude and direction (e.g., force, velocity, displacement).
24. What is the relationship between the force of attraction and the mass of two objects?
Answer: According to Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation, the force of attraction between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses,
F∝m1m2r2F \propto \frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2}
Where m1m_1 and m2m_2 are the masses of the objects, and rr is the distance between their centers.
25. What is the formula for calculating the electric field strength?
Answer: The electric field strength (E) is given by:
E=F/q
Where F is the force experienced by a test charge q.
26. What is the Doppler effect?
Answer: The Doppler effect is the change in frequency or wavelength of a wave as observed by someone who is moving relative to the source of the wave.
27. What is the law of conservation of energy?
Answer: The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one form to another.
28. What is the function of a capacitor in an electric circuit?
Answer: A capacitor stores electrical energy and releases it when needed. It can smooth out fluctuations in voltage and store energy for later use.
29. What is the formula for the gravitational potential energy of an object?
Answer: The formula for gravitational potential energy (PE) is:
PE=mgh
Where:
- m is the mass of the object
- g is the acceleration due to gravity
- h is the height above the ground.
30. How does the frequency of a wave relate to the pitch of sound?
Answer: The frequency of a sound wave determines its pitch. Higher frequency waves produce higher-pitched sounds, while lower frequency waves produce lower-pitched sounds.
31. What is the difference between longitudinal and transverse waves?
Answer:
- Longitudinal waves have particles vibrating in the same direction as the wave (e.g., sound waves).
- Transverse waves have particles vibrating perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation (e.g., light waves).
32. What is the principle behind the operation of a transformer?
Answer: A transformer operates on the principle of electromagnetic induction, where a change in the magnetic flux in the primary coil induces an electromotive force (EMF) in the secondary coil.
33. What is the formula for the period of oscillation of a mass-spring system?
Answer: The period (T) of a mass-spring system is given by:
T=2πmkT
Where m is the mass attached to the spring and k is the spring constant.
34. What is the unit of frequency?
Answer: The unit of frequency is the Hertz (Hz), which represents one cycle per second.
35. What is meant by the term “electromagnetic spectrum”?
Answer: The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all types of electromagnetic radiation, classified by wavelength or frequency, including radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays.
36. How does the resistance of a conductor change with temperature?
Answer: For most materials, the resistance increases with an increase in temperature. This is because higher temperatures cause more frequent collisions of electrons with atoms, which increases resistance.
37. What is the function of a fuse in an electrical circuit?
Answer: A fuse protects an electrical circuit by breaking the circuit if the current exceeds a certain level, preventing damage to electrical components.
38. What is meant by the term “specific heat capacity”?
Answer: Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a substance by 1°C.
39. What is the difference between heat and temperature?
Answer:
- Heat is the energy transferred between substances due to a temperature difference.
- Temperature is the measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance.
Batch No 3, 100 Physics past questions and answers
40. How is the speed of sound affected by the medium through which it travels?
Answer: The speed of sound depends on the medium’s density and elasticity. Sound travels faster in solids than in liquids, and faster in liquids than in gases.
Batch no 3 WAEC/JAMB Physics Past Questions and Answers
41. What is the unit of electric potential difference?
Answer: The unit of electric potential difference is the Volt (V).
42. What is the relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of refraction in a plane mirror?
Answer: In a plane mirror, the angle of incidence is always equal to the angle of reflection.
θi=θr\theta_i = \theta_r
Where θi\theta_i is the angle of incidence and θr\theta_r is the angle of reflection.
43. Define the term “magnetic field.”
Answer: A magnetic field is the region around a magnet or a current-carrying conductor where magnetic forces can be detected.
44. What is the principle of operation of an electric motor?
Answer: An electric motor operates on the principle that when a current-carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic field, it experiences a force. This force causes the conductor to move, producing rotational motion.
45. What is the frequency of a wave if its wavelength is 0.5 m and the wave speed is 10 m/s?
Answer: Using the wave equation v=f×λv = f \times \lambda,
Where:
- v=10 m/sv = 10 \, \text{m/s} (speed of the wave)
- λ=0.5 m\lambda = 0.5 \, \text{m} (wavelength)
Solving for frequency,
f=vλ=100.5=20 Hzf = \frac{v}{\lambda} = \frac{10}{0.5} = 20 \, \text{Hz}
46. What is the formula for calculating the work done by a force?
Answer: The work done by a force is given by:
W=F×d×cos(θ)W = F \times d \times \cos(\theta)
Where FF is the force, dd is the displacement, and θ\theta is the angle between the force and the direction of displacement.
47. What is the function of a diode in an electrical circuit?
Answer: A diode allows current to flow in one direction only, acting as a one-way valve for electrical current, thus preventing reverse current flow.
48. What is the electric field around a positively charged object?
Answer: The electric field around a positively charged object radiates outward from the object, meaning the field lines point away from the positive charge.
49. A gas is compressed at constant temperature. What happens to its volume and pressure?
Answer: According to Boyle’s Law, when the volume of a gas is decreased at constant temperature, the pressure increases.
50. Define “specific latent heat of fusion.”
Answer: Specific latent heat of fusion is the amount of heat required to change the state of 1 kg of a solid into a liquid without a change in temperature.
51. What is the unit of resistance?
Answer: The unit of resistance is the Ohm (Ω).
52. What is the formula for calculating the refractive index?
Answer: The refractive index nn is given by the formula:
n=sin(θi)sin(θr)n = \frac{\sin(\theta_i)}{\sin(\theta_r)}
Where θi\theta_i is the angle of incidence and θr\theta_r is the angle of refraction.
53. What is the principle behind the operation of a hydroelectric power station?
Answer: A hydroelectric power station operates on the principle of converting the potential energy of water stored at a height into kinetic energy, which is then used to turn a turbine and generate electricity.
54. What is the relationship between the wavelength of light and its color?
Answer: Different colors of light have different wavelengths. Violet light has the shortest wavelength, while red light has the longest wavelength.
55. What is the formula for calculating the force of attraction between two point masses?
Answer: The formula for the gravitational force between two point masses is:
F=Gm1m2r2F = G \frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2}
Where:
- F is the gravitational force
- GG is the gravitational constant
- m1_1 and m2_2 are the masses
- r is the distance between the masses.
56. What is meant by “elastic potential energy”?
Answer: Elastic potential energy is the energy stored in an elastic object (such as a stretched spring) when it is deformed (compressed or stretched).
57. What is the unit of electric charge?
Answer: The unit of electric charge is the Coulomb (C).
58. A body moves with constant speed. What is the work done by the force acting on it?
Answer: If a body is moving with constant speed, the work done by the force acting on it is zero, because the displacement and force are perpendicular, so the angle between them is 90° and cos(90∘)=0\cos(90^\circ) = 0.
59. What is the effect of an increase in temperature on the resistance of a conductor?
Answer: The resistance of a conductor generally increases with an increase in temperature, because the atoms of the conductor vibrate more at higher temperatures, impeding the flow of electrons.
Batch No 4, 100 Physics WAEC/JAMB past questions and answers
60. What is the role of the cathode in a cathode ray tube (CRT)?
Answer: In a cathode ray tube, the cathode is the negative electrode that emits electrons when heated. These electrons travel towards the positively charged anode, creating an electron beam that is used to form images on the screen.
Batch no 4 WAEC/JAMB Physics Past Questions and Answers
61. What is the SI unit of power?
Answer: The SI unit of power is the Watt (W). It is defined as the rate at which work is done or energy is transferred, equal to one joule per second.
62. A current of 2 A flows through a resistor of 10 Ω. What is the power dissipated in the resistor?
Answer: Using the formula P=I2RP = I^2 R, where:
- I=2 AI = 2 \, \text{A}
- R=10 ΩR = 10 \, \Omega
P=22×10=4×10=40 WP = 2^2 \times 10 = 4 \times 10 = 40 \, \text{W}
63. What is the principle of a hydraulic press?
Answer: The principle of a hydraulic press is based on Pascal’s Law, which states that pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted equally in all directions.
64. What is the relationship between current and potential difference in a conductor at constant temperature?
Answer: According to Ohm’s Law, current is directly proportional to the potential difference across a conductor at constant temperature.
I=V/R
65. What is the formula for calculating the energy of a photon?
Answer: The energy of a photon is given by the formula:
E=h×fE = h \times f
Where hh is Planck’s constant and ff is the frequency of the photon.
66. What is the unit of magnetic flux?
Answer: The unit of magnetic flux is the Weber (Wb).
67. What is meant by the term “terminal velocity”?
Answer: Terminal velocity is the constant velocity reached by an object falling through a fluid when the force of gravity is balanced by the resistive force of the fluid, resulting in zero net force and zero acceleration.
68. What is the difference between series and parallel circuits?
Answer:
- Series circuit: Components are connected end to end, so the current is the same through all components, but the total resistance is the sum of the individual resistances.
- Parallel circuit: Components are connected across common points, so the voltage across each component is the same, but the total resistance is less than the smallest individual resistance.
69. How does the speed of sound change with temperature?
Answer: The speed of sound increases with an increase in temperature because the molecules of the medium move faster, which allows sound waves to travel more quickly.
70. What is the formula for calculating the frequency of oscillation of a simple pendulum?
Answer: The frequency (f) of a simple pendulum is the reciprocal of the period (T), and is given by:
f=1T=12πgLf = \frac{1}{T} = \frac{1}{2\pi} \sqrt{\frac{g}{L}}
Where g is the acceleration due to gravity and L is the length of the pendulum.
71. What is the difference between an elastic and an inelastic collision?
Answer:
- Elastic collision: A collision in which both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.
- Inelastic collision: A collision in which momentum is conserved, but kinetic energy is not conserved (some of the energy is transformed into other forms such as heat or sound).
72. What is the relationship between voltage and resistance in a series circuit?
Answer: In a series circuit, the total voltage is the sum of the individual voltages across each resistor, and the total resistance is the sum of individual resistances.
Vtotal=V1+V2+…V_{\text{total}} = V_1 + V_2 + \dots Rtotal=R1+R2+…R_{\text{total}} = R_1 + R_2 + \dots
73. What is the use of a galvanometer in an electrical circuit?
Answer: A galvanometer is used to detect and measure small electrical currents. It can be modified to function as an ammeter or voltmeter by adding suitable resistors.
74. What is the relationship between frequency and wavelength of a sound wave?
Answer: The frequency and wavelength of a sound wave are inversely related. As the frequency increases, the wavelength decreases, and vice versa. This relationship is given by the equation:
v=f×λv = f \times \lambda
Where vv is the speed of sound, ff is the frequency, and λ\lambda is the wavelength.
75. What is the formula for calculating the resistance of a wire?
Answer: The resistance RR of a wire is given by:
R=ρLAR = \rho \frac{L}{A}
Where:
- ρ\rho is the resistivity of the material
- LL is the length of the wire
- AA is the cross-sectional area of the wire.
76. What is the significance of the refractive index of a material?
Answer: The refractive index of a material determines how much light is bent, or refracted, as it passes through the material. A higher refractive index indicates that light travels more slowly in the material and is refracted more.
77. What is the formula for the kinetic energy of an object in motion?
Answer: The kinetic energy (KE) of an object in motion is given by:
KE=12mv²
Where m is the mass of the object and v is its velocity.
78. What happens when a magnetic field is applied to a conductor carrying current?
Answer: When a magnetic field is applied to a conductor carrying current, a force is exerted on the conductor, causing it to move. This is the principle behind the operation of electric motors.
79. What is the difference between a conductor and an insulator?
Answer:
- Conductor: A material that allows the flow of electric current, such as metals.
- Insulator: A material that does not allow the flow of electric current, such as rubber or plastic.
Batch No 5, 100 Physics past questions and answers
80. What is the function of an electromagnet?
Answer: An electromagnet is a magnet created by passing electric current through a coil of wire, usually wound around a ferromagnetic core. The strength of the magnetic field can be controlled by adjusting the current.
Batch no 5 WAEC/JAMB Physics Past Questions and Answers
81. What is the unit of magnetic field strength?
Answer: The unit of magnetic field strength is the Tesla (T).
82. What is the principle of operation of a transformer?
Answer: A transformer operates on the principle of electromagnetic induction, where a changing magnetic field in the primary coil induces an electromotive force (EMF) in the secondary coil, which can either step up or step down the voltage.
83. What is the formula for calculating gravitational potential energy?
Answer: The formula for gravitational potential energy is:
PE = mgh
Where:
- m is the mass of the object
- g is the acceleration due to gravity
- h is the height above the ground.
84. What is the relationship between current and voltage in a parallel circuit?
Answer: In a parallel circuit, the total current is the sum of the currents through each parallel branch, but the voltage across each branch is the same.
85. What is the difference between conductors and semiconductors?
Answer:
- Conductors are materials that allow electric current to flow easily (e.g., metals).
- Semiconductors have electrical conductivity between that of conductors and insulators (e.g., silicon), and their conductivity can be controlled by adding impurities (doping).
86. What is the function of a fuse in an electrical circuit?
Answer: A fuse is a safety device that protects electrical circuits from excessive current by breaking the circuit when the current exceeds a safe level.
87. What is the law of reflection?
Answer: The law of reflection states that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection, and both are measured from the normal to the surface.
88. What is the SI unit of electric charge?
Answer: The SI unit of electric charge is the Coulomb (C).
89. How does the speed of light change when it passes from air into water?
Answer: The speed of light decreases when it passes from air into water because water is denser than air, and light slows down as it enters a denser medium.
90. What is the relationship between the power of an electric appliance and its energy consumption?
Answer: The energy consumed by an electric appliance is directly proportional to its power and the time for which it is used. The formula is:
E=P×t
Where E is the energy consumed (in Joules), P is the power (in Watts), and t is the time (in seconds).
91. What is a dielectric material?
Answer: A dielectric material is an insulating material that can be polarized by an electric field, which increases the capacitance of a capacitor when placed between its plates.
92. What is the principle behind the operation of an electric motor?
Answer: An electric motor works on the principle that when a current-carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic field, it experiences a force, which causes the conductor to move. This motion is converted into rotational motion.
93. What is the formula for calculating the force of friction?
Answer: The force of friction (FfF_f) is given by:
Ff=μNF_f = \mu N
Where:
- μ\mu is the coefficient of friction
- N is the normal force.
94. What is the difference between a convex lens and a concave lens?
Answer:
- Convex lens: A lens that converges light rays to a focal point (real image).
- Concave lens: A lens that diverges light rays, producing a virtual image.
95. What is the role of a capacitor in an electric circuit?
Answer: A capacitor stores electrical energy in the form of an electric field and can release this energy when needed. It is used in circuits to smooth voltage fluctuations and store energy.
96. What is the formula for the period of a simple harmonic oscillator?
Answer: The period T of a simple harmonic oscillator is given by:
T=2πmkT = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}
Where:
- m is the mass of the object
- k is the spring constant.
97. What is the difference between heat and temperature?
Answer:
- Heat is the transfer of energy due to a temperature difference.
- Temperature is the measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance.
98. What is the difference between electric potential and electric potential energy?
Answer:
- Electric potential is the potential energy per unit charge at a specific point in an electric field.
- Electric potential energy is the energy stored in a charge due to its position in an electric field.
99. What happens when light passes through a prism?
Answer: When light passes through a prism, it bends (refracts) at different angles for different wavelengths. This results in the dispersion of light into its component colors, forming a spectrum.
100. What is the difference between a longitudinal wave and a transverse wave?
Answer:
- Longitudinal wave: In a longitudinal wave, the particles of the medium move parallel to the direction of wave propagation (e.g., sound waves).
- Transverse wave: In a transverse wave, the particles of the medium move perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation (e.g., light waves).
These 200 WAEC/JAMB Physics Past questions and answers will further expand your understanding of Physics concepts and ensure that you are well-prepared for both WAEC and JAMB exams. Regular revision and practice with these problems will help you achieve success in your Physics exam.
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