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You’re welcome to our school exams series where we provide you with termly examination questions in different subjects. In today’s post, we will cover Physics exam questions for SS1 first term with answers. This means that we’ll be providing you with answers to the questions at the end. Also, you will get a few success tips on how to pass Physics examinations with flying colors. Remember to use the comments sections if you have questions.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Physics
Physics is a branch of science that studies the fundamental principles of nature and how the universe works. It focuses on concepts like matter, energy, force, and motion, and how they interact with each other.
As a school subject, physics helps students understand natural phenomena, from why objects fall to the ground (gravity) to how electricity powers devices. It involves practical experiments, problem-solving, and mathematical calculations to explain real-world applications.
Physics is important because it lays the foundation for careers in engineering, medicine, space science, computing, and many other fields. It also improves critical thinking and analytical skills, making it a key subject in science and technology education.
Students learn topics such as:
- Mechanics (motion and forces)
- Electricity and magnetism
- Waves and optics
- Thermodynamics (heat and energy)
- Modern physics (atoms and quantum mechanics)
And so on…
Alright.
Physics Exam Questions for SS1 First Term
Physics Exam Questions for SS1 First Term are divided into two sections:
- Section A
- Section B
The first section, namely, Section A is the objective test, and students are expected to attempt all questions in the section. Section B is the theory part, and students are expected to answer only four (4) questions out of six (6).
SECTION A: OBJECTIVE TEST
1. Which of the following quantities is not a fundamental quantity?
A. Electric Current B. Luminous intensity
C. Reactance D. Time
2. Which of the following is a derived unit?
A. Metre B. Newton
C. Kilogram D. Second
3. Which of the following quantities has the same unit as energy?
A. Power B. Work
C. Force D. Momentum
4. The dimensions of momentum are
A. MLT B. ML-1T-1
C. MLT-1 D. ML-1T
5. Which of the following properties of a steel bar can be measured only in terms of the dimension of length?
A. Weight B. Density
C. Pressure D. Volume
6. Which of the following sets of quantities is fundamental?
A. Length, mass, and time
B. Speed, length, and time
C. Speed, mass, and distance
D. Distance, speed, and time
7. Which of the following instruments is best for measuring the diameter of a thin constantan wire?
A. Callipers
B. Metre rule
C. Micrometer screw gauge
D. Tape rule
8. A Chemical balance is used for measuring
A. Volume B. mass
C. thickness D. density
9. Using Vernier Callipers, which of the following gives the correct measurement for the length of a rod?
A. 4.1cm B. 4.13cm
C. 4.125cm D. 4.1254cm
10. Which of the following quantities is a vector?
A. Volume B. Momentum
C. Speed D. Energy
11. The volume of a substance is a measure of
A. The quantity of matter it contains
B. Its compactness
C. Its weight
D. The space it occupies
12. The motion of an ant looking for food may be described as
A. Random B. Oscillatory
C. Rectilinear D. Circular
13. An object is said to undergo oscillatory motion when it moves
A. in a circular path
B. in an erratic manner
C. to and fro about a fixed Point
D. along a continuous path from the starting point
14. The motion of the wheel of a bicycle moving on a smooth straight road is
A. Random and oscillatory
B. Random and rotational
C. Rotational and translational
D. Translational and oscillatory
15. Which of the following quantities is not an example of a force?
A. Tension B. Weight
C. Friction D. Mass
16. Which of the forces are non-contact forces?
I. Magnetic force II. Electric force III. Gravitational IV. Surface tension
A. I and II only B. II and III only
C. I, II and III only D. I, II, III and IV
17. An object of mass 2kg moves with a uniform speed of 10ms-1 for 5s along a straight Path. Determine the magnitude of its acceleration
A. 0 ms-2 B. 1 ms-2
C. 3 ms-2 D. 4 ms-2
18. A resultant force of magnitude 15N acts on a body of mass 250g. Calculate the magnitude of the acceleration
A. 0.06 ms-2 B. 3.75 ms-2
C. 16.67 ms-2 D. 60.00 ms-2
19. The driver of a car moving with a uniform speed of 40ms-1 observes a truck approaching in the opposite direction with a speed of 20ms-1. Calculate the speed of the car relative to that of the truck.
A. 0.5 ms-1 B. 2.0 ms-1
C. 20 ms-1 D. 60.0 ms-1
20. A car P, with a velocity of 30 ms-1 is traveling in the same direction as a car, Q with a velocity of 20 ms-1. The velocity of P relative to Q is
A. 50 ms-1 B. 45 ms-1
C. 20 ms-1 D. 10 ms-1
21. Which of the following is correct about speed and velocity?
A. Speed and velocity are scalar quantities
B. Speed and velocity have the same unit
C. Speed relates to translational motion while Velocity relates to circular motion
D. Velocity and speed cannot be represented graphically
22. The slope of a distance-time graph for a uniform rectilinear motion of a body represents
A. Its acceleration
B. Its total distance traveled
C. its speed
D. the force causing the motion
23. Which of the graphs below shows the motion of a body with uniform retardation?
24. The area under a velocity-time graph represents
A. Final velocity
B. Distance covered
C. Acceleration
D. Work done
25. A body accelerates uniformly from rest at 2ms-2. Calculate the magnitude of its velocity after traveling 9m.
A 4.0 ms-1 B. 6.0 ms-1
C. 18.0 ms-1 D. 36.0 ms-1
26. A bus traveling at 15 ms-1 accelerates uniformly at 4 ms-1. What is the distance covered in 10s?
A. 150m B. 170m
C. 350m D. 600m
27. An orange fruit drops to the ground from the top of a tree 45m tall. How long does it take to reach the ground? (g = 10 ms-2)
A. 3.0s B. 4.5s
C. 6.0s D 7.5s
28. A car moves with a speed of 30 ms-1. Calculate the distance traveled in 20s.
A. 300m B. 450m
C. 600m D. 900m
29. A motorcycle starting from rest is uniformly accelerated such that its velocity in 10s is 72kmhr-1. What is its acceleration?
A. 108 ms-2 B. 86 ms-2
C. 4 ms-2 D. 2 ms-2
30. The time rate of increase in velocity is called
A. Force B. Momentum
C. Acceleration D. Speed
31. A bullet fired vertically upwards reaches a height of 500m. Neglecting air resistance, calculate the magnitude of the initial velocity of the bullet. [g = 10 ms-2]
A. 500 ms-1 B. 100 ms-1
C. 70 ms-1 D. 50 ms-1
32. Uniform speed occurs when there is equal change of
A. distance in equal time
B. displacement in equal time
C. velocity in equal time
D. acceleration in equal time
33. A body moves with a constant speed but has an acceleration. This is possible if it
A. moves in a straight line
B. moves in a circle
C. is oscillating
D. is in equilibrium
34. The angular speed of an object describing a circle of radius 4m with a linear constant speed of 10 ms-1 is
A. 40.00rads-1 B. 14.00 rads-1
C. 2.50 rads-1 D. 1.58 rads-1
35. The magnitude of the force required to make an object of mass, m move with speed, v in a circular path of radius, r is given by the expression.
A. B. C. D.
36. A particle of mass 2.5 x 10-6kg revolving around the earth has a radial acceleration of 4 x 107 ms-2. What is the Centripetal force of the particle?
A 6.25 x 10-14N B. 1.60 x 10-13N
C. 5.00 x 104N D. 1.00 x 102N
37. A boy cycles continuously through a distance of 1.0 km in 5 minutes. Calculate his average speed.
A. 0.3 ms-1 B. 3.3 ms-1
C. 16.6 ms-1 D. 20.0 ms-1
38. Which of the following statements about solid friction is / are correct?
I. Friction depends on the nature of the surfaces in contact
II. Friction depends on the area of contact
III. Friction always acts in the direction of motion
A. I only
B. II only
C. III only
D. I and II only
39. A wooden block of mass 1.6kg rests on a rough horizontal surface. If the limiting frictional force between the block and the surface is 8N, calculate the coefficient of friction (g = 10 ms-2).
A 0.6 B. 0.5
C. 0.3 D. 0.2
40. Mechanical energy can be either
A. Kinetic or electric
B. Chemical or Potential
C. Potential or kinetic
D. Electric or heat
41. Which of the sources of energy is renewable?
A. Sun B. Petroleum
C. Coal D. Uranium
42. An object at rest is said to possess
A. Potential energy
B. Kinetic energy
C. Chemical energy
D. Electrical energy
43. A body of mass 5kg falls from a height of 10m above the ground. What is the kinetic energy of the body just before it strikes the ground? (Neglect energy losses and take g as 10 ms-2)
A. 5J B. 25J
C. 250J D. 500J
44. Which of the following devices transforms light energy into electrical energy?
A. bulb B. television
C. solar cell D. light emitting diode (LED)
45. The S.I unit of Power is
A. N B. Pa
C. W D. J
46. A car traveling with a uniform velocity of 30 ms-1 along a horizontal road overcomes a constant frictional force of 600N. Calculate the power of the engine of the car.
A. 18KW B. 20KW
C. 180KW D. 200KW
47. The frictional effect between the layers of a moving fluid is called
A. capillarity B. turbulence
C. diffusion D. viscosity
48. Which of the following substances is most viscous at room temperature?
A. Water B. Alcohol
C. Petrol D. Palm Oil
49. The diagram below represents a portion of a pair of Vernier Callipers. What is the reading on the instrument?
A. 3.21cm B. 3.23cm
C. 3.26cm D. 3.28cm
50. A boy weighing 500N climbs a tree which is 10m high. Calculate the work done by boy.
A. 50J B. 500J
C. 5000J D. 50000J
SECTION B: (Theory)
Instruction: Answer any four (4) questions from this section. All questions carry equal marks.
1. (a) What is a fundamental quantity? Give four (4) examples.
(b) State the dimensions of
(i) Velocity (ii) Density
(iii) Acceleration (iv) Force
(c) In a tabular form, State three (3) differences between mass and weight
2. (a) Explain briefly any two types of motion giving two examples in each case.
(b) Two cars X and Y traveling in opposite directions along the same highway at uniform velocities of 110kmh-1 and 90kmh-1 respectively pass each other at a certain point. Calculate the velocity of X relative to Y at the time they pass each other.
(c) What is a vector quantity? Give four (4) examples
3. (a) Explain the following terms:
(i) Uniform speed
(ii) Average speed
(iii) Uniform acceleration
(b) An object moving due east with an initial velocity of 10ms-1 undergoes a uniform acceleration of 2ms-2 until its velocity reaches 40 ms-1. Calculate the distance covered by the object.
(c) A car travels a distance of 160km in 5 hours. Calculate its average speed in m/s
(d) Sketch the velocity-time graph of a body moving with uniform velocity
4. (A) What are the two useful information that can be obtained from a velocity-time graph?
(B) A car starts from rest and accelerates uniformly for 5s until it attains a velocity of 30 ms-1. It then travels with uniform velocity for 15s before decelerating uniformly in the next 10s.
(i) Sketch the velocity-time graph of the motion
(ii) Using the graph in (B) (i) above, calculate the
(a) acceleration during the first 5s
(b) total distance covered throughout the motion
(C) Define centripetal force
(D) An object of mass 40kg moves at 10 ms-1 round a circular path of radius 6m. Calculate
(i) the centripetal acceleration
(ii) the centripetal force needed to keep it in its orbit
5. (a) State
(i) two advantages of friction
(ii) two disadvantages of friction
(iii) two methods of reducing friction
(b) A mass of 10kg is placed on a horizontal table with a coefficient of friction of 0.5. If the mass is static, determine:
(i) the weight of the object against the horizontal table
(ii) the limiting frictional force
(c) (i) What is viscosity?
(ii) State two (2) factors that affect viscosity.
(iii) List two examples of substances with high viscosity.
6. (a) Define the following:
(i) Work (ii) Energy (iii) Power
(b) State the law of conservation of energy.
(c) Calculate the power of a pump that can lift 100kg of water through a vertical height of 5m in 20 seconds. [g = 10ms-2]
(d) A plank 4m long used to roll a drum of oil of mass 100kg into the dock of a lorry 1.5m above a horizontal floor. What is the work done against gravity during this process? (g = 10ms-2)
Answers to Physics Exam Questions for SS1 First Term
Answers to Section A (Objective Test)
The following table gives the correct answers to the objective section of Physics exam questions for SS1 first term. If you are using a mobile device, hold the table and scroll to the right or left for a complete view.
| Q.No | Ans | Q.No | Ans | Q.No | Ans | Q.No | Ans | Q.No | Ans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | 2 | B | 3 | B | 4 | C | 5 | D |
| 6 | A | 7 | C | 8 | B | 9 | B | 10 | B |
| 11 | D | 12 | A | 13 | C | 14 | C | 15 | D |
| 16 | C | 17 | A | 18 | B | 19 | D | 20 | D |
| 21 | B | 22 | C | 23 | – | 24 | B | 25 | B |
| 26 | C | 27 | A | 28 | C | 29 | C | 30 | C |
| 31 | B | 32 | A | 33 | B | 34 | C | 35 | B |
| 36 | A | 37 | B | 38 | A | 39 | B | 40 | C |
| 41 | A | 42 | A | 43 | D | 44 | C | 45 | C |
| 46 | A | 47 | D | 48 | D | 49 | C | 50 | C |
There you have the answers to the objective section of Physics Exam Questions for SS1 first term. Use the comments section to let me know if you have any questions you would want me to clarify or discuss further.
Answers to Section B (Theory)
Answer to Question 1
1. (a) What is a fundamental quantity? Give four (4) examples.
A fundamental quantity is a physical quantity that cannot be derived from other quantities. It forms the basis for measuring other physical quantities.
Examples:
- Length
- Mass
- Time
- Electric current
(b) State the dimensions of:
(i) Velocity → [LT⁻¹] (ii) Density → [ML⁻³] (iii) Acceleration → [LT⁻²] (iv) Force → [MLT⁻²]
(c) Differences between Mass and Weight
| Mass | Weight |
|---|---|
| It is the amount of matter in a body. | It is the force due to gravity acting on a mass. |
| Measured in kilograms (kg). | Measured in newtons (N). |
| It remains constant | It varies with location (gravity) |
| Ìt is a scalar quantity | It is a vector quantity |
Answer to Question 2
2. (a) Explain two types of motion with examples.
1. Rectilinear Motion: Motion along a straight line.
Examples: A car moving on a straight road.
A ball dropped from a height.
2. Circular Motion: Motion along a circular path.
Examples: A satellite orbiting the Earth.
A car moving around a roundabout.
(b) Relative velocity of X to Y
Relative velocity = Velocity of X – Velocity of Y (since they move in opposite directions, add the magnitudes):
(c) What is a vector quantity? Give four (4) examples.
A vector quantity is a physical quantity that has both magnitude and direction.
Examples: Force, Velocity, Displacement, and Acceleration.
Answer to Question 3
3. (a) Define the following terms:
(i) Uniform speed: Motion in which a body covers equal distances in equal intervals of time.
(ii) Average speed: Total distance traveled divided by total time taken.
(iii) Uniform acceleration: A constant increase in velocity per unit time.
(b) Distance covered by the object
Using the equation:
(d) Velocity-time graph for uniform velocity
(Straight horizontal line parallel to the time-axis.)
Answer to Question 4
4. (A) Two useful information from a velocity-time graph:
The slope of the graph gives the acceleration.
The area under the graph gives the distance covered.
(B) (i) Velocity-time graph
(Sketch includes a straight line sloping up, a horizontal line, and a straight line sloping down.)
(ii) (a) Acceleration during the first 5s
(b) Total distance covered
Area under the graph = Area of trapezium:
(C) Define centripetal force.
Centripetal force is the force acting towards the center of a circular path that keeps an object moving in a circular orbit.
(D) (i) Centripetal acceleration
Answer to Question 5
5. (a) State:
(i) Advantages of friction:
- Enables walking.
- Enables braking in vehicles.
(ii) Disadvantages of friction:
- Causes wear and tear.
- Produces unwanted heat.
(iii) Methods of reducing friction:
- Lubrication
- Use of ball bearings
(b) Limiting frictional force
Weight:
(c) (i) What is viscosity?
Viscosity is the internal frictional force between layers of a fluid in motion.
(ii) Factors affecting viscosity:
- Temperature
- Nature of the fluid
(iii) Examples of high-viscosity substances: Honey, palm oil, and so on.
Answer to Question 6
6. (a) Define:
(i) Work: The product of force and displacement in the direction of force.
(ii) Energy: The ability to do work.
(iii) Power: The rate of doing work.
(b) Law of conservation of energy: Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another.
(c) Power of the pump:
P = W/t = mgh/t
P = (100 × 10 × 5)/20 = 250 W
(d) Work done against gravity: W=mgh=100 × 10 × 1.5 = 1500 J
How to Pass Physics Exam Questions for SS1 First Term
Here are some simple but practical tips to help you pass your Physics exam questions for SS1 first term:
1. Study the Syllabus Thoroughly
- Focus on the topics covered in your first term syllabus, such as Measurements, Fundamental and Derived Quantities, Motion, and Heat Energy.
- Use your lesson notes and textbooks to revise the key concepts and definitions.
2. Understand Basic Concepts
- Master the fundamental quantities (length, mass, time) and their units.
- Learn to calculate derived quantities like density, velocity, and force.
- Practice dimensional analysis for accuracy in solving problems.
3. Master the Formulae
- Write down all important Physics formulas (e.g., Newton’s equations of motion, work-energy equations, etc.).
- Understand their applications by solving practical examples.
4. Practice Numerical Problems
- Physics involves calculations! Dedicate time to solving numerical problems.
- Focus on areas like acceleration, velocity, and work-energy calculations.
5. Study Past Questions
- Go through past Physics exam questions for SS1 First Term.
- Identify patterns in how questions are framed and practice answering them.
6. Pay Attention in Practicals
- Learn to read measurements using instruments like vernier calipers and micrometers.
- Understand how to perform experiments and analyze data from your Physics practical sessions.
7. Create Study Notes
- Summarize each topic in your own words, highlighting key points and formulas.
- Use diagrams and charts where necessary (e.g., graphs for motion).
8. Join a Study Group
- Studying with friends helps you share ideas and better understand difficult concepts.
- Explain what you’ve learned to others to reinforce your knowledge.
9. Manage Your Time During the Exam
- Read the instructions and all questions carefully before answering.
- Start with the questions you find easiest and leave the tougher ones for later.
10. Stay Calm and Confident
- Avoid last-minute cramming. Trust the effort you’ve put into studying.
- Get enough rest before the exam and maintain a positive attitude.
Best wishes from yours sincerely, Henry Divine
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