2013

Peace Corps/Liberia

Michael Long

WAEC PHYSICS NATIONAL

EXAMINATION SOLUTIONS GUIDE
Solutions to questions from the May 2012 WAEC Physics Examination are presented on the following
pages. The guide is not a comprehensive guide to physics – more study will be required to master
physics and perform well on the test.
 1. As an object falls freely, its 1. The total Energy of a system
kinetic energy is Ep+Ek where Ep=mgh and
a. Decreases Ek=⅟2mv2
b. Increases In a system, Et=Ep+Ek= mgh+⅟2mv2
c. Remains the same
d. Is zero So an object, due to conservation of
energy, increases its kinetic energy as
it falls. Kinetic energy Ke=Et- mgh.
Because of conservation of energy, Et
remains the same. Mass and gravity
are constant so a decrease in height,
h, corresponds to an increase in
kinetic energy

2. All of the following are scalars 2. A scalar has no direction.

except Momentum requires a direction,
therefore is a vector, not a scalar.
a. energy

b. mass

c. momentum

d. power

3. Which of the following is not 3. Sound waves are longitudinal. Only

associated with a sound wave? transverse waves, like light waves,
have polarization
A. Polarization

B. Amplitude

C. Wavelength

D. Period
4. The area under a velocity versus 4. In a velocity versus time graph, the
time graph represents acceleration is the slope at the point
which we are evaluating, the
A. Acceleration
displacement is area under the graph,
B. Displacement the momentum is the speed
multiplied by the mass, and the speed
C. Momentum is the y-axis without including
direction.
D. Speed
A=bh

b=x-axis=t and h=y-axis=v

5. The SI prefix that designates one 5. The SI unit scale is

million is
1012 – tera
a. mega-
109 – giga
b. milli-
106 – mega
c. micro-
103 – kilo
d. nano-
102 – deca

101 – base unit

10-1 – deci

10-2 – centi

10-3 – milli

10-6 – micro

10-9 – nano

10-12 - pico
 6. The electromagnetic spectrum, in
6. Which of the following order of increasing energy, is:
electromagnetic waves has the least
energy per proton?  Radio waves

a. Gamma Ray  Micro waves

b. Infrared radiation  Infrared waves

c. X-ray  Visible light

d. Radio wave  Ultraviolet rays

 X-rays

 Gamma rays
7. The period of a system undergoing
simple harmonic motion is T. If the
amplitude of the system’s motion is
7. Amplitude is the size of the
doubled, its period becomes
harmonic motion. It is measured
a. T/4 completely in the y-axis. Period is the
rate at which one cycle is completed.
.b T/2
It is measured completely in the x-
c. T axis. Changing either amplitude or
frequency has no effect on the other.
d. 2T

8. The half-life is how long it takes for

8. A radioactive element has a half- half of the remaining material to
life of four hours. How much of the decay. In this example the
radioactive element will remain after progression is:
12 hours?
4 hours = (⅟2)1 = ⅟2
a. 1/16
8 hours = (⅟2)2 = ⅟4
b. 1/8
12 hours = (⅟2)3 = ⅟8
c. 1/6
16 hours = (⅟2)4 = ⅟16
d. 1/4
20 hours = (⅟2)5 = ⅟32
 9. This problem can be solved by the
9. The force of repulsion between inverse square law, which measures
two point charges is .36N when their
the force of repulsion between two
separation is 1.5 m. What force do
they exert on each other when their point charges.
separation is 1m?
F=e*(q1*q2)/r2 and since e is a constant
a. .81N
F1r12=F2r22
b. .54N
.36*1.52=F2*12
c. .24N
So F2= .81N
d. .16N

10. Newton’s first law states an

10. If the sum of all the forces acting
on a moving body is 0, the body will object in motion will stay in motion
until acted on by a force.
a. slow down and stop

b. change the direction of its

motion
c. accelerate uniformly
d. continue moving with a
constant velocity
11. A spring scale reads 20N as it pulls
a 5 kg mass across a table. What is
the magnitude of the force exerted
by the mass on the spring scale
a. 40N
b. 20N
c. 5N
d. 3N
11. This question is a trick, Newton’s
are a measure of force, so the reading
is the answer. The mass doesn’t tell
us anything we don’t already know.
12. The potential difference of point
charge at two different locations in
an electric field is calculated by V=W/Q
, where Vis potential difference,
measured in volts; W is work,
measured in joules; and Q is charge,
measured in coulombs. Therefore:
V=W/Q =(6.3*10-4)/(2.5*10-6)
=252 Volts

12. Moving a 2.5 µc charge from

point A to point B in an electric field
requires 6.3 x 10 -4 J of work. What is
the approximate potential difference
between the two points?

A, 1.6 x 10-9 volts

b. 4.0 x 10-3 volts

c. 2.5 x 10-2 volts

d. 1.0 x 10-4volts
 13. The coefficient of kinetic friction
is a material property of the box and
the plane. The angle will not affect a
material property of the objects.

14. A force F directed at an angle θ 14. The definition of work is W=Fd

above the horizontal is used to pull a
The direction of the force on an
load a distance d across a level floor.
inclined plane is cos(θ)
The work done by the force F is
So W=Fd cos(θ)
a. Fd

b. Fdcosθ

c. Fdsinθ

d. mgcosθ

15. What does X represent in the 15. This question has a mistake in it.
below nuclear equation? If we assume the helium atom is
2 supposed to be notated 42He, the
1H + 21H 2
1He +X
answer is a gamma particle. As
a. Alpha particle notated, there is no correct answer as
that notation is abnormal.
B. Beta particle

c. Gamma particle

d. Neutron
16. A motor cyclist traveled at a 16. 100km/hr *1/1.6 mi/km = 100/1.6 mi/h
speed of 100 kilometers per hours. =62.5 mph
What is the speed in mile per hour [1
mile = 1.6 km]

a. 26.5 mph
b. 62.5mph
c. 625mph
d. 725mph

17. Two objects, A and B, accelerate
from rest at the same uniform rate.
Object B accelerates twice as Object
A. Compared to object A, Object B
will travel
a. twice as far
b. three times further
c. four times further
d. at the same rate
17. This is a poorly written question,
let’s make an assumption so we can
solve it. Let’s insert the words “fast
as” before Object A in the second
sentence. Now let’s solve
The formula we will use is: d=vit+⅟2at2
The objects start from rest so vi=0 so
simplifying, d=⅟2at2. For example, let’s
say aa=2m/s and ab=4m/s now let’s
make a chart to compare the distance
traveled by objects A and B

t(s) da(m) db(m)

0 0 0

1 1 2

2 4 8

3 9 18

Note: If we insert the words “long as”

instead of “fast as” the answer
becomes four times farther.
18. The distance between a crest and
an adjacent trough is
a. the wave’s amplitude
b. one half the waves’
amplitude
c. the wave’s wavelength
d. one half the waves’
wavelength
18. Wavelength is the distance from
one point in a wave to the same point
in the next wave. So crest to crest is
one wavelength. Trough to trough is
also one wavelength. Crest to trough
is half of a wavelength. Amplitude is
the magnitude of the wave and is
unrelated to the distance between a
crest and a trough.

19. For a tube open at both ends,

19. The velocity of propagation of a
fo=V/2L where fo is the fundamental
transverse wave on a 2-meter long
frequency, V is the velocity of the
tube opened at both ends is 200 m/s.
wave, and L is the length of the tube
What is the tubes fundamental
frequency? This give us fo= 200/2*2 = 50 Hz

a. 25Hz

b. 50Hz

c. 100Hz

d. 200Hz

20. Keeping all other factors constant, 20. As atmospheric pressure

as the atmospheric pressure increases, so does the number of
increases, the velocity of sound collisions between molecules in the
air. Therefore, the speed of sound
a. increases increases slightly.
b. decreases

c. is zero

d. does not change

21. Three identical capacitors are 21. The circuit looks like this:
connected in series to a battery. If a
charge Q flows from the battery, how
much charge does each capacitor
carry?

a. Q/3
The relationship between capacitors
b. Q in series is QT=1/(1/Q1+1/Q2+1/Q3)

c. 3Q So if each capacitor has a charge of Q,

the total charge is Q/3
d. 6Q

22. If the resistance in a constant

22. Power = Voltage2/Resistance
voltage circuit is doubled, the power
dissipated by the circuit will So for example, imagine a circuit with
a voltage of 10V and a resistance of
A. Increase by a factor of 2
5Ω.
B. increase by a factor of four
P= v2/R = 102/5 = 100/5 = 20 Watts
C. decrease to one half the
Now let’s double the resistance so
original value
R=10Ω.
D. decrease to one fourth of
P= v2/R = 102/10 = 100/10 = 10 Watts
the original value.
This means the resistance is doubled,
the power is halved.

23. A current of 22 A flows into a
parallel combination of a 4Ω, 6Ω, and
12Ω resistors. What current flows
through the 12Ω resistor?
a. 2.56 A
b. 3.66 A
c. 7.33 A
d. 18 A
24. Electromagnetic waves are
a. longitudinal in nature
b. transverse in a nature
c. both longitudinal and
transverse in nature
d. neither longitudinal nor
transverse in nature
23. The circuit looks like this:
22A
4Ω 8Ω 12Ω
Ohm’s Law states V=IR and
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law says the sum
of the voltage in all closed loops is 0,
so we know the voltage of the current
source and all three resistors is the
same. First, let’s find the total voltage
VT=ITRT and IT is given as 22A
RT can be found by combining
resistors in parallel through this
equation
RT=1/[(1/R1)+(1/R2)+(1/R3)]
So RT=1/[(1/4)+(1/6)+(1/12)]
= 1/(6/12) = 2Ω
And again VT=ITRT = 22A*2Ω = 44V
Then we use Ohm’s law again to solve
IR3=VR3/R3 = 44V/12Ω = 3.66A
24. A transverse wave is one whose
oscillations are perpendicular to the
direction the wave travels. A
longitudinal wave is a wave whose
oscillations are parallel to the
direction the wave travels.
Electromagnetic waves are transverse
waves.
25. What is the power of a lens 25. The power of a lens is 1/focal
whose focal length is 5 cm? length, where focal length is
measured in meters. Therefore,
a. 0.1
LP=1/.05 = 20 D
b. 0.2
Since the answers in this question are
c. 5.0 unit less, the calculation was probably
d. 50.0 done without converting the distance
to meters giving an answer of 1/5=.2
with an unknown unit.

26. A step down transformer has a

term ratio of 0.025. If the primary
voltage is 200 V, what is the value of
the secondary voltage?
a. 5V
26. Term ratio = V2/V1 , so rearranging
the equation we get V2=V1*term
ratio.

b. 6V 200V*.025 = 5V

c. 12V

d. 60V

27. Vectors are added by placing

27. Vectors are added graphically by
them head to tail.
placing them

a. tail to tail

b. head to head

c. head to tail

d. parallel
28. A plane flies 300km due north, 28. Let’s solve this problem
then 400 km due east. What is the graphically.
magnitude of its displacement?
N
a. 100km

b. 500km

c. 700km
W E
d. 100km

The result is a right triangle, so we

solve using Pythagoras’ Theorem

a2+b2=c2 so c = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2
29. A net force F acts on mass m and
produces an acceleration a. What = 3002 + 4002 = 500 km
acceleration will result if a force 8F
acts on a mass 4m?
29. According to Newton’s second
a. 2a law, F=ma so 8F=4m*2a
b. 4a

c. 8a

d. 32

30. The centripetal force responsible
for holding a car on a frictionless
banked curve is the
a. horizontal component of
the car’s weight.
b. vertical component to the
car’s weight
c. horizontal component of
the normal force
d. vertical component of the
normal force
30. For the car to remain on the
frictionless bank, the net forces must
be 0. The horizontal component of
the car’s weight is 0. The vertical
component of the car’s weight is in
the –y direction and supported by the
ground. The vertical component of
the normal force is in the +y
direction. This leaves the horizontal
component of the normal force,
which is canceled out by the
centripetal force.
31. Which of the following will not
change the fundamental frequency of
a stretched wire?
I. Increasing the amplitude of
vibration
II. Changing the length of the wire.
III. Changing the tension in the wire.
a. I only
b. B. I and II
c. C. I and III
d. D. I, II and III
32. Two colors of light are projected
onto a screen so that they overlap.
Which of the following is not true
about the overlapping?
a. Red + blue = magenta
b. Red + green = yellow
c. Cyan + red = white
d. Blue + yellow = green
33. In an astronomical telescope, the
objective lens should be
a. concave with short focal length
b. concave with long focal length
c. convex with short focal length
d. convex with long focal length
31. Amplitude and frequency are
unrelated. Amplitude measures
waves in the y-direction, frequency in
the x-direction. This means I must be
an answer.
Changing the length of a wire, like
putting a finger in a fret or a guitar
changes the pitch of the note, thus
changing the frequency.
Changing the tension of a, like tuning
a guitar, also changes the frequency
and pitch.
32. As we can see from the chart, the
primary colors are red, green, and
blue. When all three colors are
blended we see white. Red and green
make yellow, so when yellow is mixed
with blue it is a mixing of all three
primary colors causing us to see
white, not green.
33. Telescopes generally have
concave lenses and long focal lengths
34. A closed organ pipe has a
frequency of 600Hz. What is the
frequency of the next octave?
a. 200Hz
b. 600Hz
34. An octave is a frequency; double
that of the previous octave. So if a
note has a frequency of 600 Hz,
exactly one octave higher is double
that frequency, or 1200 Hz

c. 1200Hz

d. 1800Hz
35.

35. A stone of weight 0.70 N appears to weight

.50 N in water and 0.55N in another liquid.
Calculate the relative density of the liquid.

a. 0.15

b. .20

c. 0.75

d. 1.30

36. All of the following are primary sources of

energy except
36. Electricity is created by the
a. coal change in potential during a chemical
change in coal, oil, or elements that
b. electricity
which filter sunlight. This means
c. oil electricity is a secondary source.

d. sun

37. The penetration of one type of particle into a 37. Diffusion is the way particles of
mass consisting of a second type of particle is different substances blend
called.
Tensile Strength is the maximum
a. diffusion stress a material can take without
b. tensile strength fracturing.

c. ????? Convection is the movement of

molecules in a fluid.
d. convection
38. Which of the following will change if the size of the 38. The size of the pinhole affects the
pinhole in a pinhole camera is increased? sharpness of an image. The larger the
a. size of the image hole, the less sharp the image gets.

b. sharpness of the image

c. color of the image

d. shape of the image 39. Weight = mass * gravity

So weight = 1kg * 10 N/kg = 10 N

39. On the surface of the earth a one kilogram mass
weighs

a. 2.2N

b. 4.0N
40. Velocity at any point during free
c. 10.0N
fall equals gravity times time, now we
d. 50.0N have to find the time just before the
ball hits the ground. Our first
equation is : d=vit+⅟2at2
Use the situation below to answer questions 40-42
1
So 20 = 0*t + *10 m/s2 *t2
A ball of mass 0.5 kg released from a height of 20 2

meters above the ground rebounds to a height of 5 Solving we get t=2s

meters. The ball is in contact with the ground for 0.1
second Again velocity =gravity * time so

40. What is the velocity of the ball just before striking v = 10 m/s2 * 2s = 20 m/s
the ground

a. 40 m/s

b. 20 m/s

c. 15 m/s

d. 10 m/s
41. What is the force on the ball as it falls? 41. The force on any object is mass
times acceleration. In free-fall, the
a. 20N
acceleration is equal to gravity, so
b. 10N
F = .5kg * 10m/s2 = 5N
c. 7.5N

d. 5N

42. Calculate the potential energy of the ball at the

42. Potential energy PE = mgh
rebound height.
= .5kg * 10 m/s2 * 5m = 25 joules
a. 25j

b. 75j

c. 100j

d. 125j
43. Power equals voltage squared
divided by resistance or P = V2/R, So
43. When working, a 120W, 240V lamp has a rearranging our equation
resistance of
R = V2/P = 2402/120 = 480Ω
a. 480Ω

b. 240Ω

c. 130Ω

d. 60Ω 44. If m1is larger than m2, both will

44. An object with mass m1 makes a head on elastic
collision with a stationary object of mass m2. After
the collision, both objects moved in the same
direction as m1. Which is true?
a. m1 is greater the m2
travel in the direction of m1. IF m1is
equal to m2, m1 will stop and m2will
move with the velocity of m1. If m1is
less than m2, m2will move in the
opposite direction of m1at a lower
velocity.

b. m2 is greater than m1

c. m1 is equal to m2

d. no relationship exists
 45. 1 calorie is defined as the amount
45. How many kilocalories of heat are of heat needed to increase the
required to raise the temperature of temperature of 1 gram of water 1
750g of water from 35°C to 55°C? degree Celsius. To raise 750 g of
water 20 degrees Celsius, we need
[c = 1.00cal./g°C]
750 g *20°C = 15,000 calories
a. 15,000
15,000 calories = 15 kilocalories
b. 1,500
c. 150
d. 15
46. The force two point charges
46. Two point charges are separated produce on one another is
by a distance d and a force F. What represented by the equation:
would the force be if the two charges 𝑘(𝑞1)(𝑞2)
F=
are moved to a distance d/3 apart? 𝑟2

a. 3F Since k, q1, and q2 are constants they

cancel each other out when
b. F/3 comparing 2 distances, thus we are
left with
c. 9F
F1r12=F2r22
d. F/9
Substituting our new distance gives
us
47. A capacitor is charged to a 90V
𝑟 𝑟2
battery and receives a charge of 3µc. F1r2=F2(3)2 = F1r2=F2( 9 )
What is the capacitance of the
capacitor? The r2 cancel out leaving F2=9F1

a. 0.33µf
47. Capacitance = charge/voltage
b. 2.00µf
So C=3*10-6 / 90 = .0333µf
c. 27.00µf

d. 270.00µf

48. How many significant digits are

there in the product of 0.0028 and
1.7? 48. 0.0028*1.7 = .00476. The least
number of significant figures is the 2
a. two in the 1.7 and in multiplication one
b. three can only use the lowest number of
significant figures, which is 2.
c. four

d. five

49. The angle between two inclined
plane mirrors is 15 degrees. How
many images of an object placed
between the mirrors would be
formed?
a. 24
b. 23
c. 12
d. 11
50. As a solid melts
a. its temperature increases
b. its temperature decreases
c. heat leaves the solid
d. heat enters the system
49. The number of images between
two inclined plane mirrors is
represented by the equation:
# of images = 360° / angle of
inclination – 1
So in our example, 360° / 15 – 1 = 23
50. As a solid melts, the temperature
stays constant. The energy used in
the system goes to changing the state
of matter. Melting corresponds to an
increase in energy, thus heat enters
the system.