Student’s Assessment Number………………………

THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
S

031 PHYSICS
Time: 2:30 Hours 2023

Instructions
1. This paper consists of sections A, B and C with a total of ten (10) questions
2. Answer all questions in the spaces provided
3. All other writings should be in blue or black inkexcept diagram which must be in pencil
4. Cellular phones and any unauthorized materials are not allowed in the examination room
5. Write your Assessment Number on the top corner of every page as indicated in this paper
6. Where necessary the following constant may be used
(i) Density of water = 1000kg/m3
(ii) Acceleration due to gravity = 10N/kg or 10m/s2
FOR ASSESSOR’S USE ONLY
QUESTION NUMBER SCORE ASSESSOR’S INITIALS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
TOTAL
CHECKER’S INITIALS

SECTION A (15 Marks)

1. For each of the items (i) – (x), choose the correct answer among the given alternatives and write its letter
beside the item number in the box provided.
(i) Which of the following groups of instruments is used to measure the basic fundamental quantities?
A. Beam balance, stop watch and vernier calipers
Page 1 of 7
 Student’s Assessment Number………………………
B. Beam balance, stop watch and measuring cylinder
C. Measuring cylinder, beam balance and metre rule
D. Spring balance, stop watch and vernier calipers
(ii) As the balloon goes up, the weight of air displaced becomes less and less. This means that the
upthrust
A. isincreased B.is equal to its weight C. is reduced D.remains constant
(iii) A civil engineer who wants to know the amount of cement required to make bricks used in
construction should measure its
A. density B. volume C. massD. weight
(iv) Weight is a force by which
A. abody is kicked upwards B. a body is pulled towards the earth
C. a body is pulled downwards D. mass and weight are related
(v) Which of the following devices work by the help of atmospheric pressure?
A. Bicycle pumps and hydraulic press B. Lift pump and manometer
B. Flushing tanks and hydraulic press D. Bicycle pumps and flushing tank
(vi) A house building contractor fitted window glass panes which some one cannot see through but the
rooms are fully illuminated with light. This type of glass pane materials are said to be
A. Opaque B. Translucent C. Transparent D. Tinted
(vii) You feels more pain if someone with pointed high heel shoes steps on your foots than when the
same person with flat shoes steps on you because
A. The flat shoes are not as heavy as the pointed ones
B. The leather of the shoes has big weight
C. Pressure exerted is greater with pointed high heel shoes
D. Pressure exerted is greater with flat shoes
(viii) Buoyant force is mainly determined by
A. volume and density B. volume and mass
C. weight and mass D.weight and density

(ix) Two coils of wire of resistance 2Ω and 3Ω, respectively are connected in series with a 10V battery.
The current passing through the 2Ω coil is
A. 0.5A B. 2AC.5A D. 20A
(x) A constant horizontal force is applied to a body initially at rest on a smooth horizontal table.
Which of the following quantities will not change during the application of force?
A. Position of the body B. Acceleration of the body
C. Velocity of the body D. Momentum of the body
2. Match each item in List A with the correct response in List B by writing the letter of the correct response
below the corresponding item number in the table provided.
List A List B
(i) Equal distance in equal time. A. Uniform speed
B. Displacement
(ii) Constant rate of change of displacement
C. Uniform velocity
(iii) Rate of change of displacement D. Acceleration

Page 2 of 7
 Student’s Assessment Number………………………
(iv) Constant rate of change of velocity. E. Velocity
F. Distance
(v) Distance covered from a reference point
G. Uniform acceleration
H. Speed
List A (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v)
List B

SECTION B (70 Marks)

3. (a) Why a big elephant manages to work comfortably in muddy soil without sinking while a human
being may sink easily.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

(b) Briefly explain any two applications of hydraulic press in daily life
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

(c) A rectangular solid iron block has sides 1.0m x 0.6m x 0.5m and rests on a horizontal flat surface.
If the density of the iron is 8000 kg/m3, calculate the minimum pressure which the block can exert
on the surface.

4. (a) State the law of flotation

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

(b) When a ship sails from fresh water into the sea, does it sink deeper into the water or rise a little out
of it? Explain your answer

Page 3 of 7
 Student’s Assessment Number………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………............
(c) A body has a mass of 150g and volume of 200cm3. If placed in water, how much of its volume will
remain above the water level?

5. (a) Briefly explain the terms as applied in machines

(i) Mechanical advantage
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
(ii) Velocity ratio
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
(b) Why does a cyclist often zigzag when going up a hill?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
(c)A 600N crate is to be loaded onto the bed of the truck that is 1.4m above the ground. A metal ramp 7m
long is leaned against the truck bed and the crate pushed up along it. If the efficiency of the system
is 80%, calculate force required to push the crate.

6. (a) When looking on to a plane mirror you see your image. Is a plane mirror transparent, opaque or
translucent? Explain your answer.
…………………………………………………………........…………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………................………………………………

Page 4 of 7
 Student’s Assessment Number………………………
(b) A ray of light incident on a plane mirror at an angle of incidence of 70° is reflected from the mirror
and strikes the second mirror such that the two mirrors are inclined perpendicular to each other. Use
a graphical method to determine the angle of reflection at the second mirror.

7. (a) In a car crash, occupants continue in their forward motion, hitting themselves against the seats or
even are thrown out through shattered windscreens by their impact. Why are the injuries much less if the
occupants fasten themselves with seat-belts? Explain by using Newton’s second law of motion.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..…………
………………………………………………………………………………………………..………
…………………………………………………………………………...............................................
.............................................................................................................................................................
(b)A car of mass 1000kg is travelling along a straight road at a constant velocity of 15 m/s. The engine
then develops 3.0 kilowatts. Calculate the force resisting the motion

8. (a) Why most of vehicles have their engines and chassis placed as low as possible?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

(b) Briefly explain why with application of the same force on the same bolt, a spanner with long
handle tights more easily than that with short handle.

Page 5 of 7
 Student’s Assessment Number………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
(c) A uniform rod with a mass of 120g and a length of 130cm is suspended by a wire from a point
80cm from the rod’s left end. What mass must be hung from the right end of the rod for it to be in
equilibrium?

9. (a) Briefly explain the following terms as used in physics and state their SI Units.
(i) Work………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(ii) Power…………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………….

(b) An object is dropped and falls to the ground. Is there any work while it is falling? Explain
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

(c) A man lifts an object of mass 100 kg to a height of 5 m above the ground in 3 seconds. Calculate
the power developed by the man

SECTION C (15 Marks)

10. (a) A technician was given a task of wiring a house. He was planning to connect four bulbs such that
each bulb lights at its normal brightness. With two reason, explain how he could connect the bulbs.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Page 6 of 7
 Student’s Assessment Number………………………
………………………………………………………..............................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................…………………………
……..................................................................................................................................................……

(b) Consider the circuit below. If lamp X burns out would lamp Y and Z light up? Explain your answer

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
................................................................................................................................................................

(c) Two resistors 3Ω and 6Ω are connected in parallel to a 3V battery. Calculate the current passing
through each resistor

Page 7 of 7