2018 WASSCE PHYSICS OBJECTIVES

1.
The S.I unit for sound energy is
A. Hz
B. cd
C. dB
D. J
2.
The general definition of elastic modulus is
𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠
A.
𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛
𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛
B.
𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠
C. stress × strain
𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠
D. √
𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛

3.

The diagram above illustrates a simple barometer. Which distance measures the atmospheric pressure?
A. PQ
B. QR
C. RS
D. QS
4.
The property of a body to remain at rest or to continue in uniform motion in a straight line is called
A. momentum
B. inertia
C. impulse
D. energy
5.
During a training session, two footballers pass a ball repeatedly between each other. The ‘to and fro’
motion of the ball is not simple harmonic because the
I. Acceleration of the ball is not directed towards a fixed point
II. Restoring force is not directed towards the center
III. Acceleration of the ball is not directly proportional to the displacement from a fixed point
Which of the statements above are correct?

A. I and III only

B. I and II only
C. II and III only
D. I, II and III only
6.
A dam is able to hold a large quantity of water because its wall is
A. thickest at the top
B. thickest at the middle
C. thickest at the bottom
D. of the same thickness throughout
7.
A body of mass m moving around a circle of radius r with a uniform speed v experiences a centripetal force
F. The work done by the centripetal force on it is
A. Fv
B. zero
C. Fmr
D. Fr / m
8.

A block is acted upon by TWO horizontal forces as illustrated in the diagram above. The block accelerates
at 1.5ms−2. Calculate the mass of the block.

A. 6kg
B. 9kg
C. 10kg
D. 15kg
9.
Which of the following quantities are dimensionally independent?
I. Dielectric constant
II. Momentum
III. Efficiency
IV. Refractive index

A. I and II
B. II, III and IV
C. I, II, III and IV
D. I, III and IV
10.
A body is projected with an initial velocity u at an angle θ to the horizontal. If RmaxRmax is the maximum
range of the projectile, what does the relation u2Rmaxu2Rmax represent?

A. The vertical distance covered

B. Acceleration due to gravity
C. The horizontal distance covered
D. The acceleration of the body
11.
An object at rest is said to possess

A. potential energy
B. kinetic energy
C. chemical energy
D. electrical energy
12.
According to Newton’s law of cooling, the heat energy lost per unit area of a body depends on the
I. Surface area
II. Nature of the surface
III. Temperature of the surface
IV. Excess temperature over the surroundings

A. I and II only
B. II and IV only
C. I, II and III
D. I, II and IV
13.
The graph of density against temperature for water is correctly illustrated by
A. C.

B. D.

14.
A football is kicked at an angle of 45° to the horizontal over a defense line up with a velocity of 15ms -1.
Calculate the magnitude of the horizontal velocity of the ball at its highest point [Neglect friction, g = 10ms-
2]

1. 0.0ms-1
2. 5.6ms-1
3. 10.6ms-1
4. 15.0ms-1
15.
The ice point on the absolute scale of temperature is
A. 0K
B. 32K
C. 100K
D. 273K
16.
Which of the following factors does not increase the rate of evaporation of water in a lake?
A. Increase in the pressure of the atmosphere
B. Rise in temperature
C. Increase in the surface area of the lake
D. Increase in the speed of the wind
17.
The bob of a simple pendulum takes 8.0s to complete 10 oscillations. Determine the frequency of
oscillation of the bob.
A. 0.125Hz
B. 1.25Hz
C. 7.50Hz
D. 8.00Hz
18.

The diagram above illustrates the mercury-in-glass thermometer used for determining the temperature of
a room. Use the data on it to determine the room temperature.

A. 3.3°C
B. 7.0°C
C. 13°C
D. 30.0°C
19.
Frequency is measured in
A. Meter per second
B. Seconds
C. Hertz
D. Farad
20.
Which of the following electromagnetic waves is most energetic?
A. Radio waves
B. X-ray
C. Gamma rays
D. Ultra-violet rays
21.
Rainbow formation is a natural phenomenon illustrating that white light
A. splits into three components after rainfall
B. is dispersed by glass prisms
C. splits into its constituent colours before rainfall
 D. is dispersed into its constituent colours after rainfall
22.

The lens illustrated above can best be described as a

A. converging meniscus
B. plano-convex
C. diverging meniscus
D. bi-convex
23.
Two plane mirrors are inclined to each other such that an object placed between them has 11 images.
Determine the angle of inclination
A. 30°
B. 45°
C. 60°
D. 90°
24.
The pitch of a note is not affected by
A. frequency
B. tension in a vibrating string
C. mass of a vibrating string
D. amplitude of sound wave
25.
When two flat plate conductors are arranged in such a way that they possess equal and opposite charges
separated by a dielectric, they form a/an
A. electroscope
B. electrophorus
C. capacitor
D. cell
26.

Which electrical device is illustrated above?

A. a.c. generator
B. a.c. motor
C. d.c. generator
D. d.c. motor
27.
A simple barometer is constructed using a liquid Q1 of density 16.2cm3. Calculate the least length of the
tube to be used to measure pressure of 1.5atm.

[Density of mercury = 13.6cm3, 1atm = 76.0 cm of Mercury]

A. 1358mm
B. 957mm
C. 760mm
D. 638mm
28.

A bar AB is balanced horizontally on two knife edges as illustrated in the diagram above. Determine the
weight of the bar.
 A. 10.0N
B. 20.0N
C. 40.0N
D. 50.0N
29.
To obtain a virtual, erect and magnified image from a thin converging lens, an object must be placed
A. between the focus and the lens
B. at the focus
C. between the focal length and twice the focal length
D. beyond twice the focal length
30.

The diagram above represents a transverse traveling wave. Which two points are 180° out of phase?
A. A and E
B. B and D
C. C and F
D. D and H
31.
Two objects P and Q of masses 100kg and 20kg respectively are 1.2m apart on a horizontal surface.
Calculate the net gravitational force acting on Q.

[G=6.67×10−11Nm2kg−2]

A. 1.11×10−7N towards P
B. 1.11×10−7N towards Q
C. 9.26×10−8N towards P
D. 9.26×10−8N towards Q
32.
The primary of a transformer has 100 turns and its secondary has 200 turns. If the voltage at the primary is
100V, determine the voltage at the secondary.
A. 50V
B. 100V
C. 200V
D. 400V
33.

In the diagram illustrated a block of mass M is at rest on a plane inclined at an angle θ to the horizontal. As
θ increases, the velocity ratio of the plane
A. increases
B. decreases
C. remain the same
D. decreases and later increases
34.
When the speed of a car is halved, its kinetic energy is
A. doubled
B. quartered
C. halved
D. quadrupled
35.
A wire of length 400cm is stretched between two fixed points. When plucked, its fundamental frequency is
150Hz. Calculate the speed of the wave produced.
A. 250ms−1
B. 625ms−1
C. 1200ms−1
D. 1500ms−1
36.

The diagram above illustrates a waveform. Determine the number of wavelengths in it

A. 4
1
B. 3
2
1
C. 2
2
D. 2
37.
A resistor with fixed resistance value is called a
A. resistance box
B. standard resistor
C. shunt resistor
D. multiplier resistor
38.
Which of the following statements is not an advantage of an alkaline accumulator?
A. The electrolyte does not need attention
B. It can be recharged
C. It has low internal resistance
D. It has a much longer life than lead-acid accumulator
39.

The diagram above illustrates the wire connections to a three-pin plug. The wires P, Q and R respectively
are:
A. live, neutral and earth
B. neutral, earth and live
C. earth, live and neutral
D. earth, neutral and live
40.
Which of the following statements about parallel plate capacitors is/are correct?
I. Capacitance of the capacitor is inversely proportional to the distance between the plates
II. Capacitors can filter a.c signals from d.c
III. Capacitors can store charges
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. II and III only
D. I, II and III
41.

The circuit contains three ammeters A1, A2 and A3 with readings of A2 and A3 shown as indicated in the
diagram. Determine the reading of A1.
A. 2A
B. 3A
C. 5A
D. 8A
42.
Which of the following statements about magnetic lines of force is not correct? They
A. pass through even non-magnetic materials
B. run from the north pole to the south pole
C. are in a state of tension and tend to be shorted
D. intersect one another
43.
In which of the following activities is an induction coil not useful?
A. Investigation of high voltages
B. Study of electric discharge
C. Operation of X-ray tubes
D. A.C. power transmission
44.
In a series R-L-C circuit, R = 10Ω, = 4Ω and XL = 9Ω. The impedance of the circuit is
A. 4.1Ω
B. 5.0Ω
C. 10.8Ω
D. 11.2Ω
45.
A student uses two compass needles to investigate the magnetic field around a bar magnet. Which of the
following diagrams show the correct directions of the needles?
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
46.
Which of the following is emitted in a process of natural radioactivity?
A. α particles and β particles
B. α particles and X-rays
C. β particles and X-rays
D. λ rays and X-rays
47.
In which of the following situations is the photoelectric effect employed?
I. Automatic devices for switching on light at dusk
II. Automatic doors in departmental stores
III. Automatic devices for switching on air conditioners
IV. Automatic voltage stabilizers

A. I, II and IV only
B. I, III and IV only
C. III and IV only
D. I and II only
48.
Which of the following radiations has the longest wavelength?
A. Gamma ray
B. Radio wave
C. Infrared ray
D. X-ray
49.
In which of the following fields is radioisotopes not used?
A. Medicine
B. Oil industry
C. Agriculture
D. Weather forecast
50.

A nuclide is represented by 71
32𝐵 Determine its neutron-proton ratio
A. 0.5
B. 0.8
C. 1.2
D. 1.5