Diagnostic Physics Test

Section 1: Answer ALL the following multiple choice questions

1. All of the following are derived quantities except?

A. Electric Current
B. Pressure
C. Volume
D. Energy

2. Which of the following types of errors can be traced to a defect in the measuring
instrument?
A. Systematic
B. Random
C. Gross
D. Environmental

3. Error due to parallax can be minimized by

A. Taking more than one reading.
B. Placing the eye at right angles to the mark being read.
C. Taking readings from different angles
D. Taking an average of two readings using separate scales.

4. Which physical quantity has the correct S.I unit?

Physical Quantity S.I unit

A Temperature Celsius
B Time Minute
C Mass Newton
D Length Metre

5. To measure the external diameter of a measuring cylinder most accurately, one should
use a:
A. Meter Rule
B. Tape Measure
C. Length of String
Diagnostic Physics Test

D. Pair of Vernier Callipers

6. The instrument MOST suitable for measuring the external diameter of a test tube is a:
A. Micrometre Screw Gauge
B. Vernier caliper
C. Metre rule
D. Set square

7. Which of the following is MOST suitable for measuring the diameter of a wire?
A. Metric rule
B. Tape measure
C. Vernier Calipers
D. Micrometre screw gauge

8. Which of the following instruments is suitable for measuring the diameter of a human
hair?
A. Tape measure
B. Vernier Calipers
C. Meter rule
D. Micrometre screw gauge

9. The unit of electrical resistance may be expressed as:

A. 1Ω = 1VA-1
B. 1Ω = 1 AV
C. 1Ω = 1 AV -1
D. 1Ω = 1WA-1

10. A scalar quantity is one that has

A. Magnitude and direction
B. Only magnitude
C. Mass but not weight
D. Only direction
Diagnostic Physics Test

11. Which of the following BEST represents the resultant force?

A. 28 N
B. 20 N
C. 14 N
D. 4N

12. Which of the following groups consists only of vectors?

A. Displacement, velocity, pressure
B. Momentum, force, velocity
C. Displacement, force, speed
D. Force, acceleration, work

13. S. I. unit for density is:

A. Kg cm-3
B. G cm-3
C. Kg m-3
D. G m-3

14. Identify the following quantities as scalar or vector: the mass of an object, the number of
leaves on a tree, wind velocity
A. Vector, scalar, scalar
B. Vector, scalar vector
C. Scalar, scalar, vector
D. Scalar, vector, vector

15. The mass of oil is 11040 kg and volume is 12 m3. Determine the density of the oil.
A. 92 kg m-3
B. 920 kgm-3
C. 9.2 kgm-3
D. 1.08× 10-3
Diagnostic Physics Test

16. Density of a substance is defined as?

A. Its mass per unit volume
B. Its mass per unit area
C. Its volume per unit area
D. Its weight per unit volume

17. Which one of the following measurements is the smallest?

A. 1.5×102 kg
B. 1.5×107 g
C. 1.5×1012 µg
D. 3.8×1010 Mg

18. In the SI system 7 fundamental quantities are?

a. Kilogram, meter, candela, second, volt, kelvin and mole
b. Kilogram, meter, mass, second, ampere, kelvin and mole
c. Kilogram, meter, candela, second, ampere, kelvin and mole
d. No answer is correct

19. 5.345 expressed the TWO significant figures is

a. 5.35
b. 5.34
c. 5.4
d. 5.3

20. Which physical quantity has the correct S.I unit?

Physical Quantity S.I unit
A Temperature Celsius
B Time Minute
C Mass Newton
D Length Metre
Diagnostic Physics Test

Attempt ALL questions

You MUST write your answers in this answer booklet.

1) Anya performs an experiment to measure the acceleration due to gravity (g).

The time taken for 20 complete oscillations (t) was recorded as the length (l)
of the pendulum was varied. The results are shown in the table below:
Time taken 15.5 20.1 23.7 26.9 29.8 32.4
for 20
oscillations
t/s
Length l/m 0.150 0.250 0.350 0.450 0.550 0.650
Period T/s 0.775
T2/s2 0.601

a) Complete the table above. Hint: To find the period DIVIDE the time
taken for 20 oscillations by 20.
b) Plot a graph of T2 against l.
c) Determine the slope S of the graph in b and include its units.
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Total: 20 Marks

2) Daniel wants to determine the density of steel. He measured the mass of ten
steel marbles. He measured the volume of the ten marbles by placing them
in a measuring cylinder filled with 50cm3 of water.

His findings are listed below:

 Mass of ten steel marbles = 336g
Diagnostic Physics Test

 Initial volume of water in measuring cylinder = 50cm3

 Final volume of water in measuring cylinder = 92cm3
a) Explain what is meant by the term ‘Density’ and state its SI units.
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b) State the mass of the one steel marble in kg.

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c) State the volume of the one steel marble in m3.

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d) Calculate the density of steel in kgm-3.

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e) Calculate the relative density of steel, assuming that the density of water is
1000kgm-3
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Diagnostic Physics Test

f) If 325g of mercury of density 13.6gcm-3 occupies a certain space, determine

the volume of the space.
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g) Calculate the density of gasoline which occupies 150cm3 of space and has a
mass of 102g.
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h) State the S.I. units for the derived quantities velocity and acceleration.
Velocity: ____________________________
Acceleration: _________________________

Total: 20 Marks
3. State the equation for the general gas law for an ideal gas
A. State the meaning of EACH symbol stated in the equation above.

B.
i. A car tyre is pumped to a pressure of 2×105 Nm2 in the
morning, when the temperature is 23˚C. Later in the day, the
temperature rises to 34˚C. Calculate the new pressure in the
tyre. The volume of air is kept constant.
ii. Using the kinetic theory of matter, explain why the increase in
pressure occurred.
Diagnostic Physics Test
V1
iii. Calculate the new volume to old volume ( V 2 ) for the tyre, if
the pressure is held constant while the temperature rises from
23˚C to 34˚C.

4
a.
i. Define the term ‘specific heat capacity’ of an object. (2 marks)

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ii. Complete Table 3 below by inserting the correct symbol and SI

unit which relate to the quantity shown in Column 1. (2 marks)

TABLE 3
Quantity Symbol SI Unit

Heat capacity C
_____

Specific Latent J/kg

Heat of Fusion
______

iii. Define the term heat capacity. (3 marks)

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Diagnostic Physics Test

b. A physicist converts 8kg of water at 33˚C to steam at 100˚C.

Assuming there is no heat lost, calculate the energy required

i. To heat the water to 100˚C (3 marks)

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ii. To convert the water to steam at 100˚C. (3 marks)

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iii. What is the total energy, in mega joules, required to heat the 8kg
of water at 33˚C to steam at 100˚C? (2 marks)

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SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY OF WATER = 4200 J/Kg/K

SPECIFIC LATENT HEAT OF VAPORIZATION OF
WATER = 2 300 000 J/Kg