Preparing for the WAEC Physics exam requires not only a sound grasp of the concepts but also familiarity with the types of questions frequently asked. To help you master this, accessing original WAEC Physics past questions and answers—especially updated to 2024—is one of the best ways to boost your confidence and readiness for the exam.
Why Use Original WAEC Physics Past Questions?
Original past questions give you an authentic feel of what to expect in the actual exam. They reveal the examination style, the focus in each year’s paper, and the common trends in topics. Practicing with these questions:
Helps you understand the pattern of objective and theory questions.
Enables you to pinpoint key topics that consistently appear.
Builds your problem-solving speed and accuracy.
Helps manage time during the exam by simulating real exam conditions.
Overview of the WAEC Physics Exam Structure
The WAEC Physics examination is typically divided into three papers:
Paper 1: Multiple Choice Questions (50 marks, 1 hour 15 minutes)
Paper 2: Theory questions covering short and long essay types (60 marks, 1 hour 30 minutes)
Paper 3: Practical or alternative to practical paper testing laboratory skills (40 marks, 1 hour 30 minutes)
You must prepare for all three papers to perform excellently.
What Topics Do You Expect From WAEC Physics Past Questions?
Physics covers broad topics, but the past questions highlight certain focal areas. Some high-yield topics include:
Motion and Kinematics
Work, Energy and Power
Heat and Thermodynamics
Current Electricity and Circuits
Waves and Optical Phenomena
Simple Harmonic Motion
Magnetic Effects of Current
Atomic Physics and Nuclear Radiation
Experimental Physics (Practical skills)
The 2024 updated past questions reflect these areas thoroughly, with questions crafted to test your understanding and applications
- From the principle of flotation, a body sinks in a fluid until it displaces a quantity of fluid equal to its own:
(a) density
(b) mass
(c) weight
(d) volume
Answer: (c) weight Which of the following affects the period of oscillation of a simple pendulum?
(a) mass of the bob only
(b) length of the string only
(c) amplitude of oscillation only
(d) gravitational acceleration and length of the string
Answer: (d) gravitational acceleration and length of the stringA magnet loses its magnetism when it is:
(a) heated strongly
(b) cooled strongly
(c) placed in a magnetic field
(d) dropped from a height
Answer: (a) heated stronglyThe SI unit of force is:
(a) Joule
(b) Newton
(c) Watt
(d) Pascal
Answer: (b) NewtonThe work done in moving a mass m through a height h is given by:
(a) mgh
(b) m/gh
(c) gh/m
(d) mgh²
Answer: (a) mghA car moves at uniform velocity. The acceleration is:
(a) zero
(b) constant
(c) increasing
(d) decreasing
Answer: (a) zeroThe frequency of a wave is the number of:
(a) waves produced per second
(b) crests per wave
(c) nodes per wave
(d) waves produced in one minute
Answer: (a) waves produced per secondWhich of the following is a scalar quantity?
(a) Force
(b) Displacement
(c) Speed
(d) Velocity
Answer: (c) SpeedThe law of conservation of energy states:
(a) Energy can neither be created nor destroyed
(b) Energy can be created and destroyed
(c) Energy can be destroyed but not created
(d) Energy can be created but not destroyed
Answer: (a) Energy can neither be created nor destroyedThe velocity of sound in air at room temperature is approximately:
(a) 340 m/s
(b) 300 m/s
(c) 1500 m/s
(d) 500 m/s
Answer: (a) 340 m/sThe acceleration produced in a body is directly proportional to the force applied, and inversely proportional to the mass of the body. This is:
(a) Newton’s first law
(b) Newton’s second law
(c) Newton’s third law
(d) Law of conservation of momentum
Answer: (b) Newton’s second lawIn a uniform circular motion, the acceleration is:
(a) zero
(b) directed tangentially
(c) directed towards the center
(d) directed outward
Answer: (c) directed towards the centerThe voltage across a resistor when current passes through it is proportional to the:
(a) resistance
(b) resistivity
(c) current
(d) power
Answer: (c) currentThe principle that the pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished to all parts of the fluid is:
(a) Pascal’s principle
(b) Archimedes’ principle
(c) Bernoulli’s principle
(d) Boyle’s law
Answer: (a) Pascal’s principleWhich of the following states of matter requires a medium to travel?
(a) Light waves
(b) Sound waves
(c) Ultraviolet rays
(d) X-rays
Answer: (b) Sound wavesThe energy stored in a stretched spring is an example of:
(a) kinetic energy
(b) potential energy
(c) thermal energy
(d) sound energy
Answer: (b) potential energyThe force of friction between two surfaces:
(a) always opposes motion
(b) always aids motion
(c) slows down the object only
(d) speeds up the object
Answer: (a) always opposes motionThe measure of the gravitational force acting on a body is called:
(a) mass
(b) weight
(c) density
(d) volume
Answer: (b) weightA ray of light passes from air into glass and bends:
(a) towards the normal
(b) away from the normal
(c) along the normal
(d) is reflected back
Answer: (a) towards the normalThe frequency and period of a wave are related by:
(a) Frequency = Period
(b) Frequency = 1/Period
(c) Period = Frequency²
(d) Period = 2 × Frequency
Answer: (b) Frequency = 1/PeriodWhich instrument is used to measure electric current?
(a) Ammeter
(b) Voltmeter
(c) Ohmmeter
(d) Thermometer
Answer: (a) AmmeterThe rate of change of velocity with time is:
(a) Speed
(b) Acceleration
(c) Displacement
(d) Force
Answer: (b) AccelerationThe unit of frequency is:
(a) Hertz
(b) Joule
(c) Newton
(d) Volt
Answer: (a) HertzWhich physical quantity is a vector?
(a) Speed
(b) Distance
(c) Velocity
(d) Mass
Answer: (c) VelocityThe pressure exerted by a fluid at a point is given by:
(a) Force per unit area
(b) Force times area
(c) Area per unit force
(d) Volume per unit area
Answer: (a) Force per unit areaAccording to Newton’s third law, every action has:
(a) No reaction
(b) Equal and opposite reaction
(c) Reaction more than action
(d) Reaction less than action
Answer: (b) Equal and opposite reactionThe work done in moving a body through a distance of 5 m by a force of 10 N is:
(a) 50 J
(b) 15 J
(c) 5 J
(d) 20 J
Answer: (a) 50 JA man jumps from a height and lands on the ground. The force that stops his fall is:
(a) tension
(b) gravity
(c) friction
(d) air resistance
Answer: (d) air resistanceThe SI unit of power is:
(a) Watt
(b) Joule
(c) Newton
(d) Volt
Answer: (a) WattThe color of light with the shortest wavelength is:
(a) Red
(b) Violet
(c) Blue
(d) Yellow
Answer: (b) VioletWhen light passes from air into water, it bends:
(a) Away from the normal
(b) Towards the normal
(c) At right angle
(d) Does not bend
Answer: (b) Towards the normalThe energy stored in a body due to its motion is called:
(a) Heat energy
(b) Potential energy
(c) Kinetic energy
(d) Nuclear energy
Answer: (c) Kinetic energyA magnetic field is produced around a wire when:
(a) Current flows through it
(b) There is no current
(c) Temperature changes
(d) Voltage is zero
Answer: (a) Current flows through itThe turning effect of a force about a pivot is called:
(a) Work
(b) Torque
(c) Momentum
(d) Power
Answer: (b) TorqueThe unit of electrical resistance is:
(a) Ampere
(b) Ohm
(c) Volt
(d) Watt
Answer: (b) OhmThe energy of the sun is primarily:
(a) Chemical energy
(b) Nuclear energy
(c) Mechanical energy
(d) Electrical energy
Answer: (b) Nuclear energySpeed is:
(a) A vector quantity
(b) A scalar quantity
(c) Acceleration
(d) Displacement
Answer: (b) A scalar quantityThe force of gravitational attraction between two bodies is:
(a) Repulsive force
(b) Proportional to the distance
(c) Inversely proportional to the square of the distance
(d) Independent of the distance
Answer: (c) Inversely proportional to the square of the distanceThe density of water is:
(a) 1 g/cm3
(b) 10 g/cm3
(c) 0.1 g/cm3
(d) 0.5 g/cm3
Answer: (a) 1 g/cm³The law that relates current, voltage and resistance is:
(a) Faraday’s law
(b) Ohm’s law
(c) Newton’s law
(d) Coulomb’s law
Answer: (b) Ohm’s lawThe angle of reflection is equal to the:
(a) Angle of incidence
(b) Angle of refraction
(c) Critical angle
(d) Deviation angle
Answer: (a) Angle of incidenceThe frequency of sound waves determines the:
(a) Loudness
(b) Pitch
(c) Velocity
(d) Intensity
Answer: (b) PitchSI unit of potential difference is:
(a) Coulomb
(b) Ampere
(c) Volt
(d) Ohm
Answer: (c) VoltThe value of acceleration due to gravity g is approximately:
(a) 9.8 m/s2
(b) 10 m/s2
(c) 8.9 m/s2
(d) 9.2 m/s2
Answer: (a) 9.8 m/s²The SI base unit of length is:
(a) Meter
(b) Kilogram
(c) Second
(d) Newton
Answer: (a) MeterThe region around a magnet where magnetic effects are experienced is the:
(a) Magnetic field
(b) Magnetic line
(c) Magnetic force
(d) Magnetic power
Answer: (a) Magnetic fieldThe power of a machine is the rate at which it does:
(a) Force
(b) Work
(c) Energy
(d) Displacement
Answer: (b) WorkA wave with a wavelength of 2 m and frequency 5 Hz has a speed of:
(a) 2.5 m/s
(b) 5 m/s
(c) 10 m/s
(d) 7 m/s
Answer: (c) 10 m/sThe energy stored due to position is:
(a) Kinetic energy
(b) Gravitational potential energy
(c) Thermal energy
(d) Mechanical energy
Answer: (b) Gravitational potential energyThe time taken for one complete oscillation of a pendulum is its:
(a) Frequency
(b) Amplitude
(c) Time period
(d) Wave length
Answer: (c) Time periodNewton’s first law of motion is also called the law of:
(a) energy conservation
(b) inertia
(c) acceleration
(d) force
Answer: (b) inertiaWhat is the momentum of an object of mass 3 kg moving at 4 m/s?
(a) 7 kg m/s
(b) 12 kg m/s
(c) 1.33 kg m/s
(d) 0.75 kg m/s
Answer: (b) 12 kg m/sIn a projectile motion, the horizontal component of velocity is:
(a) constant
(b) zero
(c) increasing
(d) decreasing
Answer: (a) constantWhich device is used to measure electric potential difference?
(a) Ammeter
(b) Voltmeter
(c) Galvanometer
(d) Rheostat
Answer: (b) VoltmeterThe unit of pressure is:
(a) Newton
(b) Pascal
(c) Joule
(d) Watt
Answer: (b) PascalThe electric resistance of a wire depends on:
(a) Length and cross-sectional area
(b) Voltage and current
(c) Temperature only
(d) Mass and volume
Answer: (a) Length and cross-sectional areaThe inbuilt potential difference a cell can provide is called:
(a) Electromotive force
(b) Current
(c) Resistance
(d) Voltage
Answer: (a) Electromotive forceWhich of the following is a transverse wave?
(a) Light wave
(b) Sound wave
(c) Ultrasound wave
(d) Shock wave
Answer: (a) Light waveAn object is said to be in equilibrium if:
(a) Force and acceleration are zero
(b) Force acting on it is zero
(c) Its velocity is zero
(d) Velocity and acceleration are non-zero
Answer: (b) Force acting on it is zeroDuring wave motion, the maximum displacement from the mean position is called:
(a) Wavelength
(b) Frequency
(c) Amplitude
(d) Period
Answer: (c) AmplitudeWhich force is responsible for the weight of an object?
(a) Electromagnetic force
(b) Gravitational force
(c) Nuclear force
(d) Friction
Answer: (b) Gravitational forceWhich statement is true about the law of conservation of momentum?
(a) Momentum can be created or destroyed
(b) Total momentum remains constant if no external force acts
(c) Momentum always increases
(d) Momentum is inversely proportional to velocity
Answer: (b) Total momentum remains constant if no external force actsThe SI unit of energy is:
(a) Newton
(b) Watt
(c) Joule
(d) Volt
Answer: (c) JouleThe force of friction acts:
(a) In the direction of motion
(b) Opposite to the direction of motion
(c) Perpendicular to motion
(d) No force
Answer: (b) Opposite to the direction of motionThe rate of doing work is called:
(a) Power
(b) Energy
(c) Force
(d) Velocity
Answer: (a) PowerThe weight of a body on the Moon is less than on Earth because:
(a) The Moon has less mass than Earth
(b) The Moon is closer to the Sun
(c) The Moon has less volume than Earth
(d) The Moon has more gravitational pull
Answer: (a) The Moon has less mass than EarthThe resultant of two forces acting at right angles is found using:
(a) Triangle law
(b) Polygon law
(c) Parallelogram law
(d) Newton’s law
Answer: (c) Parallelogram lawThe SI unit of frequency is:
(a) Hz
(b) s
(c) m/s
(d) N
Answer: (a) HzOne watt equals:
(a) one joule per second
(b) one newton
(c) one joule
(d) one volt
Answer: (a) one joule per secondAn object projected vertically upwards will:
(a) Keep going up indefinitely
(b) Reach a maximum height then fall down
(c) Fall straight down immediately
(d) Move horizontally
Answer: (b) Reach a maximum height then fall downThe pressure at the bottom of a fluid column depends on the:
(a) density of the fluid and height of the column
(b) density only
(c) height only
(d) volume only
Answer: (a) density of the fluid and height of the columnThe temperature at which a solid changes to liquid is called:
(a) melting point
(b) boiling point
(c) freezing point
(d) condensation point
Answer: (a) melting pointSI unit of electric charge is:
(a) Ampere
(b) Coulomb
(c) Volt
(d) Ohm
Answer: (b) CoulombThe force required to stop a moving object in a given time is called:
(a) Momentum
(b) Inertia
(c) Impulse
(d) Force
Answer: (c) ImpulseThe formula for calculating kinetic energy is:
(a) 12mv2
(b) mv2
(c) mg
(d) mgh
Answer: (a) 12mv2Which wave property measures the distance between two crests?
(a) Amplitude
(b) Wavelength
(c) Frequency
(d) Period
Answer: (b) WavelengthThe electric current is the rate of flow of:
(a) Neutrons
(b) Protons
(c) Electrons
(d) Photons
Answer: (c) ElectronsA body falling freely near earth accelerates at about:
(a) 9.8 m/s²
(b) 10 m/s²
(c) 9 m/s²
(d) Zero
Answer: (a) 9.8 m/s²The energy possessed by a body due to its position is:
(a) Kinetic energy
(b) Potential energy
(c) Thermal energy
(d) Light energy
Answer: (b) Potential energyWhich device converts chemical energy to electrical energy?
(a) Dynamo
(b) Solar cell
(c) Battery
(d) Electric motor
Answer: (c) BatteryThe principle of moments helps determine:
(a) Force
(b) Turn effect
(c) Inertia
(d) Weight
Answer: (b) Turn effectSound travels fastest in:
(a) Solid
(b) Liquid
(c) Gas
(d) Vacuum
Answer: (a) SolidThe density of a substance is:
(a) Mass per unit volume
(b) Weight per unit volume
(c) Mass
(d) Weight
Answer: (a) Mass per unit volumeWhich unit is used to measure electric resistance?
(a) Volt
(b) Ohm
(c) Ampere
(d) Watt
Answer: (b) OhmThe force pulling objects toward the center of the Earth is called:
(a) Magnetic force
(b) Weight
(c) Friction
(d) Gravity
Answer: (d) GravityThe work done when a force moves an object through distance is:
(a) Force × distance
(b) Mass × velocity
(c) Force × acceleration
(d) Velocity × time
Answer: (a) Force × distanceWhich of the following is heat transfer by direct contact?
(a) Conduction
(b) Convection
(c) Radiation
(d) Reflection
Answer: (a) ConductionWhich principle explains why ships float?
(a) Bernoulli’s principle
(b) Archimedes’ principle
(c) Pascal’s principle
(d) Newton’s first law
Answer: (b) Archimedes’ principleThe frequency of a wave is:
(a) The number of waves per second
(b) The wavelength
(c) The amplitude
(d) The period
Answer: (a) The number of waves per secondThe force that always opposes motion is:
(a) Weight
(b) Friction
(c) Magnetic force
(d) Electric force
Answer: (b) FrictionThe potential difference across a conductor is given by:
(a) V=IR
(b) V=I/R
(c) V=IR2
(d) V=I2R
Answer: (a) V=IRThe energy possessed by a body due to its motion is:
(a) Kinetic energy
(b) Potential energy
(c) Thermal energy
(d) Electrical energy
Answer: (a) Kinetic energyThe unit of power is:
(a) Joule
(b) Watt
(c) Watt-hour
(d) Newton
Answer: (b) WattThe speed of light in vacuum is approximately:
(a) 3×108 m/s
(b) 3×106 m/s
(c) 3×104 m/s
(d) 3×103 m/s
Answer: (a) 3×108 m/sThe charge on an electron is:
(a) Approximately 1.6×10−19 C
(b) Approximately 1.6×1019 C
(c) Zero
(d) Negative but unknown
Answer: (a) Approximately 1.6×10−19 CThe resistance of a wire is directly proportional to:
(a) Its length
(b) Its cross-sectional area
(c) Temperature only
(d) Current
Answer: (a) Its lengthThe velocity of an object is:
(a) Rate of change of acceleration
(b) Rate of change of displacement
(c) Distance covered per time
(d) Speed in a given direction
Answer: (d) Speed in a given directionThe acceleration of an object moving at constant velocity is:
(a) Zero
(b) Constant
(c) Increasing
(d) Decreasing
Answer: (a) ZeroThe elastic potential energy stored in a stretched spring is proportional to:
(a) The length of the spring
(b) The square of the extension
(c) The cube of the extension
(d) The extension only
Answer: (b) The square of the extensionEnergy can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed. This is the:
(a) Law of motion
(b) Law of conservation of energy
(c) Law of thermodynamics
(d) Law of relativity
Answer: (b) Law of conservation of energy
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