Ten exam-style questions across the ESAT physics specification, from electricity and magnetism to waves and radioactivity. Every question you master brings you one step closer to your place on a top science or engineering course.
Free mock quiz – not an official test. This is a free practice (mock) quiz written according to the official ESAT physics specification. It is not an official ESAT test and is not produced or endorsed by UAT-UK or the ESAT organisers.
Choose one answer for each question. You will see straight away whether you are right, with a short worked solution. Treat it like exam day: no notes and no calculator, as in the ESAT.
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1Mechanics: Kinematics
Question 1: Mechanics: Kinematics
A cyclist accelerates uniformly from 2.0 m s−1 to 10 m s−1 in 4.0 s and then rides at a constant 10 m s−1 for a further 6.0 s. What is the cyclist's average speed over the whole 10 s?
Distance while accelerating = average speed × time = 2.0 + 102 × 4.0 = 24 m. Distance at constant speed = 10 × 6.0 = 60 m. Average speed = total distancetotal time = 8410 = 8.4 m s−1. (8.0 m s−1 comes from wrongly averaging the speeds 6 and 10.)
2Mechanics: Momentum
Question 2: Mechanics: Momentum
A 0.50 kg ball travelling at 8.0 m s−1 hits a wall at right angles and rebounds along the same line at 6.0 m s−1. The ball is in contact with the wall for 0.020 s. What is the average force of the wall on the ball?
Take the rebound direction as positive. Change of momentum = 0.50 × 6.0 − 0.50 × (−8.0) = 3.0 + 4.0 = 7.0 N s. Force = rate of change of momentum = 7.00.020 = 350 N. (100 N comes from forgetting that the velocity reverses.)
3Electricity: Circuits
Question 3: Electricity: Circuits
A 3.0 Ω resistor is connected in series with two 12 Ω resistors that are in parallel with each other. The combination is connected to a 9.0 V supply of negligible internal resistance. What is the current in one of the 12 Ω resistors?
Two equal 12 Ω resistors in parallel have a combined resistance of 6.0 Ω. Total resistance = 3.0 + 6.0 = 9.0 Ω, so the supply current is I = VR = 9.09.0 = 1.0 A. This splits equally between the two identical branches: 0.50 A each.
4Electricity: Power and Energy
Question 4: Electricity: Power and Energy
A phone charger supplies a current of 2.0 A at a potential difference of 5.0 V for 30 minutes. How much energy does it transfer?
E = VIt = 5.0 × 2.0 × (30 × 60) = 10 × 1800 = 18 000 J = 18 kJ. (300 J comes from leaving the time in minutes.)
5Magnetism: Power Transmission
Question 5: Magnetism: Power Transmission
A power station sends 20 kW of electrical power along cables with a total resistance of 5.0 Ω. The power is transmitted at 10 000 V. How much power is lost as heat in the cables?
Current in the cables: I = PV = 20 00010 000 = 2.0 A. Power lost = I2R = 2.02 × 5.0 = 20 W. At 1000 V the current would be 20 A and the loss 2000 W, which is why power is transmitted at high voltage.
6Thermal Physics: Heat Capacity
Question 6: Thermal Physics: Heat Capacity
A 2.0 kW heater warms 1.5 kg of a liquid for 60 s. The temperature of the liquid rises by 20 K. Assuming all the energy goes into the liquid, what is its specific heat capacity?
Energy supplied = Pt = 2000 × 60 = 120 000 J. c = EmΔθ = 120 0001.5 × 20 = 4000 J kg−1 K−1.
7Matter: Gases and Pressure
Question 7: Matter: Gases and Pressure
An air bubble of volume 2.0 cm3 is released at a depth of 20 m in water and rises to the surface. Its temperature stays constant. What is its volume at the surface? (density of water = 1000 kg m−3, atmospheric pressure = 1.0 × 105 Pa, g = 10 N kg−1)
Pressure at 20 m = atmospheric + hρg = 1.0 × 105 + 20 × 1000 × 10 = 3.0 × 105 Pa. At constant temperature pV is constant: 3.0 × 105 × 2.0 = 1.0 × 105 × V, so V = 6.0 cm3. (4.0 cm3 comes from forgetting the atmospheric pressure at depth.)
8Waves: Wave Equation
Question 8: Waves: Wave Equation
A float on a lake moves up and down 15 times in 6.0 s as waves pass it. The distance between neighbouring crests is 0.80 m. What is the speed of the waves?
Frequency f = 156.0 = 2.5 Hz. Wave speed v = fλ = 2.5 × 0.80 = 2.0 m s−1. (0.32 m s−1 comes from dividing the wavelength by the frequency.)
9Waves: Refraction
Question 9: Waves: Refraction
A ray of light passes at an angle from air into a glass block. Which row correctly describes what happens to the light as it enters the glass?
Light slows down in glass. The frequency is set by the source, so it does not change. From v = fλ, a lower speed at the same frequency means a shorter wavelength. Slowing down bends the ray towards the normal.
10Radioactivity: Half-life
Question 10: Radioactivity: Half-life
A radioactive sample has an activity of 960 Bq. Its half-life is 3.0 days. What is its activity after 12 days?
12 days = 123.0 = 4 half-lives. The activity halves four times: 960 → 480 → 240 → 120 → 60 Bq, which is 960 divided by 24 = 16. (80 Bq comes from wrongly dividing by 12.)
Your score
10-Week ESAT Physics Programme
A personal plan that takes you through the whole ESAT physics specification in 10 weeks: one-to-one online lessons, weekly booklets with full worked solutions and timed mock tests, built around your results.
Free mock quiz – not an official test. All questions are original practice questions written by Christos Fotakidis according to the official ESAT physics specification. They are not ESAT questions, they are not taken from any past paper, and this page is not produced or endorsed by UAT-UK or the ESAT organisers.
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