Physics exam: format and overview

Exam Overview

• This Physics question paper (312) consists of 43 questions spread across 27 printed pages.
• The exam is 3 hours long, with a maximum score of 80 marks.
• All questions are compulsory, with marks allocated to each question.
• Log tables can be used if required.

Section A (Questions 1-28)

• Questions 1-16 are multiple-choice questions (MCQs), each worth 1 mark, select the most appropriate option.
• Some questions offer an internal choice.
• Questions 17-28 are objective-type questions, each worth 2 marks.
• Each question has 2 sub-parts worth 1 mark each.
• Answers should follow provided instructions.

Section B (Questions 29-43)

• Questions 29-37 are very short answer type questions, each worth 2 marks, answers should be between 30 to 50 words.
• Questions 38-41 are short answer type questions, each worth 3 marks, answers should be between 50 to 80 words.
• Questions 42 and 43 are long answer type questions, each worth 5 marks, answers should be between 80 to 120 words.

General Instructions

• All answers must be written in the provided answer book.
• There is a 15-minute reading time before the exam starts at 2:15 p.m.
• Students are only allowed to read the question paper during this time and cannot write anything in the answer book.

Sample Question Topics

• Pressure in Liquids: Pressure due to a liquid column does not depend on its viscosity.

• Rainbow Formation: Rainbows are formed due to the phenomenon of dispersion.

• Forces and Motion: When a net external force is applied the position quantities may not change.

• Kinetic Energy: The Kinetic Energy of a body of mass m thrown vertically upwards with an initial velocity v, Its kinetic energy at a height h will be less than 1/2 mv^2.

• Sound Waves: Sound waves do not exhibit polarization.

• Harmonics in Closed Pipes: Second harmonic is missing in closed pipes.

• Electric Fields and Oil Drops: In an electric field E holds an oil drop (in air) having charge ne and mass m. The magnitude of E is mg/ne.

• Electric Field Units: The SI unit of electric field is V m ⁻¹.

• Electric Flux: Two concentric spherical surfaces of radii r and 2r have a point charge q at their centre, electric flux ratio through these surfaces will be in the ratio 1:1.

• Resistors:

  • To obtain the maximum resistance, three resistors r₁, r₂ and r₃ should be connected in series.
  • A wire of length L and diameter D will have the minimum resistance when its length and diameter are L and D/2.

• Interference: The intensity of light waves (I) from two coherent sources interferes, In interference pattern, if the intensity of light at minima is zero, the intensity of light at maxima is 4I.

• Diffraction: Single-slit diffraction when red light is replaced by blue light, the diffraction fringes become narrower and get crowded together.

• Hydrogen Atoms: Hydrogen atoms are excited from ground state to a state with quantum number 4, the maximum number of spectral lines emitted will be 6.

• Solid Sphere: Two solid spheres of the same metal having masses M and 8M fall simultaneously in a viscous liquid, if their terminal velocities are ν and nν, then the value of n is 4.

• Drops of Liquids: Two spherical drops of the same liquid have their volumes in the ratio 1:8, The ratio of the excess pressures over the atmospheric pressure inside them will be8:1.

• Capacitors: 10 capacitors, each of capacitance 5 µF, are connected first in parallel and then in series. The ratio of the maximum and minimum capacitance so obtained in the two combinations is 100 : 1.

  • If a very thin metal foil is introduced between the plates of a parallel-plate capacitor of capacitance C, at its centre, its new capacitance will be C.

• Frequency of e.m radiation:: The order of magnitude of best suited frequency of e.m. radiations to be used to observe a particle of radius 3 × 10-4 cm will be 10^13.

  • If the angle of maximum polarization on the surface of a medium is P, the velocity of light v in the medium is given by c cot P.

• Hydrogen atom Orbit: In terms of Bohr radius an, the radius of the third orbit of hydrogen atom will be . 9an

• Ionization energy: The ionization energy of hydrogen atom is 13·6 eV, the ionization energy of helium atom is 54.4 eV

• Devices: In the devices the IV characteristics in the fourth quadrant will be Solar cell