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Grade 12 Physics entrance exam, 2012 E.C. (2020)

Real questions from the Grade 12 university entrance exam in Physics, as students sat it in 2012 E.C. Every question comes with the correct answer and a worked explanation.

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  • Natural science stream

    Who sits it

  • 2012 E.C. (2020)

    Exam year

  • 41 questions with answers

    In this set

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Answer each question yourself before opening the answer. The explanations point to the exact place in the textbook, so you know which page to reread when you miss one.

Question 1

Equilibrium is the state of an object when

  1. A.The net force and net torque are both zero.
  2. B.The object has constant angular acceleration.
  3. C.The net forceZ acting on it is constant.
  4. D.The object has constant linear acceleration.
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A The net force and net torque are both zero.

Why

An object is in mechanical equilibrium if and only if both the net external force and the net external torque acting on it are zero, which prevents any linear or angular acceleration.

Question 2

The fulcrum of a uniform 20 Kg seesaw that is 4.0 m long is located 2.5 m from one end. A 30Kg child sits on the long end. The weight of a person sitting at the other end in order To balance the seesaw is ________ .

  1. A.433 N
  2. B.567 N
  3. C.750 N
  4. D.850 N
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B 567 N

Why

Taking torque about the fulcrum, the uniform seesaw's center of gravity (at 2.0 m) is 0.5 m from the fulcrum on the long end side. To balance, the torque from the person on the short end (1.5 m from the fulcrum) must equal the sum of torques from the child (at 2.5 m) and the seesaw itself: 1.5Wp=30(10)(2.5)+20(10)(0.5)=850 N⋅m1.5 W_p = 30(10)(2.5) + 20(10)(0.5) = 850\text{ N}\cdot\text{m}, giving Wp≈567 NW_p \approx 567\text{ N}.

Question 3

A material rod that is 4.00 m long and 0.5cm20.5\text{cm}^2 in cross-sectional area is found to stretch 0.20cm under a tension of 5000N. The Young's Modulus for this material is _______.

  1. A.2.0×1011 N/m22.0 \times 10^{11}\text{ N/m}^2
  2. B.5.0×108 N/m25.0 \times 10^8\text{ N/m}^2
  3. C.1.0×104 N/m21.0 \times 10^4\text{ N/m}^2
  4. D.1.0×108 N/m21.0 \times 10^8\text{ N/m}^2
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A 2.0×1011 N/m22.0 \times 10^{11}\text{ N/m}^2

Why

Young's Modulus is given by Y=FL0AΔLY = \frac{F L_0}{A \Delta L}. Substituting the values F=5000 NF = 5000\text{ N}, L0=4.0 mL_0 = 4.0\text{ m}, A=0.5×10−4 m2A = 0.5 \times 10^{-4}\text{ m}^2, and ΔL=2.0×10−3 m\Delta L = 2.0 \times 10^{-3}\text{ m} gives Y=2.0×1011 N/m2Y = 2.0 \times 10^{11}\text{ N/m}^2.

Question 4

Which one of the following is NOT true about Pascal's principle and its application?

  1. A.In pneumatic application, air is used for pressure transmission instead of liquid.
  2. B.The hydraulic lift is a speed multiplying device in which a large force lifts a light object over a long distance.
  3. C.It has applications in hydraulic brakes for vehicles, where confined oil connects a small piston (brake pedal) to a large piston connected to the brake drums on the wheel of the car.
  4. D.It has applications in hydraulic lift in which a small force is applied to a smaller piston is used to lift heavy object on large.
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B The hydraulic lift is a speed multiplying device in which a large force lifts a light object over a long distance.

Why

A hydraulic lift is a force-multiplying device, not a speed-multiplying device. It allows a smaller input force acting over a larger distance to lift a much heavier load over a shorter distance.

Question 5

Which one of the following is NOT correct about factors that affecting the streamlining of objects moving in fluid?

  1. A.The mass of the object
  2. B.Shape and surface area of the object moving in fluid
  3. C.Compressibility of the fluid
  4. D.Density of the fluid
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A The mass of the object

Why

The streamlining of an object depends on the fluid's characteristics (density, viscosity, compressibility) and the object's geometry (shape and surface area), but is independent of the mass of the moving object itself.

Question 6

Which of the following is correct?

  1. A.Internal energy of a system is independent of its mass or the number of molecules in the system.
  2. B.Temperature is a measure of the average molecular kinetic energy of a gas.
  3. C.The temperature is a measure of the amount of energy that flows from hot to colder region.
  4. D.Heat is energy that can be transferred from one object to another at equal temperature.
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B Temperature is a measure of the average molecular kinetic energy of a gas.

Why

Temperature is directly proportional to the average translational kinetic energy of the molecules in an ideal gas (KEavg=32kBTKE_{\text{avg}} = \frac{3}{2} k_B T), making Option B the correct statement.

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Physics papers from other years

2018 E.C. (2026)2017 E.C. (2025)2016 E.C. (2024)2015 E.C. (2023)2014 E.C. (2022)2013 E.C. (2021)2011 E.C. (2019)2010 E.C. (2018)2009 E.C. (2017)2008 E.C. (2016)2007 E.C. (2015)2006 E.C. (2014)2005 E.C. (2013)

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Are these the real 2012 E.C. Physics entrance exam questions?

Yes. They come from the national university entrance exam in Physics that students sat in 2012 E.C. (2020). Our set holds 41 of its questions, each with its answer and an explanation that points back to the textbook.

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