O Levels Physics Mcq Simulation

This is a simulation for your MCQ physics paper.

The Actual paper is 40 questions and 1 hour long.

You will only have 50 minutes for this simulation. 40 minutes to do and 10 minutes to check your work.

Times up!

O level Pure physics

1 / 40

Smoke detectors may make use of radioactive emissions to function. Which of the following best explains why alpha-particles are used in smoke detectors?

1. C

2. B

3. D

4. A

2 / 40

Which graph represents the motion of a body falling vertically that reaches a terminal speed?

1. D

2. C

3. A

4. B

3 / 40

Object X is stationary and positively charged. It experiences a force due to the field produced by object Y. The arrows show the direction of the field produced by Y.

Which statement about the direction of the force on X is correct?

1. It is towards the right because it is in an electric field.

2. It is towards the right because it is in a magnetic field.

3. It is towards the left because it is in an electric field.

4. It is towards the left because it is in a magnetic field.

4 / 40

Which type of electromagnetic radiation has the lowest frequency while travelling through a vacuum?

1. microwaves

2. infra red waves

3. gamma rays

4. light waves

5 / 40

What is the function of the earth wire?

1. It provides an alternative path for current to flow if a wiring fault occurs.

2. It closes the circuit so current may flow to operate a device.

3. It allows excessive charges to be stored to conserve energy

4. It is a high resistance wire to reduce the amount of current to a safe level.

6 / 40

A loudspeaker and a microphone are placed side by side in front of a wall. The loudspeaker makes a sound that is detected by the microphone. The microphone is connected to a device known as an oscilloscope, which is set so that each horizontal division on its screen represents a duration of 0.01 s. The microphone detects the original sound and the echo.

The speed of sound in air is 300 m/s.

What is the distance between the loudspeaker and the wall?

1. 6.0 m

2. 12 m

3. 48 m

4. 24 m

7 / 40

A house-owner replaces a blown fuse for the lights of the house. When the lights are switched on, the second fuse also blows. The house-owner then uses a third fuse with a higher rating than the previous two.

Why is this not a sensible thing to do?

1. Using a fuse with too high a rating causes electric shocks.

2. The third fuse will melt because the rating is too high.

3. Fuses only allow the circuit to work if the rating is exactly right.

4. The circuit may work, but the fault is not corrected.

8 / 40

A metal rod AB is placed on two smooth horizontal metal rails on the bench. The rail and the rod are subjected to an external magnetic field. The top view of the setup is shown below.

When switch S is closed, in which direction will rod AB move?

1. out of the page

2. to the left of the page

3. to the right of the page

4. into the page

9 / 40

The diagram shows a manometer containing mercury that is sealed at one end.

What happens to the height h when the manometer is taken to the top of a mountain?

1. It decreases, because atmospheric pressure decreases.

2. It increases, because atmospheric pressure decreases.

3. It decreases, because atmospheric pressure increases.

4. It increases, because atmospheric pressure increases.

10 / 40

A piece of metal is heated, and its mass and volume are measured to determine how its density changes with temperature.

Which of the following graphs shows the relationship between the density of the substance and temperature?

1. A

2. B

3. C

4. D

11 / 40

A converging lens L acts as a magnifying glass when an object AB is placed 4.0 cm from the centre of the lens. The image CD is 6.0 cm from A. Focal length of the lens is 6.0 cm.

What are the characteristics of the image formed when the object is placed 12.0 cm away from the centre of the lens ?

1. real and diminished

2. real and same size as object

3. virtual and same size as object

4. virtual and diminished

12 / 40

An image is formed in a plane mirror.

1. D

2. C

3. A

4. B

13 / 40

A thin converging lens has a focal length of 5.0 cm. An object is placed on the principal axis, 2.0 cm away from the lens.

What type of image is formed by the lens?

1. real and upright

2. virtual and upright

3. virtual and inverted

4. real and inverted

14 / 40

A parachutist falls from a stationary balloon at time t = 0 s. The velocity-time graph for the parachutist from time t = 0 s until the time when he is just above the ground is shown.

1. D

2. B

3. A

4. C

15 / 40

A solar panel is used to recharge a battery. The solar panel produces 0.80 W of electrical
power. The panel is 20% efficient.

What is the power input of the sunlight onto the solar panel?

1. 4 W

2. 16 W

3. 8 W

4. 0.16 W

16 / 40

The diagram represents the surface of a transparent liquid. Two rays of light are travelling within the liquid. They both reach the surface. The path of each ray is shown.

What is the refractive index of this liquid?

1. 1.7

2. 1.3

3. 1.2

4. 1.6

17 / 40

A small coil is connected to a galvanometer as shown below.

When the magnet is allowed to move towards the coil, which of the following statements
shows the current flow?

1. continuously from X to Y

2. momentarily from Y to X

3. continuously from Y to X

4. momentarily from X to Y

18 / 40

The diagram shows two wires, X and Y, made of the same material.

Wire X has resistance R and length 𝑙𝑙. Wire Y is twice as long as wire X, and its radius, r, is half of that of wire X.

What is the resistance of wire Y?

1. R/2

2. 2R

3. 4R

4. 8R

19 / 40

James stands at a point J between two parallel walls as shown in the diagram below and fires a pistol.

He hears the first echo after 0.40 s and the second echo after 1.0 s.

How long after firing the pistol will James hear the third echo?

1. 2.0 s

2. 2.8 s

3. 1.4 s

4. 0.8 s

20 / 40

Alpha, beta and gamma radiations have various depths of penetration in matter and different charges.

Which row best summarises the penetration and charge of each radiation?

1. B

2. D

3. C

4. A

21 / 40

Wiping the body of a patient who has a high fever with a wet towel makes use of the cooling effect of evaporation. When liquid evaporates, some liquid molecules in the liquid escape.

Which molecules in the liquid escape?

1. the molecules at the surface of the liquid with more energy than others

2. the molecules at the bottom of the liquid with more energy than others

3. the molecules at the surface of the liquid with less energy than others

4. the molecules at the bottom of the liquid with less energy than others

22 / 40

A 10 kg object initially at rest is being pulled with a constant force of 8.0 N. The object moves a horizontal distance of 2.0 m, and its speed increases to 1.0 m/s. What is the work done against the resistive forces?

1. 21J

2. 5.5 J

3. 11J

4. 16J

23 / 40

1. B

2. D

3. A

4. C

24 / 40

A gymnast of mass 60 kg lands on a trampoline. If he rebounds upwards with an acceleration of 0.60 m/s^2, what is the maximum force exerted by the trampoline on the gymnast?

1. 672 N

2. 636 N

3. 564 N

4. 36 N

25 / 40

Two resistors of 3 ohms and 6 ohms are arranged in parallel. A p.d. is connected across the terminals X and Y.

The current through the 6 ohms resistor is 4 A.

What is the current in the ammeter?

1. 8A

2. 12A

3. 6A

4. 4A

26 / 40

The graph shows the total resistive force that acts on a car of mass 830 kg over a period of time. The car is at rest at t = 0 s. A constant driving force of 2500 N acts on the car from t = 2 s to t = 24 s.

Which statement is incorrect?

1. The car is stationary from t = 0 s to t = 2 s.

2. The acceleration of the car is 3.0 m/s2 at t = 2 s.

3. The resultant force acting on the car increases from t = 2 s to t = 16 s.

4. The acceleration of the car is zero after t = 16 s.

27 / 40

Light in a vacuum strikes a glass surface at an angle of incidence of 42 °. In the glass, the angle of refraction is 29 °.

What is the speed of light in glass?

1. 2.2× 10^8 m / s

2. 3.0 × 10^8 m / s

3. 4.1 × 10^8 m / s

4. 2.1 × 10^8 m / s

28 / 40

A block of gold of mass m has a specific heat capacity of c. A block of copper of mass 2m has a specific heat capacity of 3c. Both metals receive the same quantity of heat and the temperature of the copper rises by 10 °C.

What is the temperature rise of the gold block?

1. 20 oC

2. 15 oC

3. 60 oC

4. 30 oC

29 / 40

Alex is jogging at constant speed beside a road. He sees the traffic lights in front of him turn amber, so he begins to jog at a lower constant speed. Which distance-time graph illustrates Alex’s motion?

1. C

2. A

3. D

4. B

30 / 40

Which of the following correctly describes an action-reaction pair of forces?

1. The reaction force on a book resting on a table and the weight of the book.

2. A runner pushes backward on the ground and the ground pushes forwards on runner.

3. The backward force acting on water by propeller and the resistive force acting on the boat.

4. The pulling force acting on a trolley and the frictional force acting on the trolley.

31 / 40

A parachutist jumps off a plane. After 1.0 min, he opens the parachute and his velocity decreases at a decreasing rate. The following statements are possible explanations why the velocity of the parachutist decreases at a decreasing rate.

(I) The velocity decreases as such the air resistance acting on the parachute decreases.

(II) The tension exerting on the parachutist decreases.

(III) The force of the parachute acting on the air increases.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. (III) only

2. (I) only

3. (I) and (II) only

4. (II) only

32 / 40

A ray of light passes from glass to air. In glass, the speed of light is 1.8 × 10^8 m/s.

What is the critical angle for light passing from glass to air?

1. 30 degrees

2. 42 degrees

3. 37 degrees

4. 18 degrees

33 / 40

Which of the following best describes the conventional current and its unit?

1. It is the rate of flow of positive charges and its unit is the ampere.

2. It is the rate of flow of negative charges and its unit is the coulomb.

3. It is the rate of flow of positive charges and its unit is the coulomb.

4. It is the rate of flow of negative charges and its unit is the ampere.

34 / 40

A boy climbs slowly at a steady speed to the top of a small hill.

What is the main energy transfer taking place for the boy as he climbs?

1. chemical potential store to gravitational potential store

2. kinetic store to gravitational potential store

3. internal store to kinetic store

4. chemical potential store to kinetic store

35 / 40

A uniform metre rule is supported by vertical wires P and Q and remains horizontal as shown in diagram 1. The tension in each wire is 1 N. When a weight of 4 N is hung from the metre rule at the position as shown in diagram 2, the tension in Q becomes 2.3 N while the metre rule remains horizontal.

What is the distance d of the weight 4 N from end P?

1. 32.5 cm

2. 57.5 cm

3. 67.5 cm

4. Cannot be found as tension in P is unknown

36 / 40

An observer hears a clap of thunder 3.0 s after seeing the flash of lightning. The speed of sound in air is 330 m/s.

How far from the observer was the lightning?

1. 110 m

2. 990 m

3. 330 m

4. 1980 m

37 / 40

The potential difference across a metal wire is kept constant. The length l and the diameter d of the wire are both varied. The type of metal is kept the same. How is the resistance of the wire related to l and d?

1. It is directly proportional to l and inversely proportional to d.

2. It is inversely proportional to l and directly proportional to d2.

3. It is inversely proportional to l and directly proportional to d.

4. It is directly proportional to l and inversely proportional to d2.

38 / 40

The diagram shows a permanent magnet approaching a solenoid at a constant speed.

1. B

2. A

3. D

4. C

39 / 40

A box of mass 3.0 kg is initially at rest on a horizontal rough surface. Three parallel horizontal forces of magnitude 2.0 N, 3.0 N and 4.0 N act on the box . Friction that acts between the box and the ground is 1.5 N.

What is the minimum acceleration of the box?

1. 2.5 m/s^2

2. 0.25 m/s^2

3. 1.0 m/s^2

4. 0.50 m/s^2

40 / 40

A wire has a resistance of 8.0 Ω. A second wire, made of the same material, has double the length and half the thickness.

What is the resistance of the second wire?

1. 64 ohms

2. 8 ohms

3. 16 ohms

4. 32 ohms

Your score is

The average score is 14%

Physics MCQ Paper 1 now carries a 30% weightage under the current syllabus.
This is a significant portion that can easily impact your final grade by 2–3 bands. To maximise your score, aim for full marks by doing plenty of targeted practice. It might make the difference between A1 and A2.

Never underestimate the difficulty of multiple-choice questions — they are often designed to test your precision and attention to detail. Always check your answers carefully, manage your time wisely, and stay alert for tricky questions.

How are the questions being set?

-Knowledge with Understanding, approximately 45% of the marks with approximately 15% allocated to recall.

-Handling Information and Solving Problems, approximately 55% of the marks.