JAMB

Physics
Past questions

Years: 2016 2017

2018 2019 2020

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 2016 JAMB PHYSICS QUESTIONS

−1
1. What is the least possible error B. 2.5 x 104J
−1
encountered when taking . 2.5 x 105J
−1
measurement with a meter rule? D. 3.3 x 102J

A. 0.5 mm 4. Calculate the temperature

B. 1.0 mm. change when 500J of heat is
C. 0.2 mm. supplied to 100g of water.
D. 0.1 mm
A. 12.1°C
2. B. 2.1°C
C. 1.2°C
D. 0.1°C

5. Which of the following particles

CANNOT be deflected by both
The electromotive force in the
electric and magnetic fields?
secondary winding is

A. Gamma rays
A. stabilizing
B. Alpha particles.
B. reducings
C. Wave particles
C. increasing
D. Beta particles.
D. varying

6. Under which of the following

3. If a pump is capable of lifting
conditions do gasses conduct
5000 kg of water through a
electricity?
vertical height of 60 in 15 mins,
the power of the pump is
A. High pressure and low p.d
−1 B. Low pressure and high p.d
A. 3.3 x 103J

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C. Low pressure and low p.d 9. An object of mass 80kg is
D. High pressure and high p.d pulled on a horizontal rough
ground by a force of 500N. Find
7. Dispersion occurs when white the coefficient of static friction.
light passes through a glass prism
because of the A. 0.6.
B. 0.4
A. defects in the glass. C. 1.0
B. high density of the glass. D. 0.8.
−2
C. different speeds of the colour [ g ≈ 10m ]
in the glass.
D. different hidden colours in the 10.
glass.

8.
The diagram above shows plank
RS pivoted at its centre of gravity
O and is in equilibrium with the
weighs P and Q. If a weight 2P is
added to P, the plank will be in
equilibrium again by

Calculate the e.m.f of the cell in A. moving P nearer to O.

the above circuit if its internal B. moving Q nearer to O.
resistance is negligible. C. adding a weight Q to Q.
D. moving P further away from O.
A. 12V
B. 36V 11. A glass plate 0.9 cm thick has
C. 2V a refractive index of 1.50. How
D. 8V
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long does it take for a pulse of 14. 235
92 + 1
0n → 144
56 + 90
36

light to pass through the plate? +2X

In the reaction above, X is
A. 3.0 x 10−10 s
B. 4.5 x 10−11 s A. electron.
C. 3.0 x 10−11 s B. neutron.
D. 4.5 x 10−10 s C. neutrino.
−1
[c= 3.0 x 108m ] D. proton.

12. The main purpose of the 15. To protect a material from the
transformer in an a.c radio set is influence of an external magnetic
to field, the material should be kept
in a
A. increase power to the radio.
B. convert energy from a.c. to d.c A. soft iron ring.
C. step up the voltage. B. loop of copper wire.
D. step down he voltage. C. triangular zinc ring.
D. square steel ring.
13. The energy associated with
the emitted photon when a 16.
mercury atom changes from one
state to another is 3.3 .
Calculate the frequency of the
photon.

A. 3.2 x 10−53 Hz.

B. 3.1 x 10−53 Hz The refractive index of the
C. 1.3 x 10−53 Hz medium M in the diagram above
D. 8.0 x 10−53 Hz is

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A. D. They are formed by two
identical waves travelling in
B. √3
opposite directions.
C.

D.
19. The height at which the
atmosphere ceases to exist is
17. Thermal equilibrium between
about 80km. if the atmospheric
two objects exists when
pressure at a height of 20km
above the ground level is
A. the heat capacities of both
objects are the same
A. 480mmhg
B. the quantity of heat in both
B. 570mmhg
objects are the same.
C.190mmhg
C. the temperature of both
D. 380mmhg
objects are equal
D. one object loses heat
20. A metal of mass 0.5kg is
continuously to the other.
heated to 100⁰ and then
transferred to a well–lagged
18. Which of the following is a
calorimeter of heat capacity 80jk-1
characteristic of stationary
containing water of heat capacity
waves?
of the metal

A. The antinode is a point of

A. 92 j kg-1
minimum displacement.
B. 286 j kg-1 k-1
B. The distance between two
C. 133 j kg-1 k-1
successive nodes is one
D. 887 j kg-1 k-1
wavelength.
C. They can be transverse or
21. In the series a.c circuit shown
longitudinal
below, the p.d across the inductor

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is 8 V.r.m.s. The effective voltage B. latent heat is absorbed, the
is mass remains constant and the
volume decreases.
C. latent heat is given out, the
mass increases and the volume
remains constant
D. latent heat is given out, the
A. 10v
mass remains constant and the
B. 2v
volume decreases.
C. 14v
D. 48v
24.

22. In a closed organ pipe

producing a musical note, an
antinode will always be produced
at

A. the closed end In the diagram above, PQ and R

B. the middle are vectors. Which of the
C. the open end following options gives the correct
D. all the parts of the pipe. relationship between the vectors?

23. What happens when a certain A. P =Q +R

quantity of pure ice is completely B. P= Q – R
changed to water at 0⁰C ? C. P= R – Q
D. P+ Q +R = O
A. Latent heat is absorbed, the
mass decreases and the volume 25. If two parallel conductors
increases. carry currents flowing in the same
direction, the conductors will

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A. repel each other C. temperature
B. attract each other D. nature of the electrolyte.
C. both move in the same
direction. 28. When the bottom tip of a
D. have no effect on each other vibrating tuning fork is held in
contact with a wooden box, a
26. Which of the following louder sound is heard. this
correctly explain(s) why a green phenomenon is known as
leaf appears green in a bright
daylight? A. beats
B. echoing
I. It absorbs only the green C. reverberation
component of sunlight D. resonance.
II. It absorbs all colours in
sunlight except green 29. a particle of mass m which ia
III. It reflects only the green at rest splits up into two. if the
component of sunlight mass and the velocity of one of
the particles are m and v
A. I only respectively, calculate the velocity
B. II and III only of the seconds particle
C. I and II only
D. II only. A.

B.
27. Which of the following factors
C.
has no effect on the e.m.f of a
primary cell? D.

A. nature of plate 30. The electrochemical

B. size of the cell equivalent of silver is 0.0012g/C if

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36.0g of silver is to be deposited 33. Mercury is suitable as a
by electrolysis on a surface by barometric fluid because it
passing a steady current for 5.0
minutes, the current must be A. expands uniformly
B. is several times denser than
A. 6000A water
B. 100A C. is opaque
C. 100A D. is a good conductor of heat
D. 1.0A
34. Which of the following
31. The principle of operation of features is NOT a characteristic of
an induction coil is based on ___ natural radioactivity?

A. Ohm’s A. radioactivity is a nuclear

B. ampere’s law phenomenon
C. faraday’s law B. radioactivity is exhibited only
D. coulomb’s law by the element of mass number
greater than 206
32. A radioactive sample initially C. The radioactivity of an element
contains N atoms. After three half is affected by electric and
– lives the number of atoms that magnetic fields in the
have disintegrated is surroundings.
D Radioactive substances emit

A. three types of radiations ∝-rays,

β-rays and γ-rays.
B.

.
35. Which of the following is a
D. correct explanation of the
INERTIA of a body?

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A. Reluctance to start moving at image formed by a concave
rest and its reluctance to stop mirror?
moving once it has begun move
B. Reluctance to stop moving I. It can be observed on a
C. Readiness to start moving screen
D. Reluctance to start moving and II. It is always inverted and in
its readiness to stop moving once front of the mirror
it has begun to move III. It only seems to exist
IV. It is formed by the actual
36. If the force on a charge of 0.2 converging of rays of light.
coulomb in an electric field
intensity of the field is A. I, II and III only
B. I, II and IV only
A. 0.8 C. I and III only)
B. 20.0 N/C D. I and II only.
C. 0.8N/C
D. 4.2N/C 39. which of the following does
not cause a reduction of the
37. The point beyond which a surface tension of water?
stretched spring does not return
to its original length is called the A. soap solution
B. detergent
A. breaking point C. alcohol
B. sprint constant D. grease
C. elastic limit
D. elasticity point. 40. in what range of temperature
is the expansion of water
38. Which of the following anomalous?
statements is applicable to a real

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A. +208⁰c to +212⁰c
B. -800⁰c +-76⁰c
C. 0⁰c to 4⁰c
D. -4⁰c TO 0⁰

ANSWER KEYS

1. B 2. C 3. A 4. C 5. A 6. B 7. C
8. D 9. A 10. B 11. C 12. D 13.
D 14. B 15. A 16. B 17. C 18. D
19. A 20. C

21. A 22. C 23. B 24. D 25. A

26. B 27. C 28. D 29. B 30. C
31. A 32. D 33. B 34. C 35. A
36. B 37. C 38. A 39. D 40. C

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 2017 JAMB PHYSICS QUESTIONS

1. The focal length of a concave D. 43.3N

mirror is 2.0 cm. If an object is
placed 8.0cm from it, the image is 4. A piece of radioactive material
at. contains 1000 atoms. If its half-
life is 20 seconds, the time taken
A. 2.7m for 125 atoms to remain is
B. 2.3m
C.2.5m A. 20 seconds
D. 2.0m B. 40 seconds
C. 60 seconds
2. PHCN measures is electrical D. 80 seconds
energy in
5. The correct expression for the
A. Wh. potential at a point, distance r
B. Kwh from a charge q, in a electric field
C. J is
D. W.
A.
3. The resultant of two forces is
B.
50N. If the forces are
C.
perpendicular to each other and
one of them makes an angle 30° D.
with the resultant. Find its
magnitude. 6. A typical transistor
characteristic is represented as
A. 100.0N
B. 57.7N
C. 25.0N

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 9. An object placed at the bottom
of a well full of clear water
appears closer to the surface due
to

A. refraction.
B. reflection.
7. In a discharge tube, most of
C. am inverter
the gas is pumped out so that
D. a magnifier
electricity is concluded at

10. A boy drags a bag of rice

A. steady voltage
along a smooth horizontal flow
B. high pressure
with a force of 2N applied at an
C. low pressure.
angle of 60° to the flow. The work
D. low voltage.
done after a distance of 3m is

8. I. Moon
A. 6J.
II. Sun
B. 4 J
III. Street light
C. 5 J
IV. Stars
D. 3 J

Which of the above is a natural

11. The spheres of masses 5.0kg
source of light?
and 10.0kg are 0.3m apart.
Calculate the force of attraction
A. I, II and IV only
between them.
B. I, II and III only
C. III and IV only
A. 3.57 X 10−2 N.
D. II and IV only
B. 3.71 X 10−2 N.
C. 4.00 X 10−2 N.

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D. 3.50 X 10−2 N. 14. Transverse waves can be
distinguished from longitudinal
12. When very hot water is waves using the characteristic of
poured into two identical thin and
thick glass tumblers in equal A. diffraction
volumes, the thick one cracks B. reflection.
because C. polarization.
D. refraction.
A. of the even expansion of lass.
B. glass is a good conductor of 15. Which of the following pairs of
heat. light rays shows the widest
C. glass is a crystal separation in the spectrum of
D. of the uneven expansion of white light?
glass
A. Green and yellow.
13. B. Blue and red
C. Indigo and violet
D. Orange and red.

16.

The diagram above represents the

stress-strain for atypical metal
rod. What does X represent? Which of the following graphs
shows the correct vector diagram
A. Yield point for the circuit above?
B. Breaking point
C. Elastic limit
D. proportional limit
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 A. micrometer screw gauge
B. pair of Vernier callipers
C. metre rule
D. pair of dividers.

20. A platinum resistance

17. A transistor functions mainly thermometer records 3.0W at 0°C
as a and 8/0w at 100°C. If it records
6.0W in a certain environment,
A. switch and an amplifier the temperature of the medium is
B. rectifier and an amplifier
C. charge storer and a switch A. 60°C
D. charge storer and an amplifier B. 80°C
C. 50°C
18. A thin wire with heavy D. 30°C
weights attached to both ends is
hung over a block of ice resting 21.
on two supports. If the wire cuts
through the ice block while the
lock remains solid behind the
wire, the process is called

A. fusion
B. sublimation In the diagram above, which of
C. regelation the angles Ө1, Ө2, Ө3, and Ө4 is
D. condensation. the angle of deviation of a ray of
light passing through XYZ?
19. The inner diameter of a small
test tube can be measured A. Ө2
accurately using a
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B. Ө3 II. They are deflected in a
C. Ө1 magnetic field but not in an
D. Ө4 electric filed.
III. They consist of fast-
22. Which of the following is the moving neutrons and
dimension of pressure? deflected in an electric filed.

2 −3
A. M A. I only
−2
B. ML B. III only
C. M 2−1 −2
C. I and II only
−3
D. M D. II and III only.

23. A capacitor 8μF, is charged to 25. A concave mirror has a radius

a potential difference of 100V. of curvature of 36cm. At what
The energy stored by the distance from the mirror should
capacitor is an object be placed to give a real
image three times the size of the
A. 1.0 x 104 object?
B. 4.0 x 10−2
C. 1.25 x 10 A. 12cm
D. 8.0 x 10 B. 24cm
C. 48cm
24. Which of the following D. 108cm
statements correctly describe(s)
cathode rays?

I. They consist of tiny

particles carrying negative
electric charges

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The net capacitance in the circuit B. 20Hz
shown above is C. 5780Hz
D. 1000Hz
A. 8.0 μF
B. 6.0 μF 29. A note is called an octave of
C. 2.0 μF another note when
D. 4.0 μF
A. the notes have the same
27. A sonometer wire of length fundamental frequency
100cm under a tension of 10N, B. its frequency is half of the first
has a frequency of 250Hz. note.
Keeping the length of the wire C. its frequency is twice that of
constant, the tension is adjusted the first note.
to produce a new frequency of D. its periodic time is twice that of
350HZ. The new tension is the first note.

A. 5.1N 30. A metallic strip of iron and

B. 19.6N brass was heated. Which of the
C. 14.0N following diagrams accurately
D. 7.1N illustrated the shape of the strip
after heating?
28. In a sound wave in air, the
adjacent rarefactions and
compressions are separated by a
distance of 17cm. If the velocity
−1
of the sound wave is 340m .
Determine the frequency.
31. Which of the following is in a
neutral equilibrium?
A. 10Hz

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A. A heavy weight suspended on a D. ₦39.00
string
B. The beam of a balance in use 34. The specific latent heat of
C. A heavy-based table lamp vaporization of a substance is
D. A cone resting on its slant edge always

32. A convex mirror is used as a A. less than its specific latent heat
driving mirror because of fusion
B. equal to its specific latent heat
I. Its image is erect of fusion
II. It has a large field of view C. greater than its specific latent
III. It has a long focal length. of fusion
D. all of the above depending on
Identify the CORRECT the nature of the substance.
statement(s).
35. A hydrometer is an
A. I and III only instrument for measuring the
B. I and II only
C. II and III only A. depth off water in a vessel
D. I, II and III only B. relative humidity of the air
C. relative density of a liquid by
33. What is the cost of running finding the apparent loss in
five 50W lamps and four 100W weight
lamps for 10 hours if electrical D. relative density of a liquid by
energy costs 2 kobo per kWh? the method of flotation

A. ₦ 0.13 36. A transformer has 300 turns

B. ₦ 0.65 of wire in the primary coil and 30
C. ₦ 3.90 turns in the secondary coil. If the

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input voltage is 100 volts, the 39. A magnet is moved through a
output voltage is coil of wire. The e.m.f. produced
in the wire depends on
A. 10 volts
B. 5 volts A. the number of turns in the coil
C. 15 volts B. the strength of magnet
D. 20 volts. C. the speed at which the magnet
is moved
37. The activity of a radioactive D. all of the above.
substance depends on
40. A charge of one coulomb
A. temperature and purity liberated 0.0033g of copper in an
B. purity and age electrolytic process. How long will
C. temperature and age it take a current of 2A to liberate
D. age, purity and temperature 1.98g of copper in such a
process?
38. The speed of light in air is 3 x
−1
108 . If the refractive index of A. 30 minutes
light from air-to-water is 4/3, B. 5 minutes
then which of the following is the C. 50 minutes
correct value of the speed of light D. 60 minutes.
in water?
ANSWER KEYS:
−1
A. 4 x 108m
−1
B. 2.23 x 108m 1. A 2. B 3. D 4. D 5. A 6. B 7. C
−2
C. 2.25 x 108m 8. D 9. A 10. C 11. B 12. D 13. A
−1
D. 4/9 x 108m 14. C 15. B 16. A 17. D 18. C
19. B 20. A

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21. B 22. C 23. B 24. D 25. A
26. C 27. B 28. D 29. C 30. A
31. D 32. B 33. A 34. C 35. D
36. D 37. C 38. B 39. D 40. B

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 2018 JAMB PHYSICS QUESTIONS

1. A man walks 1 km due east C. Electric current means

and then 1km due north. His movement of electrons
displacement is _____ D. All of the above

A. √2 N 45° E 4. Natural radioactivity consists of

B. 1km N 30°E the emission of -------.
C. 1km N 15° E
D. D.√2 km N 60° E A. ∝-particles and β-rays
B. ∝-particles and X-rays
2. The density of 400cm of palm C. ∝-particles, β-rays and g-rays
oil was 0.9g before frying. If the D. γ-rays and X-rays
density of the oil was 0.6 after
frying, assuming no loss of oil to 5. Which of the following does
spilling, its new volume was NOT describe the image formed
by a plane mirror?
A. 360 3
B. 600 3 A. Erect
C. 240 3 B. Laterally inverted
D. 800 3 C. Same distance from mirror as
object
3. Which of the following is true of D. Magnified
an electrical charge?
6.
A. Positive charge means deficit
electrons
B. Negative charge means excess
of electrons

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What is the resultant resistance of D. streams of electrons
the circuit given above?
9. A narrow beam of white light
A. 8Ω can be split into different colours
B. 11Ω by a glass prism. The correct
C. 4Ω explanation is that
D. 3.6Ω
A. white light is an
7. Which of the following best electromagnetic wave
describes the energy changes B. the prism has all the colours of
which take place when a steam the white light
engine drives a generator which C. different colours of white light
lights a lamp? travel with different speeds in
glass
A. Heat → Light → Sound→ D. white light has undergone total
Kinetic internal reflection in the prism.
B. Heat→ Kinetic → Electricity→
Heat and Light 10.
C. Kinetic→ Light → Heat
→Electricity
D. Electricity →Kinetic→ Heat→
Light

8. Cathode rays are ______

A. High-energy electromagnetic
waves
B. protons Figure 2 represents a block- and-

C. neutrons tackle pulley system on which an

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effort of W Newtons supports a 13. The electrochemical
load of 120.0N. If the efficiency of equivalent of silver 0.0012g/C/ of
the machine is 40, then the value 36.0g of silver is to be deposited
of W is by electrolysis on a surface by
passing a steady current for 5.0
A. 28.0 N minutes, the current must be
B. 48.0 N
C. 288.0 N A. 6000A
D. 50.0 N B. 100A
C. 10A
11. What type of reaction is D. 1A
represented by the following
scheme? 2
1 + 2
1 → 3
2 + 1
0n + 14. Shadows and eclipses result
energy from the

A. Fusion reaction A. refraction of light

B. Fission reaction B. reflection of light.
C. Chain reaction C. defraction of light
D. Radioactive decay D. rectilinear propagation of light

12. The amount of heat needed to 15. Which of the following obeys
raise the temperature of 10kg of Ohm’s Law?
copper by 1K its ____
A. All metals
A. specific heat capacity B. Diode only
B. latent heat C. All electrolytes
C. heat capacity D. Glass
D. internal energy

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16. Which of the following coefficient of static friction
statements are TRUE OF between mass m and the table is
ISOTOPES?
A.
I. Isotopes of an element have
B.
the same chemical properties
C.
because they have the same
number of electrons D.

II. Isotopes of elements are

normally separated using physical 18. Which of the following may be
properties used to explain a mirage?
III. Isotopes of an element has
the same number of protons in I. Layers of air near the road
their nuclei. surface have varying refractive
indices in hot weather
A. I and II only II. Road surfaces sometimes
B. I and III only become good reflectors in hot
C. II and III only weather.
D. I, II and III. III. Light from the sky can be
reflected upwards after coming
17. close to and the road surface.

A. I and III only

B. II and III only
C. II only
D. I, II and III
In the diagram above, the
hanging mass m is adjusted until
m is on the verge of sliding. The

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19. In the diagram below, if the C. increasing the frequency
atmosphere pressure is 760mm, D. decreasing the intensity.
the pressure in the chamber G is
22. One of the features of the
fission process is that

A. it leads to chain reaction

B. its products are not radioactive
C. neutrons are not released.
D. the sum of the masses of the
reactants equals the sum of the
A. 660mm
masses of the products.
B. 830mm
C. 690mm
23. The linear expansivity of brass
D. 860mm
is 2 x 10−5 −1
. If the volume of a
3
piece of brass is 15.00 at 0°C,
20. Which of the following has the
what is the volume at 100°C?
lowest internal resistance when
new?
A. 16.03 3
B. 15.09 3
A. Leclanche cell
C. 16.00 3
B. Daniel cell
D. 15.03 3
C. Torch battery
D. Accumulator
24. A lead bullet of mass 0.05kg
−1
is fired with a velocity of 200
21. The pitch of an acoustic
into a lead block of mass 0.95kg.
device can be increased by
Given that the lead block can
move freely, the final kinetic
A. decreasing the loudness
energy after impact is
B. increasing the amplitude
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A. 150 J resonate with P when set into
B. 100 J oscillation?
C. 50 J
D. 200 J

25. In a series R-L-C circuit at

resonance, the voltages across
the resistor and the inductor are
A. U
20V and 40V respectively. What is
B. T
the voltage across the capacitor?
C. R and T
D. Q and R
A. 30 V
B. 70 V
28. The time rate of loss of heat
C. 50 V
by a body is proportional to the
D. 40 V

A. temperature of its
26. If the fraction of the atoms of
surroundings
a radioactive material left after
B. temperature of the body
120 years is 1/64, what is the
C. difference in temperature
half-life of the material?
between the body and its
surroundings
A. 20 years
D. ration of the temperature of
B. 10 years
the boy to that of its
C. 2 years
surroundings.
D. 24 years

29. A positive charged rod X is

27. In the diagram below, which
brought near an uncharged metal
of the simple pendula will
sphere Y and is then touched by a
finger with X still in place. When

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the finger is removed, the result B. evaporation.
is that Y has C. boiling.
D. sublimation.
A. no charge and a zero potential
B. a positive charge and a zero 32. Which of the following
potential. diagrams represents correctly an
C. a negative charge and a n-p-n transistor?
positive potential.
D. a negative charge and a
negative potential.

30. Electrical appliances in homes

are normally earthed so that

A. a person touching the

appliances is safe from electric 33. The differences observed in

shock. solids, liquids and gases may be

B. both the a.c. and d.c. sources accounted for by

can be used.
C. the appliances are maintained A. their relative masses.

at a higher p.d. than the earth. B. their melting points.

D. the appliances are maintained C. the spacing and forces acting

at a lower p.d. than the earth. between the molecules.

D. the different molecules in each

31. The process whereby a liquid of them.

turns spontaneously into vapour

is called 34. Convex mirrors are used as
driving mirrors because images

A. regelation formed are

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A. erect, virtual and diminished D. south and north.
B. erect, real and diminished
C. erect, virtual and magnified 37. In homes, electrical
D. inverted, virtual and appliances and lamps are
diminished. connected in parallel because

35. Musical instruments playing A. less current will be used

the same note can be B. less voltage will be used.
distinguished from one another C. parallel connection does not
owing to the differences in their heat up the wires
D. series connection uses high
A. quality. voltage
B. pitch.
C. intensity 38. An object moves in a circular
D. loudness path of radius 0.5m with a speed
−1
of 1m . What is its angular
36. velocity?

−1
A. 8
−1
B. 4
−1
C. 1
−1
In the diagram above, if the D. 2
south-poles of two magnets
stroke a steel bar, the polarities 39. What effort will a machine of
at T and V will respectively be efficiency 90% apply to lift a load
of 180N if its efforts arm is twice
A. north and south. as long as its load arm?
B. south and south.
C. north and north. A. 100N

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B. 90N
C. 80N
D. 120N

40.

Calculate the effective

capacitance of the circuit above.

A. 4μf
B. 3 μf
C. 2 μf
D. 1 μf.

ANSWER KEY

1. A 2. B 3. D 4. C 5. D 6. A 7. B
8. D 9. C 10. B 11. A 12. C 13. B
14. D 15. A 16. C 17. D 18. A
19. B 20. D

21. C 22. A 23. B 24. C 25. D

26. A 27. B 28. C 29. D 30. A
31. B 32. D 33. C 34. A 35. B
36. C 37. D 38. D 39. A 40. D

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 2019 JAMB PHYSICS QUESTIONS

1. The force required to make an kinetic energy after 4 seconds

object of mass m, travelling with was ____
velocity v, turn in a circle of
radius r is ____ A. 105J
B. 2.5J
A. mr2/v C. 2x103J
B. mv2/r D. 5x103J
C. mr/v
D. mv/r2 4. Which if the following are true
of atoms?
2. An ice cube floats in a glass of
water filled to the brim. What A. Atoms are indestructible
happens when the ice melts? B. The number of protons equals
the number of electrons
A. There is a drop in the level of C. Atoms of different substances
water in the glass due to have different weight
condensation on the outside D. All of the above
B. The water level remains the
same 5. A pressure cooker saves both
C. The water in the glass time and fuel in cooking because
overflows inside the cooker, the ____
D. The level of water drops
because melted ice occupies less A. pressure is constant
volume B. boiling of water is raised
C. heated is completely trapped
3. A 500kg car which was initially D. temperature is evenly
at rest travelled with an distributed
acceleration of 5m sec-2, its

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6. A vapour is said to be 9. A ship travelling towards a cliff
saturated when ____ receives the echo of its whistle
after 3.5 seconds. A short while
A. more molecules return to the later, it receives the echo after
liquid than leave it 2.5 seconds. If the speed of
B. the vapour pressure is sound in air under the prevailing
atmospheric conditions is 250ms-1, how much
C. a dynamic equilibrium exists closer is the ship to the cliff?
between the liquid molecule and
the vapour molecule at a given A. 125m
temperature B. 10m
D. the temperature of the vapour C. 175m
varies D. 350m

7. The following types of waves 10. For which of the underlisted

are all transverse except ____ quantities is the derived unit
ML2T2 correct?
A. light waves
B. radio waves I. Moment of a force
C. surface waves on water II. Work
D. sound waves III. Acceleration

8. Which of the circuits illustrated A. I only

below will give a total resistance B. I and II
of 1Ω? C. III only
D. II only

11. Radio waves have a velocity

of 3 x 108ms-1. A radio station

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sends out a broadcast on a A. below 0⁰C
frequency of 800 KHz. The B. above 100⁰C
wavelength of the broadcast is C. at exactly 4⁰C
____ D. between 0⁰C and 4⁰C

A. 240.0m 14. A uniform metre rule QR is

B. 267.0ra balanced on a knife edge which is
C. 375.0m 55cm from R. When a mass of
D. 37.5m 10g is hung at P as shown below,
the mass of the metre rule is
12. ____

The graph in the diagram above A. 70g

describes the motion of a particle. B. 350g
The acceleration of the particle C. 550g
during the motion is ____ D. 35g

A. 0.00ms-2 15. The vacuum in a thermos

-2
B. 0.25ms flask helps to reduce heat transfer
-2
C. 8.00ms by ____
-2
D. 4.00ms

A. convection and radiation

13. Water shows anomalous B. convection and conduction
behaviour ____ C. conduction and radiation
D. radiation only

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16. Which of the following
A.
∆
phenomena explains the
formation of a mirage? B.
∆

C. ∆
I. Reflection
II. Refraction D.
∆
III. Diffraction

19. A moving coil galvanometer of

A. I and III only 300Ω resistance gives full scale
B. II and III only deflection for 1.0mA. The
C. I and II only resistance, R, of the shunt that is
D. I, II and III required to convert the
galvanometer into a 3.0A
-4
17. An object is placed 5.6 x10 m ammeter is ____
in front of a converging lens of
focal length 1.0 x 10-nm. The A. 899.70Ω
image formed is ____ B. 0.10Ω
C. 10.00Ω
A. real, erect and magnified D. 0.01Ω
B. virtual, erect, and diminished
C. real, inverted, and magnified 20. Which of the following
D. virtual, erect, and magnified arrangement of the
electromagnetic spectrum is in
18. A bar of initial length l0 is ascending order of wavelengths?
heated through a temperature
change ∆ t to a new length l. The A. gamma rays, ultraviolet rays,
linear expansivity, ∝, of the bar is x-rays, infra-red rays
____ B. infra-red rays, ultraviolet rays,
x-rays, gamma rays

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C. gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet C. 1.6A
rays, infra-red rays D. 0.8A
D. gamma rays, ultraviolet rays,
infra-red rays, x-rays 23.

21. An aeroplane lands on a

runway at speed of 180Kmh-1 and
is brought to a stop uniformly in
30 seconds. What distance does it
cover in the runway before
The value of T in the diagram is
coming to rest?
____

A. 360m
A. 10.0N
B. 540m
B. 40.0N
C. 957m
C. 20.0N
D. 750m
D. 111.8N

24. At what respective value of x,

y, and z would the unit of force,
the newton, be dynamically
equivalent to MxLyTz?

In the circuit diagram, calculate

the current in the 12Ω resistor if A. -1, 1, 2

the cell has an e.m.f of 12V and B. 1, -1, 2

an internal resistance of 1Ω. C. 1, 1, -2

D. -1, 1, -2

A. 2.4A
B. 1.0A 25. A 500W heater is used to heat
0.6kg of water from 25 to 100⁰C
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in t1 seconds. If another 1000W A. reduced pressure and reduced
heater is used to heat 0.2kg of potential
water from 10⁰C to 100⁰C in t2 B. increased magnetic field
seconds, find C. reduced pressure and high
current
D. exposure to visible light
A. 50
B. 1/5
C. 5/4
D. 5

If current flows in the direction of

the arrows in the solenoid above,
the North pole is at ____

A. P
The diagram above shows a
B. Q
magnet with its south pole moved
C. X
along a soft-iron bar PQ in the
D. Y
direction as shown. After some
time, the poles at Q respectively
29. The magnetic force on a
are ____
charged particle moving with
velocity is ____
A. North-South
B. North-North
A. proportional to the velocity v
C. South-North
only
D. South-South
B. independent of the magnitude
of the charge
27. A gas would serve as an
electrical conductor under ____

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C. proportional to both the arising from the headlamps of a
magnitude of the charge and the car?
velocity v
D. proportional to the magnitude A. cylindrical mirrors
of the charge only B. spherical mirrors
D. plane mirrors
30. The eye controls the amount
of light reaching the retina by 33. A body of mass 36kg falls
adjusting the ____ through a viscous liquid which
offers a drag force of 260N on the
A. retina body. The upthrust of the body at
B. optic nerve terminal velocity is ____
C. cornea
D. iris A. 310N
B. 50N
31. A satellite is in a parking orbit C. 620N
if its period is ____ D. 100N

A. equal to the period of the earth 34. Which of the following

B. more than the period of the diagrams represent the magnetic
earth field of two isolated unlike poles?
C. less than the period of the
earth
D. the square of the period of the
earth

32. What types of mirrors are

35. Lenz’s law is a law of the
capable of producing parallel
conservation of ____
beams of light such as those

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A. momentum A. low density
B. energy B. low boiling point
C. electric current C. high specific heat capacity
D. electric charge D. low freezing point

36. Counting of currency notes 39. Which of the following is a

with moist fingers is based on the property of steel?
principle of ____
A. It can easily be magnetised
A. diffusion and demagnetised
B. cohesion B. It can be used for making
C. viscosity permanent magnets
D. adhesion C. It cannot retain its magnetism
longer than iron
37. If negative charges are D. It can be used for making
induced on an electroscope and a temporary magnets
positively charged rod is brought
near the cap of the electroscope, 40. One of the conditions
the leaves will ____ necessary for an object to be in
equilibrium when acted upon by a
A. become negatively charged number of parallel forces is that
B. become positively charged the vector sum of the forces is
C. close up ____
D. open further
A. zero
38. One special advantage of B. negative
alcohol over mercury as a C. positive
thermometric liquid is its ____ D. average

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2019 ANSWER KEYS

1. A 2. B 3. A 4. D 5. B 6. C 7. D
8. B 9. A 10. B 11. C 12. D 13.
D 14. A 15. B 16. C 17. D 18. A
19. B 20. C

21. D 22. A 23. D 24. C 25. D

26. A 27. C 28. B 29. C 30. D
31. A 32. C 33. D 34. A 35. B
36. D 37. C 38. A 39. B 40. C

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 2020 JAMB PHYSICS QUESTIONS

1. A few grains of table salt were B. 1.5ms-1

put in a cup of cold water, kept at C. 1ms-1
constant temperature and left D. 2ms-1
undisturbed. Eventually all the
water tasted salty. This action is 4. If in a simple pendulum
due to ____ experiment, the length of the
inextensible string is increased by
A. convection a factor of four, its period is
B. osmosis increased by a factor of ____
C. capillarity
D. diffusion A. 4
B. π/2
2. The force required to make an C. 1/4
object of mass m, travelling with D. 2
velocity v, turn in a circle of
radius r is ____ 5. In what range of temperature
is the expansion of water
A. mv2/r anomalous?
B. mr2/v
C. mr/v A. +208⁰C to +212⁰C
D. mv/r2 B. -80⁰C to -76⁰C
C. 0⁰C to +4⁰C
3. A machine gun with a mass of D. -4⁰C to 0⁰C
5kg fires a 50g bullet at a speed
of 100ms-1. The recoil speed of 6. Which of the following
the machine gun is ____ statements about radioactivity is
true?
A. 0.5ms-1

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 I. Alpha particle is positively C. Different materials require
charged different amount of heat to cause
II. Beta particle is negatively a given change in temperature
charged D. All of the above
III. Gamma rays are neutral
IV. Beta particle has the same 8.
mass as Helium atom
V. Gamma ray is charged

A. I, II, III, IV only

B. I, II, III only The effect of closing the key K in

C. IV and V only the circuit shown in Fig. 1 would

D. I, II, V only be to ____

7. In the study of Physics, A. increase the current by 0.4A

temperature and heat are often B. reduce the current by 0.4A

confused with each other. Which C. increase the current by 0.6A

of the following statements D. reduce the current by 0.6A

correctly defines these two

elements? 9. Which of the following
statements on the use of X-rays is

A. Temperature is a measure of incorrect? X-rays are used ____

the average kinetic energy of the

molecules of a substance A. in hospitals to obtain

B. Heat is a measure of the total photographs of tissues and bones

kinetic energy of the molecules in in the body

a system B. for the treatment of malignant

growths like cancer cells
C. in detecting fingerprints

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D. to reveal hidden flaws in metal B. ∝-particles and x-rays
casings and welded joint work of C. -rays and x-rays
art D. ∝-particles, -rays and -rays

10. O 12. If a source of sound is

moving, a stationary listener will
hear a sound of different
0.5 m 0.3 m
frequency. This is called ____

A. doppler effect
M A
P B. resonance
20 N C. ultrasound
D. refraction
In the above diagram MN is
perpendicular to ON and MP. 13. Which of the following can be
What is the difference between described as high tension
the moment about N of the force transmission?
of 20N applied along MP and its
moment about O? A. high resistance and low voltage
B. low current and high voltage
A. zero C. high current and low voltage
B. 0.2Nm D. high current and low resistance
C. 0.4Nm
D. 0.8Nm 14. What is the cost of running
five 50W lamps and four 100W
11. Natural radioactivity consist of lamps for 10 hours if electrical
the emission of ____ energy costs 2 kobo per kWh?

A. ∝-particles and -rays A. ₦0.65

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B. ₦0.39 A. 2
C. ₦3.90 B. 3/2
D. ₦0.13 C. 2/3
D. 3
15. The mass of a proton is
approximately equal to that of 18. One of the following readings
____ represents the measurement of
the length of a metal rod using
A. an ∝-particle vernier callipers. Taking the
B. a -particle reading accuracy into
C. a neutron consideration, the most likely one
D. an electron is ____

16. A transformer has 300 turns A. 5.16 cm

of wire in the primary coil and 30 B. 5.165 cm
turns in the secondary coil. If the C. 5.0 cm
input voltage is 100 volts, the D. 5.160 cm
output voltage is ____
19. When a wave sound passes
A. 5 volts from air into water its ____
B. 10 volts
C. 15 volts A. speed and frequency increases
D. 20 volts but its wavelength remains the
same
17. A solid weighs 4.8g in air, B. speed and wavelength increase
2.8g in water and 3.2g in but its frequency remains the
kerosene. The ratio of density of same
the solid to that of the kerosene is C. speed decreases
____

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D. speed increases but its 22.
frequency and wavelength P
decreases

20. Which of the circuits

O
illustrated below will give a total
40⁰ Q
resistance of 1Ω?

Two mirrors of the same lengths

are arranged as shown in the
diagram above. A ray of light NO
strikes the system at O and
21. A convex mirror is used as a emerges along PQ. The emergent
driving mirror because ____ ray has been deviated through
____
I. its image is erect
II. it has a large field of view A. 220⁰
III. it has a long focal length B. 200⁰
C. 210⁰
A. I and III only D. 180⁰
B. I and II only
C. II and III only 23. A magnetic needle is
D. I, II, and III suspended first at the earth’s
E. I only north magnetic pole then at a
point on the magnetic equator.
The respective angles between

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 the needle and the horizontal are Consider the three forces acting
____ at O and in equilibrium as shown
above. Which of the following
A. 0⁰ and 0⁰ equations is/are CORRECT?
B. 60⁰ and 60⁰
C. 90⁰ and 90⁰ I. P1 cos 1 = P1 cos 2

D. 90⁰ and 0⁰ II. P3 = P1 cos 1 + P2 cos 2

III. P1 sin 1 = P2 sin 2

24. A hydrometer is an
instrument for measuring the A. I only
____ B. II only
C. III only
A. depth of water in a vessel D. I, II, and III
B. relative density of a liquid by
the method of floatation 26. The refractive index of a liquid
C. relative density of a liquid by is 1.5. if the velocity of light in
finding the apparent loss in vacuum is 3.0 x 108ms-1, the
weight velocity of light in the liquid is
D. relative humidity of the air ____

25. A. 1.5 x 108ms-1

P1
B. 2.0 x 108ms-1
C. 3.0 x 108ms-1
O 1
D. 4.5 x 108ms-1
P3
2

27. A ship travelling towards a

P2 cliff receives the echo of its

whistle after 3.5 seconds. A short
while later, it receives the echo

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after 2.5 seconds. If the speed of 29. Which the following conditions
sound in air under the prevailing are necessary and sufficient for
condition is 250ms-1, how much total internal reflection to take
closer is the ship to the cliff? place at the boundary between
two optical media?
A. 10m
B. 350m I. Light is passing from
C. 175m optically denser medium
D. 125m to optically less dense
medium
28. Which of the following II. Light is passing from
statements about defects of vision optically less dense
is/are CORRECT? medium to optically
denser medium
I. For a long sighted person, III. Angle of incidence is
close objects appear greater
blurred IV. Angle of incidence is
II. For a short sighted lesser
person, distant objects
appear blurred A. I and II only
III. Short sight is corrected by B. II and III only
using a pair of converging C. III and IV only
lenses D. I and III only

A. I only 30. The linear expansivity of brass

B. II only is 2 x 10-5 ⁰C-1. If the volume of a
C. I and II only piece of brass is 10cm3 at 0⁰C,
D. II and III only what will be its volume at 100⁰C?

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A. 10.06cm3 C. 4.0 x 104J kg-1 K-1
B. 10.04cm3 D. 4.0 x 104J kg-1
C. 10.02cm3
D. 10.20cm3 33. Two divers G and H are at
depths 20m and 40m respectively
31. The lower and upper fixed below the water surface in a lake.
points marked on a mercury-in- The pressure on G is P1, while the
glass thermometer are 210mm pressure on H is P 2. If the
apart. The end of the mercury atmospheric pressure is
column in the tube is 49mm equivalent to 10m2 of water, then
above the lower fixed point in the the value of P2/P1 is ____
room. What is the temperature of
the temperature of the room in A. 0.50
degree Celsius? B. 0.60
C. 1.67
A. 55.3⁰C D. 2.00
B. 30.43⁰C
C. 49.0⁰C 34.
D. 16.43⁰C

32. Heat is supplied uniformly at

the rate of 100W to 1.0 x 10-2kg
of a liquid for 20 seconds. If the
temperature of the liquid rises by
5⁰C, then the specific heat
capacity of the liquid is ____

A. 2.0 x 102J kg-1 K-1 The diagram above represents a

B. 2.0 x 102J kg-1 block-and-tackle pulley system on

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which an effort of W Newtons
supports a load of 120.0N. if the
efficiency of the machine is 40⁰,
then the value of W is ____

A. 28.0N
In the above diagram, the value
B. 48.0N
of R is ____
C. 288.0N
A. 3Ω
D. 50.0N
B. 6Ω
C. 4Ω
35.
D. 5Ω

37. Which of the following

instruments consumes the highest
current?

Instrument Voltage Power

Rating Rating
In an experiment in which molten A. Electric iron 250V 1kW
naphthalene is allowed to cool,
B. Television set 220V 110kW
the cooling curve in the diagram
above was obtained. The C. Torch light 6V 30kW

temperature 80⁰C is known as the D. Immersion 110V 500kW

____ heater

38. In which of the following

A. cooling temperature
diagram is the length of the tube
B. boiling point
equal to one wavelength?
C. melting point
D. vapourization point

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 2020 ANSWER KEYS

1. D 2. A 3. C 4. D 5. C 6. B 7. D
8. A 9. C 10. A 11. D 12. A 13. B
39. Which of the following pairs is
14. D 15. C 16. B 17. D 18. A
not part of electromagnetic
19. B 20. C
spectrum?

21. B 22. D 23. A 24. B 25. C

I. Radio waves
26. B 27. D 28. C 29. B 30. A
II. Beta rays
31. B 32. C 33. D 34. D 35. C
III. Gamma rays
36. B 37. C 38. C 39. D 40. A
IV. Alpha rays

A. I and II
B. III and IV
C. I and III
D. II and IV

40. A substance has a half of 3

min. After 6 min, the count rate
was observed to be 400. What
was its count rate at zero time?

A. 1600
B. 1200
C. 200
D. 2400

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 DISCLAIMER

These are not JAMB expo questions for this year

but past questions of previous years.

You are advised to study these past questions

and know how each correct answer was gotten

to be well-prepared for your JAMB exam.

Speaking of which,

Would you like to download this JAMB Physics

past questions and answers with step-by-step

explanation for each correct answer?

Click on the link below...

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