THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF SAtesME

ST. JOACHIM BOYS’S SECONDARY SCHOOL

FORM THREE PHYSICS MIDTERM TEST 0CTOBER 2020
TIME: 3 Hours

Instructions
1. This paper consists of sections A, B and C with a total of eleven (11) questions.
2. Answer all questions in sections A and B and two (2) questions from section C.
3. Cellular phones and any other unauthorized materials are not allowed in
examination room.
4. Non-programmable calculators may be used.
5. Write your Examination number on every page of your answer booklet(s).
6. Where necessary the following constants may be used.
i) Acceleration due to gravity, g = 10 m/s 2
ii) Density of water = 1.0g/cm3
iii) Density of air = 1.2 kg /m 3
iv) Density of mercury = 13,200 kg /m3
v) Linear expansivity of a steel (∝s) = 0.000011/K
Section A (15 marks)
1. For each of the items (i) – (x), choose the correct answer from among the given
alternatives and write its letter beside the item number in the answer booklet
provided.

i) Which of the following scientific statement needs to be proved through scientific

experiment?
A) Principle B) Hypothesis C) Measurement
D) Proposal E) Conclusion

ii) The device that operates under the principle of total internal reflection is called:-
A) Plane mirror B) Telescope C) Pin hole camera
D) Optical fibre E) Magnifying lens

iii) When charging a body by friction, the particles which are transferred are
A) Nuclei B) Protons C) Electrons
D) Nuclei and protons E) Protons and electrons

iv) A force which prevents a body from sliding is called:

 A) Frictional force B) Stretching force C) Restoring force

D) Compression E) Paragasaa force

v) Which metals become strongly magnetized when subjected to magnetic

field?
A) Nickel and copper B) Cobalt and iron C) Zinc and aluminium
D) Iron and zinc E) Aluminium and lead

vi) A body moved upward a distance of 20m. the time taken to reach the
maximum height is:-
A) 2s B)5s C)10s D)5s E)11s

vii) If 120 volts are used to light a 30 watt light bulb, what will be the current
flowing through the bulb?
A) 40A B) 30A C) 0.25A D) 4A E) 0.30A
(viii) If some mercury is poured on a clean glass plate small drops are formed on
the glass plate. This is because;
A. Mercury has high cohesion D. Mercury has low cohesion
B. Mercury has high surface tension E. Mercury has high adhesion
C. Mercury has low surface tension force
(ix) A concave mirror is often used as a shaving mirror, this is possible if the face
is placed;
A. Between the principal focus and the pole
B. Near to the mirror
C. At the principal focus and the centre of curvature
D. Between the principal focus and the centre of curvature of the mirror
E. At the centre of curvature

(x) An airship is floating stationary high above the ground; in this case;
A. The air upthrust is equal to the airship weight
B. The air temperature inside the airship is equal to the air temperature
outside
C. The air density outside the airship is greater than the air density inside
D. The air density outside the airship is less than air density outside
The air upthrust is greater than the airship weight
2. Match each item in list A with a correct response in list B by writing a letter of a
correct response below the number of the corresponding item in list A in the table
provided.
 LIST A LIST B
i) The force used to operate a machine A. Knife
ii) An example of 3rd class lever B. Lever
iii) Ratio of number of teeth in a driven wheel C. Inclined planes
to the number of teeth in the driving wheel D. Friction
iv) The force that causes an efficiency of a E. Wheelbarrow
machine to be less than 100% F. Effort
v) It is used to lift heavy weights with the least G. Velocity ratio
efforts.

SECTION B (60 marks)

Answer all questions in this section
3. (a) By the aid of diagram, describe how a light ray passes through an equilateral
glass prism. (4
marks)
(b) Explain three ways in which heat differ from temperature l?
(6marks)
4. (a) Why the level of water in the tube falls first and then starts to rise when the flask
is heated?
(5marks)
(b) A uniform rod AB, 2.0m long, weighs 0.40N. If weights of 0.80N and 0.40N are
suspended from A and B respectively at what point will it balance?
(5marks)
5. (a) Explain why petrol tankers usually have a length of metal chain hanging and
touching the ground.
(5marks)
(b) A hydraulic lift has pistons with area of 0.02m 2 and 0.1m2 as shown below. A car
with a weight of 5000N sits on the platform mounted on a large piston.

Piston 1 Weight = 5000N

Piston 2
d=?
A1 = 0.02m2

A2 = 0.10m2

Figure 1
Calculate the force that must be applied to piston 1 to lift the car and the distance that
piston 1must be pushed downward to raise the car 0.3m?
(5marks)
6. (a) Explain why corrugated iron sheet roofs make cracking noises on a night
preceded by a hot day.
(5marks)
(b) A steel tyre of diameter 150cm at 100C is to be fitted on a train wheel of diameter
151cm. What temperature must the tyre be heated to just fit the wheel?
(5 marks)

7. (a) If a mercury barometer reads 760mmHg at the foot of the mountain 440m high,
what is the barometer reading at the top of the mountain?
(5marks)
(b) Two resistance wires are made from the same material. One wire X has half the
length and half the diameter of the second wire Y. What is the ration of the resistance of
X to that of Y?(5marks)

8. (a) The resultant of two forces Q and 20N is 27.5N at 160 to the 20N force. Find the
magnitude of force Q and the angle it makes with 20N.
(5marks)
(b) Describe experiment which shows that air exerts considerable pressure 
(5marks)

SECTION C (25 marks)

Answer TWO (2) questions from this section
9. (a)Briefly explain why ships float in water, although they are made from iron and
steel which are materials denser than water.(5 marks)

(b) A large, 40metre long and 8metre broad, whose sides are vertical, floats
partially. Loaded in water. If 125000N of cargo is added, what distance will it sink
(7.5marks)
10. (a) Briefly explain three factors affecting the resistance of wire.(6marks)
(b) Two resistors of resistance 3Ω and 5Ω respectively are connected in the gaps of a
metre-bridge. At what point on the wire of the bridge will a central zero galvanometer
show no deflection? (6.5marks)

11. (a)What volume of brass of density 8.5g/cm 3 must be attached to the piece of
wood of mass 100g and density 0.2g/cm3 so that two together will just submerge
beneath water? (7.5marks)
(b)Briefly explain how mirage formed. (6 marks)