WAEC PHYSICS

2010 ANSWERS
Compiled by

QUESTION 1 3

QUESTION 2 3

QUESTION 3 4

QUESTION 4 4

QUESTION 5 4

QUESTION 6 5

QUESTION 7 5

QUESTION 8 6

QUESTION 9 6

QUESTION 10 6

QUESTION 11 7

QUESTION 12 9

QUESTION 13 10

QUESTION 14 10

QUESTION 15 12

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QUESTION 1
v 2=u2−2 gx
At maximum height v=0
2
0=3 0 −2 ✕ 10 x
0=900−20 x
x=45 m.
Height ¿ ground=50+45
Height ¿ ground=95 m

QUESTION 2

Force F
a. Stress= =
Area A

40
¿
3.14 ¿ ¿

¿ 1.27 X 1 0−7 N m−2

extension e
b. Strain= =
length l

0.24 ✕ 10−3
Strain=
3
−5
Strain=8.0 ✕ 1 0

2
QUESTION 3
The gases are

● Hydrogen
● Oxygen

The electrodes at which they are evolved

● Hydrogen Anode/lead peroxide

● Oxygen Cathode/lead plate

QUESTION 4
a. Factors

● Time
● Current/quantity of charge
● Nature/e.c.e of elements.

b. Non-electrolytes

● Water
● Kerosene
● Petrol
● Benzene
● Ethanol

QUESTION 5
a.
Polarisation Interference

It is confinement of vibration (of It is the effect produced when two

waves) to one plane waves of the same
frequency/wavelength and amplitude

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 travelling in the same direction in a
medium are superimposed

It is an attribute of the transverse It is an attribute of both transverse and

waves only longitudinal waves

b. Uses

● Production of 3-dimensional films

● Determination of concentration of sugar solution
● Polaroid cameras
● Sun glasses

QUESTION 6
a.
i. Low viscosity

● Water
● Kerosene
● Ethanol
● Methylated spirits.

ii. High viscosity

● Palm oil
● Engine oil
● Glycerine

b. A liquid is visco-static if its viscosity does not change (appreciably) with change in
temperature.

QUESTION 7
a. They are deflected by electric and/or magnetic field(s)

b. They travel in straight paths (rectilinear propagation)

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 c. They possess momentum

QUESTION 8
1 2
eV = m v
2
1
1.6 ✕ 10−19 ✕ 2500= ✕ 9.1 ✕ 10−31 ✕ v 2
2
2 14
v =8.79 ✕ 1 0
7 2
v=2.96 ✕ 1 0 m s

QUESTION 9
a. Particles used in explaining wave nature of matter

● Electron
● Hydrogen atom/proton
● Helium atom
● Helium nucleus/alpha particle
● Neutron

b. Wave characteristics exhibited

● Diffraction
● Interference

QUESTION 10
a. It is impossible to determine (accurately) both the wave properties of matter and
its particulate properties at the same time OR In any simultaneous determination
of the position x and momentum p of a particle, there is an uncertainty in its
position L\ x and an uncertainty in its momentum ∆p.

b. No answer

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QUESTION 11
a.
Perfectly Elastic Collision Perfectly Inelastic Collision

Kinetic energy is conserved Kinetic energy decreases

Colliding bodies do not stick together Colliding bodies stick together and
after collision move as a unit after collision

In head-on collision directions of the Direction of both bodies are not

bodies are reversed necessarily reversed

b.

c.
i. 1st stage of motion
1 2
x=ut + a t
2
1 2
120=0 ✕ 12+ ✕ a ✕ 1 2
2
1 2
120=0 ✕ 12+ ✕ a ✕ 1 2
2
1 2
120=0 ✕ 12+ ✕ a ✕ 1 2
2
5
a=
3

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 5 −1
V 1= ✕ 12=20 m s
3
2nd stage of motion
1 2
x=ut + a t
2
1
300=20 ✕ 12+ ✕ a ✕ 1 22
2
60=72 a
60 5
a= =
72 6
5
V = ✕ 12=10
6
V 2=10+ 20
−1
V 2 =30 m s
❑

3rd stage of motion

1 2
x=ut + a t
2
1 2
180=30 ✕ 12+ ✕ a ✕ 1 2
2
180=72a
5
a=−¿
2
5
V =−¿ ✕ 12=−30
2
V 3=30+−30
−¿ 1¿
V 3=0 ms

ii.

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Correct shape of each segment in relation to axes
Origin, (0.0) labelled
Only one axis labelled

QUESTION 12
a.
i. Inertia : It is the reluctance of a body to move if it is at rest or to stop if it is
already in motion. The more mass a body has the greater its inertia.

ii. Inertial mass: It represents resistance to any type of force; whatever the
mass a body has, the more force that is required to give it an acceleration.
the mass of an object appearing in the expression
Force = mass ✕ acceleration is the inertial mass

b. Factors

● Temperature
● Pressure
● Wind
● Area exposed
● Humidity/dryness of the air

c. Ice melts if (sufficient) pressure is applied to it. This is because an increase in

pressure lowers the melting point of ice. When the two ice cubes are pressed

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 together, the melting point of ice is lowered, so they melt to form a thin layer of
water (between them). On releasing the pressure, the water freezes because
decrease in pressure raises the freezing point. Hence the two cubes stick
together.

d. P= pgh
h A P A =h B P B
3 3
26 ✕ 0.92 ✕ 1 0 =h B ✕ 1.30 ✕ 10
3
26 ✕ 0.92 ✕ 1 0
h b= 3
1.30 ✕ 1 0
h b=18.4 cm

QUESTION 13
No answer

QUESTION 14

a. The candle flame ionises the air around it. . The positively charged conductor
attracts the negative charges in the air and repels the positive charges.

b. F=qvB sin θ

F=1.6 ✕ 1 0−19 ✕ 5.0 ✕ 1 05 ✕ 0.2 ✕ sin30 °

−1
F=0.8 X 1 0

c.
i. E=I (Rc +r )
9=4 ( Rc+ 0.5)
9
R= −0.5
4

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 R=1.75 Ω

ii. Lost volt = Ir

Ir =4.0 ✕ 0.5=2.0 V
Voltage across 2Ωand RΩ
V =9.0−2.0=7.0 V
Current in A2 = I2
V 7
I 2= = =3.5 A
R2 2
Current in A3 =I3
V 7
I 3= = =0.5 A
R❑ 14
OR
A3 =A 1− A2
A3 =4.0−3.5=0.5 A

1 1 1
iii. = +
R C R❑ R 2❑
1 1 1
= +
1.75❑ RC 2
1 1 1
= −
R 1.75 2
R=14 Ω

QUESTION 15

a. Conclusions
● The nucleus is massive
● Most of the atom is empty space

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 ● The nucleus is positively charged
● Electrons revolve around the nucleus
● It explains the periodicity of elements in the periodic table

b.
i. E20 =E 2−E0

E20=−2.0−(−12.0)
E20=10.0 eV
−19
E20 =10 ✕ 1.6 ✕ 1 0 J
−18
E20 =1.6 ✕ 1 0 J
E=hf
Or
E
f=
h
18
1.6 ✕ 1 0
f=
6.6 ✕ 1 0−34
f =2.424 ✕ 1 015 Hz

ii. c=fλ
c
λ=
f
3 ✕ 1 08
λ= 15
2.424 ✕ 1 0
−7
λ=1.24 ✕ 10 m

c. A: Natural radioactivity
B: Artificial radioactivity

Reaction A Reaction B

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It is the spontaneous disintegration of It is achieved by bombarding non-
atomic nuclei of an element radioactive element with a particle e.g.
alpha

Heavy nuclei are involved Light atoms are involved

Alpha particle is a by-product Alpha particle is used to bombard the

nitrogen atom

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