General Physics I — 2026-test Past Questions

University of Ilorin PHY101: 106 questions.

Topics: Vectors and Scalars, Displacement, Velocity, and Acceleration, Relative Motion, Vector Product, Kinematics, Conservation Principles in Physics, Newton's Laws of Motion, Impulse, Conservation of Linear Momentum, Units and Dimension, Equations of Motion, Differentiation of Vectors, Application of Newtonian Mechanics, Inertial Frames, System of Particles, Space and Time, Momentum Conservation, Kinetic Energy and Work

  1. Which two events occur at the same location in the diagram below ?
    1. B and C
    2. A and B
    3. A and C
    4. None of the Above
  2. Which of the following correctly describes the motion of a body when measured relative to itself?
    1. Constant
    2. Variable
    3. Zero
    4. Infinite
  3. What is the acceleration of an object moving with a constant velocity?
    1. Constant
    2. Zero
    3. Uniformly increasing
    4. Uniformly decreasing
  4. If the scalar product of two vectors is zero, the vectors are?
    1. Parallel
    2. Perpendicular
    3. Anti-parallel
    4. Co-linear
  5. The magnitude of the vector product of two parallel vectors is?
    1. Maximum
    2. Zero
    3. Unity
    4. Equal to the product of their magnitudes
  6. Which of the following represents the result of the dot product of a vector with itself?
    1. The square of its magnitude
    2. Zero
    3. The magnitude itself
    4. A unit vector
  7. The cross product of two vectors A and B results in a vector that is?
    1. Parallel to both A and B
    2. Perpendicular to the plane containing A and B
    3. At an angle of 45° to both vectors
    4. In the same direction as the scalar product
  8. In classical mechanics, the state of motion or rest of an object is defined relative to which of the following?
    1. Absolute space
    2. A fundamental constant
    3. A frame of reference
    4. The speed of light
  9. The tendency of a stationary object to remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force is primarily described by?
    1. Newton's First Law of Motion
    2. Newton's Second Law of Motion
    3. Newton's Third Law of Motion
    4. The Universal Law of Gravitation
  10. If an object is moving at a constant velocity, what can be concluded about the net force acting upon it?
    1. The net force is increasing
    2. The net force is zero
    3. The net force is equal to the object's mass
    4. The net force is directed toward the center of motion
  11. When calculating the dot product of two perpendicular vectors, the resulting scalar value is?
    1. The product of their magnitudes
    2. Unity
    3. Zero
    4. Negative
  12. Which vector operation results in a vector that is mutually perpendicular to the two original vectors?
    1. Scalar product
    2. Vector product
    3. Vector addition
    4. Scalar projection
  13. A constant force of 1000N acts on a mass m₁, producing an initial acceleration of 10m/s². When an additional mass m is added to m₁, the same force produces a new acceleration that is two-thirds of the initial value. Calculate the value of m₁ and the new acceleration?
    1. m₁ = 100kg, a = 6.67m/s²
    2. m₁ = 100kg, a = 10m/s²
    3. m₁ = 33.3kg, a = 6.67m/s²
    4. m₁ = 50kg, a = 5m/s²
  14. Which of the following statements correctly describes the sign conventions for distance and displacement?
    1. Distance can be negative, while displacement is always positive.
    2. Distance is always positive or zero, while displacement can be positive, negative, or zero.
    3. Both distance and displacement must always be positive.
    4. Displacement is always positive, while distance can be zero.
  15. What is the fundamental difference between speed and velocity?
    1. Speed is a vector quantity, while velocity is a scalar quantity.
    2. Velocity includes direction, while speed only represents magnitude.
    3. Speed is measured in m/s, while velocity is measured in m/s².
    4. There is no difference between the two in classical mechanics.
  16. A unit vector is specifically defined as a vector having?
    1. A magnitude of zero
    2. A magnitude of 1
    3. The same direction as the x-axis only
    4. A magnitude equal to the mass of the object
  17. In vector algebra, the unit vector is primarily used to?
    1. Change the magnitude of a vector
    2. Represent the scalar component of a motion
    3. Specify the direction of a vector quantity
    4. Calculate the area of a parallelogram
  18. An object moves from a starting point to a destination 50 meters away and then returns to the starting point. What is the final displacement?
    1. 100 meters
    2. 50 meters
    3. Zero
    4. -50 meters
  19. What is the value of the relative velocity of an object when measured with respect to itself?
    1. Infinite
    2. Constant
    3. Zero
    4. Unity
  20. Based on the rules of unit vector cross products, which of the following identities is NOT correct?
    1. k × j = -i
    2. i × j = k
    3. k × i = j
    4. j × i = k
  21. Given the vector A = 2i - 3j, what is its magnitude?
    1. 1
    2. 5
    3. √13
    4. 13
  22. If A = 2i - 3j and B = i + j, find the result of the vector subtraction A - B?
    1. i - 4j
    2. 3i - 2j
    3. i + 4j
    4. 3i - 4j
  23. Consider three vectors A, B, and C. The operation A - B - C represents?
    1. The scalar sum of the vectors
    2. The vector subtraction of B and C from A
    3. The cross product of the three vectors
    4. A null vector
  24. Which of the following is the result of the dot product i · i?
    1. 0
    2. 1
    3. k
    4. -1
  25. If the cross product of two vectors A and B results in a null vector, the vectors must be?
    1. Perpendicular
    2. Parallel
    3. At a 45°
    4. Orthogonal
  26. Given the system of vector equations A - B = 2C and A + B = 4C, where C = 3i + 4j, what is the vector B?
    1. 6i + 8j
    2. 3i + 4j
    3. 9i + 12j
    4. 12i + 16j
  27. Which of the following is a characteristic of an inertial reference frame?
    1. It is accelerating and Newton's laws do not hold true
    2. It is not accelerating and Newton's laws do not hold true
    3. It is accelerating and Newton's laws hold true
    4. It is not accelerating and Newton's laws hold true
  28. What is the value of the cross product of the unit vectors j and i (j × i)?
    1. k
    2. -k
    3. i
    4. Zero
  29. If vector P = 4i + 3j, what is the magnitude of the unit vector acting in the direction of P?
    1. 1
    2. 5
    3. 7
    4. 25
  30. A force of 1000N is applied to a mass m1 resulting in an acceleration of 10m/s². If a second mass m is added to m1 and the same force is applied, the new acceleration is 6.67m/s². What is the value of m1?
    1. 33.3kg
    2. 50kg
    3. 100kg
    4. 150kg
  31. Which of the following can be used to describe the value of a displacement vector?
    1. Positive only
    2. Positive or zero only
    3. Positive, negative, or zero
    4. Negative only
  32. The operation k · (i × j) results in which of the following values?
    1. 0
    2. 1
    3. -1
    4. i
  33. If the dot product of two vectors is equal to the product of their magnitudes, the angle between them is?
    1. 0°
    2. 45°
    3. 90°
    4. 180°
  34. What are the dimensions of density?
    1. ML⁻²
    2. ML⁻³
    3. M⁻¹L³
    4. ML³
  35. A footballer kicks a ball with an initial velocity of 20m/s at an angle of 45° to the horizontal. What is the horizontal range?
    1. 40m
    2. 20m
    3. 50m
    4. 80m
  36. A ball is thrown vertically upwards with an initial velocity of 20m/s. Using g = 9.8m/s², find the maximum height reached by the ball.
    1. 20.4m
    2. 10.2m
    3. 40.8m
    4. 15.6m
  37. Which of the following statements is true regarding the distance and displacement of a moving body?
    1. Distance is always equal to displacement
    2. Displacement can be zero even if distance is non-zero
    3. Distance can be negative
    4. Displacement is a scalar quantity
  38. If an object is moving at a constant speed in a straight line, its acceleration is?
    1. Constant and non-zero
    2. Increasing
    3. Zero
    4. Decreasing
  39. Which of the following is the unit of a unit vector?
    1. Newtons
    2. Meters
    3. It has no units
    4. Seconds
  40. The horizontal component of a projectile's velocity, ignoring air resistance, is?
    1. Constant
    2. Zero
    3. Continuously increasing
    4. Continuously decreasing
  41. A particle starts at position r₀ = (2i + 3j) m with initial velocity v₀ = (4i + 6j) m/s. It experiences a constant acceleration a = (i + 2j) m/s². Find the velocity after 5 seconds.
    1. 9i + 16j m/s
    2. 5i + 10j m/s
    3. 4i + 6j m/s
    4. 14i + 26j m/s
  42. A particle starts at position r₀ = (2i + 3j) m with initial velocity v₀ = (4i + 6j) m/s. It experiences a constant acceleration a = (i + 2j) m/s². Find the position after 5 seconds.
    1. 34.5i + 58j m
    2. 22i + 33j m
    3. 47i + 83j m
    4. 12.5i + 25j m
  43. A ball is kicked from the ground with an initial velocity of 20m/s at an angle of 45° above the horizontal (g = 10m/s²). What is the time of flight?
    1. 2.8s
    2. 1.4s
    3. 4.0s
    4. 2.0s
  44. A ball is kicked from the ground with an initial velocity of 20m/s at an angle of 45° above the horizontal (g = 10m/s²). What is the maximum height reached?
    1. 10m
    2. 20m
    3. 5m
    4. 40m
  45. A ball is kicked from the ground with an initial velocity of 20m/s at an angle of 45° above the horizontal (g = 10m/s²). What is the horizontal range?
    1. 40m
    2. 20m
    3. 80m
    4. 28.3m
  46. A student walks 80m from his hostel to the library in 60s, then runs back 40m towards the hostel in 15s. What is the total distance traveled?
    1. 120m
    2. 40m
    3. 80m
    4. 160m
  47. A student walks 80m from his hostel to the library, then runs back 40m towards the hostel. What is his total displacement?
    1. 40m from the hostel toward the library
    2. 120m toward the library
    3. 80m toward the hostel
    4. Zero
  48. A student walks 80m in 60s and then runs 40m back in 15s. What is his average speed for the entire journey?
    1. 1.6m/s
    2. 0.53m/s
    3. 1.33m/s
    4. 2.0m/s
  49. A student walks 80m from his hostel toward the library, then runs 40m back toward the hostel, taking 75s in total. What is his average velocity for the entire journey?
    1. 0.53m/s toward the library
    2. 1.6m/s toward the library
    3. 0.53m/s toward the hostel
    4. 2.67m/s toward the library
  50. What is the dimension of wavelength?
    1. T
    2. M
    3. L
    4. ML⁻¹
  51. What is the definition of space-time?
    1. A combination of space and time into a single four-dimensional continuum
    2. The concept that time is absolute
    3. The separation of time from space
    4. The fundamental unit of classical mechanics
  52. Given the vectors A = 4i − 1.5j, B = −1.2i + 3j, and C = −2.8j, calculate the resulting vector of the operation A − B − C.
    1. 5.2i − 1.7j
    2. 2.8i + 4.3j
    3. 5.2i + 1.3j
    4. 2.8i − 7.3j
  53. Two bodies, A and B, each have a mass of 10 kg. Body A has an initial velocity of −25i − 30j and body B has an initial velocity of 20i + 10j. If the final velocity of body A is −15i + 25j after an interaction, and assuming the system is isolated, what is the final velocity of body B?
    1. 10i − 45j
    2. −10i + 45j
    3. 5i − 35j
    4. 15i + 15j
  54. In the absence of external forces, the total momentum of a system of interacting bodies remains?
    1. Zero
    2. Constant
    3. Variable
    4. Equal to the net force
  55. If the mass of an object is doubled while the net force acting on it remains constant, the acceleration will?
    1. Double
    2. Remain the same
    3. Be halved
    4. Become zero
  56. Which of the following vector operations is used to determine the work done by a force over a displacement?
    1. Vector product
    2. Scalar product
    3. Vector addition
    4. Unit vector division
  57. A vector is said to be a null vector if?
    1. Its direction is fixed at the origin
    2. Its magnitude is zero
    3. It is parallel to the x-axis
    4. It has a magnitude of unity
  58. Given the vectors A = 4i − 1.5j, B = −1.2i + 3j, and C = −2.8j, calculate the resulting vector of the operation A − B + C.
    1. 5.2i − 7.3j
    2. 2.8i + 4.3j
    3. 5.2i − 1.7j
    4. 2.8i − 1.5j
  59. Consider the vector equations A − B = 2C and A + B = 4C. If C = 3i + 4j, determine the value of vector A.
    1. 3i + 4j
    2. 6i + 8j
    3. 9i + 12j
    4. 12i + 16j
  60. Using the same equations A − B = 2C and A + B = 4C with C = 3i + 4j, determine the value of vector B.
    1. 3i + 4j
    2. 6i + 8j
    3. 9i + 12j
    4. 1.5i + 2j
  61. If a system of vectors satisfies the condition A + B = 4C, the resultant vector of A and B is?
    1. Parallel to C
    2. Perpendicular to C
    3. A null vector
    4. Equal to C
  62. In the vector operation A − B, the direction of the resultant vector is determined by?
    1. Adding the magnitude of B to A
    2. Adding the negative of vector B to vector A
    3. Multiplying the components of A and B
    4. The dot product of A and B
  63. If vector C = 3i + 4j, what is the unit vector in the direction of C?
    1. (3i + 4j) / 5
    2. (3i + 4j) / 7
    3. (3i + 4j) / 25
    4. 3i − 4j
  64. A body of mass 16 kg moving with a velocity of 8 m/s collides with a body of mass 7 kg moving with a velocity of 4 m/s in the same direction. If the collision is perfectly inelastic, find their common velocity after the collision.
    1. 6.78 m/s
    2. 5.24 m/s
    3. 9.12 m/s
    4. 4.00 m/s
  65. Given the vectors A = 4i − 1.5j, B = −1.2i + 3j, and C = −2.8j, calculate the resulting vector of the operation A − B − C.
    1. 5.2i − 1.7j
    2. 2.8i + 4.3j
    3. 5.2i + 1.3j
    4. 2.8i − 7.3j
  66. If A = 3i + 3j − 2k, B = −i − 4j + 2k, and C = 2i + 2j + k, find the value of the scalar triple product A · (B × C).
    1. −21
    2. 15
    3. −13
    4. 0
  67. Body A moves at 8 m/s North and Body B moves at 6 m/s South. What is the velocity of A with respect to B?
    1. 14 m/s North
    2. 10 m/s South
    3. 14 m/s South
    4. 10 m/s North
  68. A body of mass 16 kg moving at 8 m/s collides with a body of mass 7 kg moving at 4 m/s in the same direction. If the collision is perfectly inelastic, calculate the kinetic energy lost during the impact.
    1. 45.2 J
    2. 39 J
    3. 11.1 J
    4. 22.5 J
  69. Which of the following defines an inelastic collision?
    1. Momentum is conserved, but kinetic energy is not
    2. Kinetic energy is conserved, but momentum is not
    3. Both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved
    4. Neither momentum nor kinetic energy is conserved
  70. In the vector calculation A · (B × C), if the result is zero, it implies that the three vectors are?
    1. Mutually perpendicular
    2. Coplanar
    3. Parallel to each other
    4. Unit vectors
  71. Three forces of 20 N, 40 N, and 60 N act on a body of mass 250 g at angles of 0°, 30°, and 60° respectively. Find the resulting force vector acting on the body.
    1. 64.64i + 71.96j
    2. 71.96i + 64.64j
    3. 71.96i + 84.64j
    4. 84.64i + 71.96j
  72. Given the vectors D₁ = 3i − 2j + 4k and D₂ = −5i + 3j − k, calculate the value of the operation 2D₁ · 4D₂.
    1. 180
    2. −180
    3. −200
    4. 200
  73. A body of mass 200 g moves in a straight line in the positive-x direction with a speed of 25 m/s. It hits a wall and rebounds in the negative-x direction with a speed of 35 m/s. If the time of the force interaction is t = 2 s, find the magnitude of the average force exerted.
    1. 6 N
    2. 12 N
    3. 60 N
    4. 120 N
  74. A body of mass 200 g moves in a straight line in the positive-x direction with a speed of 25 m/s. It hits a wall and rebounds in the negative-x direction with a speed of 35 m/s. If the time of the force interaction is t = 1 s, find the magnitude of the average force exerted.
    1. 6 N
    2. 12 N
    3. 60 N
    4. 120 N
  75. What is the SI unit of impulse?
    1. Newton-metres
    2. Newton-seconds
    3. Kilogram-metres
    4. Joules
  76. In a collision where two bodies stick together after impact, which of the following is conserved?
    1. Kinetic energy only
    2. Linear momentum only
    3. Both linear momentum and kinetic energy
    4. Neither momentum nor kinetic energy
  77. If a vector is multiplied by a negative scalar, the resulting vector will have?
    1. The same direction and magnitude
    2. The opposite direction and same magnitude
    3. The opposite direction and changed magnitude
    4. No change at all
  78. An Arsenal goalkeeper throws a ball from the goal post with an initial speed of 20 m/s at an angle of 45°. What time will it take for the ball to reach the ground? (Take g = 10 m/s²)
    1. 1.6 s
    2. 2.4 s
    3. 2.8 s
    4. 3.2 s
  79. If body A moves with an acceleration of 3 m/s² along the x-axis, and body B moves with an acceleration of 1 m/s² in the same direction, find the acceleration of A relative to B.
    1. 4 m/s²
    2. 2 m/s²
    3. −2 m/s²
    4. 3 m/s²
  80. Which of the following represents the dimensional formula for Force?
    1. MLT⁻¹
    2. MLT⁻²
    3. ML²T⁻²
    4. ML⁻¹T⁻²
  81. If body P is moving at 15 m/s and body Q is moving at 20 m/s in the same direction, what is the velocity of Q relative to P?
    1. 35 m/s
    2. 5 m/s
    3. −5 m/s
    4. 20 m/s
  82. Body A moves at 40 m/s East and Body B moves at 30 m/s West. Find the velocity of A with respect to B.
    1. 10 m/s East
    2. 10 m/s West
    3. 70 m/s East
    4. 70 m/s West
  83. The position of a particle is given by the equation x = 2t² + 4. Find the acceleration of the particle when t = 3 s.
    1. 4 m/s²
    2. 12 m/s²
    3. 16 m/s²
    4. 0 m/s²
  84. Which of the following mathematical expressions is not a direct statement or consequence explained primarily by Newton's Three Laws of Motion?
    1. F_net = 0, then a = 0
    2. F = Ma
    3. F = Mg
    4. mg = N
  85. Which of the following statements regarding physical quantities and their relationships is incorrect?
    1. Force is the rate of change of momentum over time
    2. Acceleration is the rate of change of momentum over time
    3. Impulse is the change in momentum
    4. Power is the rate of doing work
  86. The state of rest or motion of a body is always defined relative to?
    1. The center of the Earth
    2. A chosen frame of reference
    3. The speed of light
    4. An absolute coordinate system
  87. A 15 kg mass moves with a velocity of 8 m/s East and collides with a 5 kg mass moving in the opposite direction at 4 m/s. If the collision is perfectly inelastic, calculate the value of the kinetic energy lost.
    1. 120.0 J
    2. 150.0 J
    3. 270.0 J
    4. 300.0 J
  88. Two trains A and B are approaching each other on a straight track. Train A is moving at 40 m/s East and Train B is moving at 30 m/s West. Find the relative velocity of Train A with respect to Train B.
    1. 10 m/s West
    2. 70 m/s East
    3. 10 m/s East
    4. 70 m/s West
  89. A mass of 16 kg moving with a velocity of 8 m/s collides inelastically with another mass of 7 kg moving at 4 m/s in the same direction. Calculate the change in kinetic energy (energy lost) during the collision.
    1. 22.46 J
    2. 11.13 J
    3. 44.92 J
    4. 38.96 J
  90. Given the vectors D₁ = 3i − 2j + 4k and D₂ = 5i + 3j − k, find the result of the vector cross product operation D₁ × 4D₂.
    1. −40i + 92j + 76k
    2. −10i + 23j + 19k
    3. 40i − 92j − 76k
    4. 8i + 12j + 16k
  91. If a collision is described as perfectly inelastic, it implies that?
    1. The two bodies bounce off each other with no energy loss
    2. The two bodies stick together and move with a common velocity
    3. Kinetic energy is conserved but momentum is lost
    4. The final velocity of the system is always zero
  92. Given the vectors D₁ = 3i − 2j + 4k and D₂ = −5i + 3j − k, find the value of the scalar operation 2D₁ · 4D₂.
    1. −200
    2. 200
    3. −180
    4. 180
  93. A body of mass 16 kg travelling at 8 m/s collides inelastically with a mass of 7 kg travelling in the same direction at 4 m/s. Calculate the magnitude of the impulse for the 16 kg mass.
    1. 11.2 Ns
    2. 19.5 Ns
    3. 28.0 Ns
    4. 35.6 Ns
  94. A 15 kg mass moving with a velocity of 8 m/s East collides with a 5 kg mass moving in the opposite direction at 4 m/s. If the collision is perfectly inelastic, what is the value of the kinetic energy lost?
    1. 150 J
    2. 270 J
    3. 420 J
    4. 520 J
  95. A mass of 16 kg moving with a velocity of 8 m/s collides inelastically with a mass of 7 kg moving in the same direction at 4 m/s. Calculate the change in kinetic energy for this system.
    1. 38.96 J
    2. 52.12 J
    3. 64.00 J
    4. 75.45 J
  96. In an inelastic collision, which of the following remains conserved?
    1. Kinetic energy only
    2. Total linear momentum only
    3. Both kinetic energy and momentum
    4. Neither kinetic energy nor momentum
  97. If a force is applied to a body for a very short period of time, the product of the force and the time interval is defined as?
    1. Work
    2. Power
    3. Impulse
    4. Inertia
  98. Which of these is NOT usually a vector quantity?
    1. Velocity
    2. Displacement
    3. Electric current
    4. Electric field
  99. The unit of pressure is?
    1. Newton
    2. Pascal
    3. Joule
    4. Watt
  100. A vehicle changes speed from 25 km/hr to 90 km/hr in 5.6 seconds. Find the acceleration?
    1. 2.5 m/s²
    2. 3.2 m/s²
    3. 5.1 m/s²
    4. 6.8 m/s²

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