WAEC Physics 2016 past questions

Checked by the Skolra question team · Last updated 15 October 2026

Ten questions from the 2016 WAEC Physics paper, with answers and explanations. We hold 44 questions from this paper, and the Skolra app has all of them.

WAEC Physics 2016 questions and answers

1. 1.The electricity meters in houses measure energy unit consumed in
   1. A
      joules
   2. B
      kilowatt-hours
      Correct
   3. C
      volt-amperes
   4. D
      watts
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   Answer: B

   Household electricity meters measure the total electrical energy consumed over time. Energy is commercially billed in kilowatt-hours (kWh), commonly called a Board of Trade Unit or simply a 'unit'.

   1 kWh = 1000 W × 3600 s = 3.6 × 10⁶ J

2. 2.The mouth piece of a telephone handset converts
   1. A
      sound energy to magnetic energy
   2. B
      sound energy to electrical energy
      Correct
   3. C
      electrical energy to mechanical energy
   4. D
      electrical energy to sound energy
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   Answer: B

   The mouthpiece (transmitter) of a telephone handset contains a microphone that converts sound (mechanical/pressure) waves into electrical signals. The sound waves cause a diaphragm to vibrate, which varies the electrical current accordingly. The earpiece (receiver) does the reverse — converting electrical signals back to sound.

3. 3.Which of the following statements is correct about the effect of dissolved salt on the freezing point of water?
   1. A
      It raises the freezing point of water
   2. B
      It first raises and then lowers the freezing point
   3. C
      It lowers the freezing point of water
      Correct
   4. D
      It has no effect on the freezing point of water
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: C

   Dissolving salt in water is an example of freezing point depression, a colligative property. Salt ions disrupt the formation of ice crystals, requiring a lower temperature for the water to freeze. This is why salt is spread on icy roads in winter — the dissolved salt lowers the freezing point of water below 0°C.

4. 4.The p.d across a parallel-plate capacitor is 10³V. If the distance between the two plates is 10cm. Calculate the magnitude of the electric field strength between the plates.
   1. A
      1.0 × 10³ Vm⁻¹
   2. B
      1.0 × 10⁵ Vm⁻¹
   3. C
      1.0 × 10⁴ Vm⁻¹
      Correct
   4. D
      1.0 × 10² Vm⁻¹
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: C

   The electric field strength between parallel plates is given by:

   E = V / d

   where V is the potential difference and d is the plate separation.

   E = 10³ V / 0.10 m = 1.0 × 10⁴ Vm⁻¹

5. 5.Which of the following statements is not correct about steel and soft iron?
   1. A
      Steel is used for making permanent magnets
   2. B
      Steel has higher coercivity than soft iron
   3. C
      Soft iron has higher retentivity than steel
      Correct
   4. D
      Soft iron is easily magnetized and demagnetized
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: C

   The statement that is not correct is that soft iron has higher retentivity than steel.

   In reality, steel has higher retentivity (ability to retain magnetism after the magnetizing force is removed), which is why it is used for permanent magnets. Soft iron has low retentivity — it readily gains and loses magnetism — making it ideal for electromagnet cores and transformer cores.

6. 6.An object of volume 400cm³ and 2.5gcm^-3 is suspended from a spring balance with half its volume immersed in water. Determine the reading on the spring balance. (Density of water = 1gcm^-3)
   1. A
      5.0 N
   2. B
      4.0 N
   3. C
      8.0 N
      Correct
   4. D
      10.0 N
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: C

   Mass of object = ρ × V = 2.5 g/cm³ × 400 cm³ = 1000 g → Weight = 10 N (using g = 10 m/s²).
   Volume submerged = 400/2 = 200 cm³.
   Upthrust = ρ_water × V_sub × g = 1 g/cm³ × 200 cm³ = 200 gf = 2 N.
   Spring balance reading = Weight − Upthrust = 10 − 2 = 8 N.

7. 7.A mercury-in-glass thermometer read 4cm at ice point and 29cm at steam point. Calculate the temperature when the mercury level is at 9cm
   1. A
      15°C
   2. B
      25°C
   3. C
      10°C
   4. D
      20°C
      Correct
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: D

   Using the thermometer calibration formula:
   θ = (L − L₀) / (L₁₀₀ − L₀) × 100
   where L₀ = 4 cm (ice point), L₁₀₀ = 29 cm (steam point), L = 9 cm.
   θ = (9 − 4) / (29 − 4) × 100 = 5/25 × 100 = 20°C.

8. 8.A process by which two light atoms join to form a new atom of higher atomic mass is
   1. A
      nuclear fission
   2. B
      radioactive decay
   3. C
      nuclear transmutation by bombardment
   4. D
      nuclear fusion
      Correct
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: D

   Nuclear fusion is the process in which two light nuclei (e.g. deuterium and tritium) combine to form a heavier nucleus with release of large amounts of energy. The general form is:
   ²H + ³H → ⁴He + n + energy
   This is the reaction that powers the sun. Fission is the splitting of a heavy nucleus; decay and transmutation by bombardment are different processes.

9. 9.Which of the following statements correctly defines the boiling point of a liquid? The temperature at which the
   1. A
      saturated vapour pressure of the liquid equals the external atmospheric pressure
      Correct
   2. B
      average kinetic energy of molecules reaches its maximum possible value
   3. C
      liquid begins to evaporate at its surface for the first time
   4. D
      rate of evaporation first equals the rate of condensation
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   Answer: A

   The boiling point of a liquid is defined as the temperature at which its saturated vapour pressure equals the external (atmospheric) pressure. At this point bubbles of vapour form throughout the liquid, not just at the surface. This explains why boiling point decreases at high altitudes (lower atmospheric pressure) and increases in a pressure cooker (higher pressure).

10. 10.Total internal reflection. i. is a phenomenon of refraction of light. ii. occurs when light rays travel into a denser medium. iii. occurs when the critical angle is just exceeded. iv. is a phenomenon of reflection of light. Which of the statements above are correct?
    1. A
       ii and iv only
    2. B
       iii and iv only
       Correct
    3. C
       i and ii only
    4. D
       i and iii only
    Show answerHide answer

    Answer: B

    Evaluating each statement:
    i. False — total internal reflection is a phenomenon of reflection, not refraction.
    ii. False — it occurs when light travels from a denser to a less dense medium (e.g., glass to air).
    iii. True — it occurs when the angle of incidence exceeds the critical angle.
    iv. True — it is indeed a phenomenon of reflection of light.
    Therefore, statements iii and iv are correct.

The questions come from past JAMB, WAEC and NECO papers. We use software to help write the answer options and explanations, and every answer is checked twice before it goes on the site. How we check

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