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Nara Public High School Entrance Examination - Science study materials
Nara Public High School Entrance Examination - Science study resources

Nara Public High School Entrance Examination - Science practice questions

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Question 1Physics: motion and forces

A trolley moves along a straight track at a constant speed of 4 m/s for 6 s. What distance does it travel in this time?

  1. 48 m
  2. 10 m
  3. 1.5 m
  4. 24 m Correct answer.

Explanation

At constant speed, distance equals speed multiplied by time, so 4 m/s × 6 s = 24 m. The motion is uniform, so no acceleration term is needed.

Question 2Physics: motion and forces

A cyclist speeds up uniformly from rest to 8 m/s in 4 s. What is the magnitude of the acceleration?

  1. 32 m/s²
  2. 2 m/s² Correct answer.
  3. 0.5 m/s²
  4. 4 m/s²

Explanation

Acceleration is the change in velocity divided by the time taken: (8 − 0) m/s ÷ 4 s = 2 m/s². Starting from rest makes the change in velocity simply 8 m/s.

Question 3Physics: motion and forces

Which quantity is a vector, possessing both magnitude and direction?

  1. Mass
  2. Time
  3. Velocity Correct answer.
  4. Speed

Explanation

Velocity specifies both how fast and in which direction an object moves, so it is a vector. Mass, time, and speed have magnitude only and are scalars.

Question 4Physics: motion and forces

A book rests on a horizontal desk. Which pair of forces forms an action–reaction pair according to Newton's third law?

  1. The friction on the book and the normal force on the book
  2. The book's weight and the gravitational pull of the book on the Earth Correct answer.
  3. The book's weight and the normal force from the desk on the book
  4. The normal force on the book and the book's weight

Explanation

An action–reaction pair acts on two different bodies and is equal and opposite: the Earth pulls the book down, and the book pulls the Earth up with equal force. The weight and normal force both act on the same book, so they are not such a pair.

Question 5Physics: motion and forces

A net force of 12 N acts on a 3 kg object. What is the resulting acceleration?

  1. 36 m/s²
  2. 9 m/s²
  3. 0.25 m/s²
  4. 4 m/s² Correct answer.

Explanation

Newton's second law gives a = F/m, so 12 N ÷ 3 kg = 4 m/s². The net force and mass must be in SI units, which they are here.

Question 6Physics: motion and forces

On a distance–time graph, a straight line sloping upward shows that the object is:

  1. at rest
  2. moving backward
  3. moving with constant speed Correct answer.
  4. accelerating steadily

Explanation

The slope of a distance–time graph equals speed; a straight line has constant slope, so the speed is constant. A steeper line would mean greater speed, but the straightness indicates no acceleration.

Question 7Physics: motion and forces

Two students push a box in the same direction with forces of 30 N and 20 N, while friction opposes with 15 N. What is the net force on the box?

  1. 65 N
  2. 35 N Correct answer.
  3. 50 N
  4. 5 N

Explanation

Forces in the same direction add (30 + 20 = 50 N), and the opposing friction is subtracted: 50 − 15 = 35 N. The net force determines the box's acceleration.

Question 8Physics: motion and forces

A car travelling at 20 m/s brakes and stops in 5 s. What is the magnitude of its deceleration?

  1. 100 m/s²
  2. 4 m/s² Correct answer.
  3. 15 m/s²
  4. 0.25 m/s²

Explanation

Deceleration magnitude is the change in speed divided by time: (20 − 0) m/s ÷ 5 s = 4 m/s². The velocity decreases, so the acceleration is directed opposite to the motion.

Question 9Physics: motion and forces

An object moves at constant velocity. Which statement must be true?

  1. Its acceleration is increasing.
  2. The net force on it is zero. Correct answer.
  3. Friction does not act on it.
  4. A large net force acts on it.

Explanation

Constant velocity means zero acceleration, and by Newton's second law a net force of zero is required. Individual forces such as friction may still act, but they must cancel.

Question 10Physics: motion and forces

A ball is dropped from rest and falls freely for 3 s. Taking g = 10 m/s² and ignoring air resistance, what is its speed just before landing?

  1. 45 m/s
  2. 3.3 m/s
  3. 30 m/s Correct answer.
  4. 10 m/s

Explanation

Free fall accelerates the ball at g, so speed = g × t = 10 m/s² × 3 s = 30 m/s. Starting from rest means the initial speed contributes nothing.

Question 11Physics: motion and forces

A ball thrown straight up reaches its highest point. At that instant, what is true of its velocity and acceleration?

  1. Velocity is maximum and acceleration is downward.
  2. Velocity is downward and acceleration is zero.
  3. Velocity is zero and acceleration is zero.
  4. Velocity is zero and acceleration is downward. Correct answer.

Explanation

At the top the ball momentarily stops, so velocity is zero, but gravity still acts, giving a downward acceleration of about 9.8 m/s². Acceleration does not vanish just because the speed is momentarily zero.

Question 12Physics: motion and forces

According to Newton's first law, an object continues in uniform motion in a straight line unless:

  1. gravity is present
  2. a net external force acts on it Correct answer.
  3. it is moving fast
  4. its mass changes

Explanation

Newton's first law states that a body keeps its velocity constant unless a net external force acts. This property is called inertia and explains why seatbelts are needed in cars.

Question 13Physics: motion and forces

A 2 kg book sits on a table. Taking g = 10 m/s², what is the normal force the table exerts on the book?

  1. 40 N
  2. 20 N Correct answer.
  3. 2 N
  4. 5 N

Explanation

The book is in equilibrium vertically, so the normal force balances its weight: N = mg = 2 kg × 10 m/s² = 20 N. The normal force is not always equal to the weight, but it is here because the surface is horizontal and nothing else pushes vertically.

Question 14Physics: motion and forces

The same force is applied to two carts. Cart A has mass m and cart B has mass 2m. How does the acceleration of B compare with that of A?

  1. It is the same.
  2. It is half as large. Correct answer.
  3. It is twice as large.
  4. It is four times as large.

Explanation

Since a = F/m, doubling the mass while keeping the force fixed halves the acceleration. Acceleration is inversely proportional to mass for a given force.

Question 15Physics: motion and forces

A velocity–time graph shows a straight line parallel to the time axis. What does this indicate?

  1. Constant acceleration
  2. Zero velocity
  3. Constant velocity Correct answer.
  4. Increasing velocity

Explanation

The slope of a velocity–time graph is acceleration; a horizontal line has zero slope, so acceleration is zero and velocity is constant. The area under the line gives the displacement.

Question 16Physics: motion and forces

A person pushes a wall with a force of 50 N. According to Newton's third law, what force does the wall exert on the person?

  1. 50 N in the opposite direction Correct answer.
  2. Less than 50 N, because the wall is rigid
  3. 0 N, because the wall does not move
  4. 50 N in the same direction

Explanation

Newton's third law says forces occur in equal and opposite pairs, so the wall pushes back on the person with 50 N opposite to the push. Whether the wall moves is irrelevant to the size of the reaction force.

Question 17Physics: motion and forces

A 5 kg crate is pushed across a floor with a horizontal force of 40 N against a friction force of 15 N. What is the acceleration of the crate?

  1. 3 m/s²
  2. 11 m/s²
  3. 8 m/s²
  4. 5 m/s² Correct answer.

Explanation

First find the net force: 40 − 15 = 25 N. Then a = F/m = 25 N ÷ 5 kg = 5 m/s².

Question 18Physics: motion and forces

An object moves along a straight line with constant acceleration of 2 m/s² from an initial speed of 3 m/s. What is its speed after 5 s?

  1. 13 m/s Correct answer.
  2. 7 m/s
  3. 10 m/s
  4. 25 m/s

Explanation

Using v = u + at gives 3 m/s + (2 m/s² × 5 s) = 13 m/s. The change in speed is 10 m/s added to the initial 3 m/s.

Question 19Physics: motion and forces

Why do passengers lurch forward when a moving bus stops suddenly?

  1. Gravity pulls them toward the front of the bus.
  2. Their inertia keeps them moving forward while the bus decelerates. Correct answer.
  3. The bus exerts a forward force on them.
  4. A backward force pushes them forward.

Explanation

By inertia, the passengers tend to keep their forward velocity when the bus slows, so they continue moving relative to the bus. No actual forward force acts; the sensation comes from the frame of reference decelerating.

Question 20Physics: motion and forces

A force of 6 N acts on a 2 kg object initially at rest for 4 s. What is the change in momentum of the object?

  1. 3 kg·m/s
  2. 12 kg·m/s
  3. 24 kg·m/s Correct answer.
  4. 48 kg·m/s

Explanation

Impulse equals change in momentum: F × t = 6 N × 4 s = 24 kg·m/s. Equivalently, the acceleration is 3 m/s², giving a final speed of 12 m/s and momentum 2 × 12 = 24 kg·m/s.

Question 21Physics: motion and forces

Two ice skaters push off from each other and glide apart. Which statement best describes the forces and resulting motion?

  1. The heavier skater experiences the larger force.
  2. Both experience equal forces, but the lighter skater accelerates more. Correct answer.
  3. Both experience equal forces and equal accelerations.
  4. The lighter skater experiences the larger force.

Explanation

The third law gives equal and opposite forces on the two skaters, but a = F/m means the smaller mass gets the larger acceleration. This is why the lighter skater moves away faster.

Question 22Physics: motion and forces

A car travels 150 m in 10 s at constant speed. What is its speed?

  1. 1500 m/s
  2. 160 m/s
  3. 0.067 m/s
  4. 15 m/s Correct answer.

Explanation

Speed is distance divided by time: 150 m ÷ 10 s = 15 m/s. Constant speed means this value holds throughout the journey.

Question 23Physics: motion and forces

On the Moon, the acceleration due to gravity is about one-sixth that on Earth. An astronaut's mass is 60 kg. What happens to the mass and weight when the astronaut travels from Earth to the Moon?

  1. Mass stays 60 kg, and weight becomes about one-sixth. Correct answer.
  2. Both mass and weight become one-sixth.
  3. Mass becomes one-sixth, and weight stays the same.
  4. Both mass and weight stay the same.

Explanation

Mass is a measure of the amount of matter and does not change with location, so it stays 60 kg. Weight is the gravitational force mg, so it falls to about one-sixth because g is one-sixth.

Question 24Physics: motion and forces

A parachutist falls and eventually reaches a constant terminal velocity. What is true at that stage?

  1. Weight has become zero.
  2. Air resistance exceeds weight, so the parachutist slows down.
  3. The net force is zero, so acceleration is zero. Correct answer.
  4. Air resistance has become zero.

Explanation

Terminal velocity occurs when air resistance grows to equal the weight, making the net force zero and the acceleration zero. The parachutist then falls at constant speed.

Question 25Physics: motion and forces

A ball is thrown horizontally from a table and another identical ball is dropped from the same height at the same instant. Ignoring air resistance, which lands first?

  1. The dropped ball
  2. They land at the same time Correct answer.
  3. It depends on the throw speed
  4. The thrown ball

Explanation

Horizontal and vertical motions are independent; both balls start with zero vertical velocity and fall the same height under gravity. So they reach the ground simultaneously, though the thrown ball travels farther horizontally.

Question 26Physics: motion and forces

A cyclist rides 300 m due east, then turns and rides 400 m due north, taking 100 s in total. What is the magnitude of the cyclist's average velocity for the whole trip?

  1. 7 m/s
  2. 3 m/s
  3. 5 m/s Correct answer.
  4. 4 m/s

Explanation

Average velocity is displacement divided by time, and displacement is the straight-line change in position from start to finish. The two legs are perpendicular, so the displacement magnitude is the hypotenuse of a right triangle with sides 300 m and 400 m, namely 500 m. Dividing 500 m by 100 s gives 5 m/s.

Question 27Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A ball is dropped from rest and falls freely under gravity. Ignoring air resistance, which statement correctly describes the energy changes during the fall?

  1. The total mechanical energy increases because the ball speeds up.
  2. Kinetic energy is converted into gravitational potential energy as the ball falls.
  3. Both gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy decrease as the ball falls.
  4. Gravitational potential energy decreases while kinetic energy increases, and their sum stays constant. Correct answer.

Explanation

In free fall the only force doing work is gravity, so mechanical energy is conserved. The lost gravitational potential energy appears as an equal gain in kinetic energy, keeping the sum constant.

Question 28Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A 2.0 kg object is lifted vertically through 3.0 m at constant speed. Taking g = 9.8 m/s², how much gravitational potential energy does it gain?

  1. 4.9 J
  2. 58.8 J Correct answer.
  3. 29.4 J
  4. 19.6 J

Explanation

The gain in gravitational potential energy equals mgh. Multiplying 2.0 kg by 9.8 m/s² by 3.0 m gives about 58.8 J.

Question 29Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

Which quantity is defined as the rate at which work is done or energy is transferred?

  1. Force
  2. Power Correct answer.
  3. Impulse
  4. Momentum

Explanation

Power is the rate of doing work or transferring energy, measured in watts where one watt is one joule per second. The other quantities describe force or motion, not an energy rate.

Question 30Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A transverse wave travels along a rope. Which statement correctly describes the motion of a point on the rope?

  1. It moves along the rope in the direction the wave travels.
  2. It stays completely still while the wave passes.
  3. It moves back and forth at right angles to the direction the wave travels. Correct answer.
  4. It moves in a circle around the rope's axis.

Explanation

In a transverse wave the particles oscillate perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer. The wave moves along the rope while each point vibrates up and down across it.

Question 31Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A sound wave has a frequency of 250 Hz and a wavelength of 1.4 m. What is its speed?

  1. 350 m/s Correct answer.
  2. 180 m/s
  3. 250 m/s
  4. 500 m/s

Explanation

Wave speed equals frequency multiplied by wavelength. Multiplying 250 Hz by 1.4 m gives 350 m/s.

Question 32Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

In a simple series circuit containing a battery and two resistors, which statement is true?

  1. The current is different in each resistor depending on its resistance.
  2. The voltage across each resistor is always equal.
  3. The total resistance is less than either individual resistance.
  4. The current is the same through both resistors. Correct answer.

Explanation

In a series circuit there is a single path, so the same current flows through every component. The voltage divides between resistors in proportion to their resistances.

Question 33Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

Which of the following is a renewable energy resource that ultimately derives its energy from the Sun?

  1. Coal
  2. Uranium fuel
  3. Natural gas
  4. Wind Correct answer.

Explanation

Wind is produced by uneven solar heating of the atmosphere, so it is a renewable resource driven by the Sun. Fossil fuels and nuclear fuel are finite stores not renewed on human timescales.

Question 34Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A 12 V battery is connected across a 4.0 Ω resistor. What current flows through the resistor?

  1. 48 A
  2. 0.33 A
  3. 8.0 A
  4. 3.0 A Correct answer.

Explanation

Ohm's law states that current equals voltage divided by resistance. Dividing 12 V by 4.0 Ω gives 3.0 A.

Question 35Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A 60 W lamp is switched on for 5.0 minutes. How much electrical energy does it transfer?

  1. 1.2 × 10⁴ J
  2. 3.0 × 10⁴ J
  3. 3.0 × 10² J
  4. 1.8 × 10⁴ J Correct answer.

Explanation

Energy equals power multiplied by time, with time in seconds. Five minutes is 300 s, and 60 W × 300 s gives 1.8 × 10⁴ J.

Question 36Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

Two resistors of 6.0 Ω and 3.0 Ω are connected in parallel. What is the combined resistance?

  1. 9.0 Ω
  2. 4.5 Ω
  3. 0.5 Ω
  4. 2.0 Ω Correct answer.

Explanation

For two resistors in parallel the reciprocal of the total equals the sum of reciprocals: 1/6 + 1/3 = 1/2, so the total is 2.0 Ω. The parallel combination is always smaller than the smallest resistor.

Question 37Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A wave passes from deep water into shallower water and slows down. What happens to its frequency and wavelength?

  1. The frequency decreases and the wavelength stays the same.
  2. Both the frequency and the wavelength increase.
  3. The frequency increases and the wavelength decreases.
  4. The frequency stays the same and the wavelength decreases. Correct answer.

Explanation

The frequency is set by the source and does not change when the wave enters a new medium. Since speed equals frequency times wavelength, a lower speed with unchanged frequency means a shorter wavelength.

Question 38Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

An electric kettle rated at 2000 W raises the temperature of 1.0 kg of water by 60 °C. Taking the specific heat capacity of water as 4200 J/(kg·°C) and assuming no heat loss, how long does it take?

  1. 126 s Correct answer.
  2. 252 s
  3. 63 s
  4. 42 s

Explanation

The energy needed is mcΔθ = 1.0 × 4200 × 60 = 252000 J. Dividing by the power of 2000 W gives 126 s.

Question 39Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A current-carrying wire is placed between the poles of a magnet, and the wire experiences a force. Which change would reverse the direction of that force?

  1. Using a thicker wire of the same material
  2. Increasing the current in the wire
  3. Reducing the strength of the magnetic field
  4. Reversing the direction of the current Correct answer.

Explanation

The force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field is perpendicular to both the current and the field, and its direction reverses if either the current or the field is reversed. Changing the current's size or the field strength alters only the magnitude.

Question 40Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A car of mass 800 kg travelling at 15 m/s brakes to rest. How much kinetic energy must be dissipated by the brakes?

  1. 1.2 × 10⁴ J
  2. 6.0 × 10³ J
  3. 1.8 × 10⁵ J
  4. 9.0 × 10⁴ J Correct answer.

Explanation

Kinetic energy is ½mv². Substituting ½ × 800 × 15² gives ½ × 800 × 225 = 90000 J, or 9.0 × 10⁴ J.

Question 41Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

Light from a distant object passes through a converging lens and forms a sharp image on a screen. Which statement about this image is correct?

  1. It is real and upright.
  2. It is real and inverted. Correct answer.
  3. It is virtual and inverted.
  4. It is virtual and upright.

Explanation

A converging lens forms a real image when the object is beyond the focal point, and a real image can be caught on a screen. Such an image is inverted relative to the object.

Question 42Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A spring is stretched and then released, and a mass attached to it oscillates. Which statement best describes the energy transfer during one complete oscillation?

  1. The total energy increases at the extremes of the motion.
  2. Elastic potential energy and kinetic energy continually interchange while the total stays constant. Correct answer.
  3. Energy is stored only as kinetic energy throughout the motion.
  4. Energy is gradually destroyed as the spring returns to its natural length.

Explanation

In an ideal spring-mass system the energy shifts between elastic potential energy at the extremes and kinetic energy at the centre. With no friction the total mechanical energy remains constant.

Question 43Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A transformer has 200 turns on its primary coil and 50 turns on its secondary coil. If the primary is supplied with 240 V alternating current, what is the secondary voltage (assuming an ideal transformer)?

  1. 120 V
  2. 60 V Correct answer.
  3. 48 V
  4. 960 V

Explanation

For an ideal transformer the voltage ratio equals the turns ratio: Vs/Vp = Ns/Np. Here 50/200 × 240 V gives 60 V, a step-down result.

Question 44Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A sound wave travels from air into water, where its speed is much greater. Which statement about the frequency and wavelength in water is correct?

  1. The frequency decreases and the wavelength increases.
  2. Both the frequency and the wavelength decrease.
  3. The frequency increases and the wavelength stays the same.
  4. The frequency stays the same and the wavelength increases. Correct answer.

Explanation

Frequency is determined by the source and does not change at the boundary. Because speed equals frequency times wavelength, a higher speed with fixed frequency produces a longer wavelength.

Question 45Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

An electric heater carries a current of 2.0 A when connected to a 24 V supply. What is the power dissipated by the heater?

  1. 26 W
  2. 0.083 W
  3. 12 W
  4. 48 W Correct answer.

Explanation

Electrical power equals voltage multiplied by current. Multiplying 24 V by 2.0 A gives 48 W.

Question 46Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A block slides down a frictionless curved ramp from a height of 5.0 m and reaches the bottom. Taking g = 9.8 m/s², what is its speed at the bottom?

  1. 9.9 m/s Correct answer.
  2. 4.9 m/s
  3. 24 m/s
  4. 49 m/s

Explanation

All the gravitational potential energy becomes kinetic energy: mgh = ½mv², so v = √(2gh). This gives √(2 × 9.8 × 5.0) ≈ √98 ≈ 9.9 m/s, independent of mass.

Question 47Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

In a house, several appliances are connected in parallel to the same supply. Which statement explains why parallel connection is used?

  1. Switching off one appliance stops the current to all the others.
  2. Each appliance receives the full supply voltage and can be switched independently. Correct answer.
  3. Each appliance receives the same current regardless of its resistance.
  4. The total current drawn is smaller than for a series connection.

Explanation

In a parallel circuit each branch is connected directly across the supply, so every appliance gets the full voltage and works independently. Switching one branch off does not break the others' paths.

Question 48Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A power station transmits electrical energy at high voltage through cables that have some resistance. Why is a high transmission voltage used?

  1. It reduces the current, so less energy is wasted as heat in the cables. Correct answer.
  2. It removes the need for a transformer at the power station.
  3. It makes the cables' resistance smaller.
  4. It increases the current, so more energy reaches the consumer.

Explanation

For a given power, raising the voltage lowers the current (P = VI). Since the heating loss in the cables is I²R, a smaller current greatly reduces energy wasted as heat.

Question 49Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A ray of light strikes a plane mirror at an angle of 30° to the mirror surface. What is the angle between the incident ray and the reflected ray?

  1. 150°
  2. 120° Correct answer.
  3. 60°
  4. 30°

Explanation

The angle of incidence is measured from the normal, so a ray 30° from the surface is 60° from the normal. The reflected ray is also 60° from the normal on the other side, giving 120° between the two rays.

Question 50Physics: energy, waves, and electricity

A 6.0 V battery of negligible internal resistance is connected to a 2.0 Ω resistor in series with a parallel pair of 6.0 Ω and 3.0 Ω resistors. What is the current drawn from the battery?

  1. 0.75 A
  2. 1.5 A Correct answer.
  3. 0.5 A
  4. 3.0 A

Explanation

The parallel pair has combined resistance 2.0 Ω, since 1/6 + 1/3 = 1/2. Adding the series 2.0 Ω gives 4.0 Ω total, so the current is 6.0 V ÷ 4.0 Ω = 1.5 A.