IB Physics Practice Test sample questions

These starter questions help you launch a physics mock test quickly. Swap them with your own worksheet, notebook, or textbook questions any time.

1. A ball is thrown horizontally at 10 m/s from a height of 20 m. How long does it take to reach the ground? (g = 10 m/s²)
A) 1 s  B) 2 s  C) 4 s  D) 5 s
2. What is Newton's Third Law?
A) F = ma  B) Every action has an equal and opposite reaction  C) Objects at rest stay at rest  D) Force is proportional to extension
3. A gas is compressed at constant temperature. What happens to its pressure?
A) Decreases  B) Increases  C) Stays the same  D) Depends on the gas type
4. Two waves of equal amplitude interfere destructively. The path difference is:
A) nλ  B) (n + ½)λ  C) nλ/2  D) 2nλ
5. A capacitor of capacitance 50 μF is charged to 10 V. Find the energy stored.
A) 2.5 mJ  B) 5 mJ  C) 25 mJ  D) 500 mJ
6. What is the unit of electric field strength?
A) C/m  B) V·m  C) N/C  D) J/C
7. An alpha particle consists of:
A) 2 protons, 2 neutrons  B) 1 proton, 1 neutron  C) 2 protons, 0 neutrons  D) 0 protons, 2 neutrons
8. The threshold frequency in the photoelectric effect is:
A) the maximum frequency of emitted light  B) the minimum frequency needed to eject electrons  C) the frequency of the emitted electrons  D) the frequency at which stopping voltage is zero
9. A wave has frequency 400 Hz and wavelength 0.85 m. Calculate its speed.
A) 170 m/s  B) 250 m/s  C) 340 m/s  D) 400 m/s
10. Define half-life.
A) Time for half the atoms to gain a proton  B) Time for half the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay  C) Time for the activity to double  D) Half the time for complete decay