Physics MCQs for USAT Pre-Engineering (USAT-E): Topics and 20 Practice Questions

USAT-E physics questions follow your FSc syllabus. Mechanics and electricity together make up the largest part. Here are the most tested topics and 20 practice questions.

Most tested physics topics in USAT-E

• Mechanics: motion (velocity, acceleration, displacement), Newton's laws, work, energy, power, momentum, circular motion, gravitation
• Electricity and magnetism: Ohm's law, circuits (series and parallel), capacitors, electric field, magnetic force, electromagnetic induction
• Waves and optics: types of waves, wave speed, reflection, refraction, lenses, mirrors, diffraction
• Thermodynamics: temperature, heat, specific heat, gas laws (Boyle's, Charles's, ideal gas law)
• Modern physics: photoelectric effect, atomic models (Bohr model), radioactivity, half-life
• Units and measurements: SI units, conversion, significant figures, dimensional analysis

20 practice MCQs with answers

1. A car travels 100 m in 10 seconds from rest. What is its average velocity?
A) 5 m/s   B) 10 m/s   C) 20 m/s   D) 100 m/s
Answer: B

2. Newton's second law states that force is equal to:
A) Mass × velocity   B) Mass × acceleration   C) Mass / acceleration   D) Velocity / time
Answer: B

3. Which of the following is a scalar quantity?
A) Force   B) Velocity   C) Speed   D) Acceleration
Answer: C

4. The unit of electric resistance is:
A) Volt   B) Ampere   C) Ohm   D) Watt
Answer: C

5. When two resistors are connected in parallel, the total resistance is:
A) Greater than either resistor   B) Less than either resistor   C) Equal to their sum   D) Equal to the larger one
Answer: B

6. The law of conservation of energy states that energy:
A) Can be created but not destroyed   B) Can be destroyed but not created   C) Can neither be created nor destroyed   D) Changes form only in closed systems
Answer: C

7. Which type of wave requires a medium to travel?
A) Light   B) X-rays   C) Sound   D) Radio waves
Answer: C

8. Boyle's law states that at constant temperature, pressure and volume are:
A) Directly proportional   B) Inversely proportional   C) Equal   D) Independent
Answer: B

9. The photoelectric effect proves that light behaves as:
A) A wave   B) A particle   C) Both a wave and a particle   D) Neither
Answer: B

10. An object in free fall has what type of acceleration?
A) Zero   B) Constant   C) Increasing   D) Decreasing
Answer: B

11. The SI unit of power is:
A) Joule   B) Newton   C) Watt   D) Pascal
Answer: C

12. A convex lens is also called a:
A) Diverging lens   B) Concave lens   C) Converging lens   D) Plane lens
Answer: C

13. The half-life of a radioactive element is the time for:
A) All atoms to decay   B) Half the atoms to decay   C) One atom to decay   D) The activity to double
Answer: B

14. Which of the following has the highest frequency?
A) Radio waves   B) Microwaves   C) X-rays   D) Infrared
Answer: C

15. Ohm's law states that current is proportional to:
A) Resistance   B) Voltage   C) Power   D) Capacitance
Answer: B

16. The gravitational force between two objects increases when:
A) Their masses decrease   B) Distance between them increases   C) Their masses increase   D) Temperature increases
Answer: C

17. Electromagnetic induction was discovered by:
A) Newton   B) Einstein   C) Faraday   D) Ohm
Answer: C

18. The speed of light in vacuum is approximately:
A) 3 × 10⁶ m/s   B) 3 × 10⁸ m/s   C) 3 × 10¹⁰ m/s   D) 3 × 10⁴ m/s
Answer: B

19. Work done is zero when force and displacement are:
A) Parallel   B) Anti-parallel   C) Perpendicular   D) Equal
Answer: C

20. The Bohr model of the atom explains:
A) Nuclear fission   B) Electron energy levels   C) Radioactive decay   D) Chemical bonding
Answer: B

How to prepare for physics in USAT-E

Know your formulas and their units cold. In USAT, the fastest way to eliminate wrong answers in physics is unit analysis. If the unit in the answer does not match what the formula gives, that answer is wrong without any calculation.

For full timed USAT-E practice, use our USAT pre-engineering practice tests. For the maths section of USAT-E, see our USAT quantitative reasoning guide.