Teachers' Professional License – Specialized Test: Physics: free practice test

Past exam question Unit: Nature and History of Physics, Links to Other Sciences and the Scientific Method

1. AAbu al-Rayhan al-Biruni

   Al-Biruni is known for determining the specific densities of several metals and stones; he did not write The Balance of Wisdom.

2. BAbd al-Rahman al-Khazini ✓ Correct answer

   Correct. Al-Khazini wrote «The Balance of Wisdom», covering balances, density and motion.

3. CAl-Hasan ibn al-Haytham

   Ibn al-Haytham is the author of the Book of Optics.

4. DAbu Bakr al-Razi

   Al-Razi is known for medicine and chemistry.

Reference: ETEC Physics Teacher Standards (1441 AH / 2020), specialized standard 6.6.1, indicator 3, p. 8

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Past exam question Unit: Practical Work, Mathematical and Statistical Skills

1. A13

   This value is possible since it lies between 3 and 27 and is reached at a suitable angle between the forces.

2. B3

   This is the smallest possible value, reached when the forces point in opposite directions.

3. C23

   This value is possible because it is less than the maximum sum of 27 and more than 3.

4. D30 ✓ Correct answer

   Correct: the resultant ranges from 15-12 = 3\,\text{N} to 15+12 = 27\,\text{N}, so 30 lies outside this range.

Reference: ETEC Physics Teacher Standards (1441 AH / 2020), specialized standard 6.6.4, indicator 2, p. 9

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Past exam question Unit: Mechanics and Fluids

1. AThe mass flow rate is the same in all sections ✓ Correct answer

   Correct: conservation of mass means the same mass passes every section each second, which is the core of the continuity equation.

2. BThe mass flow rate is greater at the narrowest section because the water moves faster there

   The speed is higher at the narrowest section but its area is smaller, so density × area × speed stays constant.

3. CThe mass flow rate is greater at the widest section because its area is larger

   The widest section has a larger area but slower water, so the flow rate does not increase because of it.

4. DThe mass flow rate decreases gradually from the first section to the last

   In steady flow no mass accumulates in or leaves the pipe, so the rate does not drop along the pipe.

Reference: ETEC Physics Teacher Standards (1441 AH / 2020), specialized standard 6.6.6, indicator 2, p. 9; \rho A_1 v_1 = \rho A_2 v_2

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Past exam question Unit: Mechanics and Fluids

1. A20\,\text{J}

   This is force times distance with the angle ignored, as if the force were fully horizontal.

2. B10\sqrt{3}\,\text{J} ✓ Correct answer

   Correct: W = F d \cos\theta = 5 \times 4 \times \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} = 10\sqrt{3}\,\text{J}.

3. C10\,\text{J}

   This comes from using \sin 30^\circ instead of \cos 30^\circ; the angle is measured from the horizontal, so the horizontal component needs the cosine.

4. D5\sqrt{3}\,\text{J}

   This is half the correct value, as if the distance were 2\,\text{m} instead of 4\,\text{m}.

Reference: ETEC Physics Teacher Standards (1441 AH / 2020), specialized standard 6.6.5, indicator 8, p. 9; W = F d \cos\theta

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Past exam question Unit: Heat, Properties of Matter and Thermodynamics

1. A4.38

   This equals k x^2; the factor \frac{1}{2} was forgotten.

2. B17.5

   This equals k x, the force at maximum stretch in newtons, not the work.

3. C8.75

   This equals \frac{1}{2} k x; the extension was not squared.

4. D2.19 ✓ Correct answer

   Correct: W = \frac{1}{2} k x^2 = \frac{1}{2}\times 70 \times (0.25)^2 = 2.1875 \approx 2.19\,\text{J}.

Reference: ETEC Physics Teacher Standards (1441 AH / 2020), specialized standard 6.6.7, indicator 1, p. 10; W = \frac{1}{2} k x^2

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Past exam question Unit: Electrostatics, Current Electricity and Magnetism

1. A3000\,\text{J} ✓ Correct answer

   E = I^2Rt = 5^2\times2\times60 = 3000\,\text{J}.

2. B10\,\text{J}

   This is the potential difference, IR = 10 volts, not an energy.

3. C50\,\text{J}

   This is the power, I^2R = 50 watts, not yet multiplied by the time.

4. D600\,\text{J}

   This is V\,t = 10\times60, missing the factor of the current.

Reference: ETEC Physics Teacher Standards (1441 AH / 2020), specialized standard 6.6.9, indicator 1, p. 10

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Past exam question Unit: Electrostatics, Current Electricity and Magnetism

1. A8\times10^{-17}\,\text{N} ✓ Correct answer

   F = qE = 1.6\times10^{-19}\times500 = 8\times10^{-17}\,\text{N}.

2. B8\times10^{-19}\,\text{N}

   The power of ten is wrong: 1.6\times500=8\times10^{2}, which makes the exponent -17.

3. C3.2\times10^{-17}\,\text{N}

   This does not follow from F = qE; 1.6\times10^{-19}\times500 is 8\times10^{-17}, not 3.2\times10^{-17}.

4. D3.2\times10^{-19}\,\text{N}

   This is just twice the electron charge, 2\times1.6\times10^{-19}, not the product of charge and field strength.

Reference: ETEC Physics Teacher Standards (1441 AH / 2020), specialized standard 6.6.8, indicator 2, p. 10

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Past exam question Unit: Waves and Light

1. A6\,\text{cm}

   This object distance gives a four-times-larger image, but it is virtual and upright, not real.

2. B32\,\text{cm}

   This is the image distance v = 4u, not the object distance.

3. C10\,\text{cm} ✓ Correct answer

   A real image magnified four times means v = 4u, so \frac{1}{u} + \frac{1}{4u} = \frac{1}{8}, giving u = 10\,\text{cm}.

4. D40\,\text{cm}

   At 5f = 40\,\text{cm} the image is real and diminished, near the focal point, not magnified.

Reference: ETEC Physics Teacher Standards (1441 AH / 2020), specialized standard 6.6.13, indicator 3, p. 11; 1/u + 1/v = 1/f

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Past exam question Unit: Modern and Nuclear Physics

1. A2.1\times10^{-27}\,\text{kg}

   This comes from using 1/0.8 instead of the correct Lorentz factor, i.e. forgetting the square root.

2. B1.0\times10^{-27}\,\text{kg}

   This is below the rest mass, which is impossible: relativistic mass increases with speed and never decreases.

3. C2.8\times10^{-27}\,\text{kg} ✓ Correct answer

   Correct: \gamma = \frac{1}{\sqrt{1-0.64}} = \frac{1}{0.6} = \frac{5}{3}, so m = \gamma m_0 = \frac{5}{3}\times1.67\times10^{-27} \approx 2.8\times10^{-27}\,\text{kg}.

4. D1.67\times10^{-27}\,\text{kg}

   This is just the rest mass, meaning the effect of the high speed was ignored.

Reference: ETEC Physics Teacher Standards (1441 AH / 2020), specialized standard 6.6.14, indicator 1, p. 11

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Past exam question Unit: Physics Teaching Strategies, Skills and Assessment

1. ASynthesis (creating) ✓ Correct answer

   Correct: combining knowledge elements into a new, integrated design (a working telescope) is synthesis, one of the upper levels of Bloom's taxonomy.

2. BEvaluation

   Evaluation requires judging the value of something against criteria, which this activity does not ask for.

3. CAnalysis

   Analysis means breaking information into parts and finding relations between them; here students build something new rather than take it apart.

4. DApplication

   Application means using knowledge in a familiar situation such as solving a defined problem; designing a new product from parts goes beyond that.

Reference: ETEC Physics Teacher Standards (1441 AH / 2020), specialized standard 6.6.18, indicator 2, p. 12

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