Physics JAMB CBT Questions and Answers 2027/2028: 40+ Here

To score high in JAMB Physics you need to know more than just the formula. The most important aspect of physics includes understanding physical principles, interpretation of questions correctly, application of appropriate formula and solving problems under examination conditions. Here, you have sample JAMB Physics CBT Questions and Answers that will help you.

The original JAMB-style Physics practice questions and answers gives explanations and practical preparation advice. How to use the official JAMB Physics syllabus for study is also explained. Candidates can also learn how to determine a study material is reliable or not and differentiate it from other unofficial and misleading study materials.

A word of caution – these questions are only for practice. They are NOT leaked JAMB questions, JAMB CBT Examination questions nor does it contain the whole content of the official JAMB syllabus for Physics.

This article covers:

The official focus of the JAMB Physics syllabus

Major Physics topics candidates should study

40 original JAMB-style objective questions

Answers and explanations

Additional practice questions

Common mistakes candidates make

Effective preparation strategies

How to verify JAMB Physics information

Frequently asked questions

What Is JAMB Physics?

Physics is one of the science subjects offered in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Whether a candidate needs Physics depends on the course and institution being applied to . Candidates should therefore check the subject requirements for their specific programme rather than assuming that Physics is required for every science-related course.

The official JAMB Physics syllabus is designed to assess candidates’ ability to understand and interpret physical phenomena and solve problems using relevant concepts and theories. Its stated objectives include encouraging accuracy, precision and objectivity and testing candidates’ ability to apply Physics knowledge correctly.

For current admission and subject-combination requirements, candidates can use JAMB’s Integrated Brochure and Syllabus System (IBASS), which is linked through the Board’s official systems.

Major Areas Covered in JAMB Physics

The official syllabus includes a broad range of topics, including areas such as:

Mechanics and Matter

Measurements and units

Scalars and vectors

Motion

Gravitation

Equilibrium of forces

Work, energy and power

Machines

Elasticity

Pressure and properties of fluids

Heat and Thermal Physics

Temperature and thermometry

Thermal expansion

Gas laws

Quantity of heat

Change of state

Kinetic theory of matter

Waves and Optics

Wave motion

Light

Sound waves and their properties

Electricity and Magnetism

Electrostatics

Current electricity

Magnetism

Electromagnetic fields

Electromagnetic induction

Alternating current and related concepts

Modern and Other Areas of Physics

The detailed syllabus should always be consulted for the complete list of topics and objectives because the official document specifies what candidates are expected to know and do.

Why You Should Study the Objectives, Not Just the Topic Names

Note: Studying Objectives and not just the topic names help you to know what you have to study in order to reach a particular level of understanding of a topic heading.

A topic heading alone will not accurately indicate the level of understanding you will require to cover that topic. For example, knowing that Motion is a topic on the syllabus does not mean that you will simply read through the topic. You will need to understand relevant quantities, understand relationships between them and be able to recognize corresponding sections of graphs and perform appropriate calculations.

When reading the syllabus note the action words i.e. Define, Explain, Identify, Distinguish, Calculate, Apply, Interpret.

Define

Explain

Identify

Distinguish

Calculate

Apply

Interpret

These words are indicators of the kind of knowledge or skills that the student is expected to acquire.

40 JAMB Physics Questions and Answers With Explanations

These are examples of the original questions that were written to expose candidates to common concepts as well as to test their problem solving abilities in senior secondary and UTME-level Physics.

Measurements, Units and Vectors

1. Which of the following is an SI base quantity?

A. Force

B. Pressure

C. Mass

D. Density

Answer: C. Mass

Explanation: Mass is an SI base quantity. Force, pressure and density are derived quantities.

2. The instrument most suitable for measuring the diameter of a thin wire accurately is a

A. metre rule

B. measuring cylinder

C. micrometer screw gauge

D. spring balance

Answer: C. Micrometer screw gauge

Explanation: A micrometer screw gauge is designed for measuring very small dimensions such as the diameter of a wire.

3. Which of the following is a vector quantity?

A. Speed

B. Distance

C. Temperature

D. Velocity

Answer: D. Velocity

Explanation: Velocity has both magnitude and direction. Speed and distance are scalar quantities.

4. A force of 20 N acts on a body of mass 4 kg. What is its acceleration?

A. 5 m/s²

B. 16 m/s²

C. 24 m/s²

D. 80 m/s²

Answer: A. 5 m/s²

Explanation:

Using Newton’s second law:

F = ma

Therefore:

a = F/m = 20/4 = 5 m/s²

Motion and Forces

5. A car moves with a constant velocity of 15 m/s for 4 seconds. How far does it travel?

A. 19 m

B. 45 m

C. 60 m

D. 75 m

Answer: C. 60 m

Explanation:

Distance = velocity × time

= 15 × 4

= 60 m

6. The tendency of a body to resist a change in its state of rest or motion is called

A. momentum

B. inertia

C. friction

D. acceleration

Answer: B. Inertia

Explanation: Inertia is the property of matter that makes an object resist changes in its state of rest or uniform motion.

7. A body moving with uniform acceleration has a

A. constant velocity

B. constant acceleration

C. decreasing mass

D. zero displacement

Answer: B. Constant acceleration

Explanation: Uniform acceleration means the velocity changes by equal amounts in equal intervals of time.

8. A passenger in a moving vehicle tends to move forward when the vehicle suddenly stops because of

A. friction

B. gravity

C. inertia

D. momentum loss

Answer: C. Inertia

Explanation: The passenger’s body tends to continue moving forward due to inertia of motion.

9. Momentum is the product of

A. mass and acceleration

B. mass and velocity

C. force and distance

D. weight and height

Answer: B. Mass and velocity

Explanation:

Momentum, p = mv .

Its SI unit is kg m/s.

10. The resultant force on a body moving with constant velocity is

A. maximum

B. equal to its weight

C. zero

D. increasing

Answer: C. Zero

Explanation: According to Newton’s laws, a body moving with constant velocity has zero acceleration. Since F = ma, the resultant force is zero.

Work, Energy and Power

11. Work is done on a body when a force produces

A. mass

B. displacement

C. inertia

D. density

Answer: B. Displacement

Explanation: Mechanical work is done when a force causes displacement in the direction of the force or has a component in the direction of displacement.

12. A force of 50 N moves an object through 3 m in its direction. Calculate the work done.

A. 16.7 J

B. 47 J

C. 150 J

D. 300 J

Answer: C. 150 J

Explanation:

Work = Force × Distance

= 50 × 3

= 150 J

13. The energy possessed by a moving object is called

A. chemical energy

B. potential energy

C. kinetic energy

D. nuclear energy

Answer: C. Kinetic energy

Explanation: Kinetic energy is energy associated with motion.

14. A machine has an efficiency of 80%. This means that

A. all the input energy is useful

B. 80% of the input energy becomes useful output

C. the machine produces energy

D. 20% of the output is useful

Answer: B. 80% of the input energy becomes useful output

Explanation: Efficiency compares useful output energy or work with total input energy or work.

Properties of Matter and Fluids

15. Pressure is defined as force per unit

A. mass

B. volume

C. area

D. time

Answer: C. Area

Explanation:

Pressure = Force/Area.

The SI unit of pressure is the pascal (Pa).

16. Why does a sharp knife cut more easily than a blunt knife?

A. It has greater mass

B.It produces greater pressure on a smaller area

C. It has less force

D.It has lower density

Answer: B. It produces greater pressure on a smaller area

Explanation: For the same force, reducing the area increases pressure.

17. An object floats in a liquid when

A. its weight is greater than the upthrust

B. the upthrust balances its weight

C. there is no gravitational force

D. it has zero mass

Answer: B. The upthrust balances its weight

Explanation: For an object floating in equilibrium, the upward buoyant force equals the object’s weight.

18. Density is calculated as

A. mass × volume

B. volume/mass

C. mass/volume

D. weight/area

Answer: C. Mass/volume

Explanation:

Density = Mass/Volume.

Heat and Thermal Physics

19. The SI unit of temperature is

A. degree Celsius

B. kelvin

C. joule

D. watt

Answer: B. Kelvin

Explanation: The kelvin (K) is the SI base unit of thermodynamic temperature.

20. Heat transfer through a metal spoon placed in hot tea occurs mainly by

A. conduction

B. convection

C. radiation

D. evaporation

Answer: A. Conduction

Explanation: Metals are good conductors, allowing thermal energy to pass through the material by conduction.

21. The transfer of heat through the movement of a fluid is known as

A. conduction

B. convection

C. radiation

D. sublimation

Answer: B. Convection

Explanation: Convection occurs in liquids and gases through the bulk movement of particles.

22. During the melting of pure ice at constant pressure, its temperature remains constant because the heat supplied is used to

A. increase its kinetic energy only

B. change its state

C. decrease its mass

D. increase its density

Answer: B. Change its state

Explanation: The energy absorbed during a change of state is used to overcome intermolecular forces rather than raise the temperature.

23. Which gas law states that the pressure of a fixed mass of gas is inversely proportional to its volume at constant temperature?

A. Charles’s law

B. Boyle’s law

C. Ohm’s law

D. Hooke’s law

Answer: B. Boyle’s law

Explanation: Boyle’s law states that pressure and volume are inversely related for a fixed mass of gas at constant temperature.

Waves and Sound

24. The number of complete oscillations made per second is called

A. amplitude

B. wavelength

C. frequency

D. period

Answer: C. Frequency

Explanation: Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz).

25. The distance between two successive crests of a transverse wave is its

A. amplitude

B. wavelength

C. frequency

D. velocity

Answer: B. Wavelength

Explanation: Wavelength is the distance between two successive points in phase, such as adjacent crests.

26. The relationship between wave speed (v), frequency (f) and wavelength (λ) is

A. v = f/λ

B. v = λ/f

C. v = fλ

D. v = f + λ

Answer: C. v = fλ

Explanation: Wave speed equals frequency multiplied by wavelength.

27. Sound cannot travel through

A. air

B. water

C. steel

D. a vacuum

Answer: D. A vacuum

Explanation: Sound is a mechanical wave and requires a material medium for transmission.

28. The pitch of a sound is mainly determined by its

A. amplitude

B. frequency

C. speed

D. loudness

Answer: B. Frequency

Explanation: Higher-frequency sounds have higher pitch.

Light and Optics

29. The bending of light as it passes from one medium into another is called

A. reflection

B. diffraction

C. refraction

D. dispersion

Answer: C. Refraction

Explanation: Refraction occurs because the speed of light changes when it enters a different medium.

30. A plane mirror produces an image that is

A. real and inverted

B. virtual and upright

C. real and magnified

D. inverted and diminished

Answer: