PHY 104: Waves, Optics & Modern Physics
Welcome to PHY 104 – General Physics
This page provides a curated archive of past examination questions for PHY 104, designed to help students revise key concepts, prepare effectively, and practice real-world physics problems.
Course Content – PHY 104
Module 1
- Structure of the atom
- Absorption and emission of light
- X-rays and application in life sciences
- Nuclear energy and nuclear reactions
Module 2
- Behaviour and wave nature of light
- Reflection and refraction of light
- Plane, spherical mirrors and thin lenses
- The eye: defects of vision and their corrections
Module 3
- Intensity, pitch and quality of sound
- Propagation of sound in solids, liquids, and gas
Past Questions: PHY 104 Examination
These questions are taken from the 2019/2020 PHY 104 examination conducted by the Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, ABUAD.
Useful Constants:
- Planck's constant (h) = 6.63 × 10⁻³⁴ J·s
- Speed of light (c) = 3.0 × 10⁸ m/s
- Electron charge (e) = 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C
- 1 eV = 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ J
PHY 104 Past Questions – Sample Section (With Answers)
15. How tall is the image in question 12?
- A. 1.60 m
- B. 0.38 m
- C. 3.80 cm
- D. 1.60 cm
✅ Correct Answer: C. 3.80 cm
1. How far must a girl stand in front of a concave mirror of radius 120 cm to see an erect image four times its natural size?
- A. 480 cm
- B. 30 cm
- C. 45 cm
- D. 30 m
✅ Correct Answer: C. 45 cm
2. What kind of spherical mirror must be used to give an erect image one-fifth as large as the object placed 15 cm in front of it?
- A. Convex mirror; -15.50 cm
- B. Concave mirror; -30.00 cm
- C. Plane mirror; 30.00 cm
- D. Convex mirror; -7.50 cm
✅ Correct Answer: D. Convex mirror; -7.50 cm
3. To break a chemical bond in molecules of human skin and cause sunburn, a photon energy of about 3.50 eV is required. What wavelength does this correspond to?
- A. 354 nm
- B. 350 m
- C. 5.68 × 10⁻²⁶ m
- D. 3.59 × 10⁻⁹ m
✅ Correct Answer: A. 354 nm
4. Will photoelectrons be emitted by a copper surface of work function 4.4 eV when illuminated by visible light?
- A. No
- B. Yes
- C. Not enough information
- D. Incomplete parameters
✅ Correct Answer: A. No
5. The radius of a carbon nucleus is about 3 × 10⁻¹⁵ m and its mass is 12 u. What is the average density of the nuclear material?
- A. 1.06 × 10²⁹ kg/m³
- B. 1.80 × 10¹⁷ kg/m³
- C. 1.99 × 10⁻²⁶ kg/m³
- D. 1.99 × 10²⁶ kg/m³
✅ Correct Answer: D. 1.99 × 10²⁶ kg/m³
6. The mass of carbon-12 is 12 u. What is its binding energy?
- A. 931.000 MeV
- B. 0.099 MeV
- C. 92.000 MeV
- D. 921.000 MeV
✅ Correct Answer: C. 92.000 MeV
7. Determine X and Y in this nuclear reaction: 7 14 N + 2 4 He → 8 17 O + X and Y
- A. Hydrogen; electron
- B. Electron; proton
- C. Proton; neutron
- D. Hydrogen; neutron
✅ Correct Answer: D. Hydrogen; neutron
8. A concave mirror forms an image on a wall 3.0 m in front of the mirror of a headlamp filament 10.0 cm in front. What is the radius of curvature?
- A. 4.61 cm
- B. 19.40 cm
- C. 4.61 m
- D. 1.15 cm
✅ Correct Answer: C. 4.61 m
9. What is the focal length of the mirror in question 8?
- A. 2.30 cm
- B. 2.30 m
- C. 9.70 cm
- D. 0.58 cm
✅ Correct Answer: B. 2.30 m
10. What is the lateral magnification of the image in question 8?
- A. -0.30
- B. 0.30
- C. 30
- D. -30
✅ Correct Answer: D. -30
11. If object height is 5.0 mm, what is the image height in question 8?
- A. 15 m
- B. 150 cm
- C. 150 m
- D. 150 mm
✅ Correct Answer: D. 150 mm
12. Santa checks himself using a convex ornament 0.75 m away. Diameter is 7.2 cm, Santa is 1.6 m tall. What is the image distance?
- A. –1.76 cm
- B. –1.90 cm
- C. 1.90 cm
- D. 1.90 m
✅ Correct Answer: B. –1.90 cm
13. Where is the image formed in question 12?
- A. In front of the mirror
- B. Opposite side of the mirror
- C. At infinity
- D. No image can be seen
✅ Correct Answer: B. Opposite side of the mirror
14. What is the magnification in question 12?
- A. 2.34
- B. 0.0234
- C. -2.34
- D. -0.234
✅ Correct Answer: D. -0.234
15. How tall is the image in question 12?
- A. 1.60 m
- B. 0.38 m
- C. 3.80 cm
- D. 1.60 cm
✅ Correct Answer: C. 3.80 cm
Past Question Scans
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