2026/2027 WAEC/GCE Specimen List Physics and Physics Practical Questions and Answers

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Marks: 50

LIKELY SPECIMEN LIST (NIGERIA – HIGH PROBABILITY)

Section A – Mechanics Setup

• Retort stand with clamp
• Spiral spring / rubber band
• Set of slotted masses (50 g, 100 g, etc.)
• Meter rule
• Pointer

Section B – Optics

• Optical pins
• Glass block (rectangular)
• Drawing board
• Protractor
• Plane mirror

Section C – Electricity

• Dry cell / power supply
• Resistor
• Rheostat
• Ammeter
• Voltmeter
• Switch
• Connecting wires

Section D – General Apparatus

• Stopwatch
• Vernier calipers (occasionally)
• Micrometer screw gauge

SECTION A – MECHANICS (HOOKE’S LAW – ADVANCED) (20 MARKS)

1. You are provided with a spring, masses, and a meter rule.

(a) Suspend the spring and measure its original length, L0L_0L0​

(b) Add masses in steps and record new lengths

(c) Plot a graph of Force (N) against Extension (m)

(d) Determine the slope of the graph

(e) Deduce the spring constant $k$

TRAPS

• Using mass instead of force (must convert: $F=mg$)
• Poor graph scale
• Not subtracting original length

EXPECTED RESULT

• Straight line through origin
• Correct slope = spring constant

2026/2027 WAEC/GCE Specimen List Physics and Physics Practical Questions and Answers

SECTION B – OPTICS (REFRACTION – HIGH PRECISION) (15 MARKS)

2. Using the glass block and pins

(a) Trace the glass block and draw normal

(b) Measure angle of incidence $i$

(c) Measure angle of refraction $r$

(d) Calculate refractive index

n=sin⁡isin⁡rn = \frac{\sin i}{\sin r}n=sinrsini​

n=sin⁡isin⁡rn = \frac{\sin i}{\sin r}n=sinrsini​

(e) Repeat for three values and find average

TRAPS

• Wrong normal line
• Measuring wrong angle (common WAEC error)
• Not using sine values

EXPECTED RESULT

• $n\approx 1.5$ (glass)

SECTION C – ELECTRICITY (OHM’S LAW – TRAP VERSION) (15 MARKS)

3. Set up the circuit

(a) Record current and voltage readings

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(b) Plot graph of V against I

(c) Determine resistance from slope

(d) State whether conductor obeys Ohm’s law

TRAPS

• Swapping axes (WAEC penalizes this)
• Using wrong units
• Non-linear graph misinterpretation

EXPECTED RESULT

• Straight line through origin
• Slope = resistance

SECTION D – GENERAL PRACTICAL SKILLS (10 MARKS)

4. Measurement Precision

(a) State two precautions when reading a meter rule

Answer:

• Read at eye level
• Avoid parallax error

(b) State two sources of error in electrical experiment

Answer:

• Heating of resistor
• Poor contact

(c) Why is repeated measurement necessary?

Answer:

• To reduce random error
• To improve accuracy