COOU · 100 level · 3 units
COOU PHY 101 — Mechanics, Properties of Matter and Thermal Physics Past Questions
Recurring exam topics, sample past questions and revision strategy for PHY 101 at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.
About PHY 101 at COOU
PHY 101 is taken by science, engineering and medical students across Nigerian universities as the foundational physics course. It covers mechanics (kinematics, Newton's laws, work-energy theorem, momentum, circular motion), elasticity, properties of fluids, simple harmonic motion, and an introduction to thermal physics (temperature, heat capacity, calorimetry, gas laws). Past questions emphasise problem-solving with the standard formulas — kinematics equations of motion, F = ma, conservation of energy, conservation of momentum — applied to real-world scenarios. Students under-perform on PHY 101 not because the formulas are hard but because they neglect dimensional analysis and unit consistency. The single most common loss of marks is forgetting to convert units (km/h to m/s, grams to kilograms) before substituting into formulas. Examinations are typically three hours, with 5 to be attempted from 6 multi-part numerical questions. Working must be shown — final-answer-only solutions lose half their marks. CA contributes 30 percent and laboratory work is sometimes a separate non-credit component (PHY 107 or similar).
Recurring Topics in PHY 101 Past Papers
Kinematics
Equations of motion for uniform acceleration; projectile motion.
Newton's laws
Application to dynamics problems; tension, friction, inclined planes.
Work, energy, power
Work-energy theorem; kinetic and potential energy; conservation of mechanical energy.
Momentum and collisions
Conservation of linear momentum; elastic and inelastic collisions.
Circular motion
Centripetal force and acceleration; conical pendulum.
Simple harmonic motion
Equations of SHM; energy in SHM; simple pendulum.
Properties of fluids
Density, pressure, Archimedes' principle, Bernoulli's equation.
Thermal physics
Specific heat capacity, latent heat, gas laws (Boyle's, Charles', combined).
Sample Past Questions (PHY 101)
Q1. A car accelerates uniformly from 20 m/s to 50 m/s in 6 seconds. Calculate the acceleration and the distance covered.
Q2. A 2 kg block is placed on an inclined plane making an angle of 30° with the horizontal. If the coefficient of friction is 0.2, find the acceleration of the block down the plane.
Q3. A ball of mass 0.5 kg is dropped from a height of 5 m. Find its velocity just before it hits the ground (g = 10 m/s²).
Q4. Two bodies of mass 3 kg and 5 kg moving in opposite directions with velocities 4 m/s and 2 m/s respectively collide and stick together. Find their common velocity after collision.
Q5. A simple pendulum has a length of 1 m. Calculate its period of oscillation (g = 9.8 m/s²).
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Q6. Calculate the work done in lifting a 10 kg mass through a vertical distance of 4 m.
Q7. A gas at 27°C occupies 200 cm³ at a pressure of 100 kPa. Find its volume at standard temperature and pressure.
Q8. State and prove the principle of conservation of linear momentum.
PHY 101 Exam Format at COOU
3-hour examination. Attempt 5 of 6 multi-part numerical questions. Working must be shown. CA contributes 30 percent. Practical work (PHY 107 or equivalent) is graded separately.
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