C165 – Integrated Physical Science (WGU) OA Updated 2026 |
Comprehensive Study Guide, Practice Exam Questions and Answers,
Exam Prep Test Bank, Physical Science Concepts Review, Chemistry and
Physics Fundamentals, Energy Transformations, Matter and Atomic
Structure, Earth and Space Science, Scientific Investigation Methods, and
Detailed Revision Material for Objective Assessment Success
Question 1: What is the SI unit of force?
A. Joule B. Newton C. Watt D. Pascal
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Newton
Rationale: The newton is the standard derived SI unit of force.
Question 2: Which of the following is a vector quantity?
A. Mass B. Speed C. Velocity D. Time
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Velocity
Rationale: Velocity has both magnitude and direction, making it a vector.
Question 3: What is the acceleration of an object in free fall near Earth's surface?
A. 9.8 m/s B. 9.8 m/s² C. 9.8 m²/s D. 9.8 kg/m²
CORRECT ANSWER: B. 9.8 m/s²
Rationale: Gravity accelerates objects downward at approximately 9.8 meters per
second squared.
Question 4: Newton's first law of motion is also known as the law of?
A. Gravity B. Inertia C. Acceleration D. Conservation
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Inertia
Rationale: Newton's first law states that objects resist changes in motion, which is
inertia.
Question 5: If the net force on an object is zero, its acceleration is?
A. Zero B. Constant C. Increasing D. Decreasing
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Zero
Rationale: According to Newton's second law, zero net force results in zero
acceleration.
Question 6: Which formula represents kinetic energy?
A. mgh B. 1/2 mv² C. Fd D. ma
CORRECT ANSWER: B. 1/2 mv²
,Rationale: Kinetic energy is calculated as one-half the mass times the velocity squared.
Question 7: Gravitational potential energy depends on mass, gravity, and?
A. Velocity B. Height C. Time D. Acceleration
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Height
Rationale: Gravitational potential energy is the product of mass, gravitational
acceleration, and height.
Question 8: The rate at which work is done is called?
A. Energy B. Force C. Power D. Momentum
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Power
Rationale: Power is defined as work divided by the time interval.
Question 9: What is the SI unit of work?
A. Newton B. Joule C. Watt D. Pascal
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Joule
Rationale: Work is measured in joules, which is equivalent to a newton-meter.
Question 10: Momentum is the product of mass and?
A. Acceleration B. Velocity C. Force D. Distance
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Velocity
Rationale: Linear momentum is calculated by multiplying an object's mass by its
velocity.
Question 11: In an elastic collision, which quantity is conserved?
A. Only momentum B. Only kinetic energy C. Both momentum and kinetic energy D.
Neither momentum nor kinetic energy
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Both momentum and kinetic energy
Rationale: Elastic collisions conserve both total momentum and total kinetic energy.
Question 12: The time it takes for one complete wave cycle is the?
A. Frequency B. Period C. Wavelength D. Amplitude
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Period
Rationale: The period is the reciprocal of frequency and measures the time per cycle.
Question 13: Sound waves are examples of which type of wave?
A. Transverse B. Longitudinal C. Electromagnetic D. Surface
,CORRECT ANSWER: B. Longitudinal
Rationale: Sound waves propagate through compressions and rarefactions, making
them longitudinal.
Question 14: Which electromagnetic wave has the highest frequency?
A. Radio waves B. Microwaves C. Visible light D. Gamma rays
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Gamma rays
Rationale: Gamma rays have the shortest wavelengths and highest frequencies in the
spectrum.
Question 15: According to Ohm's law, voltage equals current multiplied by?
A. Power B. Resistance C. Charge D. Time
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Resistance
Rationale: Ohm's law is expressed as V = IR, where R is resistance.
Question 16: Heat transfer through direct contact is called?
A. Conduction B. Convection C. Radiation D. Induction
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Conduction
Rationale: Conduction is the transfer of thermal energy through direct molecular
collisions.
Question 17: Heat transfer through the movement of fluids is called?
A. Conduction B. Convection C. Radiation D. Reflection
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Convection
Rationale: Convection involves the bulk movement of liquids or gases transferring heat.
Question 18: Heat transfer through empty space via electromagnetic waves is?
A. Conduction B. Convection C. Radiation D. Insulation
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Radiation
Rationale: Radiation does not require a medium and travels via electromagnetic waves.
Question 19: The temperature at which all molecular motion theoretically stops is?
A. 0 Celsius B. 0 Fahrenheit C. 0 Kelvin D. 273 Kelvin
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 0 Kelvin
Rationale: Absolute zero, or 0 Kelvin, is the theoretical limit of minimum thermal energy.
Question 20: The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another is?
, A. Reflection B. Refraction C. Diffraction D. Interference
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Refraction
Rationale: Refraction occurs due to a change in the speed of light between media.
Question 21: The bouncing of light off a surface is called?
A. Reflection B. Refraction C. Absorption D. Transmission
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Reflection
Rationale: Reflection is the process where light rays bounce back from a surface.
Question 22: The apparent change in frequency of a wave due to motion is the?
A. Doppler effect B. Photoelectric effect C. Compton effect D. Resonance
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Doppler effect
Rationale: The Doppler effect explains the shift in pitch or light color due to relative
motion.
Question 23: Sound cannot travel through a?
A. Solid B. Liquid C. Gas D. Vacuum
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Vacuum
Rationale: Sound requires a physical medium to propagate and cannot travel through a
vacuum.
Question 24: The pitch of a sound is determined by its?
A. Amplitude B. Frequency C. Speed D. Wavelength
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Frequency
Rationale: Higher frequency sound waves are perceived as higher pitch by the human
ear.
Question 25: The loudness of a sound is primarily determined by its?
A. Amplitude B. Frequency C. Speed D. Period
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Amplitude
Rationale: Greater amplitude in a sound wave corresponds to a louder perceived
volume.
Question 26: A lens that is thicker in the middle than at the edges is?
A. Concave B. Convex C. Plane D. Cylindrical
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Convex
Rationale: Convex lenses converge light rays to a focal point.
Comprehensive Study Guide, Practice Exam Questions and Answers,
Exam Prep Test Bank, Physical Science Concepts Review, Chemistry and
Physics Fundamentals, Energy Transformations, Matter and Atomic
Structure, Earth and Space Science, Scientific Investigation Methods, and
Detailed Revision Material for Objective Assessment Success
Question 1: What is the SI unit of force?
A. Joule B. Newton C. Watt D. Pascal
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Newton
Rationale: The newton is the standard derived SI unit of force.
Question 2: Which of the following is a vector quantity?
A. Mass B. Speed C. Velocity D. Time
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Velocity
Rationale: Velocity has both magnitude and direction, making it a vector.
Question 3: What is the acceleration of an object in free fall near Earth's surface?
A. 9.8 m/s B. 9.8 m/s² C. 9.8 m²/s D. 9.8 kg/m²
CORRECT ANSWER: B. 9.8 m/s²
Rationale: Gravity accelerates objects downward at approximately 9.8 meters per
second squared.
Question 4: Newton's first law of motion is also known as the law of?
A. Gravity B. Inertia C. Acceleration D. Conservation
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Inertia
Rationale: Newton's first law states that objects resist changes in motion, which is
inertia.
Question 5: If the net force on an object is zero, its acceleration is?
A. Zero B. Constant C. Increasing D. Decreasing
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Zero
Rationale: According to Newton's second law, zero net force results in zero
acceleration.
Question 6: Which formula represents kinetic energy?
A. mgh B. 1/2 mv² C. Fd D. ma
CORRECT ANSWER: B. 1/2 mv²
,Rationale: Kinetic energy is calculated as one-half the mass times the velocity squared.
Question 7: Gravitational potential energy depends on mass, gravity, and?
A. Velocity B. Height C. Time D. Acceleration
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Height
Rationale: Gravitational potential energy is the product of mass, gravitational
acceleration, and height.
Question 8: The rate at which work is done is called?
A. Energy B. Force C. Power D. Momentum
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Power
Rationale: Power is defined as work divided by the time interval.
Question 9: What is the SI unit of work?
A. Newton B. Joule C. Watt D. Pascal
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Joule
Rationale: Work is measured in joules, which is equivalent to a newton-meter.
Question 10: Momentum is the product of mass and?
A. Acceleration B. Velocity C. Force D. Distance
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Velocity
Rationale: Linear momentum is calculated by multiplying an object's mass by its
velocity.
Question 11: In an elastic collision, which quantity is conserved?
A. Only momentum B. Only kinetic energy C. Both momentum and kinetic energy D.
Neither momentum nor kinetic energy
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Both momentum and kinetic energy
Rationale: Elastic collisions conserve both total momentum and total kinetic energy.
Question 12: The time it takes for one complete wave cycle is the?
A. Frequency B. Period C. Wavelength D. Amplitude
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Period
Rationale: The period is the reciprocal of frequency and measures the time per cycle.
Question 13: Sound waves are examples of which type of wave?
A. Transverse B. Longitudinal C. Electromagnetic D. Surface
,CORRECT ANSWER: B. Longitudinal
Rationale: Sound waves propagate through compressions and rarefactions, making
them longitudinal.
Question 14: Which electromagnetic wave has the highest frequency?
A. Radio waves B. Microwaves C. Visible light D. Gamma rays
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Gamma rays
Rationale: Gamma rays have the shortest wavelengths and highest frequencies in the
spectrum.
Question 15: According to Ohm's law, voltage equals current multiplied by?
A. Power B. Resistance C. Charge D. Time
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Resistance
Rationale: Ohm's law is expressed as V = IR, where R is resistance.
Question 16: Heat transfer through direct contact is called?
A. Conduction B. Convection C. Radiation D. Induction
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Conduction
Rationale: Conduction is the transfer of thermal energy through direct molecular
collisions.
Question 17: Heat transfer through the movement of fluids is called?
A. Conduction B. Convection C. Radiation D. Reflection
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Convection
Rationale: Convection involves the bulk movement of liquids or gases transferring heat.
Question 18: Heat transfer through empty space via electromagnetic waves is?
A. Conduction B. Convection C. Radiation D. Insulation
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Radiation
Rationale: Radiation does not require a medium and travels via electromagnetic waves.
Question 19: The temperature at which all molecular motion theoretically stops is?
A. 0 Celsius B. 0 Fahrenheit C. 0 Kelvin D. 273 Kelvin
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 0 Kelvin
Rationale: Absolute zero, or 0 Kelvin, is the theoretical limit of minimum thermal energy.
Question 20: The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another is?
, A. Reflection B. Refraction C. Diffraction D. Interference
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Refraction
Rationale: Refraction occurs due to a change in the speed of light between media.
Question 21: The bouncing of light off a surface is called?
A. Reflection B. Refraction C. Absorption D. Transmission
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Reflection
Rationale: Reflection is the process where light rays bounce back from a surface.
Question 22: The apparent change in frequency of a wave due to motion is the?
A. Doppler effect B. Photoelectric effect C. Compton effect D. Resonance
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Doppler effect
Rationale: The Doppler effect explains the shift in pitch or light color due to relative
motion.
Question 23: Sound cannot travel through a?
A. Solid B. Liquid C. Gas D. Vacuum
CORRECT ANSWER: D. Vacuum
Rationale: Sound requires a physical medium to propagate and cannot travel through a
vacuum.
Question 24: The pitch of a sound is determined by its?
A. Amplitude B. Frequency C. Speed D. Wavelength
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Frequency
Rationale: Higher frequency sound waves are perceived as higher pitch by the human
ear.
Question 25: The loudness of a sound is primarily determined by its?
A. Amplitude B. Frequency C. Speed D. Period
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Amplitude
Rationale: Greater amplitude in a sound wave corresponds to a louder perceived
volume.
Question 26: A lens that is thicker in the middle than at the edges is?
A. Concave B. Convex C. Plane D. Cylindrical
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Convex
Rationale: Convex lenses converge light rays to a focal point.
