UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS: 2021/2022
ORDINARY EXAMINATION FOR THE CERTIFICATE IN INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
CIT 102: FOUNDATION PHYSICS AND ELECTRICITY FOR IT
DATE: NOVEMBER, 2021 TIME: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question One and Any Other Two Questions
QUESTION 1 [COMPULSORY]
a) Define the following terms as used in physics
i) Potential energy
ii) Mathematical relation
iii) Vector [6Marks]
b) Differentiate between liquid and solid as state of matter [4Marks]
c) State the SI units for the following
i) Voltage
ii) Power
iii) Work [3Marks]
d) Differentiate between the following electricity concepts
i) Protons and electrons [2Marks]
ii) Conductors and insulators [2Marks]
e) A golfer drives a 0.10 kg ball from an elevated tee, giving the ball an initial horizontal speed of 40m/s.
The club and the ball are in contact for 1.0 ms. What is the average force exerted by the club on the ball
during this time? [3Marks]
QUESTION 2
a) Explain four phenomena that describe the behavior of waves [4Marks]
b) Hellen and Victor stand 8 meters apart and demonstrate the motion of a transverse wave. The wave can
be described as having a vertical distance of 44 cm from a trough to a crest, a frequency of 3.8 Hz, and a
horizontal distance of 52 cm from a crest to the nearest trough. Determine the following properties of the
wave.
i) The amplitude
ii) Period
iii) Wavelength. [6Marks]
c) A drag racer starting from rest accelerates in a straight line at a constant rate of 5.5m/s2
for 6s.
i) What is the racer’s velocity at the end of this time? [2Marks]
ii) If a parachute deployed at this time causes the racer to slow down uniformly at the rate of
2.4m/s2, how long will it take the racer to come to a stop?
[3Marks]
QUESTION 3
a) State ohms law [2Marks]
b) An electronic circuit comprises of two resistors of 4Ω and 6Ω connected in parallel. The parallel
combination is then connected to a 5 Ω resistor in series. The complete resistive network is connected
across an 8Vd.c power source. Calculate
i) The total circuit resistance [3Marks]
ii) The current from the d.c power source [2Marks]
iii) The potential drop across the 6 Ω resistor [3Marks]
c) Define motion and state its four characteristics [5Marks]
QUESTION 4
a) Estimate the magnitude of the mutual gravitational force between the earth and the moon. (Assume that
the earth and the moon are homogeneous spheres.) Use the following data: mass of the earth is 6.0 x
1024 kg, mass of the moon is 7.4 x 1022 kg and the distance between them is 3.8 x 108m.
[4Marks]
b) Briefly describe the following forces when used in physics
i) Applied Force
ii) Frictional Force
iii) Normal Force [6Marks]
c) Define the term kinetic energy and explain any two types of kinetic energy [5Marks]
