ENGAA 2023 (Paper 2)
The ENGAA 2023 (Paper 2) paper in full: all 20 questions, each with its answer. ENGAA is the Engineering Admissions Assessment. Sit it cold under exam timing, mark it, then work back through anything you missed using the solutions below.
Download the original PDF →Question 1
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.
The plane is at an angle of 30° to the horizontal.
The block is now pulled by a force of acting parallel to and up the plane. The block has constant acceleration.
Which expression gives the acceleration of the block?
(gravitational field strength = )
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.
- F.
- G.
Answer: A
Question 2
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.
where is a constant.
At the speed of the object is and the resultant force on the object is .
What is the mass of the object?
- A.0.15 kg
- B.0.40 kg
- C.1.2 kg
- D.2.5 kg
- E.6.7 kg
Answer: D
Question 3
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.

Both waves have period and are moving in the directions shown by the arrows. Wave P has amplitude 2.0 cm and wave Q has amplitude 1.0 cm.
Which diagram represents the resultant wave formed in the same region by waves P and Q at time ?

- A.Image of resultant wave A, peak amplitude 3.0 cm.
- B.Image of resultant wave B, peak amplitude 3.0 cm.
- C.Image of resultant wave C, peak amplitude 1.5 cm.
- D.Image of resultant wave D, peak amplitude 1.5 cm.
- E.Image of resultant wave E, peak amplitude 1.0 cm.
- F.Image of resultant wave F, peak amplitude 1.0 cm.
- G.Image of resultant wave G, straight line
Answer: F
Question 4
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.

The mass of the springs, rod and hook are negligible.
A load of weight 8.4 N is attached to the hook at the lower end of the springs and this causes a total extension of the system of 24 mm.
The arrangement is then changed to:

The load of 8.4 N is attached to the bottom of the lower spring.
What is the total extension of the system at equilibrium in the second arrangement?
(The springs obey Hooke's law.)
- A.3 mm
- B.12 mm
- C.16 mm
- D.24 mm
- E.32 mm
- F.48 mm
- G.64 mm
Answer: E
Question 5
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.
The total mass of the student, the ball and trolley X is 80 kg.
The total mass of the child and trolley Y is 20 kg.
The student on trolley X throws the ball to the child on trolley Y. The ball travels at a horizontal speed of relative to the ground. The child then catches the ball.
What is the speed of separation of the trolleys after the child has caught the ball?
(Assume that air resistance is negligible.)
- A.1.6 ms⁻¹
- B.2.4 ms⁻¹
- C.3.2 ms⁻¹
- D.3.8 ms⁻¹
- E.24 ms⁻¹
Answer: C
Question 6
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.

At time = 0 s the velocity of the object is .
What is the maximum velocity of the object between time = 0 s and time = 6 s?
- A.5.0 ms⁻¹
- B.8.0 ms⁻¹
- C.12 ms⁻¹
- D.20 ms⁻¹
- E.32 ms⁻¹
- F.44 ms⁻¹
Answer: D
Question 7
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.

The three identical resistors in the external circuit each have resistance .
The terminal potential difference across the battery is 16 V.
Which expression gives in terms of ?
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.
- F.
- G.
Answer: D
Question 8
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.

The trolleys are released at the same time. They move towards each other and collide.
Find the value of the ratio
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.1
- E.
- F.2
- G.
Answer: E
Question 9
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.

A 40 N load is moved from end X to end Y. The rod remains horizontal at all times.
Which graph shows the variation of the tension in wire P with the position of the load as it is moved along the rod?

- A.Graph A: T is constant
- B.Graph B: T starts at some value, steps up to a higher constant value, then drops.
- C.Graph C: T is constant, then drops to a lower constant value.
- D.Graph D: T starts at a high constant value, then drops to zero.
- E.Graph E: T decreases linearly from a maximum value at X to a minimum value at Y.
- F.Graph F: T decreases linearly from a maximum value at X to zero at Y.
Answer: F
Question 10
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.

The frequency of the stationary wave in this pipe is .
A second pipe is open at one end and closed at the other end. A stationary sound wave in this pipe contains one more node than the stationary wave shown in the diagram.
The frequency of the stationary wave in the second pipe is .
The speed of sound is the same in both pipes.
What is the length of the second pipe?
- A.4L
- B.6L
- C.8L
- D.10L
- E.12L
Answer: B
Question 11
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.

The cells are identical and have no internal resistance. Each cell can supply the same total amount of energy at a constant voltage before becoming exhausted.
, , and are the lengths of time after which the cells in circuits 1, 2, 3, 4, respectively, become exhausted.
Which comparison of , , and is correct?
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.
- F.
Answer: C
Question 12
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.
where is a constant.
Which expression gives the resultant force on the particle at time ?
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.
- F.
- G.
Answer: D
Question 13
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.
An object of weight is fixed directly to the centre of the wire. The wire stretches so that the object rests in equilibrium at a vertical distance of below the original position of the wire.
What is the Young modulus of the wire?
(Assume that the wire does not exceed its limit of proportionality.)
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.
- F.
- G.
Answer: E
Question 14
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.

The string passes over a light, frictionless pulley.
The maximum force of friction between the block of mass 1.5 kg and the surface of the ramp is 3.5 N.
The maximum force of friction between the block of mass and the surface of the ramp is 5.0 N.
What is the maximum value of that allows the blocks to remain stationary on the surfaces?
(gravitational field strength = )
- A.1.5 kg
- B.1.65 kg
- C.2.35 kg
- D.
- E.
- F.
- G.
Answer: G
Question 15
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.

The wave travels a distance in medium J and a distance in medium K.
The horizontal distance travelled in medium J is . The horizontal distance travelled in medium K is .
The wave travels at speed in medium J. The graph shows how the speed of the wave varies with time as it travels distances and , and that the wave leaves medium K at ms.

What is the value of ?
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.
- F.
- G.
Answer: A
Question 16
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.
where is a constant.
For a sphere of uniform density and mass falling at a constant speed, the drag force heats the surrounding air at a constant rate .
Another sphere of the same material but with mass falls through the air at a different constant speed.
What is the rate at which the drag force on the heavier sphere heats the surrounding air?
- A.2P
- B.4P
- C.8P
- D.16P
- E.32P
- F.64P
Answer: E
Question 17
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.
The graphs show the variation of the horizontal and vertical components of the velocity of the projectile with time from when it is launched until it hits the plane at time .

What is the angle of the plane to the horizontal?
(gravitational field strength = )
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.
- F.
Answer: C
Question 18
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.
The graph shows how the resultant horizontal force acting on the ball varies with time during this collision.

What is the duration of the collision?
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.
- F.
Answer: E
Question 19
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.

The current in the 2.0 V cell is 0.50 A in the direction shown in the diagram.
What is the resistance ?
- A.1.6 Ω
- B.2.7 Ω
- C.3.2 Ω
- D.8.0 Ω
- E.16 Ω
Answer: D
Question 20
1 markNot in the current ESAT specification — included for completeness, but you won't be tested on it.
where is the maximum depth, and and are other constants.
What is the resistance of a vertical column of damp soil of cross-sectional area A and depth ?
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.
- F.
- G.
Answer: E