ESAT 2025 Physics Esat.fyi
10 questions10 marks20Updated August 2026
The ESAT 2025 Physics Esat.fyi paper in full: all 10 questions, each with its answer. ESAT is the Engineering and Science Admissions Test. Sit it cold under exam timing, mark it, then work back through anything you missed using the solutions below.
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Question 1
1 markA train travelling at 40 m s⁻¹ brakes uniformly to rest. It covers the first half of its total braking distance in time and the second half in time . What is the ratio ?
- A.1 : 1
- B.1 : 2
- C.1 : √2
- D.1 : (1 + √2)
- E.√2 : 1
- F.2 : 1
- G.(1 + √2) : 1
Answer: D
Question 2
1 markA block of mass 3.0 kg rests on a smooth horizontal floor. A string pulls it with force P at an acute angle θ above the horizontal, where tan θ = 3/4. A separate horizontal force of 20 N acts on the block in the opposite horizontal direction, and the block stays still. Taking g = 10 N kg⁻¹, what is the normal contact force from the floor on the block?
- A.10 N
- B.15 N
- C.18 N
- D.25 N
- E.30 N
- F.45 N
Answer: B
Question 3
1 markTrolley X (mass 2 kg, moving at 6 m s⁻¹) catches up with trolley Y (mass 1 kg, moving at 3 m s⁻¹ in the same direction) and they couple together. How much kinetic energy is lost in the collision?
- A.1.5 J
- B.3.0 J
- C.4.5 J
- D.6.0 J
- E.12 J
- F.37.5 J
- G.40.5 J
Answer: B
Question 4
1 markA 4.0 kg box slides from rest down a slope, descending a vertical height of 3.0 m while travelling 5.0 m along the slope (a 3-4-5 incline). A constant friction force of 14 N acts along the slope. Taking g = 10 N kg⁻¹, what is the box's speed at the bottom?
- A.4.0 m s⁻¹
- B.5.0 m s⁻¹
- C.6.0 m s⁻¹
- D.√35 m s⁻¹
- E.√60 m s⁻¹
- F.8.0 m s⁻¹
Answer: B
Question 5
1 markA light spring of spring constant 25 N m⁻¹ hangs vertically. A 0.50 kg mass is attached and released from rest with the spring at its natural, unstretched length. Taking g = 10 N kg⁻¹, what is the maximum extension of the spring?
- A.0.10 m
- B.0.20 m
- C.0.25 m
- D.0.40 m
- E.0.50 m
- F.0.80 m
Answer: D
Question 6
1 markA cylinder with a light, freely moving piston traps 300 cm³ of air at the surface of a lake, where atmospheric pressure equals the pressure of a 10 m column of the lake water. The cylinder is lowered until the trapped air occupies 100 cm³, at constant temperature. How far below the surface is the piston then?
- A.10 m
- B.20 m
- C.30 m
- D.40 m
- E.60 m
- F.90 m
- G.200 m
Answer: B
Question 7
1 markHow much energy is needed to convert 0.50 kg of ice at −20 °C into water at 30 °C? (Specific heat capacity of ice = 2100 J kg⁻¹ °C⁻¹; specific latent heat of fusion of ice = 3.4 × 10⁵ J kg⁻¹; specific heat capacity of water = 4200 J kg⁻¹ °C⁻¹.)
- A.6.3 × 10⁴ J
- B.8.4 × 10⁴ J
- C.1.7 × 10⁵ J
- D.1.91 × 10⁵ J
- E.2.33 × 10⁵ J
- F.2.54 × 10⁵ J
- G.2.75 × 10⁵ J
Answer: F
Question 8
1 markTwo identical resistors, each of resistance R, are connected first in series and then in parallel, each combination in turn across the same ideal battery of e.m.f. V. Consider these statements: (1) The total power delivered by the battery is four times greater for the parallel combination than for the series combination. (2) In the series combination, each resistor dissipates the same power as it would if that resistor alone were connected across the battery. (3) The current drawn from the battery in the parallel combination is four times that in the series combination. Which statement(s) is/are correct?
- A.none
- B.1 only
- C.2 only
- D.3 only
- E.1 and 2
- F.1 and 3
- G.2 and 3
- H.1, 2 and 3
Answer: F
Question 9
1 markPower is transmitted to a workshop through a cable whose two wires each have resistance 1.5 Ω. An ideal step-down transformer at the workshop has a turns ratio (primary : secondary) of 8 : 1 and delivers 24 kW to the workshop at 250 V. At what rate is energy dissipated in the transmission cable?
- A.216 W
- B.432 W
- C.648 W
- D.864 W
- E.3.5 kW
- F.27 kW
Answer: B
Question 10
1 markA nucleus emits, separately, an alpha particle, a beta-minus particle and a gamma photon. Each option gives the change in proton number (ΔZ) and nucleon number (ΔA) of the emitting nucleus, written as alpha (ΔZ, ΔA); beta-minus (ΔZ, ΔA); gamma (ΔZ, ΔA). Which option is correct?
- A.α (−2, −4); β (−1, 0); γ (0, 0)
- B.α (−2, −4); β (+1, 0); γ (0, 0)
- C.α (−4, −2); β (+1, 0); γ (0, 0)
- D.α (−2, −4); β (+1, +1); γ (0, 0)
- E.α (−2, −4); β (+1, 0); γ (−2, −4)
- F.α (+2, −4); β (+1, 0); γ (0, 0)
Answer: B