A town debates a new radio tower and a clinic's X-ray room. Which statement about the two kinds of radiation is correct?U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Radiation Basics (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 004 (physics, technology and society).
Four timings of the same fall give g = 9.21, 9.22, 9.20 and 9.21 m/s². The accepted value is 9.81 m/s². How should the set of measurements be described?Wikipedia, Accuracy and precision (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 002 (methods and equipment of scientific investigations).
In 1956 Chien-Shiung Wu designed and led an experiment on the beta decay of cobalt-60. What did it establish?Wikipedia, Wu experiment (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 003 (the development of scientific thought).
Students time the period T of a pendulum for several lengths L. For small swings the period varies as the square root of the length. Which graph of their data should be a straight line through the origin?Wikipedia, Pendulum (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 001 (principles and procedures of scientific inquiry).
Teachers of physics, biology and earth science plan a joint unit on one idea: the total energy of an isolated system stays constant while energy changes form. Which principle is this?Wikipedia, Conservation of energy (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 005 (interrelationships among the sciences).
Why must liquid nitrogen never be kept in a tightly sealed container during a demonstration?Wikipedia, Liquid nitrogen (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 002 (methods and equipment of scientific investigations).
Show all 50 questions (44 more)
Mechanics 12
A 0.050 kg lump of clay moving at 6.0 m/s sticks to a 0.25 kg block at rest on smooth ice. How much kinetic energy is lost in the collision?Wikipedia, Inelastic collision (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 008 (conservation of energy and momentum).
A 0.16 kg puck slides across rough ice. The coefficient of kinetic friction is 0.10 and g = 9.8 m/s². At what rate does the puck slow down?Wikipedia, Friction (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 007 (Newton's laws and universal gravitation).
A 0.50 kg mass on a spring of constant 50 N/m oscillates with an amplitude of 0.20 m on a frictionless track. What is its greatest speed?Wikipedia, Simple harmonic motion (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 010 (oscillatory motion).
A ball rolls off a 20 m cliff with a horizontal speed of 12 m/s. Taking g = 9.8 m/s², about how far from the base of the cliff does it land?Wikipedia, Projectile motion (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 006 (motion in one and two dimensions).
A hoist raises a 30 kg bucket of wet concrete 8.0 m at constant speed in 6.0 s. Taking g = 9.8 m/s², what power does the hoist deliver to the bucket?Wikipedia, Power (physics) (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 008 (conservation of energy and momentum).
A mechanic pulls with a force of 80 N on a wrench handle, 0.25 m from the bolt. The force makes an angle of 30° with the handle. What torque does she apply to the bolt?Wikipedia, Torque (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 009 (torque, equilibrium and rotational dynamics).
A planet circles a star of one solar mass at 4.0 times the Earth's distance from the Sun. By Kepler's third law, how long is its year?Wikipedia, Kepler's laws of planetary motion (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 007 (Newton's laws and universal gravitation).
A spring of constant 200 N/m is compressed 0.10 m and released against a 0.50 kg block on a frictionless table. How fast does the block leave the spring?Wikipedia, Hooke's law (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 008 (conservation of energy and momentum).
A stone is dropped from rest and falls freely for 3.0 s. Taking g = 9.8 m/s² and ignoring air resistance, how far does it fall?Wikipedia, Free fall (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 006 (motion in one and two dimensions).
A turntable with a moment of inertia of 0.40 kg·m² spins freely at 3.0 rad/s. A ring of clay dropped onto it raises the moment of inertia to 0.60 kg·m². What is the new angular speed?Wikipedia, Angular momentum (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 009 (torque, equilibrium and rotational dynamics).
An astronaut has a mass of 60 kg on Earth. On the Moon, where g is about 1.6 m/s², what are the astronaut's mass and weight?Wikipedia, Mass versus weight (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 007 (Newton's laws and universal gravitation).
The position of a cart is x(t) = 4t³ − 6t, with x in meters and t in seconds. What is its velocity at t = 2.0 s?Wikipedia, Velocity (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 006 (motion in one and two dimensions).
Electricity and magnetism 12
A 4.0 μF capacitor is charged to 12 V. How much energy does it store?Wikipedia, Capacitor (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 011 (charge, electric fields and potential).
A charge of +2.0 μC and a charge of −3.0 μC are 0.30 m apart. Taking k = 9.0 × 10⁹ N·m²/C², what force acts between them?Wikipedia, Coulomb's law (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 011 (charge, electric fields and potential).
A heating element takes 800 W on a 240 V supply. If its resistance stayed the same, what power would it take on a 120 V supply?Wikipedia, Electric power (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 012 (simple circuits).
A proton moves at speed v parallel to a uniform magnetic field B. What magnetic force acts on it?Wikipedia, Lorentz force (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 013 (magnetic fields).
An ideal transformer has 500 turns on its primary coil and 25 turns on its secondary. If an alternating voltage of 120 V is applied to the primary, what is the secondary voltage?Wikipedia, Transformer (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 014 (electromagnetic induction).
How should an ammeter and a voltmeter be connected to measure the current through a resistor and the voltage across it?Wikipedia, Ammeter, and Wikipedia, Voltmeter (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 012 (simple circuits).
In a simple direct-current motor, which part reverses the current in the rotating coil so that the torque keeps turning it the same way?Wikipedia, Commutator (electric) (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 013 (magnetic fields).
The magnetic field 2.0 cm from a long straight wire is 6.0 × 10⁻⁵ T. With the same current, what is the field 6.0 cm from the wire?Wikipedia, Ampère's circuital law (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 013 (magnetic fields).
The magnetic flux through a wire loop lying on a page points into the page and is growing. By Lenz's law, which way does the induced current flow?Wikipedia, Lenz's law (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 014 (electromagnetic induction).
The magnetic flux through each turn of a 200-turn coil falls steadily from 0.010 Wb to 0.004 Wb in 0.30 s. What is the magnitude of the induced emf?Wikipedia, Faraday's law of induction (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 014 (electromagnetic induction).
Resistors of 10 Ω, 20 Ω and 30 Ω are connected in series across a 24 V battery. What is the voltage across the 20 Ω resistor?Wikipedia, Series and parallel circuits (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 012 (simple circuits).
What is the magnitude of the electric field 0.30 m from a point charge of 2.0 μC? Take k = 9.0 × 10⁹ N·m²/C².Wikipedia, Coulomb's law (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 011 (charge, electric fields and potential).
Waves, acoustics and optics 10
A diver shines a lamp upward through water of refractive index 1.33. Beyond about what angle of incidence at the surface is the light totally internally reflected?Wikipedia, Total internal reflection (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 018 (ray optics).
A lit bulb stands 20 cm from a converging lens of focal length 15 cm. Where does its image form, and what kind is it?Wikipedia, Lens (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 018 (ray optics).
A pipe 0.85 m long has one closed end and one open end. With sound at 340 m/s its fundamental is 100 Hz. What is its next resonant frequency?Wikipedia, Acoustic resonance (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 016 (sound and acoustics).
A quiet room measures 40 dB and a busy street 70 dB. How many times greater is the sound intensity in the street?Wikipedia, Decibel (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 016 (sound and acoustics).
A siren of 500 Hz approaches a listener at rest at 34 m/s. The speed of sound is 340 m/s. What frequency does the listener hear?Wikipedia, Doppler effect (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 016 (sound and acoustics).
A transverse wave travels at 60 m/s along a string whose mass per unit length is 0.0050 kg/m. What is the tension in the string?Wikipedia, String vibration (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 015 (waves and wave motion).
A violin string 0.32 m long, fixed at both ends, sounds a fundamental of 440 Hz. How fast do waves travel along the string?Wikipedia, Standing wave (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 016 (sound and acoustics).
In which kind of wave does the medium vibrate parallel to the direction of travel, and which wave is an example of it?Wikipedia, Longitudinal wave (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 015 (waves and wave motion).
Polarized light of intensity I₀ meets an ideal polarizer whose axis is at 60° to the light's plane of polarization. What intensity passes through?Wikipedia, Polarizer (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 017 (electromagnetic waves and the spectrum).
Two slits 0.25 mm apart throw bright fringes 3.0 mm apart on a screen 1.5 m away. What is the wavelength of the light?Wikipedia, Double-slit experiment (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 017 (electromagnetic waves and the spectrum).
Matter, thermodynamics and modern physics 10
A particle that lives 2.2 μs at rest moves through a laboratory at 0.60 times the speed of light. How long does it live as measured in the laboratory?Wikipedia, Time dilation (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 021 (quantum mechanics and relativity).
A piston does 150 J of work on a gas while the gas loses 60 J of heat to the cylinder walls. What is the change in the internal energy of the gas?Wikipedia, First law of thermodynamics (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 020 (the laws of thermodynamics).
A pot holding 1.5 kg of water cools from 80 °C to 60 °C. How much heat does the water give up? Take its specific heat capacity as 4,184 J/(kg·K).Wikipedia, Specific heat capacity (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 020 (the laws of thermodynamics).
A sample has an activity of 800 Bq and a half-life of 8.0 days. What is its activity after 24 days?Wikipedia, Half-life (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 022 (nuclear physics).
An ideal heat engine takes in heat from a boiler at 400 K and rejects heat to a river at 300 K. What is the greatest efficiency it can reach?Wikipedia, Carnot cycle (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 020 (the laws of thermodynamics).
Below its critical temperature a superconductor shows two defining properties. What are they?Wikipedia, Superconductivity (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 019 (the particulate nature of matter).
How much heat must 0.50 kg of ice at 0 °C absorb to melt completely into water at 0 °C? Take the heat of fusion of water as 334 kJ/kg.Wikipedia, Enthalpy of fusion (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 019 (the particulate nature of matter).
In the standard model, which valence quarks make up a proton?Wikipedia, Proton (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 022 (nuclear physics).
The molecules of an ideal gas at 300 K have a certain root-mean-square speed. At what temperature is that speed twice as great?Wikipedia, Kinetic theory of gases (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 019 (the particulate nature of matter).
Ultraviolet photons of 4.0 eV fall on a metal plate with a work function of 2.3 eV. What is the greatest kinetic energy of the electrons that leave the plate?Wikipedia, Photoelectric effect (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Physics (019) test objectives, objective 021 (quantum mechanics and relativity).
How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the test objectives of the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) field 019, Physics, as the MTTC site prints them (https://www.mttc.nesinc.com/Content/STUDYGUIDE/MI_SG_obj_019.htm and the test page https://www.mttc.nesinc.com/TestView.aspx?f=HTML_FRAG/MI019_TestPage.html, read 2026-10-13): Foundations of Scientific Inquiry, objectives 001-005, 12%; Mechanics, 006-010, 24%; Electricity and Magnetism, 011-014, 24%; Waves, Acoustics, and Optics, 015-018, 20%; Nature of Matter, Thermodynamics, and Modern Physics, 019-022, 20%; 100 multiple-choice questions, 2 hours 30 minutes of testing time, passing score 220. This bank holds 50 questions, spread 6, 12, 12, 10 and 10 over those subareas. 37 answers are numbers worked out from the figures printed in the question, with the working shown in the explanation; the law or formula behind every answer, and every fact, was read on 2026-10-13 in the page named under its question: a named Wikipedia article or the Radiation Basics page of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Licence: Questions, passages, choices and explanations are original work of this site.
How it works
This free MTTC Physics practice test has 50 questions of our own for Physics, field 019: a practice round, a timed exam or a paper test. It is unofficial, and the site is not affiliated with the Michigan Department of Education or Pearson.
Read the full guide
What field 019 covers
By the test objectives read October 13, 2026: foundations of scientific inquiry 12%; mechanics 24%; electricity and magnetism 24%; waves, acoustics and optics 20%; nature of matter, thermodynamics and modern physics 20%. This bank holds 6, 12, 12, 10 and 10. Against the clock, all 50 take 75 minutes: half the real test at its pace.
Worked answers
37 answers are numbers. Each explanation shows the working from the figures in the question, and some name the slip behind a wrong choice, such as dividing by r where the law has r².
Where the answers come from
Each explanation names the page its law or fact was read in: a named Wikipedia article or the Radiation Basics page of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The objectives include calculus for motion in one dimension, so be ready to differentiate a position function.
About one question in eight is on inquiry, lab safety, the history of physics and its ties to society, not on solving problems.
Questions and answers
How many questions are on the MTTC Physics test?
Physics (019) has 100 multiple-choice questions, taken on a computer in 2 hours 30 minutes of testing time. The appointment is 2 hours 45 minutes; the other 15 go to a tutorial and a nondisclosure agreement.
Can you use a calculator on the MTTC Physics test?
The test page says the test comes with an on-screen scientific calculator, and that on-screen constants are provided too. It links to both from its notes.
What is the passing score for MTTC Physics?
A scaled score of 220 on a scale from 100 to 300. The Michigan Department of Education sets it, and the test page lists endorsement codes DE and IE for the field.