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Updated 1 November 2026. Here are KCSE Physics Paper 1 questions and answers built for the 232/1 format, with every calculation set out step by step. Paper 1 is mostly mechanics and heat, and most of its marks are for correct substitution, units and clear working rather than the final number. Work through the questions below with a calculator and a timer, then compare your method line by line.
These are original CBC Guides practice questions in the KCSE style, not a KNEC paper. The solutions are worked answers checked by a teacher, not an official marking scheme.
How KCSE Physics Paper 1 (232/1) Is Structured
Physics Paper 1 is out of 80 marks and every question is compulsory. Section A (25 marks) is a set of short questions, usually two to four marks each. Section B (55 marks) has about five longer, structured questions. On the KNEC 2026 KCSE Examination Timetable, Instructions and Guidelines, Physics 232/1 is on Monday 16 November 2026 from 2.00 to 4.00 pm, the same day as Geography Paper 1 in the morning. With 120 minutes for 80 marks, aim for about 1.5 minutes per mark: roughly 35 minutes for Section A and 80 minutes for Section B.
The same KNEC instructions allow non-programmable calculators in Physics. Fewer candidates take Physics than Biology, and the ones who do tend to be strong in Mathematics, so competition for an A is tight. In the 2024 KCSE, 1,693 candidates scored a mean grade of A out of 962,512, according to the Ministry of Education’s 2024 KCSE Examination Results release.
Section A: Short Physics Paper 1 Questions With Worked Answers
1. Pressure (3 marks)
A block measuring 10 cm × 5 cm × 2 cm weighs 4 N. Find the maximum and minimum pressure it can exert on a table.
Working: Pressure = force ÷ area. Smallest face = 0.05 m × 0.02 m = 0.001 m2, so maximum pressure = 4 ÷ 0.001 = 4,000 Pa. Largest face = 0.1 m × 0.05 m = 0.005 m2, so minimum pressure = 4 ÷ 0.005 = 800 Pa. Converting cm to m first is where most marks are lost.
2. Moments (3 marks)
A uniform metre rule balances on a pivot at the 40 cm mark when a 0.5 N weight hangs at the 10 cm mark. Find the weight of the rule.
Working: The rule’s weight acts at its centre, the 50 cm mark. Clockwise moment = anticlockwise moment: W × (50 − 40) = 0.5 × (40 − 10). 10W = 15, so W = 1.5 N.
3. Springs (3 marks)
A spring stretches 2 cm under a 5 N load. Find the total extension when a 10 N load hangs from (a) two such springs in parallel and (b) two in series.
Working: (a) In parallel each spring carries 5 N, so each stretches 2 cm and the system extends 2 cm. (b) In series each spring carries the full 10 N and stretches 4 cm, so the total is 8 cm.
4. Uniform acceleration (3 marks)
A matatu accelerates uniformly from 5 m/s to 25 m/s in 4 s. Find its acceleration and the distance covered.
Working: a = (v − u) ÷ t = (25 − 5) ÷ 4 = 5 m/s2. s = ½(u + v)t = ½ × 30 × 4 = 60 m.
Section B: Structured Questions With Worked Answers
5. Machines (8 marks)
A pulley system with a velocity ratio of 4 lifts a load of 600 N with an effort of 200 N. (a) Find the mechanical advantage and efficiency. (b) Give two reasons why efficiency is less than 100%.
Working: (a) MA = load ÷ effort = 600 ÷ 200 = 3. Efficiency = MA ÷ VR × 100% = 3 ÷ 4 × 100% = 75%. (b) Work is done against friction in the pulley bearings; work is done lifting the lower pulley block and the string.
6. Quantity of heat (8 marks)
0.2 kg of water at 20 °C is heated to boiling and 0.01 kg of it then turns to steam. Taking the specific heat capacity of water as 4,200 J/kg K and the specific latent heat of vaporisation as 2.26 × 106 J/kg, find the total heat supplied.
Working: Heating: Q1 = mcΔθ = 0.2 × 4,200 × 80 = 67,200 J. Boiling: Q2 = mL = 0.01 × 2.26 × 106 = 22,600 J. Total = 89,800 J. Note that the mass in the latent heat step is only the mass that changes state.
7. Gas laws (6 marks)
A gas occupies 300 cm3 at 27 °C and 1.0 × 105 Pa. Find its volume at 127 °C and 1.2 × 105 Pa.
Working: Convert to kelvin: T1 = 300 K, T2 = 400 K. P1V1/T1 = P2V2/T2, so V2 = (1.0 × 105 × 300 × 400) ÷ (300 × 1.2 × 105) = 333.3 cm3. Using Celsius instead of kelvin earns no marks.
8. Circular motion and floating (8 marks)
(a) A 0.5 kg stone on a 0.8 m string is whirled in a horizontal circle at 4 m/s. Find the tension, ignoring gravity. (b) A wooden block of density 800 kg/m3 floats in water of density 1,000 kg/m3. What fraction of it is submerged? State the law used.
Working: (a) F = mv2 ÷ r = 0.5 × 16 ÷ 0.8 = 10 N. (b) By the law of flotation, a floating body displaces its own weight of fluid. Fraction submerged = 800 ÷ 1,000 = 0.8.
Topics Most Often Tested in Physics Paper 1
- Measurement, density, pressure and the particulate nature of matter
- Forces, moments, equilibrium, centre of gravity and Hooke’s law
- Linear motion, Newton’s laws and momentum
- Work, energy, power and machines
- Thermal expansion, heat transfer, quantity of heat and the gas laws
- Circular motion, floating and sinking, and fluid flow
How to Get Full Marks on Calculations
- Write the formula, substitute with units, then give the answer with its unit. Each line can carry a mark.
- Convert all quantities to SI units before substituting.
- For definitions, use the textbook wording, for example “rate of change of velocity”.
- When a question says “explain”, give the physics reason, not just the observation.
More KCSE Physics Paper 1 Questions and Answers
Most pages ranking for this search are PDF scans without method. Here every number is explained. For topic notes read the KCSE Physics Paper 1 revision guide, then race the clock in the KCSE Physics Paper 1 challenge. Use the KCSE Physics quiz for quick drills and the KCSE Physics practice papers for more. All subjects are on the KCSE quiz index and the paper-by-paper challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many marks is KCSE Physics Paper 1?
80 marks: 25 in Section A and 55 in Section B. All questions are compulsory.
When is KCSE Physics Paper 1 in 2026?
Monday 16 November 2026, 2.00 to 4.00 pm, according to the KNEC 2026 KCSE timetable.
Which topics are in Physics Paper 1 (232/1)?
Mainly mechanics and heat: pressure, moments, Hooke’s law, linear motion, machines, quantity of heat, gas laws, circular motion and floating and sinking.
Is this the KCSE Physics Paper 1 marking scheme?
No. These are original questions with worked answers. KNEC does not publish marking schemes before the exam, and schemes sold for the coming paper are fake.
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