TENJET – 2025
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E.)
232/2 – PHYSICS PAPER 2 – (Theory)
JULY 2025 TIME: 2 Hours
Name: …………………………………... Index No: ………………………
Candidate’s Signature: …….…............ Date: ……………………………
Instructions to candidates
(a) Write your name and index number in the spaces provided above.
(b) Sign and write the date of examination in the spaces provided above.
(c) This paper consists of two sections: A and B.
(d) Answer ALL the questions in sections A and B in the spaces provided.
(e) All working MUST be clearly shown in the spaces provided in this question paper.
(f) Non-programmable silent electronic calculators and KNEC mathematical tables may
be used except where stated otherwise.
(g) All numerical answers should be expressed in the decimal notations
(h) This paper consists of 11 printed pages.
(i) Candidates should check to ascertain that all pages are printed as indicated and that
no questions are missing.
For Examiner’s Use Only
Section Question Maximum Candidate’s
Score Score
A 1 – 11 25
12 11
13 15
B 14 11
15 10
16 08
TOTAL 80
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SECTION A (25 marks)
1. A sheet of glass painted silvery on one side can enable you see your image but a sheet of
paper like the one you are writing on cannot produce your image. Explain this
observation. (1 mark)
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2. (a) State the unit of charge. (1 mark)
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(b) A 4F capacitor is charged to a potential difference of 120V. Determine the
energy stored in it. (3 marks)
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3. Explain why it is dangerous to light a cigarette near a charging car battery. (2 marks)
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4. The graphs A and B shown in figure 1 represent two electrical materials
A
V(V)
Figure 1
I(A)
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(i) State the law associated with material whose graph is represented by graph B.
(1 mark)
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(ii) Give a reason why the material represented by graph A does not obey the law you
have stated in (i) above. (1 mark)
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(iii) What is the significance of slope obtainable from the graphs. (1 mark)
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5. Suggest one way of reducing echo in theatre halls? (1 mark)
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6. Figure 2 shows a permanent magnet suspended by a string.
(a) State with reason the behaviour of the magnet when the switch is closed.
(2 marks)
N S X Y
A
Figure 2
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(b) State one factor that varies the strength of the electromagnet XY if the setup
remains the same. (1 mark)
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7. State one property that makes blue light considered as part of the electromagnetic
spectrum. (2 marks)
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8. Convex mirrors are used as driving side-mirrors in vehicles. Give two reasons why
convex mirrors are preferred over concave mirrors. (2 marks)
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9. X-rays are emitted when a tube operates at 2x104V and a current of 0.015A is passing
through it. Calculate the number of electrons striking the target per second. (3 marks)
(Take e = 1.6 10 −19 C )
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10. Figure 3 below shows a circuit with a p-n junction and a very low power bulb.
Figure 3
State with reason the observations made on the bulb when the switch is closed.
(2 marks)
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11. State two conditions necessary for total internal reflection to occur. (2 marks)
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SECTION B (55 marks)
12. (a) Define the term diffraction as applied in waves. (1 mark)
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(b) Figure 4 below shows wave fronts before and after passing an opening
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Figure 4
State what would be observed on the pattern after passing the opening if:
(i) The gap was made smaller. (1 mark)
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(ii) The gap was made very large. (1 mark)
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(c) When a meter rule was placed in a ripple tank, it was noted that the distance
between 12 successive dark lines (crests) was 30cm. The frequency of the vibrator
was 20 Hz. Determine;
(i) The wavelength of the waves in the ripple tank. (3 marks)
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(ii) The periodic time of the waves. (3 marks)
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(iii) The velocity of the waves over the water surface. (2 marks)
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13. (a) The figure 5 below shows how an image is formed by a converging lens.
Figure 5
(i) State the value of the focal length of the lens. (1 mark)
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(ii) Determine the power of the lens above. . (3 marks)
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(b) The figure 6 shows a glass lens in air and its two focal points F1 and F2. Three
rays of light pass through F1 to the lens.
Figure 6
On the figure continue the three rays through the lens and into the air. (3 marks)
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(c) Figure 7 represents a certain eye defect
Figure 7
(i) State the defect represented in the figure. (1 mark)
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(ii) Give two causes of the defect represented in the figure. (2 marks)
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(d) A ray of light passes through one surface of a glass prism at right angles to the
surface as shown in figure 8. Given that the critical angle of the glass material is
42°,
(i) Complete the ray to show how it travels until it leaves the prism.
(2 marks)
Figure 8
(ii) Determine the refractive index of the glass material. (3 marks)
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14. (a) (i) Explain why carbon-14 ( 146𝐶 ) is radioactive while carbon 126𝐶 is not.
(1 mark)
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(ii) A radioactive isotope initially exhibited a count rate of 82 counts per day.
After a time of 210 days, the count rate dropped to 19 counts per day. The
background count ever registered remained at 10 counts per day. Determine
the half-life of the material? (3 marks)
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(b) Figure 9 shows the features of a diffusion cloud chamber used for detecting
radiations from a radioactive source.
Figure 9
Explain how the chamber works when a radioactive particle is introduced at the
source. (2 marks)
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(c) (i) What is the purpose of solid carbon (iv) oxide. (1 mark)
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(ii) State one advantage of the cloud chamber over a G.M. tube as a detector of
radioactive radiations. (1 mark)
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(d) The figure 10 below shows a radioactive source with charged plates placed in front
of it. If the three radiations are produced, sketch the path of each radiation as it
passes in between the charged plates (3 marks)
Radioactive source
+
Figure 10
15. (a) Give two reasons why in a lighting circuit, the lamps are connected in parallel.
(2 marks)
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(b) In a three pin-plug, the earth pin is longer than the other two. Give one reason for
this observation. (1 mark)
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(c) Figure 11 shows a bicycle dynamo.
Figure 11
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(i) Briefly describe how the bulb can be made to light when one rides a bicycle.
(3 marks)
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(ii) Suggest one way of making the bulb light brighter. (1 mark)
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(d) A transformer is to be used to provide power to a 12V lamp from an a.c mains
supply of 240V. Determine the number of turns of secondary coil if the primary
coil has 1000 turns. (3 marks)
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16. (a) Draw the symbol of a photo-emissive cell. (2 marks)
(b) State the three factors that determine the emissions of electrons on metal surfaces
by incident radiation. (3 marks)
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(c) (i) Define Work function. (1 mark)
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(ii) Write down the expression for Einstein’s equation. (1 mark)
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(d) What is thermionic emission? (1 mark)
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