HESI A2 physics practice questions
- free questions here
- 10 free questions here
- topics covered
- 8 topics covered
- last updated
- October 2026 last updated
Ten free HESI A2 physics practice questions are below, each with an explanation. Physics is an optional section that only some programs ask for, so check yours before you study it. It covers speed, velocity and acceleration, Newton's laws, friction, work and energy, rotational motion and simple machines, waves and optics, electricity and magnetism, and fluids.
Physics
10 free physics questions
Answer, check, and read the explanation before you move on.
HESI A2 Physics
Question 1 of 10
An object moves around a circle at constant speed. Why is it accelerating?
Not quite. The answer is A
Key takeaway
Acceleration occurs when speed, direction or both change. In uniform circular motion only the direction changes, but velocity is still changing.
A graph of net force against acceleration for an object of constant mass is best described as:
Not quite. The answer is C
Key takeaway
Since ΣF = m × a, force plotted against acceleration is linear through the origin and the slope is the mass. The hyperbola belongs to acceleration against mass at constant force.
On an incline, the component of gravity acting along the plane, driving the block down the slope, is:
Not quite. The answer is D
Key takeaway
The weight splits into mg sin θ along the plane and mg cos θ perpendicular to it. The along-slope part pulls the block down the incline.
According to the work-energy theorem, net work done on an object equals the change in its ________.
Not quite. The answer is C
Key takeaway
The work-energy theorem states that net work equals the change in ½mv², which is the change in kinetic energy.
For the same angular acceleration, how does the linear acceleration of the rim of a smaller wheel compare with a larger wheel?
Not quite. The answer is D
Key takeaway
Since a_t = r alpha, a smaller radius gives a smaller linear acceleration for the same alpha.
When light passes from air into glass, how does it bend relative to the normal?
Not quite. The answer is B
Key takeaway
Glass has a higher index of refraction than air, so light slows and bends toward the normal. Bending away occurs when leaving into a lower-n medium.
Which statement correctly describes the speed of an electrical signal compared with the drift of individual charges in a wire?
Not quite. The answer is A
Key takeaway
The signal is a rapidly propagating change in the electric field, travelling at a large fraction of light speed. The individual charges themselves drift very slowly.
A needle pierces skin more easily than a finger pressed with the same force because the needle has:
Not quite. The answer is B
Key takeaway
Since P = F/A, the same force on a smaller area gives a greater pressure.
Velocity is defined as displacement divided by time and also includes ________.
Not quite. The answer is B
Key takeaway
Velocity is a vector, so it states both how fast and in which direction. Speed is the quantity that has magnitude only.
Which statement correctly describes Newton's first law of motion, also called the law of inertia?
Not quite. The answer is A
Key takeaway
The first law states that an object at rest stays at rest, and one moving uniformly in a straight line keeps its velocity, unless a net external force acts. The idea that motion needs a continuous force is the refuted Aristotelian view.
Coverage
What HESI A2 physics covers
The topics our practice questions for this section are written to.
- Describe motion (speed, velocity, acceleration)
- Apply Newton's laws of motion
- Describe friction, gravity and projectile motion
- Describe work, energy, power and momentum
- Describe rotational motion and simple machines
- Describe waves, sound and optics
- Describe electricity and magnetism
- Describe fluids, pressure and heat
Tips
How to score higher on physics
- Velocity has a direction; speed does not. That is why circular motion at constant speed is still acceleration.
- Work needs movement in the direction of the force. Holding something still does no work on it.
- Light slows down and bends toward the normal going from air into glass.
- Pressure is force divided by area: the same push on a smaller area presses harder.
FAQ
HESI A2 physics FAQ
Is physics on the HESI A2?
Physics is offered as a section, but only some programs require it. Check your program's admission requirements.
What physics is on the HESI A2?
Motion, Newton's laws, friction, work and energy, rotational motion and simple machines, waves and optics, electricity and magnetism, and fluids.
How many questions are in HESI A2 physics?
We have not found an official count we can cite. Your school or testing center can confirm the section length.
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