Physics Interview-style Questions

Note: Oxford and Cambridge do not publicly release any interview questions because they often reuse questions across application cycles. Below are interview-style questions of suitable difficulty that will help you prepare for your Oxbridge interview.

Question 1

You have 12 resistors arranged in the shape of a cube as shown in the diagram. Each resistor has resistance R.

a) What is the equivalent resistance between opposite vertices? (e.g. points A and G)

b) What is the equivalent resistance between adjacent vertices? (e.g. points A and B)

c) The resistors are not removed and replaced with capacitor of capacitance C. What is the equivalent resistance between opposite (points A and G) and adjacent (points A and B) vertices?

Question 2

When ice cubes floating in a glass of water melt completely, does the water level rise, fall, or stay the same? Why?

Question 3

A conducting rod of length L slides down two vertical conducting rails separated by distance L. The rails are connected at the bottom by a resistor R, and there's a uniform magnetic field B perpendicular to the plane. Find the terminal velocity.

Question 4

Imagine a tunnel drilled straight through the Earth's centre. Assuming uniform density, show that an object dropped into this tunnel would execute simple harmonic motion.

Question 5

A thin hoop of radius R rolls without slipping down a curved track. The track has the shape y = x²/(4R) near the bottom. Find the normal force on the hoop when it passes through the lowest point, given it started from rest at height h. Account for both translational and rotational motion.

Interview Tips

  • Think out loud: The interviewer will be assessing your ability to think through complex problems. They can only do this if they know your thought process.

  • Be familiar with your syllabus: The interviewer can ask you a question from any topic you have been taught already in your A level/IB syllabus.

  • Practice: There is no better way to prepare than to practice.

For comprehensive guidance, visit our Oxbridge Interview Guide.