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Key Facts: Državna Matura Physics Exam

Centrally organized and scored by NCVVO (Nacionalni centar za vanjsko vrednovanje obrazovanja).

Conducted under the official Pravilnik o polaganju državne mature (NN 56/2026).

Total exam duration is 180 minutes in a single uninterrupted testing session.

Total score is 60 points distributed across multiple-choice, short-answer, and extended problems.

Passing threshold is 25% (15.00 points) to achieve the grade dovoljan (2).

Official formula booklet with physical constants and equations is provided in the test booklet.

Standard non-programmable, non-graphing scientific calculators are permitted.

Exam performance directly determines ranking points on the national university application portal Postani-student.

The Croatian Državna matura Physics is a 180-minute, 60-point national exit examination covering mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, oscillations/optics, and modern physics; a minimum score of 15/60 points (25%) is required to pass.

Sample Državna Matura Physics Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Državna Matura Physics exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A car travels along a straight highway from Zagreb toward Karlovac, covering a distance of 180 km in 2.5 hours at a constant speed. What is the car's speed in meters per second (m/s)?
A.20 m/s
B.15 m/s
C.25 m/s
D.72 m/s
Explanation: Average speed is distance divided by time: v = s / t = 180 km / 2.5 h = 72 km/h. To convert from km/h to m/s, divide by 3.6: v = 72 / 3.6 = 20 m/s.
2A passenger train departs from rest at a railway station and accelerates uniformly along a straight track at 1.5 m/s² for a duration of 8.0 s. What speed does the train reach at the end of this time interval?
A.12 m/s
B.6.0 m/s
C.9.6 m/s
D.48 m/s
Explanation: For uniformly accelerated motion starting from rest (v0 = 0), final velocity is given by v = a · t = (1.5 m/s²) · (8.0 s) = 12 m/s.
3A net horizontal force of 450 N accelerates a heavy shipping crate across a smooth, frictionless warehouse floor at a constant acceleration of 3.0 m/s². What is the mass of the crate?
A.50 kg
B.150 kg
C.450 kg
D.1350 kg
Explanation: According to Newton's second law of motion, F = m · a. Solving for mass gives m = F / a = 450 N / 3.0 m/s² = 150 kg.
4An astronaut has a mass of 70 kg on Earth. What is the astronaut's weight on the surface of Mars, where the gravitational acceleration is g_Mars = 3.7 m/s²?
A.259 N
B.189 N
C.686 N
D.700 N
Explanation: Weight is the gravitational force acting on a mass: W = m · g. On Mars, W = 70 kg · 3.7 m/s² = 259 N.
5A worker pushes a storage cart with a constant horizontal force of 120 N across a level floor over a displacement of 15 m in the direction of the force. How much mechanical work is performed by the worker?
A.1800 J
B.8.0 J
C.180 J
D.1200 J
Explanation: Work done by a constant force parallel to displacement is W = F · s · cos(0°) = 120 N · 15 m · 1 = 1800 J.
6A compact vehicle of mass 1200 kg is traveling along a straight road at a constant speed of 30 m/s. What is the translational kinetic energy of the vehicle?
A.3.6 × 10⁴ J
B.5.4 × 10⁵ J
C.2.7 × 10⁵ J
D.1.08 × 10⁶ J
Explanation: Translational kinetic energy is given by Ek = (1/2) · m · v² = 0.5 · 1200 kg · (30 m/s)² = 600 · 900 = 5.4 × 10⁵ J (540 kJ).
7A 4.0 kg medicine ball is lifted vertically by 2.5 m from the gymnasium floor. Taking g = 9.8 m/s², what is the increase in the ball's gravitational potential energy relative to the floor?
A.10 J
B.24.5 J
C.98 J
D.392 J
Explanation: The change in gravitational potential energy near Earth's surface is ΔEp = m · g · h = 4.0 kg · 9.8 m/s² · 2.5 m = 98 J.
8An electric construction winch lifts a 200 kg steel girder vertically through a height of 6.0 m at a constant velocity in 4.0 s. Taking g = 9.8 m/s², what average power is delivered by the winch motor?
A.2940 W
B.490 W
C.1470 W
D.11760 W
Explanation: Work performed against gravity is W = m · g · h = 200 kg · 9.8 m/s² · 6.0 m = 11760 J. Average power is work divided by time: P = W / t = 11760 J / 4.0 s = 2940 W (2.94 kW).
9A 0.20 kg hockey puck glides horizontally across frictionless ice with a velocity of 35 m/s. What is the magnitude of the linear momentum of the puck?
A.1.75 kg·m/s
B.12.25 kg·m/s
C.70 kg·m/s
D.7.0 kg·m/s
Explanation: Linear momentum is defined as the product of mass and velocity: p = m · v = 0.20 kg · 35 m/s = 7.0 kg·m/s.
10A tennis ball is struck vertically upward from court level with an initial velocity of 24.5 m/s. Neglecting air resistance and taking g = 9.8 m/s², what maximum height above the court does the ball reach?
A.2.5 m
B.15.3 m
C.30.6 m
D.61.3 m
Explanation: At maximum height, vertical velocity is zero: v² = v0² - 2·g·H = 0. Thus, H = v0² / (2·g) = (24.5 m/s)² / (2 · 9.8 m/s²) = 600.25 / 19.6 ≈ 30.6 m.

About the Državna Matura Physics Exam

The Croatian Državna matura in Physics (Fizika) is the standardized national exit examination administered centrally by the National Centre for External Evaluation of Education (Nacionalni centar za vanjsko vrednovanje obrazovanja - NCVVO). As an elective exam taken primarily by students graduating from general and specialized gimnazija programs and technical secondary schools, Physics is the primary admissions prerequisite for competitive STEM university programs in Croatia, including the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER), Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FSB), Faculty of Science (PMF), Faculty of Civil Engineering, and Faculty of Architecture. The examination consists of 60 scoreable points administered in a single continuous 180-minute morning session. Testing items encompass multiple-choice questions, short numerical/concept responses, and multi-step computational problems requiring full derivations. Candidates are provided an official standardized formula booklet (knjižica formula) containing fundamental physical constants and formulas, and may use an approved non-programmable scientific calculator. Scoring adheres to the national grade scale where 25% (15.00 points) achieves the passing grade dovoljan (2).

Exam sponsor: NCVVO. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Questions

60 questions

Time Limit

180 minutes

Passing Score

15 out of 60 points (25%)

Exam / Certification Fees

Free for regular seniors; fee per exam applies for re-sits/external candidates.

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

30%

Mehanika (Mechanics)

Kinematics of 1D and 2D motion, projectile motion, Newton's laws, friction, universal gravitation, circular motion, work, mechanical energy, power, momentum and impulse, conservation laws, and rigid-body rotational dynamics.

15%

Termodinamika (Thermodynamics)

Kinetic molecular theory, equation of state of an ideal gas, thermodynamic state diagrams (p-V, p-T, V-T), work in gas processes, first law of thermodynamics, specific heat, phase transitions, and heat engines/refrigerators.

25%

Elektromagnetizam (Electromagnetism)

Coulomb's law, electrostatic fields and potentials, capacitors, DC circuits with internal resistance, Kirchhoff's circuit laws, magnetic forces and fields, electromagnetic induction, Lenz's rule, and AC principles.

15%

Titranje, valovi i optika (Oscillations, Waves & Optics)

Harmonic oscillators, wave equation and properties, sound intensity and Doppler effect, Snell's law, total reflection, mirrors and thin lenses, optical instruments, interference, and wave diffraction.

15%

Moderna fizika (Modern Physics)

Relativistic kinematics and dynamics, photoelectric effect, photon-electron interactions, de Broglie wavelength, Bohr model of the atom, nuclear structure, radioactive decay kinetics, and nuclear reactions.

Preparing for the Državna Matura Physics Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 15 out of 60 points (25%)
  • Exam length: 60 questions
  • Time limit: 180 minutes
  • Exam / certification fees: Free for regular seniors; fee per exam applies for re-sits/external candidates. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Državna Matura Physics: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master the official NCVVO formula booklet (knjižica formula) well in advance so you immediately know which formulas are provided and can look them up instantly without confusion during the exam.
2Pay meticulous attention to SI units and scientific prefixes (e.g., nano, micro, mega, giga). On constructed-response questions, omitting or misstating the SI unit costs points even if the number is correct.
3Work through past official NCVVO exam papers under real 180-minute exam conditions to refine your time management across both conceptual questions and multi-step calculations.
4In mechanics and electromagnetism, always draw clear free-body diagrams and electric/magnetic field vectors before writing equations. Visualizing force balance prevents sign and trigonometric errors.
5Double-check algebraic rearrangements symbolically before plugging in numerical values on your scientific calculator to prevent multi-step rounding errors.
6Focus systematically on modern physics and thermodynamics; these sections feature straightforward, predictable formula applications that provide high-value points with proper preparation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the passing threshold for the Državna matura Physics examination?

The minimum passing score (prag prolaznosti for grade dovoljan 2) is 25%, corresponding to 15.00 out of 60 possible points. Grade thresholds typically fall at: dobar (3) around 50% (30.00 pts), vrlo dobar (4) around 70% (42.00 pts), and odličan (5) around 85% (51.00 pts), as confirmed each exam session by NCVVO.

What aids and materials are permitted during the Physics matura?

Candidates are allowed a blue or black ballpoint pen, graphite pencil, eraser, ruler, and triangle. Candidates may use an approved standard scientific calculator without graphic display, symbolic algebraic manipulation (CAS), or programmable memory. An official formula booklet (knjižica formula) containing fundamental constants and key equations is provided with the test packet.

How many questions and scoreable points make up the Physics exam?

The examination comprises tasks totaling 60 scoreable points. It includes multiple-choice items (four options with one correct answer), short constructed-response items where candidates calculate and record a numerical value with correct SI units, and extended-response computational tasks requiring full step-by-step physical equations and algebraic derivations.

How much time do students have to complete the Physics matura?

The test duration is exactly 180 continuous minutes (3 hours) without breaks. Pacing is crucial: candidates typically budget around 60 minutes for the multiple-choice section and 120 minutes for short-response and complex computational problems.

Which university programs require Državna matura Physics?

Physics is an elective matura subject (izborni predmet) but is mandatory or carries heavy percentage weight for engineering programs (such as FER, FSB, FESB, RITEH), natural sciences (PMF Physics, Geophysics, Chemistry), computing, architecture, and several medical technology curricula across Croatian universities.

Is there negative marking for incorrect multiple-choice answers?

No. There is no penalty or deduction of points for incorrect answers on the Croatian Državna matura. Candidates should always provide an answer for every single question.

When are the summer and autumn exam sessions held?

The regular summer session (ljetni rok) takes place in June, while the autumn re-sit session (jesenski rok) is held in late August or early September for students seeking to retake or improve their exam scores.