Name: 
 

Physics 1st Semester Review


Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

 1. 
Which of the following steps is NOT a part of the scientific method?
a.
Recognize a problem.
d.
Repeat the experiments until the answers match the predictions.
b.
Formulate a general rule based on the predictions and experimental outcome.
e.
Perform experiments to test the predictions.
c.
Make a guess about the answer and predict its consequences.
 

 2. 
A hypothesis is:
a.
an educated guess that has yet to be proven by experiment.
d.
the long side of a triangle.
b.
a guess that has been tested over and over again and always found to be true.
e.
a synthesis of a large collection of information that includes guesses.
c.
close agreement by competent observers of observations of the same phenomena.
 

 3. 
Which of these is a scientific hypothesis?
a.
Albert Einstein is the greatest physicist of the twentieth century.
c.
Atoms are the smallest particles of matter that exist.Which of these is a scientific hypothesis?
b.
The universe is surrounded by a second universe, which cannot be seen.
 

 4. 
A scientific hypothesis may turn out to be right or it may turn out to be wrong.  If it is a valid hypothesis, there must be a test for proving that it is:
a.
wrong.
b.
right.
 

 5. 
Acceleration is best defined as the CHANGE in: 
a.
velocity of an object.
d.
time it takes to move from one place to another place.
b.
distance divided by time interval.
e.
velocity divided by the time interval.
c.
time it takes to move from one speed to another speed.
 

 6. 
In the absence of air resistance, objects fall at constant:
a.
speed.
d.
acceleration.
b.
distances each successive second
e.
all of the above.
c.
velocity.
 

 7. 
Suppose you take a trip that covers 240 km and takes 4 hours to make. Your average speed is:
a.
60 km/h.
d.
960 km/h.
b.
120 km/h.
e.
480 km/h.
c.
240 km/h.
 

 8. 
A ball is thrown straight up. At the top of its path its instantaneous speed is:
a.
about 50 m/s.
d.
about 10 m/s.
b.
0 m/s.
e.
about 20 m/s.
c.
about 5 m/s.
 

 9. 
A vector is a quantity that has:
a.
magnitude and direction.
c.
magnitude and time.
b.
time and direction.
 

 10. 
The horizontal component of a projectile’s velocity is independent of:
a.
the vertical component of its velocity.
c.
the range of the projectile.
b.
time.
 

 11. 
A ball thrown in the air will never go as far as physics ideally would predict because:
a.
gravity is acting.
d.
air friction slows the ball.
b.
one can never throw the ball fast enough.
e.
all of the above.
c.
ideally the ball would never land.
 

 12. 
A ball is thrown straight upward at 20 m/s. Ideally (no air resistance), the ball will return to the thrower’s hand with a speed of:
a.
0 m/s 
d.
10 m/s.
b.
40 m/s.
e.
There is not enough information to say.
c.
20 m/s.
 

 13. 
2. The law if inertia states that an object:
a.
will continue moving in a straight line unless an outside force acts on it.
d.
will continue moving at the same velocity unless an outside force acts on it.
b.
that is not moving will never move unless a force acts on it.
e.
all of the above.
c.
at rest will remain at rest unless acted on by an outside force.
 

 14. 
The force required to maintain an object at a constant speed in free space is equal to:      
a.
the mass of the object.
d.
the weight of the object.
b.
zero. 
e.
none of the above.
c.
the force required to stop it.
 

 15. 
When a woman stands with two feet on a scale, the scale reads 500 N.  When she lifts one foot, the scale reads:
a.
500 N.
c.
more than 500 N.
b.
less than 500 N.
 

 16. 
Which has more mass, a kilogram of feathers or a kilogram of iron?
a.
The iron
c.
Neither -- they both have the same mass.
b.
The feathers
 

 17. 
Accelerations are produced by:
a.
accelerations.
d.
velocities.
b.
masses.
e.
none of the above.
c.
forces.
 

 18. 
A 10-kg brick and a 1-kg book are dropped in a vacuum. The force of gravity on the 10-kg brick is:
a.
the same as the force on the 1-kg book.
c.
10 times as much as the force on the 1-kg book.
b.
zero.
 

 19. 
The unit of pressure is:
a.
newtons per meter.
d.
meters per second squared.
b.
the meter.     
e.
newtons per square meter (or pascals).
c.
the newton.
 

 20. 
You pull horizontally on a 50-kg crate with a force of 500 N, and the friction force on the crate is 250 N. The acceleration of the crate is:
a.
2 m/s2.
c.
4 m/s2.
b.
5 m/s2.
d.
zero.
 

 21. 
An archer shoots an arrow. Consider the action force to be the bow string against the arrow. The reaction to this force is the:
a.
friction of the ground against the archer’s feet.
d.
grip of the archer’s hand on the bow.
b.
air resistance against the bow.
e.
weight of the arrow.
c.
arrow’s push against the bowstring.
 

 22. 
An unfortunate bug splatters against the windshield of a moving car. Compared to  the deceleration of the car, the deceleration of the bug is:
a.
the same.
c.
larger.
b.
smaller.     
 

 23. 
A karate chop delivers a blow of 3000 N to a a board that breaks. The force that acts on the hand during this feat:
a.
cannot be determined.
c.
is less that 3000 N.     
b.
is 3000 N.
d.
is more than 3000 N.
 

 24. 
As a 500-N woman sits on the floor, the floor exerts a force on her of:
a.
1000 N.
d.
500 N.
b.
50 N.
e.
5 N.
c.
250 N.
 

 25. 
The momentum change of an object is equal to the:
a.
force acting on it times its velocity.
d.
object’s mass times the force acting on it.
b.
force acting on it.
e.
impulse acting on it.
c.
velocity change of the object.
 

 26. 
A moving freight car runs into an identical car at rest on the track. The cars couple together. Compared to the velocity of the first car before the collision, the velocity of the combined cars after the collision is:
a.
the same.
d.
zero.
b.
one half as large.
e.
twice as large.
c.
More information is needed to say.
 

 27. 
Superman is at rest in space when he throws an asteroid that has more mass than he does. Which moves faster, Superman or the asteroid?
a.
They both move at the same speed.           
c.
The asteroid.
b.
Superman.
 

 28. 
A 2-kg ball is thrown at 3 m/s. What is the ball’s momentum?
a.
3 kg m/s
d.
6 kg m/s
b.
9 kg m/s     
e.
none of the above
c.
2 kg m/s
 

 29. 
The amount of potential energy possessed by an elevated object is equal to:
a.
the power used to lift it.     
d.
the value of the acceleration due to gravity.
b.
the force needed to lift it.
e.
the work done in lifting it.
c.
the distance it is lifted.     
 

 30. 
An arrow in a bow has 70 J of potential energy. Assuming no loss of energy due to heat, how much kinetic energy will it have after it has been shot?
a.
70 J
d.
0 J     
b.
35 J
e.
50 J
c.
140 J
 

 31. 
The ratio of output force to input force of a simple machine is called the:
a.
fulcrum.     
d.
lever arm.
b.
mechanical advantage.
e.
pivot point.
c.
efficiency.
 

 32. 
How much power is expended if you lift a 50-N rock 10 meters in 1 second?
a.
50 W
d.
10 W
b.
0 W
e.
500 W
c.
5 W
 

 33. 
If you whirl a tin can on the end of a string and the string suddenly breaks, the can will:
a.
fly directly away from you.
d.
spiral away from your hand.
b.
spiral in toward your hand.
e.
fly off, tangent to its circular path.
c.
fly directly toward you.
 

 34. 
Torque is defined as:     
a.
force times time.
d.
momentum times radius.
b.
mass times acceleration.
e.
 force times lever arm.
c.
mass times velocity.
 

 35. 
An object will maintain its angular momentum unless acted on by an unbalanced force.     
a.
Always true.
c.
Always false.
b.
Sometimes true.
 

 36. 
To turn a stubborn screw, it is best to use a screwdriver that has a:
a.
yellow handle.
c.
long handle.
b.
wide handle.
d.
none of the above.
 

 37. 
Archimedes’ principle says that an object is bouyed up by a force that is equal to the:
a.
volume of the fluid displaced
d.
mass of the object
b.
weight of the fluid displaced
e.
none of the above
c.
mass of the fluid displaced
 

 38. 
Compared to an empty ship, the same ship loaded with plastic foam will float:
a.
at the same level in the water,
c.
lower in the water.
b.
higher in the water,
 

 39. 
When an ice cube in a glass of water melts, the water level:
a.
remains the same
c.
rises
b.
falls
 

 40. 
The volume of water displaced by a floating 20 000 N boat:
a.
is the volume of the boat
c.
 is 20 000 cubic meters
b.
is the volume of 20 000 N of water
d.
depends on the shape of the ship’s hull.
 

Problem
 

 41. 
A stone is dropped from a cliff. After it has fallen 40 m, what is the stone’s velocity?
 

 42. 
A ball is thrown horizontally from the top of a tall cliff.  Neglecting air drag, what vertical distance has the ball fallen 5.0 seconds later?
 

 43. 
A person weighs 500 N. What is the mass of the person?
 

 44. 
Suppose that you exert 400 N horizontally on a 50-kg crate on a factory floor, when friction between the crate and the floor is 200 N. What is the acceleration of the crate?
 

 45. 
A 60-kg person on in-line skates pushes against a wall with a force of 30 N and recoils.  What acceleration does that person experience?
 

 46. 
What is the average momentum of a 50-kg runner who covers 400 m in 50 s?
 

 47. 
What amount of work is done on a cart that is pushed 4.0 m across a floor by a horizontal 50-N net force?
 

 48. 
A 60-kg boy sits on a seesaw 1.0 m from the fulcrum. What distance from the fulcrum should a 30-kg girl sit in order to balance the seesaw?
 

 49. 
How much pressure do the feet of a 6000-kg science teacher exert on the floor? Assume each foot has an area of 0.10 square meter.
 



 
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