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MC 22 23 24 25 Total

PHYSICS 025
1st MIDTERM EXAM
Friday, 7 November 2003

Time: 7:00 - 9:30 PM

1. This is a closed book test. You may use only the approved
calculator, and the list of formulas provided on the last page. If
you tear off the last page, please do it carefully so the remaining
pages remain stapled.

2. Except for multiple-choice questions, for maximum credit you

should supply complete solutions, not just the answers. Don’t
forget units! Present all work that you wish to be marked on the
page where the problem is stated. You may use the reverse side
for rough work.

3. Feel free to use sketches or diagrams in solving the problems.

4. There are 21 multiple-choice questions and 4 problems. For a

complete exam, do all the multiple choice questions (make your
choice clear!) and any 3 problems. If you do all 4 problems, the
best 3 will be counted.
Marks: 21(multiple choice) + 3(problems)×7 = 42

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 Take g = 9.8 m/s2 unless stated otherwise.

1. The Newton has units of

A. kg⋅m/s
From F = ma, the Newton must have the units of mass×acceleration, i.e.
→ B. kg⋅m/s2
2 kg × m/s2
C. kg⋅s/m
D. m2⋅s/kg
E. kg⋅m2/s

2. A car moves along a straight line from x = 200 m to x = −300 m in 10.0 s. Its average velocity over
this time interval is
A. 10 m/s vav = ∆x ∆t = ( −300 − 200 ) 10.0 m/s
B. −10 m/s
C. 30 m/s
D. −30 m/s
→ E. −50 m/s

3. Which graph of x vs. t corresponds to motion with a negative acceleration?

x x x x x

t t t t t
A B C D E
D. Only this graph has a slope (i.e. velocity) that is always decreasing as t increases.

4. A ball is thrown straight up from ground level with an initial speed of 20 m/s. How long is the ball
in the air? [Take g = 10 m/s2 here and ignore air resistance.]
A. 1.0 s
B. 2.0 s For the complete trip ∆y = 0. Substitute in ∆y =vi∆t − 0.5g(∆t)2 to solve for ∆t = 2vi /g. You could
also use vf = vi− g∆t with vf = 0 to get the time to the top, then double it.
C. 3.0 s
→ D. 4.0 s
E. 5.0 s

5. The are under an acceleration vs. time graph equals

A. the average acceleration
The area has the dimensions of acceleration × time, which is velocity. D
→ B. the change in velocity is ruled out because the area can contain positive and negative
C. the rate of acceleration contributions, reflecting, for example, a change in direction.
D. the change in speed
E. the displacement

6. A flea can jump vertically to a height of 0.6 m on Earth. Assuming it has the same take-off speed,
how high could it jump on a planet where g is 1/3 the value on Earth?
A. 0.2 m
B. 0.6 m Since vf 2 = vi 2 − 2g∆y, setting vf = 0, we get the vertical height as ∆y = vi 2 /2g.
C. 0.9 m Thus ∆y is inversely proportion to g. Thus the height must be multiplied by 3.
→ D. 1.8 m
E. 5.4 m

7. An object is not subject to any forces. Which of the following statements is correct?
A. It can only be at rest.
B. It can move with constant speed in a circular path. This is Newton’s 1st Law.
→ C. It can be in motion with a constant speed and direction.
D. If it is in motion, it will gradually come to rest.
E. It can move in a parabolic path.

8. A space shuttle blasts off vertically from the earth with an acceleration of 5g. An astronaut of mass
m will experience a force from his seat of
A. 0
The free-body diagram has Fseat up and weight mg down. Thus Fseat − mg = m(5g).
B. mg
C. 4mg
D. 5mg
→ E. 6mg

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9. A sofa weighing 1000 N is initially at rest and a horizontal force F is applied to it. The coefficients
of static and kinetic friction are µs = 0.30 and µk = 0.10 . Which statement is correct?
→ A. If F = 200 N, the frictional force will be 200 N. Maximum static friction is
B. If F = 200 N, the sofa will start to move. µsN = 300 N. If F < 300 N,
C. If F = 100 N, the sofa will start to move with constant velocity. the sofa won’t move because
D. If the sofa moves, a 300-N force will keep it moving with constant velocity. Fnet = 0.
E. None of the above.

10. A box is at rest on the floor. The reaction to its weight is a force
A. exerted by the box downward on the floor The weight is the downward gravitational force of
→ B. upward on the Earth exerted by the box the Earth on the box. Thus the reaction is the
C. upward exerted by the floor on the box upward gravitational force of the box on the Earth.
D. downward on the Earth
E. downward on the floor

11. A 1500-kg car is being pulled by a tow truck along a horizontal road with an acceleration of
2.0 m/s2. What horizontal force is being exerted by the tow truck on the car if a frictional force of
500 N opposes the motion of the car?
A. 500 N
For the horizontal direction, Newton’s 2nd Law says Ftow − 500 = ma = 1500×2.0
B. 1500 N
C. 2500 N
D. 3000 N
→ E. 3500 N

12. Why do raindrops fall with constant speed during the later stages of their descent?
A. The gravitational force is the same for all drops
B. The force of gravity is negligible for objects as small as raindrops Newton’s 1st Law says that
constant velocity implies no
C. Evaporation is faster for the larger drops.
net force.
→ D. Air resistance just balances the force of gravity
E. Gravity cannot increase the speed of a falling object to more than 9.8 m/s

13. An astronaut who weighs 800 N at the surface of the Earth is in a spaceship one Earth radius from
the surface of the Earth. The gravitational force exerted by the Earth on the astronaut is
A. 0 N
Since Fgravity = GMEarth m/r2, weight is inversely proportional to r2, where r is measured
B. 10 N from the centre of the Earth. At the surface of the Earth, r = REarth and Fgravity = 800 N.
→ C. 200 N For an object one REarth from the surface of the Earth, r = 2 REarth . Thus the force
D. 400 N decreases by 22.
E. 800 N

14. The torque on the rod due to the 20.0-N force about the left-hand end is
A. 60.0 N⋅m clockwise
Torque τ = rF sinθ and is anticlockwise 20 N
B. 60.0 N⋅m anticlockwise
here. 60o
C. 104 N⋅m clockwise
→ D. 104 N⋅m anticlockwise
E. 120 N⋅m anticlockwise 6.0 m

15. A man’s upper arm held straight out has a mass of 1.6 kg and a centre-of-gravity (CG) 8.5 cm from
the shoulder joint. His lower arm has a mass of 1.3 kg and a CG 35 cm from the shoulder joint. The
CG of the entire straight arm measured from the shoulder joint is
A. 10 cm
B. 15 cm xCG = (1.6×8.5 + 1.3×35)/(1.6 + 1.3) = 20.4 cm
→ C. 20 cm
D. 25 cm
E. 30 cm

16. A pair of pliers has jaws that are 2.0 cm from the pivot. To obtain a mechanical advantage of 8, how
far from the pivot must the pliers be gripped?
A. 0 cm
If M.A. = 8, Fapplied = (1/8) Fload . To make the net torque zero, the gripping force must be
B. 2.0 cm applied 8 times as far form the pivot as the load force.
C. 8.0 cm
→ D. 16 cm
E. 32 cm

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17. A car travels in a horizontal circle with constant speed. The net force on the car is
A. zero
→ B. directed toward the centre of the circle This is necessary to change the direction
C. directed outward from the centre of the circle of the velocity as the path curves.
D. along the direction of motion
E. opposite to the direction of motion

18. A 40-kg girl is on a Ferris wheel, which moves in a vertical circle of radius 16 m at 12 m/s. At the
bottom of the circle, the seat exerts a force on her of
A. 32 N upward
B. 32 N downward The forces on her are the seat force S up and weight W down. Choosing up as
positive, by Newton’s 2nd Law, S − W = ma = m(v2/r) so S = m(g + v2/r)
C. 392 N upward
→ D. 752 N upward
E. 752 N downward

19. A 4.0-kg bone has a moment of inertia I CG = 0.30 kgm 2 about an axis normal to the bone and
through its CG. The value of I about a parallel axis through the joint at the end of the bone, 0.40 m
from the CG is
Iend of bone = ICG + mX2 = 0.30 + 4.0×(0.40)2
A. 0.30 kg⋅m2
B. 0.34 kg⋅m2
C. 0.64 kg⋅m2
→ D. 0.94 kg⋅m2
E. 1.9 kg⋅m2

20. A wheel accelerates from rest to 100 rad/s in 20.0 s. During that period it turns through
A. 2000 rad
B. 1500 rad ∆θ = 0.5 (ωi + ωf) ∆t
→ C. 1000 rad
D. 750 rad
E. 500 rad

21. Two planets are in circular orbits about the same star, with orbit radii of 2.0×1011 m and 6.0×1011 m.
If the inner planet has an orbit period of 1.5 y, the period of the outer planet is
A. 4.5 y
Kepler’s 3rd Law says that the period T and the orbit radius R are related by
→ B. 7.8 y
C. 3.1 y T 2 ∝ R3 i.e. T ∝ R 3 2 . Since the radii are in a ratio of 3, the periods must
be in a ratio of 33/2 = 5.20. Finally the outer period is 5.20 ×1.5 y.
D. 13.5 y
E. 6.0 y

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22. Two football players are practicing their kicking. Simultaneously, they each kick a ball from ground
level. Ball A is given an initial velocity of 25.0 m/s at an angle of 45o to the ground, while ball B is
given an initial velocity of 28.0 m/s at an angle of 35o to the ground. Ignore air resistance in what
follows.

2 a. Which ball hits the ground first? (Hint: think about the components of each ball’s velocity.)
Explain your answer.

The time in the air is proportional to the y-component of the initial velocity: ∆t = 2viy g . Thus the ball with
the smaller v0y hits first. 28.0 sin 35 < 25.0 sin 45 so ball B hits first.

2 b. How long does it take ball B to undergo a horizontal displacement of 55.0 m? [Answer clue: the
answer is between 2 and 3 s.]

Since there is no acceleration in the horizontal direction, ∆x = vix ∆t so ∆t = 55.0 ( 28.0 cos 35 ) = 2.40 s

3 c. How much clearance will there be between ball B and a horizontal bar (on the goal) that is 4.0 m
above ground level and located 55.0 m from the kicker?

∆y = vi sin θi ∆t − 12 g ( ∆t ) = 10.3 m .
2
The y-displacement at ∆t = 2.40 s is given by
Thus ball B clears by 6.3 m.

23. A child pulls a sled of weight W horizontally along the snow at a constant T
speed by exerting a force T on a rope at angle θ above the horizontal. θ

1 a. Explain in words why the statement above implies that friction must be present.

Since the speed is constant, Fnet = 0. Thus the pulling force in the horizontal direction Tcosθ must
be balanced by something else, which is friction.
2 b. Draw a free-body diagram for the sled with all forces clearly labeled.
N
N = normal force
F fk = kinetic friction force
fk θ
W = weight

4 c. Starting from Newton’s 2nd Law, find a formula for the coefficient of kinetic friction µk between
the sled and the snow in terms of T, W, and θ.

In the vertical direction, N + Tsinθ − W = 0, so fk = µk N = µk(W − Tsinθ).

In the horizontal direction, Tcosθ − fk = 0 so µk(W − Tsinθ) = Tcosθ.
This gives µk = Tcosθ /(W − Tsinθ)

Page 5
24. The figure shows a (stick) person supporting a weight
W = 150 N while exercising. We refer to the lower arm+hand as
one unit called the forearm. The forces acting on the forearm are triceps
• its weight w =20 N, humerus
• the triceps force T applied 2.5 cm behind the elbow P, 150 N
• a force R (vertically down) exerted by the humerus at the
elbow, P forearm
• an upward force from the cable equal to the weight of 150 N,
and applied 35 cm beyond P.
The centre of gravity of the forearm is 15 cm from P.

2 a. Using the fact that the net torque on the forearm must be zero, explain why T must be
significantly greater than the weight W that is supported

The upward 150-N force creates a large anticlockwise torque. Most of the clockwise torque to balance this comes
from the triceps force T. Since T is applied at a much smaller distance from the elbow than the150-N force, T must
be significantly larger than this force. The weight of the arm also produces a clockwise torque, but it is small.

3 b. With P as the origin, use the torques on the forearm to find the triceps force T.
Taking anticlockwise torques about the elbow as positive, we have
τ net = −2.5T − 15 × 20 + 150 × 35 = 0 . Note that the humerus force R acts right at the elbow and so
gives no torque. Solving for T gives T = 1.98 × 103 N.

2 c. Find the humerus force R.

Since the net force in the vertical direction must be zero, T − R − 20 + 150 = 0 . Solving for R gives
R = 2.11× 10 3 N

25. An airplane of mass m is flying in a horizontal circle of radius

(dashed line) 3.00×103 m at a speed of 100 m/s. The only forces Lift L
acting on it are its weight W, and a lift force L, which is always θ
normal to the wings.
2 a. Explain in words why the airplane must bank (tilt) towards the
Weight W
centre of the circle at some angle θ in order to execute this circular
motion.
Since the airplane is flying in a circle, it must have a radially inward acceleration.
Newton’s 2nd Law implies that there must be a radially inward force. The only way to get
this is to bank so that the lift force L gets a horizontal component.

3 b. Write Newton’s 2nd Law for the vertical direction and for the horizontal direction.

In the vertical direction Fnet = L cosθ − W = 0 since there is no vertical acceleration.

In the horizontal direction (
Fnet = L sin θ = marad = m v 2 r )

2 c. Use the equations of part b. to find tanθ, and hence the numerical value of θ in degrees.
From the first equation of b., L = W cosθ . Substitute this in the second equation:
( ) (
W sin θ cosθ = m v 2 r , which gives tan θ = v 2 gr = 100 2 9.8 × 3 × 10 3 = 0.340 . )
Finally θ = 18.8 .
o

Page 6
 FORMULAS AND CONSTANTS
CONSTANT ACCELERATION
vx = v0 x + 2a x ∆x ∆x = 12 (vx + v0 x ) ∆t
2 2
∆x = v0 x ∆t + 12 a x ∆t 2 vx = v0 x + a x ∆t
Analogous formulas for rotational motion with constant angular acceleration.

NEWTON’S 2nd LAW Fnet = ma

NEWTON’S LAW OF UNIVERSAL GRAVITATION F = Gm1 m2 r 2

CIRCULAR ORBITS v = GM r T ∝ r3 2

FRICTION fk = µk N fs ≤ µs N

CENTRE OF GRAVITY xCG = ∑ wi xi ∑w i y CG = ∑ wi y i ∑w i

i i i i

TORQUE τ = rFperp = (lever arm )F = rF sin θ , where θ is the angle between r and F

ROTATIONAL MOTION
Radial acceleration arad = v 2 r = ω 2r Tangential acceleration atan = α r
τ O ,net = IOα I O = ∑ mi ri for a fixed axis passing through O
2

For a uniform sphere, I CM = 52 MR 2 . For a uniform circular disk, I CM = 12 MR 2 .

For a circular hoop, I CM = MR 2 .
Parallel-axis theorem: I O = I CM + MX 2

ALGEBRA
[
Solution of ax 2 + bx + c = 0 is x = − b ± b 2 − 4ac 2a ]
CONSTANTS
g = 9.80 m/s2 G = 6.67 × 10-11 N⋅m2/kg2
Masses: Mearth = 5.98 × 1024 kg Msun = 1.99 × 1030 kg
Radius of the Earth: RE = 6.38×103 km

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