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Problem 1
In the 2008 Olympics, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt shocked the world as he ran the 100-meter
dash in 9.69 seconds. Determine Usain's average speed for the race.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
10.3 m/s
Problem 2
In the Funny Car competition at the Joliet Speedway in Joliet, Illinois in October of 2004, John
Force complete the ¼-mile dragster race in a record time of 4.437 seconds. Determine the
average speed of the dragster in mi/hr and m/s. GIVEN: (1.000 mi =1609 m)
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
202.8 mi/hr or 90.66 m/s
Problem 3
In the qualifying round of the 50-yd freestyle in the sectional swimming championship, Dugan
got an early lead by finishing the first 25.00 yd in 10.01 seconds. Dugan finished the return leg
(25.00 yd distance) in 10.22 seconds.
a. Determine Dugan's average speed for the entire race.
b. Determine Dugan's average speed for the first 25.00 yd leg of the race.
c. Determine Dugan's average velocity for the entire race.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 2.472 yd/s
b. 2.498 yd/s
c. 0 yd/s
Problem 4
In last week's Homecoming victory, Al Konfurance, the star halfback of South's football team,
broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage and darted upfield untouched. He averaged 9.8 m/s for an
80-yard (73 m) score. Determine the time for Al to run from the line of scrimmage to the end
zone.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
7.5 s
Problem 5
During the annual shuffleboard competition, Renee gives her puck an initial speed of 9.32 m/s.
Once leaving her stick, the puck slows down at a rate of -4.06 m/s/s.
a. Determine the time it takes the puck to slow to a stop.
b. Use your initial speed and the calculated time to determine the average speed and the distance
which the puck travels before stopping.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 2.30 s
b. 10.7 m
Problem 6
Ken Runfast is the star of the cross-country team. During a recent morning run, Ken averaged a
speed of 5.8 m/s for 12.9 minutes. Ken then averaged a speed of 6.10 m/s for 7.1 minutes.
Determine the total distance which Ken ran during his 20 minute jog.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
7100 m (rounded from 7088 m)
Problem 7
The Lamborghini Murcielago can accelerate from 0 to 27.8 m/s (100 km/hr or 62.2 mi/hr) in a
time of 3.40 seconds. Determine the acceleration of this car in both m/s/s and mi/hr/s.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
8.18 m/s/s or 18 mi/hr/s
Problem 8
Homer Agin leads the Varsity team in home runs. In a recent game, Homer hit a 96 mi/hr sinking
curve ball head on, sending it off his bat in the exact opposite direction at 56 mi/hr. The actually
contact between ball and bat lasted for 0.75 milliseconds. Determine the magnitude of the
average acceleration of the ball during the contact with the bat. Express your answer in both
mi/hr/s and in m/s/s. (Given: 1.00 m/s = 2.24 mi/hr)
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
2.0 x 105 mi/hr/s (rounded from 202,667 mi/hr/s)
9.0 x 104 m/s/s (rounded from 90,476 m/s/s)
Problem 9
A Formula One car is a single-seat racing car with an open cockpit and substantial wings located
in the front and rear. At high speeds, the aerodynamics of the car help to create a strong
downward force which allows the car to brake from 27.8 m/s (100 km/hr or 62.2 mi/hr) to 0 in as
small of a distance as 17 meters. Determine the deceleration rate (i.e., acceleration) achieved by
such a car.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
23 m/s/s (rounded from 22.7 m/s/s)
Problem 10
The position-time graph below represents the motion of South's basketball coach during the last
sixteen seconds of overtime during this past weekend's game.
a. How fast was Marcus traveling while following the garbage truck?
b. Determine the distance traveled during the first 4.0 seconds represented on the graph.
c. Determine the acceleration of the car once the garbage truck turned onto the side street.
d. Determine the distance traveled by the car during the last 6.0 seconds of motion.
• Audio Guided Solution
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a. 4.0 m/s
b. 16.0 m
c. 2.67 m/s/s
d. 72.0 m
Problem 15
The velocity-time graph below represents the motion of a car on a city street.
Use the graph to determine the acceleration values of the car at ...
a. 1.4 seconds.
b. 6.8 seconds.
c. 11.6 seconds.
d. 17.6 seconds.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 2.0 m/s/s
b. 0.0 m/s/s
c. 6.0 m/s/s
d. -2.0 m/s/s
Problem 16
After a long soccer practice down at the neighborhood soccer fields, Suzie begins walking up the
steep hill towards her home. She gives her soccer ball a kick up the hill and continues walking
towards it, meeting the ball as it is rolling back down. The velocity-time graph below depicts the
motion of the ball. Use the graph to answer the following questions.
a. At what time did the ball change directions and begin rolling back down the hill?
b. What is the acceleration of the ball as it rolls up the hill? down the hill?
c. How far up the hill did the ball roll before it began to roll back down?
d. Determine the total distance traveled by the ball during the 5.00 seconds - both the distance up
the hill and down the hill.
e. How far up the hill did Suzie walk between the time when she kicked the ball and the time she
met up with the ball (at 5.0 seconds)?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 3.00 s
b. -4.00 m/s/s
c. 18.0 m
d. 26.0 m
e. 10.0 m
Problem 17
Jeremy has recently taken up snowboarding as a hobby. He is practicing making smooth turns
while traveling up sloped inclines. The velocity-time graph below depicts his motion traveling up
an embankment and part-way down. Use the graph to answer the following questions.
Horiz. Vert.
Trip Displacement
Component Component
Chicago to Denver 1430 km, 187°
Reno to Miami 4030 km, 341°
Seattle to Washington 3480 km, 344°
Houston to Salt Lake City 2040 km, 143°
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
Horiz.
Trip Displacement Vert. Component
Component
Chicago to Denver 1430 km, 187° 1419 km, West 174 km, South
Reno to Miami 4030 km, 341° 3810 km, East 1312 km, South
Seattle to Washington 3480 km, 344° 3345 km, East 959 km, South
Houston to Salt Lake City 2040 km, 143° 1629 km, West 1228 km, North
Problem 11
The pilot of a plane flying due north is notified by the flight controller that there is a second
plane flying south at about the same altitude and located in the same general area. The pilot is
told that the southward bound plane is currently located at a position which is 13.5 km, 102°
from her own plane.
a. How many miles to the north is the second plane?
b. How many miles to the west is the second plane?
c. If the two planes both have an airspeed of 290. km/hr, then how much time will elapse before
the planes are side by side?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 13.2 km
b. 2.8 km
c. 0.0228 hr (1.37 min)
Problem 12
A spelunker (person who explores caves) determines that the cave entrance is located 349 m,
253° from her current position. How far south and how far west from her current position is the
cave entrance?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
102 m, West
334 m, South
Problem 13
Avery, South's quarterback, throws a pass 36.5 yards at 21° W of S before it is caught by
Mitchell with a diving catch. Assuming that the field runs north and south, and that Avery threw
the pass from 7.2 yards behind the line of scrimmage, how many yards were gained on the play?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
26.9 yd
Problem 14:
Mia Ander exits the front door of her home and walks along the path
shown in the diagram at the right (not to scale). The walk consists of four
legs with the following magnitudes:
A = 88 m
B = 272 m
C = 136 m
D = 183 m
Determine the magnitude and direction of Mia's resultant displacement.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
218 m, 56.3° S of W (or236.3° CCW)
Problem 15:
Dora is exploring a cave. She starts at the entrance and makes the following straight line
movements:
68 m, south
112 m, 25° north of west (155° CCW)
34 m, south
182 m, 17° south of east (343° CCW)
Determine Dora's position relative to the entrance of the cave. That is, how far and in what
direction is Dora from the cave entrance?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
130. m, 56.1°S of E (or 303.9° CCW)
Problem 16:
Taylor and Drew finish their last class on the day before Spring break and decide to take a
spontaneous road trip. Their trip involves the following movements:
42 miles, 67° north of west (113° CCW)
61 miles, west
23 miles, 17° west of south (253° CCW)
Taylor's car breaks down after the last leg of the trip. How far and in what direction are Taylor
and Drew from campus?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
86 mi, 11° north of west (169° CCW)
Problem 17
A weather report shows that a tornado was sighted 12 km south and 23 km west of your town.
The storm is reported to be moving directly towards your town at a speed of 82 km/hr.
a. What distance from your town was the tornado sighted?
b. Approximately how much time (in minutes and hours) will elapse before the violent storm
arrives at your town?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 26 km (rounded from 25.9 mi)
b. 0.32 hr or 19 min
Problem 18
An airplane begins its journey into Canada from a destination located 285 mi south of the border.
The plane flies along a straight-line path at 189 mi/h in a direction of 20.5 degrees west of north.
Determine the number of minutes before the plane crosses the border. Assume that the border is
aligned directly east and west in the region where the flight takes place.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
96.6 min
Problem 19
Glenda and Harold are attempting to cross a river in a kayak. The river flows due east at 1.9 m/s.
Glenda and Harold head the kayak due north and row at 2.4 m/s (relative to the water). The river
is 38 m wide at this location.
a. Determine the resultant velocity of the boat - both magnitude and direction.
b. Determine the time for Glenda and Harold to cross the river.
c. How far downstream will the boat be when Glenda and Harold reach the opposite shore?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 3.1 m/s, 38° east of north (or 52° N of E) (or 52° CCW)
b. 16 s
c. 30. m
Problem 20
Ty Ridlegs boards a paddle boat and heads the boat westward directly across a river. The river
flows south at 48 cm/s. Ty paddles the boat with a speed of 98 cm/s.
a. Determine the resultant velocity of the boat - both magnitude and direction.
b. If the river is 22 m wide at this location, then how much time does it take Ty to cross the
river? Assume that Ty keeps his paddle boat headed west.
c. How far downstream will Ty be when he reaches the other side of the river?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 109 cm/s, 26° south of west (or 54° W of S) (or 206° CCW)
b. 22 s
c. 11 m (rounded from 10.8 m)
Problem 21
Dylan and Sophia are walking along Bluebird Lake on a perfectly calm day. Dylan, determined
to impress Sophia by his ability to skip rocks, picks up the flattest rock he can find and gives it a
sidearm launch from the edge of the water. The rock acquires a completely horizontal velocity of
26 m/s from a height of 0.45 m above the water surface.
a. How much time does it take the rock to fall to the water surface?
b. How far from the edge of the water does the rock travel before it makes its first skip?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 3.0 s
b. 7.9 m
Problem 22
In an effort to create a cannonball-style splash, eight-year old Matthew runs off the edge of the
board of the high dive at 4.6 m/s and falls 2.3 m to the water below.
a. Determine the time for Matthew to fall the 2.3 m to the water.
b. What horizontal distance from the edge of the board will Matthew plunge into the water?
c. With what speed does Matthew enter the water?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 0.69 s
b. 3.2 m
c. 8.1 m/s
Problem 23
Ima Peode wishes to throw a 2.8-kg pumpkin horizontally off the top of the school roof in order
to hit Mr. H's car. The car is parked a distance of 13.4 m away from the base of the building
below the point where Ima is standing. The building's roof is 10.4 m high. Assuming no air
resistance, with what horizontal speed must Ima toss the pumpkin in order to hit Mr. H's car.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
9.20 m/s
Problem 24
The La Quebrada Cliff Divers provide daily entertainment for the crowds at Acapulco, Mexico.
As a group of professional high divers, they dive off the cliff of La Quebrada and fall 45.1 m
(148 feet) to the water below. More than an act of bravery, the cliff divers must time their dive so
that they hit the water when the crest of an incoming wave has arrived. Determine the speed with
which Pedro must run off the cliff in order to land in the water a horizontal distance of 17.8 m
from the edge of the cliff.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
5.87 m/s
Problem 25
An emergency relief plane is dropping a care package from a plane to a group of medical
personnel working for a relief agency in an African village. The package is designed to land in a
small lake, inflate an attached raft upon impact, and finally resurface with the raft side down.
The plane will be moving horizontally with a ground speed of 59.1 m/s. The package will be
dropped a horizontal distance of 521 m from the intended target location. At what altitude above
the pond must the plane be flying in order to successfully accomplish this feat?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
381 m
Problem 26
The Choo Choo Restaurant in DesPlaines, IL is a 50’s style diner which is notorious for the
delivery of food from the kitchen to the dining room by an O-scale model train. Dinner baskets
filled with hot dogs, hamburgers, French fries and the like are mounted to the tops of flatbed
train cars and transported to table tops. On Matthew’s fifth birthday, a French fry rolled off the
top of the pile on a tight turn moving at a speed of 1.25 m/s and fell to the floor.
a. Determine the time for the French fry to fall 113 cm from the top of the pile to the floor.
b. Determine the horizontal displacement of the fry from the edge of the track.
c. Determine the speed of the French fry upon striking the floor.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 0.152 s
b. 0.190 m
c. 1.94 m/s
Problem 27
Aaron Agin and Bud Derfenger are lab partners who last year earned a reputation for breaking
beakers, spilling acid, mixing the wrong chemicals, breaking thermometers and accidentally
lighting Sophia’s hair on fire with a Bunsen burner. And now to the delight of the physics class,
Mr. H has made the mistake of allowing them to partner again. In a recent lab which utilized
expensive tracks and carts, Aaron and Bud lived up to their reputation. Despite strong warnings
from Mr. H, they allowed a cart to roll off the track and then off the table with a speed of 208
cm/s. The crash of the cart to the floor a horizontal distance of 96.3 cm from the table’s edge
turned the entire classroom silent. Use this information to determine the height of the lab tables
in Mr. H’s lab.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
1.05 m
Problem 28
Sharon Steady and Al Wayskachon won South’s recent egg toss contest held during
Homecoming week. In their winning toss, Sharon gave the egg an underhand toss, releasing it
with a velocity of 8.06 m/s at an angle of 30° to the horizontal. To the pleasure of the crowd, Al
caught the egg at the same height as the toss without even a fracture to its shell.
a. Calculate the horizontal and vertical components of the initial velocity.
b. Calculate the time for the egg to reach the midpoint of the trajectory.
c. Calculate the total time the egg is in the air.
d. Calculate the horizontal distance which the egg traveled from Sharon to Al.
e. Calculate the height of the egg (relative to the releast point) when it was at the peak of its
trajectory.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. vox = 6.98 m/s and voy = 4.03 m/s
b. 0.411 s
c. 0.822 s
d. 5.74 m
e. 0.828 m
Problem 29
Li Ping Phar, the famous Chinese ski jumper, leaves the ramp with an initial velocity of 34.9 m/s
at an angle of 35°.
a. Determine the total time of flight.
b. Determine the horizontal displacement.
c. Determine the peak height (relative to the starting height). Assume that Li lands at the same
height as the top of the ramp and that Li is a projectile.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 4.09 s
b. 117 m
c. 20.4 m
Problem 30
A tennis player stretches out to reach a ball that is just barely above the ground and successfully
'lobs' it over her opponent's head. The ball is hit with a speed of 18.7 m/s at an angle of 65.1
degrees.
a. Determine the time that the ball is in the air.
b. Determine the maximum height which the ball reaches.
c. Determine the distance the ball travels horizontally before landing.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 3.46 s
b. 14.7 m
c. 27.3 m
Problem 31:
On New Year’s eve of 2007, Robbie Maddison set the world record for the longest motorcycle
jump, traveling 98.3 m through the air from ramp to ramp. (The record has since been broken
several times by Maddision himself.) Assuming a launch angle of 45°, insignificant air resistance
and a landing location at the same height as the launch height, determine the speed with which
Maddison left the ramp.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
31.0 m/s
Problem 32:
Mr. Udadi takes his three children to the park for some summertime recreation. Olive Udadi is
enjoying swinging and jumping. On one jump, Olive leaves the swing at a 30° angle to the
horizontal with a speed of 2.2 m/s. She lands on the ground a horizontal distance of 1.09 m from
the launch location.
a. Determine the horizontal and the vertical components of the initial velocity.
b. Determine the time which Olive is in the air.
c. Determine the vertical height (relative to the landing location) from which Olive jumps from
the swing.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. vox = 1.9 m/s and voy = 1.1 m/s
b. t = 0.57 s
c. 1.0 m
Problem 33:
In an apparent effort to earn an appearance on the Destroyed in Seconds show, Caleb attempts a
bicycle maneuver in which he jumps between two ramps whose elevated edges are located a
distance of 1.8 meters apart. The ramps are angled at 35° and located at the same height.
Determine the speed (in m/s and mi/hr) that Caleb must acquire to accomplish this stunt. (Given:
1.00 m/s = 2.24 mi/hr)
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
4.3 m/s or 9.7 mi/hr
Problem 34:
Albert is South’s star punter for the varsity football team. His best hang time this past season was
for a punt which he kicked at 74° above the horizontal. The punt had a 6.2 second hang time.
a. Determine the speed at which the ball was punted.
b. Determine the horizontal distance which the ball traveled.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Show Answer
a. 31.6 m/s
b. 54.0 m
Static Electricity
Use 8.99 x109 N•m2/C2 for Coulomb's constant and 1.60x10-19 C for the charge of an electron.
Problem 1:
Determine the quantity of charge on …
a. … a plastic tube which has been rubbed with animal fur and gained 3.8x109 electrons.
b. … a vinyl balloon which has been rubbed with animal fur and gained 1.7x1012 electrons.
c. … an acetate strip which has been rubbed with wool and lost 7.3x108 electrons.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 6.1x10-10 C (of negative charge)
b. 2.7x10-7 C (of negative charge)
c. 1.2x10-10 C (of positive charge)
Problem 2:
A 250 mL aqueous solution contains 2.37 g of copper(II) chloride. The dissolved copper(II)
chloride is dissociated into copper(II) and chloride ions. Each copper(II) ion has two less
electrons than protons. A scientist wishes to use an electroplating process to reduce the 1.12 g of
copper ions to solid copper atoms. To be reduced from the ion form to the atom form, a
copper(II) ion must gain two electrons. Each gram of copper(II) ions contains 9.48 x 1021 ions.
Determine the total quantity of charge that must be supplied to turn the copper(II) ions into solid
copper atpms.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
3.40x103 C
Problem 3:
Two ping pong balls have been painted with metallic paint and charged by contact with an Van
de Graaff generator. The charge on the balls are -3.1x10-7 C and -3.7x10-7 C. Determine the force
of electrical repulsion when held a distance of 42 cm apart.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
-3
5.8x10 N
Problem 4:
A Styrofoam plate with a negative charge of -4.86x10-7 C is placed near an aluminum dish which
has been charged positively by induction to a charge of +8.29x10-8 C. The centers of positive and
negative charge are positioned 1.85 cm apart. Determine the magnitude of the force of attraction
between the Styrofoam plate and the aluminum dish.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
1.06 N
Problem 5:
Let's just suppose that Tyrone transferred a Coulomb of negative charge to Mia so that Tyrone
had a +1.0 C charge and Mia had a -1.0 C charge. Determine the force of electrical attraction
between Tyrone and Mia if they are positioned …
a. … in their seats with a separation distance of 1.0 m.
b. … in South's physics classroom and at Navy Pier 52 km away.
c. … in South's physics classroom and Disney World in Orlando, Florida 1900 km away.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 9.0x109 N
b. 3.3 N
c. 2.5x10-3 N
Problem 6:
Mr. H gives two large vinyl balloons ten good rubs on what's left of his hair, transferring a total
of 2.1x1012 electrons from his hair to each balloon. He walks away, leaving the balloons to be
held by strings from a single pivot point on the ceiling. The balloons repel and reach an
equilibrium position with a separation distance of 58 cm.
a. Determine the quantity of charge on each balloon.
b. Determine the Coulomb force of repulsion between the two balloons.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 3.4x10-7 C (of negative charge)
b. 3.0x10-3 N
Problem 7:
It happened during Wednesday's physics lesson on charging by friction. A small white object
began to slowly emerge from beneath the sleeve of Mr. H's sweater. It took several laughs and
giggles from the class before the emerging sheet of fabric softener caught Mr. H's attention. He
turned the potentially embarrassing moment into a serendipitous moment. Pulling the sheet out
from beneath the sweater, Mr. H wrote the following problem on the board.
A sheet of cationic fabric softener having a surface charge of 3.6x10-12 C (positive) clings to a
wool sweater with a negative charge of 6.8x10-9 C. Determine the force of electrical attraction if
they can be treated as point objects with a separation distance of 0.019 cm.
What is the answer to this problem?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
0.0061 N (6.1x10-3 N)
Problem 8:
Two vinyl balloons with an identical charge are given a separation distance of 52 cm. The
balloons experience a repulsive force of 2.74x10-3 N. Determine the magnitude of charge on each
one of the balloons.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
2.9x10-7 C
Problem 9:
Two different objects are given charges of +3.27 μC and -4.91 μC. What separation distance will
cause the force of attraction between the two objects to be 0.358 N? (GIVEN: 1 C = 106 μC)
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
0.635 m or 63.5 cm
Problem 10:
What mass would a pair of electrons have in order for their gravitational force of attraction to be
equal to the electrical force of repulsion? (Use G=6.67x10-11 N•m2/kg2.)
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
1.86x10-9 kg
Problem 11:
An electron has a mass of 9.11x10-31 kg. In the Bohr model of the hydrogen atom, the electron
was viewed as orbiting the lone proton of the nucleus; the centripetal force requirement was met
by the electrical attraction between the oppositely charged proton and electron. The radius of
orbit was 5.29x10-11 m. Use circular motion and electrostatic principles to determine the speed at
which the electron moves as it orbits the proton.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
2.19x107 m/s
Problem 12:
Two bowling balls with a mass of 7.25 kg are positioned in a vertical cylinder such that they fit
one above the other. What quantity of charge must the two bowling balls have such that the
electrical force of repulsion causes the top ball to levitate above the bottom ball such that their
nearest surfaces are distanced 25 cm apart? The diameter of a bowling ball is 21.8 cm. Assume
the bowling balls have an identical charge.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
4.16x10-5 C or 41.6 μC
Problem 13:
Mr. H rubs a long plastic tube with wool and imparts a charge of -45.6 nC to the tube. Ariel then
blows a soap bubble into the air. Mr. H holds the plastic tube above the bubble, causing it to
morph into an oblong shape and suspend motionless just below the tube. As the 22.8-mg bubble
polarizes, the center of positive charge of the bubble is positioned 11.4 cm from the charge on
the plastic tube; the center of negative charge is positioned 16.9 cm from the charge on the
plastic tube. Ignoring buoyant forces, determine the effective positive and negative charge on the
polarized bubble. (GIVEN: 1 C = 109 nC)
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
1.30x10-8 C or 13.0 nC
Problem 14:
Two objects with charges Q1 and Q2 experience an electrical force of attraction of 8.0x10-4 N
when separated by a distance of d. Determine the force of attraction if the same objects are
separated by …
a. … a distance of 2•d.
b. … a distance of 3•d.
c. … a distance of 0.5•d.
d. … a distance of 2d and each object having double the charge.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 2.0x10-4 N
b. 8.9x10-5 N
c. 3.2x10-3 N
d. 8.0x10-4 N
Problem 15:
The electric field intensity at a particular location surrounding a Van de Graaff generator is
4.5x103 N/C. Determine the magnitude of the force which this field would exert upon …
a. … an electron when positioned at this location.
b. … a charged balloon with 1.8 μC of charge when positioned at this location.
c. … a pith ball with 6.8x10-8 C of charge when positioned at this location.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 7.2x10-16 N
b. 8.1x10-3 N
c. 3.1x10-4 N
Problem 16:
There is an electric field in the atmosphere surrounding the Earth which has a magnitude of
roughly 150 N/C and a direction pointing towards the center of the Earth. Determine the
magnitude and the direction of the force experienced by a dust particle having a negative charge
of 9.2x10-16 C.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
-13
1.4x10 N, directed away from the Earth
Problem 17:
High voltage electrical cables generate an electric field in the region of space surrounding the
cables. This field can be strong enough to cause a coronal glow in grounded objects and to ignite
combustible fuels. According to one source, utility companies take measures to insure that the
electrical field intensity is no greater than 1000 N/C at the perimeter of their public lands.
Determine the force that would be experienced by a 1.0 μC charge when placed at this location.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
1.0x10-3 N or 0.0010 N
Problem 18:
A test charge with a negative charge of 2.18x10-8 C experiences a northward force of 4.50x10-5
N when placed a distance of 25.0 cm from a source charge.
a. Determine the magnitude and direction of the electric field at this location.
b. Determine the magnitude and type of charge on the source.
c. Determine the strength of the electric field at a distance of 75.0 cm from the source.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 2.06x103 N/C, directed southward
b. 1.44x10-8 C
c. 2.29x102 N/C
Problem 19:
A small balloon with a 4.36x10-9 C charge is placed a distance of 41 cm from a 1.28 μC charge.
a. Determine the electric field intensity at the location where the balloon is.
b. Determine the electrical force experienced by the balloon at this location.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 6.85x104 N/C
b. 2.98x10-4 N
Problem 20:
Dry air is generally a good insulator. It’s insulating ability breaks down when the electric field
approaches a value of approximately 3x106 N/C. Determine the quantity of charge on a Van de
Graaff generator that will produce an electric field strength of 3.0x106 N/C at a distance of 50.
cm from the generator. Treat the generator as a point charge.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
-5
8.3x10 C
Problem 21:
The electric field between the plates of the cathode ray tube of an older television set can be as
high as 2.5x104 N/C. Determine the force and resulting acceleration of an electron (m = 9.11x10-
31
kg) as it travels through this electric field towards the television screen.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
Force = 4.0x10-15 N
Acceleration = 4.4x1015 m/s/s
Problem 22:
Mr. H inflates a 1.4-gram balloon and charges it negatively by rubbing it on his head. He then
rubs a plastic tube with animal fur to impart a charge of -4.3x10-8 C. By holding the plastic tube
at a position of 12 cm below the balloon, he is able to levitate the balloon. Consider the two
objects to be point charges and determine the quantity of charge upon the balloon.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
-7
5.1x10 C
Problem 23:
Two identical balloons are inflated and charged in the same manner. They are
tied by threads and hung from the same pivot point on the ceiling. The balloons
hang down, with the threads making an angle of 14° with each other and the
balloons being separated by a distance of 58 cm (center-to-center). Each
balloon has a charge of -3.5x10-7 C. Draw a free-body diagram for the balloons
and consider them to act as point objects.
a. Calculate the force of electrical repulsion between the balloons.
b. What is the horizontal component of force in the thread that supports either one of the
balloons?
c. What is the vertical component of force in the thread that supports either one of the balloons?
d. What is the mass of either one of the balloons?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 3.3x10-3 N
b. 3.3x10-3 N
c. 2.7x10-2 N
d. 2.7 grams of 2.7x10-3 kg
Problem 24:
Consider the diagram below.
Determine the location where the net electric field is 0 N/C. Express your answer as an x-
coordinate location (in cm), with Q1 being located at x=0 cm and Q2 being located at x = +40 cm
(as shown in the diagram).
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
-95 cm
Problem 28:
A thread is tied to a 2.50-gram pith ball and attached to the ceiling at a
location of a uniform electric field with an intensity of 5.00x102 N/C.
The pith ball experiences a force which causes it to deflect from an
otherwise vertical alignment by an angle of 12.6° from the vertical.
Use a free-body diagram and electrostatic principles to perform the
following calculations.
a. Determine the force of gravity acting upon the pith ball.
b. Determine the vertical component of the tension force of the thread.
c. Determine the horizontal component of the tension force of the thread.
d. Determine the quantity of charge on the pith ball.
e. What type of charge - positive or negative - does the pith ball possess?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 0.0245 N
b. 0.0245 N
c. 5.48x10-3 N
d. 1.10x10-5 C
e. Positive charge
Problem 29:
Two negatively-charged balloons with a mass of 1.78 g are suspended by threads from a
common point on the ceiling. The two balloons repel to an equilibrium position in which the
angle between the two threads is 13.1 degrees. The distance from ceiling to the center of either
one of the balloons is 155 cm. Determine the charge on each balloon. Assume the same amount
of charge is on each balloon.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
1.67x10-7 C
Problem 30:
Four positive charges are positioned in such a manner than they
form a square with sides which are 5.0 cm long. A 3.0 μC
charge is placed at the (0 cm, 0 cm) mark. A 9.0 μC charge is
placed at the (0 cm, 5 cm) mark, a 3 μC charge is placed at the
(5 cm, 5 cm) mark, and a 6.0 μC charge is placed at the (5 cm,
0cm) mark. Determine the magnitude and direction of the
electric field at the exact center of the square.
They are spaced 50. cm apart and have charges of +38 nC (Q1) and -18 nC (Q2). Determine the
location along the axis where the net electric field is 0 N/C.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
x-coordinate=+160 cm
Problem 33:
Three negative charges are arranged as shown in the diagram at the
right. The charges of the three objects are:
Q1 = -6.2 nC
Q2 = -3.8 nC
Q3 = -5.5 nC
(1 nC = 1 nanoCoulomb = 1x10-9 C)
Determine the magnitude of the net electric force exerted on Q3.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
1.12x10-6 N
Electric Circuits
Problem 1:
Over the course of an 8 hour day, 3.8x104 C of charge pass through a typical computer
(presuming it is in use the entire time). Determine the current for such a computer.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
1.3 A
Problem 2:
The large window air conditioner in Anita Breeze's room draws 11 amps of current. The unit
runs for 8.0 hours during the course of a day. Determine the quantity of charge that passes
through Anita's window AC during these 8.0 hours.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
3.2x105 C
Problem 3:
Determine the amount of time that the following devices would have to be used before 1.0x106 C
(1 million Coulombs) of charge passes through them.
a. LED night light (I=0.0042 A)
b. Incandescent night light (I=0.068 A)
c. 60-Watt incandescent light bulb (I=0.50 A)
d. Large bathroom light fixture (I=2.0 A)
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 2.4x108 sec = 6.6x104 hr = 2.8x103 d = 7.5 yr
b. 1.5x107 sec = 4.1x103 hr = 170 d
c. 2.0x106 s = 560 hr = 23 d
d. 5.0x105 s = 140 hr = 5.8 d
Problem 4:
The heating element of an electric toaster is typically made of nichrome wire (an alloy of nickel
and chromium). As current passes through the wires, the wires heat up, thus toasting the toast.
Estimate the overall resistance of a heating element which is 220 cm long and consists of
nichrome wire with a diameter of 0.56 mm. The resistivity of nichrome is 110x10-8 Ω•m.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
9.8 Ω
Problem 5:
Determine the overall resistance of a 100-meter length of 14 AWA (0.163 cm diameter) wire
made of the following materials.
a. copper (resistivity = 1.67x10-8 Ω•m)
b. silver (resistivity = 1.59x10-8 Ω•m)
c. aluminum (resistivity = 2.65x10-8 Ω•m)
d. iron (resistivity = 9.71x10-8 Ω•m)
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 0.800 Ω
b. 0.762 Ω
c. 1.27 Ω
d. 4.65 Ω
Problem 6:
A power saw at the local hardware store boasts of having a 15-Amp motor. Determine its
resistance when plugged into a 110-Volt outlet.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
7.3 Ω
Problem 7:
A coffee cup immersion heater utilizes a heating coil with a resistance of 8.5 Ω. Determine the
current through the coil when operated at 110 V.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
13 A
Problem 8:
Defibrillator machines are used to deliver an electric shock to the human heart in order to
resuscitate an otherwise non-beating heart. It is estimated that a current as low as 17 mA through
the heart is required to resuscitate. Using 100,000 Ω as the overall resistance, determine the
output voltage required of a defibrillating device.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
1700 V
Problem 9:
A stun gun or TASER is designed to put out a few seconds worth of electric pulses that impress a
voltage of about 1200 V across the human body. This results in an average current of
approximately 3 mA into a human body. Using these figures, estimate the resistance of the
human body.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
4x105 Ω
Problem 10:
Determine the amount of electrical energy (in J) used by the following devices when operated for
the indicated times.
a. Hair dryer (1500 W) - operated for 5 minutes
b. Electric space heater (950 W) - operated for 4 hours
c. X-Box video game player (180 W) - operated for 2 hours
d. 42-inch LCD television (210 W) - operated for 3 hours
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 4.5x105 J
b. 1.4x107 J
c. 1.3x106 J
d. 2.3x106 J
Problem 11:
Alfredo deDarke sleeps with a 7.5-Watt night light bulb on. He turns it on before getting in bed
and turns it off 8 hours later.
a. Determine the amount of energy used during one evening in units of kiloWatt•hours.
b. Electrical energy costs 13 cents/kW•hr where Alfredo lives. Determine the annual (365 days)
cost of this practice of using a 7.5-Watt night light.
c. Determine the annual savings if Alfredo replaced his 7.5-Watt incandescent night light by a
0.5-Watt LED night light.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 0.060 kW•hr for one evening
b. $2.8 for one year
c. $2.7 savings for one year
Problem 12:
Having recently lost her job, Penny Penching is looking for every possible means of cutting
costs. She decides that her 4.0-Watt clock radio alarm does not need to be on for 24 hours every
day since she only needs it for waking up after her average 8-hour sleep. So she decides to plug it
in before going to sleep and to unplug it when waking. Penny pays 12 cents per kiloWatt•hour
for her electricity. How much money is Penny able to save over the course of a month (31 days)
with her new alarm clock usage pattern?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
24 cents
Problem 13:
The power of a 1.5-volt alkaline cell varies with the number of hours of operation. A brand new
D-cell can deliver as much as 13 A through a copper wire connected between terminals.
Determine the power of a brand new D-cell.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
20. W (rounded from 19.5 W)
Problem 14:
A central air conditioner in a typical American home operates on a 220-V circuit and draws
about 15 A of current.
a. Determine the power rating of such an air conditioner.
b. Determine the energy consumed (in kW•hr) if operated for 8 hours per day.
c. Determine the monthly cost (31 days) if the utility company charges 13 cents per kW•hr.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 3300 W
b. 26 kW•hr
c. $110 per month (rounded from $106)
Problem 15:
During the Christmas season, Sel Erbate uses the equivalent of 45 strings of 100 mini-bulbs to
light the inside and outside of his home. Each 100-bulb string of lights is rated at 40 Watts. The
average daily usage of the strings is 7 hours. The lights are used for approximately 40 days
during the holiday season.
a. Determine the resistance of each string of lights. Each is powered by 110-volt outlet.
b. Determine the energy consumed (in kW•hr) by the lights over the course of 40 days.
c. If Sel pays 12 cents/kW•hr for electrical energy, then what is the total cost of Christmas
lighting for a single season?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
2
a. 3x10 Ω (rounded from 302.5 Ω)
b. 5x102 kW•hr (rounded from 504 kW•hr)
c. $60 (rounded from $60.48)
Problem 16:
A 3-way light bulb for a 110-V lamp has two different filaments and three different power
ratings. Turning the switch of the lamp toggles the light from OFF to low (50 W) to medium
(100 W) to high (150 W) brightness. These three brightness settings are achieved by channeling
current through the high resistance filament (50 W), the low resistance filament (100 W) or
through both filaments. Determine the resistance of the 50 W and the 100 W filaments.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
50-watt filament: R = 240 Ω (rounded from 242 Ω)
100-watt filament: R = 120 Ω (rounded from 121 Ω)
Problem 17:
Compare the resistance of a 1.5-Amp interior light bulb of a car (operating off a 12-V battery) to
the resistance of a 100-Watt bulb operating on a 110-volt household circuitry.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
Car light bulb: 8.0 Ω
100-W lamp bulb: 120 Ω (rounded from 121 Ω)
Problem 18:
An overhead high voltage (4.0x105 V) power transmission line delivers electrical energy from a
generating station to a substation at a rate of 1500 MW (1.5x109 W). Determine the resistance of
and the current in the cables.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
Resistance: 110 Ω (rounded from 107 Ω)
Current: 3800 A (rounded from 3750 A)
Problem 19:
The UL panel on the bottom of an electric toaster oven indicates that it operates at 1500 W on a
110 V circuit. Determine the electrical resistance of the toaster oven.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
8.1 Ω
Problem 20:
Determine the equivalent resistance of a 6.0 Ω and a 8.0 Ω resistor if …
a. … connected in series.
b. … connected in parallel.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 14.0 Ω
b. 3.4 Ω
Problem 21:
Two resistors with resistance values of 6.0 Ω and 8.0 Ω are connected to a 12.0-volt source.
Determine the overall current in the circuit if the resistors are …
a. … connected in series.
b. … connected in parallel.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 0.86 A
b. 3.5 A
Problem 22:
The series circuit at the right depicts two resistors connected to a
voltage source. The voltage source (ΔVtot) is a 48-V source and the
resistor values are 6.4 Ω (R1) and 3.9 Ω (R2).
a. Determine the equivalent resistance of the circuit.
b. Determine the current in the circuit.
c. Determine the voltage drop across each individual resistor.
The resistor values are 54.5 Ω (R1), 31.7 Ω (R2) and 48.2 Ω (R3). Determine the ammeter
readings and voltmeter readings.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
Left ammeter reading (in R1 branch): 0.440 A
Middle ammeter reading (in R2 branch): 0.757 A
Right ammeter reading (in R3 branch): 0.498 A
Bottom ammeter reading (outside branches): 1.695 A
Voltmeter readings: 24.0 V (for each)
Problem 33:
A 9.00-volt battery is used to power a parallel circuit with a 2.50 Ω and a 3.50 Ω resistor.
Determine the power rating of each resistor and the total power of the circuit.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
Power of 2.5 Ω resistor: 32.4 W
Power of 3.5 Ω resistor: 23.1 W
Power of entire circuit: 55.5 W
Problem 34:
Cullen Ary's family loves to cook. According to Cullen's friends, they have every imaginable
kitchen gadget that exists. One Sunday afternoon, they have a cooking party in which every
member of the family participates. They get out the following small appliances, plug them in and
turn them on.
Mixer (81 Ω)
Crockpot (62 Ω)
Juicer (43 Ω)
Blender (21 Ω)
Electric Fondue (16 Ω)
Wok (12 Ω)
Rotisserie (7.5 Ω)
Deep-fat fryer (7.0 Ω)
The resistance values for each appliance is listed in parenthesis. Each appliance is plugged in to
110-volt receptacles which are wired in parallel on the same circuit. The circuit is protected by a
20-amp circuit breaker.
a. Determine the overall current on the circuit with the mixer and crockpot operating.
b. Determine the overall current on the circuit with the mixer, crockpot and juicer operating.
c. Determine the overall current on the circuit with the mixer, crockpot, juicer and blender
operating.
d. Determine the overall current on the circuit with the mixer, crockpot, juicer, blender and
electric fondue operating.
e. Determine the overall current on the circuit with the mixer, crockpot, juicer, blender, electric
fondue, and wok operating.
f. Determine the overall current on the circuit with the mixer, crockpot, juicer, blender, electric
fondue, wok, and rotisserie operating.
g. Determine the overall current on the circuit with the mixer, crockpot, juicer, blender, electric
fondue, wok, rotisserie, and the deep-fat fryer operating.
h. At what point in the progression of turning on appliances will the circuit become overloaded
and the circuit breaker interrupt the circuit.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 3.1 A
b. 5.7 A
c. 10.9 A
d. 17.8 A
e. 27.0 A
f. 41.6 A
g. 57.4 A
h. Once the wok is plugged in (part e), the circuit breaker will trip and interrupt the circuit.
Waves
Problem 1:
Jerome and Claire are doing the Period of a Pendulum Lab. They observe that a pendulum makes
exactly 10 complete back and forth cycles of motion in 21.8 seconds. Determine the period of the
pendulum.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
2.18 s
Problem 2:
Strong winds can apply a significant enough force to tall skyscrapers to set them into a back-and-
forth motion. The amplitudes of these motions are greater at the higher floors and barely
observable for the lower floors. It is said that one can even observe the vibrational motion of the
Sears Tower in Chicago on a windy day. As the Sears Tower vibrates back and forth, it makes
about 8.6 vibrations in 60 seconds. Determine the frequency and the period of vibration of the
Sears Tower.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
Frequency: 0.14 Hz
Period: 7.0 s
Problem 3:
The spin rate of a CD-ROM varies according to the location on the disc from where data is being
accessed. When accessing data from the inner circles of the disc, the CD can spin at a rate as
high as 400 revolutions per minute. Determine the frequency (in Hertz) and the period (in
seconds) of the spinning CD.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
Frequency = 6.67 Hz
Period = 0.150 s
Problem 4:
Like all planets, the planet Venus orbits the Sun in periodic motion and simultaneously spins
about its axis. Just as on Earth, the time to make one complete orbit (i.e., the period of orbit) is
what defines a year. And the time to make one complete revolution about its axis (i.e., the period
of rotation) is what defines a day. The period of orbit for the Earth is 365.25 days and the period
of rotation is 24 hours (1.00 day). But when these same values for Venus are expressed relative
to Earth, it is found that Venus has a period of orbit of 243 days and a period of rotation of 225
days. So for Venus inhabitants, a day would last longer than a year! Determine the frequency of
orbit and the frequency of rotation (in Hertz) on Venus.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
Frequency of orbit: 4.76 x 10-8 Hz
Frequency of rotation: 5.14 x 10-8 Hz
Problem 5:
Extreme waves along ocean waters, sometimes referred to as freak waves or rogue waves, are a
focus of much research and study among scientists. Several merchant ships reports rogue waves
which are estimated to be 25 meters high and 26 meters long. Assuming that these waves travel
at speeds of 6.5 m/s, determine the frequency and the period of these waves.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
Frequency: 0.25 Hz
Period: 4.0 s
Problem 6:
Tsunamis are much different than rogue waves. While rogue waves and other waves are
generated by winds, tsunamis originate from geological events such as movements of tectonic
plates. Tsunamis tend to travel very fast. A tsunami generated off the coast of Chile in 1990 is
estimated to have traveled approximately 6200 miles to Hawaii in 15 hours. Determine the speed
in mi/hr and m/s. (Given: 1.0 m/s = 2.24 mi/hr)
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
410 mi/hr or 180 m/s
Problem 7:
A geological disturbance in California produces seismic waves which are detected in Phoenix,
approximately 990 km from the epicenter. If the waves travel 6.3 km/s, determine the time delay
between the disturbance and the detection.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
160 seconds (rounded from 157 seconds)
Problem 8:
Microbats use echolocation to navigate and hunt. They emit pulses of high frequency sound
waves which reflect off obstacles and objects in their surroundings. By detecting the time delay
between the emitted pulse and the return of the reflected pulse, a bat can determine the location
of the object. Determine the time delay between the sending of a pulse and the return of its
reflection from an object located 12.5 m away. Approximate the speed of the sound waves as 345
m/s.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
0.0725 seconds (72.5 milliseconds)
Problem 9:
Logan, Cassie and Abbey are doing the Pulse Speed Lab. Logan and Cassie stand 6.8 m apart
and stretch a zinc-coiled snakey between them. Logan introduces a pulse into the snakey at his
end. Using a stopwatch, Abbey measures that it takes 15.1 seconds for the pulse to travel to
Cassie's end and back two times. They then repeat the experiment with a copper-coiled snakey
stretched the same distance and find that pulses travel back and forth two times in 16.9 seconds.
a. Determine the speed of the pulse in the zinc-coiled snakey.
b. Determine the speed of the pulse in the copper-coiled snakey.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 1.80 m/s
b. 1.61 m/s
Problem 10:
Sachi is rock'n to her favorite radio station - 102.3 FM. The station broadcasts radio signals with
a frequency of 1.023 x 108 Hz. The radio wave signal travel through the air at a speed of 2.997 x
108 m/s. Determine the wavelength of these radio waves.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
2.930 m
Problem 11:
A transverse wave is observed to be moving along a lengthy rope. Adjacent crests are positioned
2.4 m apart. Exactly six crests are observed to move past a given point along the medium in 9.1
seconds. Determine the wavelength, frequency and speed of these waves.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
wavelength = 2.4 m
speed = 1.6 m/s
frequency = 0.66 Hz
Problem 12:
A marine weather station detects waves which are 9.28 meters long and 1.65 meters high and
travel a distance of 50.0 meters in 21.8 seconds. Determine the speed and the frequency of these
waves.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
speed = 2.29 m/s
frequency = 0.247 Hz
Problem 13:
Humpback whales are known to produce a collection of elaborate and repeating sounds with
frequencies ranging from 20 Hz to 10 kHz. The sound waves travel through water at speeds of
approximately 1400 m/s. Determine the wavelengths of the waves at the lower and the upper end
of this frequency range.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
20 Hz sounds have a wavelength of 70 m.
10 kHz sounds have a wavelength of 0.14 m.
Problem 14:
A wave is traveling in a rope. The diagram below represents a snapshot of the rope at a particular
instant in time.
Determine the number of wavelengths which is equal to the horizontal distance between points
…
a. … C and E on the rope.
b. … C and K on the rope.
c. … A and J on the rope.
d. … B and F on the rope.
e. … D and H on the rope.
f. … E and I on the rope.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 1.0 wavelengths
b. 3.5 wavelengths
c. 4.0 wavelengths
d. 1.5 wavelengths
e. 2.0 wavelengths
f. 1.75 wavelengths
Problem 15:
Ryan and Carson attended their church's youth retreat at Camp Paradise this past fall. On
Saturday afternoon they took a walk out to the harbor and watched incoming waves from Lake
Michigan rock the boating piers up and down. Ryan and Carson observed that the piers made a
complete up and down vibration cycle in 6.6 seconds. The piers were positioned a distance of 24
meters apart. When one pier was at a high position, the neighboring pier was at a low position
and there was exactly one wave crest between them. Determine the wavelength, frequency and
speed of the waves.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
wavelength = 16 m
frequency = 0.15 Hz
speed = 2.4 m/s
Problem 16:
Nick and Kara were lounging on rafts in the shallow waters of the beach at Lake Bluebird. They
were spaced 1.8 meters apart. A motor boat zoomed past creating ripples which traveled towards
Nick and Kara. Nick and Kara's rafts began to bob up and down as the ripples passed by them,
making exactly 4 up and down cycles in 8.4 seconds. When Nick's raft was at a high point,
Kara's raft was at a low point and there were no crests between their boats. Determine the
wavelength, frequency and speed of the ripples Assume that the ripples traveled in a direction
parallel to the imaginary line connecting the two rafts.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
wavelength = 3.6 m
frequency = 0.48 Hz
speed = 1.7 m/s
Problem 17:
A wave with a frequency of 12.3 Hz is traveling from left to right
across a rope as shown in the diagram at the right Positions A and B in
the diagram are separated by a horizontal distance of 42.8 cm.
Positions C and D in the diagram are separated by a vertical distance
of 12.4 cm. Determine the amplitude, wavelength, period and speed of this wave.
Problem 1:
The speed (v) at which sound travels through air is dependent upon the temperature of the air and
seems to follow the equation v = 331 m/s + 0.6 m/s/°C * T where T is the Celsius temperature
of the air. Determine the speed of sound …
a. … on a cold day when the outdoor temperature is 4°C.
b. … inside the school where the temperature is 24°C.
c. … on a warm day when the outdoor temperature is 38°C.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 333 m/s
b. 345 m/s
c. 354 m/s
Problem 2:
Herds of African elephants are generally spread over large areas. Infrasonic sound waves (sound
waves below the human range of frequency detection) are used by these elephants to locate each
other and to communicate. Sound waves with low frequencies have a greater ability to bend
around obstacles and generally carry further. Scientists have detected sound waves with
frequencies as low as 13 Hz being produced by elephants. Assuming a speed of sound of 350
m/s, determine the wavelength of these sounds waves.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
27 m
Problem 3:
Indoor pests such as mice and other rodents are sensitive to ultrasonic sound waves (sound
waves above the human range of frequency detection). Some companies have produced
(allegedly) rodent repellant devices that emit ultrasonic waves with frequencies of approximately
45 kHz. Assuming a speed of sound of 344 m/s, determine the wavelength of these sounds
waves.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
0.0076 m or 7.6 mm
Problem 4:
Mama G used to be the leader of South's Pep Club. As she started in on a round of Wash Them
Down the River, her voice would ring out at an attention-drawing 855 Hz. Assuming a speed of
sound in the Titan Dome of 355 m/s, determine the wavelength of the sound waves produced by
Mama G.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
0.415 m or 41.5 cm
Problem 5:
On a recent PE-sponsored adventure education program, students went hiking at Devil's Head
State Park. At one point, Jeremy let out a holler which reflected off a nearby rocky cliff and was
detected as an echo 1.80 seconds later. Determine the distance to the rocky cliffs. Assume a
speed of sound of 344 m/s.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
310 m
Problem 6:
A deep sea ocean vessel uses SONAR to detect the ocean's bottom. Sound waves are emitted
from the surface of the ocean and travel through the water at 1450 m/s. The ocean bottom is
1630 m below the surface. Determine the amount of time that passes before the sound waves are
reflected back to the surface.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
2.25 s
Problem 7:
The intensity of sound waves decreases as the distance from the source of sound increases. The
relationship between intensity (I) and distance (d) is an inverse square relationship which
follows the equation I = P/(4•π•R2) where P is the power of the sound source, usually expressed
in Watts. Jake recently purchased a stereo system for his basement recreation room. Determine
the maximum intensity of the sound waves at the following distances from his 120-Watt main
speaker.
a. 1.0 meter
b. 2.0 meter
c. 3.0 meter
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
a. 9.5 W/m2
b. 2.4 W/m2
c. 1.1 W/m2
Problem 8:
Determine the decibel rating of the following sound sources and their estimated sound
intensities.
a. Science office at 5 PM on a weeknight: I = ~1 x 10-9 W/m2
b. South's student library after school: I = ~1 x 10-6 W/m2
c. Period 7 at the beginning of class: I = ~1 x 10-4 W/m2
d. Titan Dome on a Friday night during basketball season: I = 8.1 x 10-3 W/m2
e. Fall Out Boy concert - front row: I = 7.4 x 10-2 W/m2
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a. 30 dB
b. 60 dB
c. 80 dB
d. 99 dB
e. 109 dB
Problem 9:
For the following decibel levels, determine the corresponding sound intensity levels in W/m2.
a. 50 dBel
b. 90 dBel
c. 110 dBel
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• Hide/Show Answer
a. 1.0 x 10-7 W/m2
b. 1.0 x 10-3 W/m2
c. 1.0 x 10-1 W/m2
Problem 10:
According to Guinness, the record for the loudest burp is held by Paul Hunn of London. In
September of 2008, his burp was measured at 107.1 dB, Determine the intensity in W/m2 of
Paul's burp.
• Audio Guided Solution
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0.05129 W/m2
Problem 11:
Mr. H recently purchased a home four blocks from the busy tollway. On a typical evening, the
decibel level resulting from tollway traffic is 62 dB at the location of his house. Determine the
decibel level on the same evening at a house 1 block from the tollway (four times closer).
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
74 dB
Problem 12:
During a Variety Show practice, Jake plucked a string on his guitar, sending vibrations through it
in both directions. The string is pulled to a tightness of 220 N and has a mass density of 0.013
kg/m. Determine the speed with which vibrations travel through the string.
• Audio Guided Solution
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130 m/s
Problem 13:
During the Pluck It! Lab, lab partners Anna Litical and Noah Formula determined the speed of
vibrations through a 2.45-meter length of wire. The wire had a mass of 19.5 grams. If the speed
was measured to be 253 m/s, determine the tension to which it was pulled.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
509 N
Problem 14:
In a demonstration, Mr. H stretches a steel wire to a length 1.23 meters and braces both ends so
that they are not free to vibrate. He attaches a fancy piece of equipment which he calls a
mechanical oscillator to the wire and explains how it works. Then Mr. H turns the oscillator on
and tunes the frequency to 588 Hz. To the amazement of the class, the wire begins vibrating in
the sixth harmonic wave pattern.
a. Determine the speed of waves within the wire.
b. Determine the frequency at which the wire will vibrate with the first harmonic wave pattern.
c. Determine the frequency at which the wire will vibrate with the second harmonic wave
pattern.
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a. 241 m/s
b. 98 Hz
c. 196 Hz
Problem 15:
Olivia and Mason are doing a lab which involves stretching an elastic cord between two poles
which are 98 cm apart. They use a mechanical oscillator to force the cord to vibrate with the
third harmonic wave pattern when the frequency is 84 Hz. Determine the speed of vibrations
within the elastic cord.
• Audio Guided Solution
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55 m/s
Problem 16:
A 1.65-meter length string is forced to vibrate in its fifth harmonic. Determine the locations of
the nodal positions. Express the locations as a distance measured from one of the ends of the
string.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
0 m, 0.33 m, 0.66 m, 0.99 m, 1.32 m, and 1.65 m
Problem 17:
A steel piano wire is pulled to a tension of 448 N and has a mass density of 0.00621 kg/m. The
string is 61.8 cm long and vibrates at its fundamental frequency.
a. Determine the speed at which vibrations travel through the wire.
b. Determine the wavelength of the standing wave pattern for the fundamental frequency.
c. Determine the frequency of its vibrations.
• Audio Guided Solution
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a. 269 m/s
b. 124 cm or 1.24 m
c. 217 Hz
Problem 18:
A steel piano wire is 72.9 cm long and has a mass of 4.54 x 10-3 kg. The fundamental frequency
of the wire is 262 Hz, corresponding to the frequency of middle C on the musical scales.
Determine the tension to which the wire is pulled in order to vibrate with this frequency.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
909 N
Problem 19:
In the singing rod demonstration, Mr. H holds a 2.13-m length of aluminum rod in the exact
center. With rosin on his fingers, he slides his sticky fingers back and forth over the rod until it
begins to sing out with a very pure tone. Assuming waves travel at speeds of 6320 m/s within the
aluminum and that the standing wave pattern is characteristic of one-half wavelength between
the rod's ends, determine the frequency of the sound.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
1480 Hz (rounded from 1484 Hz)
Problem 20:
Two strings made of the same material (same mass density) and stretched to the same tension
(and thus, having the same speed) have a different length. One of the strings is 80-cm long
(String A) and the other string is 60 cm (String B). They are vibrated at various frequencies in
order to establish standing wave patterns within them. Consider the first six harmonics of the two
strings. Which harmonic of String A would have the same frequency as one of the harmonics of
String B?
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
The 4th harmonic of string A and the 3rd harmonic of string B.
Problem 21:
An 80-cm length open-end air column is forced to vibrate in its fifth harmonic. Determine the
locations of the nodal positions (positions where air is undisturbed). Express the locations in cm
using the diagram below.
Unless told otherwise, use 2.998x108 m/s as the value of the speed of light.
Problem 1:
In 1957, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory conducted the first ever radar measurements of the
distance from the Earth to the moon. By reflecting light from an Earth-based source off the moon
and measuring the back-and-forth time of transit, scientists determined that the moon is
approximately 3.84 x108 m from the Earth. Determine the time it takes light to travel from Earth
to the moon and back.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
2.56 s
Problem 2:
The distance from the Earth to the sun is 1.496x1011 m. A solar flare occurs on the sun’s surface
on Wednesday morning at 10:24 AM. At what time and on what day will electromagnetic
radiation from the flare reach the Earth.
• Audio Guided Solution
• Hide/Show Answer
10:32 AM on Wednesday (8 minutes later)
Problem 3:
In the 1600s, Ole Roemer became one of the first scientists to
make a measurement of the speed of light. Roemer observed the
orbits of Jupiter’s nearest moon and recognized that its orbital
period was observed to be approximately 22 minutes longer when
measured from Earth when it was furthest from Jupiter compared
to when it was closest to Jupiter. Roemer reasoned that the
difference was due to the fact that it took longer for light from
Jupiter to travel the extra distance when Earth’s position was on
the opposite side of the Sun from Jupiter. The distance d2 is
2.98x1011 m greater than the distance d1. Determine Roemer’s estimate of the speed of light in
the 1600s.
1. Which object(s) is(are) maintaining a state of motion (i.e., maintaining a constant velocity)?
Depress mouse to see answ er.
See Explanation.
14. Sketch a position-time graph for an object which is moving with a constant, positive velocity.
See Answer.
15. Sketch a position-time graph for an object which is moving with a constant, negative
velocity. See Answer.
16. Sketch a position-time graph for an object moving in the + dir'n and accelerating from a low
velocity to a high velocity. See Answer.
17. Sketch a position-time graph for an object moving in the + dir'n and accelerating from a high
velocity to a low velocity. See Answer.
18. Sketch a position-time graph for an object moving in the - dir'n and accelerating from a high
velocity to a low velocity. See Answer.
19. Sketch a position-time graph for an object moving in the - dir'n and accelerating from a low
velocity to a high velocity. See Answer.
20. Sketch a position-time graph for an object moving in the + dir'n with constant speed; first a
slow constant speed and then a fast constant speed. See Answer.
21. Sketch a position-time graph for an object moving in the + dir'n with constant speed; first a
fast constant speed and then a slow constant speed. See Answer.
22. Sketch a position-time graph for an object moving in the - dir'n with constant speed; first a
slow constant speed and then a fast constant speed. See Answer.
23. Sketch a position-time graph for an object moving in the - dir'n with constant speed; first a
fast constant speed and then a slow constant speed. See Answer.
24. Sketch a position-time graph for an object which moves in the + direction at a slow constant
speed and then in a - direction at a fast constant speed. See Answer.
25. Sketch a position-time graph for an object which moves in the + direction at a fast constant
speed and then in a - direction at a slow constant speed. See Answer.
26. Sketch a position-time graph for an object which moves in the - direction at a slow constant
speed and then in a + direction at a fast constant speed. See Answer.
27. Sketch a velocity-time graph for an object moving with a constant speed in the positive
direction. See Answer.
28. Sketch a velocity-time graph for an object moving with a constant speed in the negative
direction. See Answer.
29. Sketch a velocity-time graph for an object which is at rest. See Answer.
30. Sketch a velocity-time graph for an object moving in the + direction, accelerating from a
slow speed to a fast speed. See Answer.
31. Sketch a velocity-time graph for an object moving in the + direction, accelerating from a fast
speed to a slow speed. See Answer.
32. Sketch a velocity-time graph for an object moving in the - direction, accelerating from a slow
speed to a fast speed. See Answer.
33. Sketch a velocity-time graph for an object moving in the - direction, accelerating from a fast
speed to a slow speed. See Answer.
34. Sketch a velocity-time graph for an object which first moves with a slow, constant speed in
the + direction, and then with a fast constant speed in the + direction. See Answer.
35. Sketch a velocity-time graph for an object which first moves with a fast, constant speed in
the + direction, and then with a slow constant speed in the + direction. See Answer
36. Sketch a velocity-time graph for an object which first moves with a constant speed in the +
direction, and then moves with a positive acceleration. See Answer
37. Sketch a velocity-time graph for an object which first moves with a constant speed in the +
direction, and then moves with a negative acceleration. See Answer
1. Objects A, B, D, and E are maintaining a state of motion (i.e., remaining with constant
velocity) as demonstrated by the constant slope. If the slope is constant, then the velocity is
constant.
2. Object C is accelerating. An acclerating object has a changing velocity. Since the slope of a p-t
graph equals the velocity, an accelerating object is represented by a changing slope.
3. Objects A and E are not moving. An object which is not moving has a zero velocity; this
translates into a line with zero slope on a p-t graph.
4. None of these objects change direction. An object changes its direction if it changes from a +
to a - velocity (or vice versa). This translates into a p-t graph with a + slope and then a - slope (or
vice versa).
5. Object B is traveling fastest. To be traveling fastest is to have the greatest speed (or greatest
magnitude of velocity). This translates into the line on a p-t graph with the greatest slope.
6. Object D is traveling slowest. To be traveling slowest is to have the smallest speed (or
smallest magnitude of velocity). This translates into the line on a p-t graph with the smallest
slope.
7. Object C has the greatest acceleration. It is the only object with an acceleration. Accelerated
motion on a p-t graph is represented by a curved line.
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8. Objects A and E are maintaining their state of motion. To maintain the state of motion is to
keep a constant velocity (i.e., to have a zero acceleration). This translates into a zero slope on a
v-t graph.
9. Objects B and C are accelerating (and for a while, object D). Accelerated motion is indicated
by a sloped line on a v-t graph.
10. Each of the objects are moving. If an object were not moving, then the v-t graph would be a
horizontal line along the axis (v = 0 m/s).
11. Objects B and C change their direction. An object that is changing its direction is changing
from a + to a - velocity. Thus, the line on a v-t graph will pass from the + to the - region of the
graph. Object D is not changing its direction; object D first moves in the - direction with
increasing speed and then maintains a constant speed.
12. Object B has the smallest acceleration. Acceleration is indicated by the slope of the line. The
object with the smallest acceleration is the object with the smallest slope.
13. Object A has the greatest velocity (and object E is a "close second"). The velocity is
indicated by how far above or how far below the axis the line is. Object A has a large + velocity.
Object E has a large (but not as large) - velocity.
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14. A position-time graph for an object which is moving with a constant, positive velocity is
shown below. A positive, constant velocity is represented by a line with constant slope (straight)
and positive slope (upwards sloping).
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15. A position-time graph for an object which is moving with a constant, negative velocity is
shown below. A negative, constant velocity is represented by a line with constant slope (straight)
and positive slope (upwards sloping).
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16. A position-time graph for an object moving in the + dir'n and accelerating from a low
velocity to a high velocity is shown below. If the object is moving in the + dir'n, then the slope of
a p-t graph would be +. If the object is changing velocity from small to large values, then the
slope must change from small slope to large slope.
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17. A position-time graph for an object moving in the + dir'n and accelerating from a high
velocity to a low velocity is shown below. If the object is moving in the + dir'n, then the slope of
a p-t graph would be +. If the object is changing velocity from high to low values, then the slope
must change from high slope to low slope.
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18. A position-time graph for an object moving in the - dir'n and accelerating from a high
velocity to a low velocity is shown below. If the object is moving in the - dir'n, then the slope of
a p-t graph would be -. If the object is changing velocity from high to low values, then the slope
must change from high slope to low slope.
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19. A position-time graph for an object moving in the - dir'n and accelerating from a low velocity
to a high velocity is shown below. If the object is moving in the - dir'n, then the slope of a p-t
graph would be -. If the object is changing velocity from low to high values, then the slope must
change from low slope to high slope.
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20. A position-time graph for an object moving in the + dir'n with constant speed; first a slow
constant speed and then a fast constant speed is shown below. If an object is moving in the +
dir'n, then the slope of the line on a p-t graph would be +. At first, the line has a small slope
(corresponding to a small velocity) and then the line has a large slope (corresponding to a large
velocity).
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21. A position-time graph for an object moving in the + dir'n with constant speed; first a fast
constant speed and then a slow constant speed is shown below. If an object is moving in the +
dir'n, then the slope of the line on a p-t graph would be +. At first, the line has a large slope
(corresponding to a large velocity) and then the line has a small slope (corresponding to a small
velocity).
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22. A position-time graph for an object moving in the - dir'n with constant speed; first a slow
constant speed and then a fast constant speed is shown below. If an object is moving in the -
dir'n, then the slope of the line on a p-t graph would be -. At first, the line has a small slope
(corresponding to a small velocity) and then the line has a large slope (corresponding to a large
velocity).
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23. A position-time graph for an object moving in the - dir'n with constant speed; first a fast
constant speed and then a slow constant speed is shown below. If an object is moving in the -
dir'n, then the slope of the line on a p-t graph would be -. At first, the line has a large slope
(corresponding to a large velocity) and then the line has a small slope (corresponding to a small
velocity).
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24. A position-time graph for an object which moves in the + direction at a slow constant speed
and then in a - direction at a fast constant speed is shown below. The object must first have a +
slope (corresponding to its + velocity) then it must have a - slope (corresponding to its -
velocity). Initially, the slope is small (corresponding to a small velocity) and then the slope is
large (corresponding to a large velocity).
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25. A position-time graph for an object which moves in the + direction at a fast constant speed
and then in a - direction at a slow constant speed is shown below. The object must first have a +
slope (corresponding to its + velocity) then it must have a - slope (corresponding to its -
velocity). Initially, the slope is large (corresponding to a large velocity) and then the slope is
small (corresponding to a small velocity).
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26. A position-time graph for an object which moves in the - direction at a slow constant speed
and then in a + direction at a fast constant speed is shown below. The object must first have a -
slope (corresponding to its - velocity) then it must have a + slope (corresponding to its +
velocity). Initially, the slope is small (corresponding to a small velocity) and then the slope is
large (corresponding to a large velocity).
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27. A velocity-time graph for an object moving with a constant speed in the positive direction is
shown below. To have "a constant speed in the positive direction" is to have a + velocity which
is unchanging. Thus, the line on the graph will be in the + region of the graph (above 0). Since
the velocity is unchanging, the line is horizontal. Since the slope of a line on a v-t graph is the
object's acceleration, a horizontal line (zero slope) on a v-t graph is characteristic of a motion
with zeo acceleration (constant velocity).
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28. A velocity-time graph for an object moving with a constant speed in the negative direction is
shown below. To have "a constant speed in the negative direction" is to have a - velocity which
is unchanging. Thus, the line on the graph will be in the - region of the graph (below 0). Since
the velocity is unchanging, the line is horizontal. Since the slope of a line on a v-t graph is the
object's acceleration, a horizontal line (zero slope) on a v-t graph is characteristic of a motion
with zeo acceleration (constant velocity).
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29. A velocity-time graph for an object which is at rest is shown below. To be "at rest" is to have
a zero velocity. Thus the line is drawn along the axis (v=0).
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30.A velocity-time graph for an object moving in the + direction, accelerating from a slow speed
to a fast speed is shown below. An object which is moving in the + direction and speeding up
(slow to fast) has a + acceleration. (If necessary, review the dir'n of the acceleration vector in the
Physics Classroom Tutorial.) Since the slope of a line on a v-t graph is the object's acceleration,
an object with + acceleration is represented by a line with + slope. Thus, the line is a straight
diagonal line with upward (+) slope. Since the velocity is +, the line is plotted in the + region of
the v-t graph.
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31.A velocity-time graph for an object moving in the + direction, accelerating from a fast speed
to a slow speed is shown below. An object whgich is moving in the + direction and slowing
down (fast to slow) has a - acceleration. (If necessary, review the dir'n of the acceleration vector
in the Physics Classroom Tutorial.) Since the slope of a line on a v-t graph is the object's
acceleration, an object with - acceleration is represented by a line with - slope. Thus, the line is a
straight diagonal line with downward (-) slope. Since the velocity is +, the line is plotted in the +
region of the v-t graph.
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32. A velocity-time graph for an object moving in the - direction, accelerating from a slow speed
to a fast speed is shown below. An object whgich is moving in the - direction and speeding up
(slow to fast) has a - acceleration. (If necessary, review the dir'n of the acceleration vector in the
Physics Classroom Tutorial.) Since the slope of a line on a v-t graph is the object's acceleration,
an object with - acceleration is represented by a line with - slope. Thus, the line is a straight
diagonal line with downward (-) slope. Since the velocity is -, the line is plotted in the - region of
the v-t graph.
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33. A velocity-time graph for an object moving in the - direction, accelerating from a fast speed
to a slow speed is shown below. An object whgich is moving in the - direction and slowing down
(fast to slow) has a + acceleration. (If necessary, review the dir'n of the acceleration vector in the
Physics Classroom Tutorial.) Since the slope of a line on a v-t graph is the object's acceleration,
an object with + acceleration is represented by a line with + slope. Thus, the line is a straight
diagonal line with upward (+) slope. Since the velocity is -, the line is plotted in the - region of
the v-t graph.
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34. A velocity-time graph for an object which first moves with a slow, constant speed in the +
direction, and then with a fast constant speed in the + direction is shown below. Since there are
two parts of this object's motion, there will be two distinct parts on the graph. Each part is in the
+ region of the v-t graph (above 0) since the velocity is +. Each part is horizontal since the
velocity during each part is constant (constant velocity means zero acceleration which means
zero slope). The second part of the graph will be higher since the velocity is greater during the
second part of the motion.
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35. A velocity-time graph for an object which first moves with a fast, constant speed in the +
direction, and then with a slow constant speed in the + direction is shown below. Since there are
two parts of this object's motion, there will be two distinct parts on the graph. Each part is in the
+ region of the v-t graph (above 0) since the velocity is +. Each part is horizontal since the
velocity during each part is constant (constant velocity means zero acceleration which means
zero slope). The first part of the graph will be higher since the velocity is greater during the first
part of the motion.
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36. A velocity-time graph for an object which first moves with a constant speed in the +
direction, and then moves with a positive acceleration is shown below. Since there are two parts
of this object's motion, there will be two distinct parts on the graph. Each part is in the + region
of the v-t graph (above 0) since the velocity is +. The slope of the first part is zero since constant
velocity means zero acceleration and zero acceleration is represented by a horizontal line on a v-t
graph (slope = acceleration for v-t graphs). The second part of the graph is an upward sloping
line since the object has + acceleration (again, the slope = acceleration for v-t graphs)
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37. A velocity-time graph for an object which first moves with a constant speed in the +
direction, and then moves with a negative acceleration is shown below. Since there are two parts
of this object's motion, there will be two distinct parts on the graph. Each part is in the + region
of the v-t graph (above 0) since the velocity is +. The slope of the first part is zero since constant
velocity means zero acceleration and zero acceleration is represented by a horizontal line on a v-t
graph (slope = acceleration for v-t graphs). The second part of the graph is an downward sloping
line since the object has - acceleration (again, the slope = acceleration for v-t graphs)
Vector Addition
This web page is designed to provide some additional practice with the use of scaled vector
diagrams for the addition of two or more vectors. Your time will be best spent if you read each
practice problem carefully, attempt to solve the problem with a scaled vector diagram, and then
check your answer. You are cautioned to avoid making a quick reference to the solution prior to
making your own attempt at the solution. Such a habit is likely to fail at nurturing the ability to
draw a scaled vector addition diagram. If the solution to these practice problems are still not
meaningful, you are encouraged to obtain some on-line help in The Physics Classroom - visit the
page on vector addition.
1. Add the following vectors and determine the resultant.
3.0 m/s, 45 deg and 5.0 m/s, 135 deg
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Get on-line help at The Physics Classroom Tutorial
2. 5.0 m/s, 45 deg + 2.0 m/s, 180 deg = 3.85m/s, 66.5 deg (Note: the resultant is drawn in red.)
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Get on-line help at The Physics Classroom Tutorial
3. 6.0 m/s, 225 deg+ 2.0 m/s, 90 deg= 4.80 m/s, 207.9 deg (Note: the resultant is drawn in red.)
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Get on-line help at The Physics Classroom Tutorial
4. 4.0 m/s, 135 deg+ 4.0 m/s, 315 deg = 0 m/s (Note: the resultant is drawn in red.)
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Get on-line help at The Physics Classroom Tutorial
5. 5.0 m/s, 45 deg+ 2.5 m/s, 135 deg= 5.59 m/s, 71.6 deg (Note: the resultant is drawn in red.)
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Get on-line help at The Physics Classroom Tutorial
6. 7.0 m/s, 0 deg+ 2.0 m/s, 90 deg= 7.28 m/s, 15.9 deg (Note: the resultant is drawn in red.)
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Get on-line help at The Physics Classroom Tutorial
7. 8.0 m/s, 330 deg+ 4.0 m/s, 45 deg= 9.83m/s, 352.2 deg (Note: the resultant is drawn in red.)
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Get on-line help at The Physics Classroom Tutorial
8. 2.0 m/s, 150 deg+ 4.0 m/s, 225 deg= 4.91m/s, 201.8 deg (Note: the resultant is drawn in red.)
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Get on-line help at The Physics Classroom Tutorial
9. 3.0 m/s, 45 deg+ 5.0 m/s, 135 deg+ 2.0 m/s, 60 deg= 7.40m/s, 93.2 deg (Note: the resultant is
drawn in red.)
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Get on-line help at The Physics Classroom Tutorial
10. 2.0 m/s, 315 deg+ 5.0 m/s, 180 deg+ 2.0 m/s, 60 deg= 2.61m/s, 173 deg (Note: the resultant
is drawn in red.)
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Get on-line help at The Physics Classroom Tutorial
11. 4.0 m/s, 90 deg+ 2.0 m/s, 0 deg+ 2.0 m/s, 210 deg= 3.01 m/s, 84.9 deg (Note: the resultant is
drawn in red.)
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Get on-line help at The Physics Classroom Tutorial
12. 2.5 m/s, 45 deg+ 5.0 m/s, 270 deg+ 5.0 m/s, 330 deg= 8.37 m/s, 316.8 deg (Note: the
resultant is drawn in red.)
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