D ST

SCHOLARS' ASSOCIATION IN REGION VI

Common Convention Factors
1. A student walks 13 meters North, 5 meters East, 7 meters
North, and 3 meters West to attend their Physics class.
What is the total displacement and its direction?
A. 20m, NE
B. 20m, NW
C. 21m, NE
D. 21m, NW
 N

3m

7m

W 5m E
13 m

S
2. The world land speed record of 763.0 mi/h was set on
October 15, 1997 by Andy Green in the jet-engine car Thrust
SSC. Express this speed in meters per second.
A. 317.92 m/s
B. 20461.12 m/s
C. 341.02 m/s
D. 21422.26 m/s
What is a Vector?
• it is a quantity that has magnitude (both a magnitude (the “how
much” or “how big” part) and a direction in space.
• Examples:
• Displacement
• Velocity
• Force
• Tension
Motion in a Straight Line

Equation 1

Equation 2
Motion in a Straight Line

Equation 3

Equation 4
Set-up
1. You must decide at the beginning of a problem where the origin of coordinates is and which axis direction is positive.
The choices are usually a matter of convenience; it is often easiest to place the origin at the object’s location at time t =
0 then x = o m. Draw a diagram showing your choices. Then sketch any relevant later positions of the object in the same
diagram.
[Link] you have chosen the positive axis direction, the positive directions for velocity and acceleration are also
determined. It would be wrong to define x as positive to the right of the origin and velocities as positive toward the left.
[Link] often helps to restate the problem in prose first and then translate the prose description into symbols and equations.
When (i.e, at what value of t) does the particle arrive at a certain point? Where is the particle when its velocity has a
certain value? (That is, what is the value of x when has the specified value?) The next example asks, “Where is the
motorcyclist when his velocity is Translated into symbols, this becomes “What is the value of x when
[Link] on your diagram or in a list, write known and unknown quantities such as x, and Write in the values for those that
are known. Be on the lookout for implicit information; for example, “A car sits at a stoplight” usually means that and so
on.
 Solve
5.. Once you’ve identified the unknowns, you may be able to choose an equation from among Equations 1, 2, 3, and 4 that
contains only one of the unknowns. Solve for that unknown; then substitute the known values and compute the value of
the unknown. Carry the units of the quantities along with your calculations as an added consistency check.

Reflect
6. Take a hard look at your results to see whether they make sense. Are they within the general range of magnitudes you
expected? If you change one of the given quantities, do the results change in a way you can predict?
3. A motorcyclist heading east through a small town accelerates at a
constant 4.0 m/s^2 after he leaves the city limits. At time t = 0 he is 5.0 m
east of the city-limits signpost while he moves east at 15 m/s. Find his
position from city-limits signpost and velocity at t = 2.0 s.

A. 43m,
21.5m/s
B. 35m, 23m/s
C. 35m, 21.5m/s
D. 43m, 23m/s
 t = 0 s;
x0 = 5 m
v0 = 15.0 m/s
x = 5.0 + 15(2) + ½(4.0)(2)^2
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 . . x = 43 m
a = 4.0
m/s^2
 t = 0 s;
x0 = 5 m
v0 = 15.0 m/s

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 . .
a = 4.0
m/s^2
4. A motorist traveling at a constant 15 m/s passes a school
crossing violating the school speed limit. Just as the motorist
passes the school crossing sign, a police officer on a motorcycle
stopped there starts in pursuit with a constant acceleration 3.0
m/s^[Link] much time elapses before the officer passes the
motorist?
A. 9s C. 11s
B. 10s D. 12s
5. A coin is dropped from the tower and falls
freely from rest. What are its position and
velocity after 3.0 s?
a. 44.145m, 29.43m/s c. 44.145m, 28.43m/s
b. 40.215m, 29.43m/s d. 40.215m, 28.43m/s
0
g = 9.18 m/s
6. You throw a ball vertically upward from the roof of a tall
building. The ball leaves your hand at a point even with the
roof railing with an upward speed of 15.0 m/s; the ball is
then in free fall. On its way back down, it just misses the
railing. Find the ball’s position from the origin 4.00s after
leaving your hand.
A. 17.48 m C. 29.95m

B. 18.48 m D.

28.95m
 +

Vo = 15 m/s
0

-
7. A motorcycle stunt rider rides off the edge of a cliff. Just
at the edge his velocity is horizontal, with a magnitude of
9.0 m/s. Find the motorcycle’s distance from the edge of
the cliff 0.50 s after it leaves the edge of the cliff.

A. 4.5m C. 4.7m
B. 4.6m D. 4.8m
 dx

dy
8. A batter hits a baseball so that it leaves the bat at
speed v0 = 37.0 m/s at an angle α0= 60°. Find the
velocity of the ball at t = 2.00 s.
A. vx= 18.5m/s, vy= 12.42 m/s
B. vx= 18.5m/s, vy= -12.42m/s
C. vx = -18.5m/s, vy= 12.42m/s
D. vx = -18.5m/s, vy= -12.42m/s
9. Passengers on a carnival ride move at constant
speed in a horizontal circle of radius 5.0 m, making
a complete circle in 4.0 s. What is their
acceleration?
A. 12.54 m/s2 C. 12.32 m/s2
B. 10.54 D. 10.32
m/s2 m/s2
The problem describes a carnival ride where passengers move in a horizontal circle at a
constant speed. This means they are experiencing uniform circular motion. In uniform
circular motion, even though the speed is constant, the direction of the velocity is
constantly changing, resulting in an acceleration called centripetal acceleration.
Speed (v) in circular motion: Centripetal Acceleration (a):
v = (2πr) / T a = v² / r
Where:
2πr is the circumference of the circle
T is the period (time for one revolution)
10. A segment of steel rod has a length of 60m when
the temperature is 0°C. What will be its new length
when the temperature increases to 50°C? α=12x10^-6
(C°)^-1
A. 60.036 m C. 60.360 m
B. 60.004 m D. 63.600 m
• ΔL is the change in length (what we
want to find)
• α is the coefficient of linear expansion
• L₀ is the original length
• ΔT is the change in temperature
Imagine you have a 60-meter long steel rod. It's really cold, like 0 degrees Celsius. Now, you
heat it up to 50 degrees Celsius. What happens? The rod gets longer! We need to figure out
how much longer. Materials expand when heated because the atoms vibrate more and take
up more space. The amount of expansion depends on:
• The material: Steel expands a specific amount for each degree of temperature change.
This is called the coefficient of linear expansion (α). It's given as 12 x 10⁻⁶ (°C)⁻¹ for steel.
• The original length (L₀): A longer rod will expand more than a shorter one.
• The change in temperature (ΔT): The bigger the temperature change, the more the rod
expands.
11. A metal bar measures 10cm at 50°F.
What would be its new length at 32°F if
α=1.5x10-6 (C°)^-1
A. 999.9mm
B. 0.00999m
C.
0.000099km
D. 9.99 in
• ΔL is the change in length (what we
want to find)
• α is the coefficient of linear expansion
• L₀ is the original length
• ΔT is the change in temperature
We have a metal bar that's 10 cm long when it's at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. We're cooling it
down to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. What happens? It shrinks a little! We want to find its new
length.
• Thermal Contraction: When materials cool down, their atoms vibrate less and take up
less space, causing the material to shrink.
• Coefficient of Linear Expansion (α): This tells us how much a material changes in length
per degree Celsius. In this case, α = 1.5 x 10⁻⁶ (°C)⁻¹.
• Temperature Conversion: We need to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius because the
coefficient of linear expansion is given in terms of Celsius.
12. The diamond is the strongest mineral ever recorded that
can break glass. What will be its speed of light when its
index of refraction is 2.417?
A. 1.32x10^8 m/s
B. 1.12x10^8 m/s
C. 1.46x10^8 m/s
D. 1.24x10^8 m/s
We're given that a diamond has an index of refraction of 2.417. We need to find the speed of
light inside the diamond.

• Index of Refraction (n): This is a measure of how much light slows down when it passes
through a material or medium. It's the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed
of light in the material or medium.
• Speed of Light in Vacuum (c): This is a constant value, approximately 3.00 x 10⁸ m/s.
• Speed of Light in a Medium (v): This is the speed of light in a material other than a
vacuum.
13. A 4cm tall light bulb is placed at a distance of
50cm from a concave mirror having a focal length of
15cm. Determine the image distance.
A. 22.80cm
B. 23.45cm
C. 21.43cm
D. 20.84cm
50 1
5
We have a 4 cm tall light bulb placed 50 cm away from a concave mirror. The mirror has a focal
length of 15 cm. We need to find the image distance, which is where the image of the light bulb will
be formed.
• Concave Mirror: A mirror with a curved inward reflecting surface.
• Focal Length (f): The distance from the mirror's surface to the focal point, where parallel rays of
light converge. For a concave mirror, f is positive.
• Object Distance (do): The distance from the object (light bulb) to the mirror.
• Image Distance (di): The distance from the image to the mirror.
• Mirror Equation: The relationship between these distances is given by the mirror equation:
1/f = 1/do + 1/di
14. A 5cm tall hoop is placed at a distance of
36cm from a convex mirror having a focal
length of -12cm. Determine the image size.
A. 1.25 C. 1.42
B. 1.02 D. 1.32
36 cm -12 cm
 • hi: Image Height
• ho: Object Height
• di: Image Distance
• do: Object Distance

36 cm 9cm -12 cm
15. Which of the following best explains the
phenomenon of red and orange sunsets?
a. Increased atmospheric scattering of shorter wavelengths due to the increased path
length of sunlight through the atmosphere at sunset.
b. The Sun's actual temperature decreases as it approaches the horizon, emitting more red
and orange light.
c. The Earth's shadow begins to obscure the Sun, filtering out most of the visible spectrum
except for the longer, redder wavelengths.
d. The angle of incidence of sunlight on the Earth's surface changes at sunset, causing a
shift in the perceived color of the Sun.
Sunlight is made up of a spectrum of colors (wavelengths). When sunlight enters
the Earth's atmosphere, it interacts with the molecules of gases and other
particles present. This interaction causes the sunlight to scatter in different
directions. The amount of scattering depends on the wavelength of light. Shorter
wavelengths (like blue and violet) are scattered much more effectively than
longer wavelengths (like red and orange). This is called Rayleigh scattering. The
longer wavelengths (red and orange) are scattered less and can travel through the
atmosphere more easily. These colors are what we see when the sun sets.
16. Which of the following best describes the difference
between concave and convex lenses?
a. Concave lenses are thicker in the middle and converge light rays, while convex
lenses are thinner in the middle and diverge light rays.
b. Concave lenses are thinner in the middle and diverge light rays, while convex
lenses are thicker in the middle and converge light rays.
c. Both types of lenses converge light rays, but concave lenses have a shorter focal
length.
d. Both types of lenses diverge light rays, but convex lenses have a longer focal
length.
b. Concave lenses are thinner in the middle and diverge light rays, while
convex lenses are thicker in the middle and converge light rays.
17. All of the following are crucial considerations for storing
temperature-sensitive chemicals, EXCEPT:

a. Maintaining consistent temperature within the storage area is solely dependent on the
type of refrigeration unit used.
b. Monitoring temperature fluctuations within the storage area is essential to ensure product
stability and prevent degradation.
c. Implementing temperature alarms and regular monitoring procedures can help prevent
costly losses due to temperature excursions.
d. The specific temperature range required for storage may vary significantly depending on the
chemical's properties and intended use.
a. Maintaining consistent temperature within the storage area is solely
dependent on the type of refrigeration unit used.
Option a is the one that's NOT entirely true. While the refrigeration unit is important,
it's NOT the only thing that matters. Other factors like:
• How often the door is opened
• Where the chemicals are placed inside the fridge
• The overall room temperature
• The calibration of the fridge
• The electricity supply
• Also affect the temperature.
18. Which of the following best explains why driving at high
speeds and then braking suddenly significantly increases the
risk of accidents compared to driving at moderate speeds?
a. Increased kinetic energy at higher speeds requires a much greater force to
decelerate, potentially overwhelming the braking system and leading to loss of control.
b. Higher speeds increase the likelihood of tire blowouts, making it impossible to
control the vehicle during an emergency braking situation.
c. The driver's reaction time is significantly slower at higher speeds, reducing the
available time to react to unforeseen hazards.
d. High speeds increase the severity of any impact that does occur, leading to more
significant damage to the vehicle and potentially more severe injuries to occupants.
• Kinetic Energy: Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. It increases with both mass
and velocity. The formula is KE = 1/2 * mv², where m is mass and v is velocity.
Importantly, velocity is squared, so doubling your speed quadruples your kinetic
energy.
• Deceleration: To stop a car, you need to decrease its kinetic energy to zero. This is
done through braking, which applies a force to the wheels.
• Force and Deceleration: The greater the kinetic energy, the greater the force
needed to decelerate the car in a given amount of time or distance.
19. If a car's shock absorbers are failing or worn out, how would
a human body most likely react during a bumpy road drive?

a. Experience significantly increased vertical motion, feeling more jolts and bouncing.
b. Feel a smoother ride due to reduced friction between the tires and the road.
c. Experience less body roll and improved handling in corners.
d. Feel no noticeable difference in ride comfort.
• A car's suspension system (shock absorber), in its ideal form, can be approximated
as a damped harmonic oscillator. When a car encounters a bump, the springs in the
suspension system compress and then oscillate (move up and down) in a motion
that resembles SHM.
• SHM is a type of periodic motion where the restoring force is directly proportional
to the displacement from equilibrium.
• In a spring, the restoring force is provided by the spring itself
20. You need more power to start a bike from rest primarily
because:
a. The initial acceleration phase demands the highest power output to rapidly increase the
bike's kinetic energy.
b. Overcoming the combined inertia of the bike and rider requires a significant initial force,
which translates to a high power demand.
c. Friction and air resistance, while present, are relatively minor factors compared to the
energy required to overcome inertia and accelerate the combined mass of the bike and rider.
d. The human body is most efficient at exerting force at moderate speeds, making it inherently
more difficult to generate the necessary power to initiate motion from a standstill.
• Kinetic Energy: Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. It increases with both mass
and velocity. The formula is KE = 1/2 * mv², where m is mass and v is velocity.
Importantly, velocity is squared, so doubling your speed quadruples your kinetic
energy.
• Deceleration: To stop a car, you need to decrease its kinetic energy to zero. This is
done through braking, which applies a force to the wheels.
• Force and Deceleration: The greater the kinetic energy, the greater the force
needed to decelerate the car in a given amount of time or distance.
21. A man stands on a tall ladder of height h. He leans over a
little too far and falls off the ladder. If his mass is m, what is
his velocity right before he hits the ground?
For this problem, use the law of conservation of energy. This states that the total energy before the fall
will equal the total energy after the fall. The initial kinetic energy will be zero, and the final potential
energy will be zero; thus, the initial non-zero potential energy will be equal to the final non-zero kinetic
energy.

General Formula
PEi + KEi = PEf + KEf
PEi = KEf
22. A man stands on a tall ladder of height h. He leans over
a little too far and falls off the ladder. If his mass is m, what
is his potential energy right before he falls?
The potential energy at a given height it the product of the height, the mass of the
object, and the acceleration of gravity. Potential gravitational energy is given from the
equation:

PE=mgh
23. A ball drops from a height h. What more do we
need to calculate initial potential energy?
a. Elasticity of the ball
b. Horizontal displacement
c. Final velocity
d. Mass
• We are given that the ball drops from a height 'h'.
• We know 'g' is a constant (acceleration due to gravity).
• To calculate the initial potential energy using the formula PE = mgh, we need the
mass (m) of the ball.
24. Which of the following is not an example of
potential energy?

a. An incredibly compressed spring

b. An apple dangling off a branch
c. A candy bar
d. A running woman
• The running woman has kinetic energy as she is moving.
• The candy bar has chemical potential energy.
• The apple has gravitational potential energy.
• The compressed string has elastic potential energy.
25. What is the resistance in a circuit with a voltage
of 50V and a current of 8A?
a. 42Ω
b. 58Ω
c. 0.16Ω
d. 6.25Ω
 For this problem, use Ohm's law:

V=IR

We can re-arrange the equation to solve specifically for R.

V/I = R

Plug in the given values for voltage and current and solve for resistance.

50V/8A = R

6.25Ω = R
26. An electrical circuit has a total of 3.22Ω
resistance and 8V. What is the current?
a. 11.22A
b. 2.48A
c. 0.403A
d. 0.089A
 For this problem use Ohm's law:

V=IR

We are given the resistance and the voltage, allowing us to solve

for the current.

8V = I X (3.22 Ω)

I = 8V/ 3.22 Ω

I = 2.48A
27. An electrical circuit has a current of 8A and 32Ω
of resistance. What is the voltage?
a. 40V
b. 0.25V
c. 4V
d. 256V
 V=IR

We are given the resistance and the current, allowing us to solve

for the voltage.

V=(8A)(32Ω)

V=256V
28. A circuit has a current, I, a voltage, V, and a
resistance, R. If the voltage remains constant, but the
current is doubled (2I), what must the new resistance
be?
a. 2R
b. 1/2R
c. 4R
d. 1/4R
 V=IR

I1R1 = V = I2R2

We know that the second current is equal to twice the first

current.

I2 = 2I1

Use this equation to substitute current into the first equation.

I1R1 = (2I1)R2

R1 = 2R2

1/2R1 = R2
29. If the mass is 5kg and A = 50∘, what is the tension,
T? Assume no frictional forces. (g = 10 m/s^2)
a. 56.1N
b. 64.7N
c. 41.8N
d. 38.3N
 T = Fg

Substituting in an expression for the force of gravity, we get:

T = mgsin(θ)

We know all of these values, allowing us to solve for the tension:

30. What is the tension force on a wire holding a 10kg
ball 20ft above the ground, if the ball is not moving
at that height? g = 9.8 m/s^2
a. 49N
b. 0N
c. 6N
d. 98N
Since the gravitational force must be cancelled by the tension force, as the ball is

experiencing

no acceleration, and no other forces are being applied to it: