Physics Exam Prep

Practice Test

All math uses only these two formulas β€” rearrange as needed:

F = m Γ— asolve for F, m, or a
V = I Γ— Rsolve for V, I, or R
0 / 55 answered
πŸ”¬

Sections 1 & 2: Scientific Method & Motion

Theories, experiments, kinematics, velocity, acceleration, projectile motion

β€”
/ 13 pts
Q1In science, what makes a theory different from a random guess or opinion?
A
A theory has been proven absolutely true and can never change
B
A theory is supported by repeated evidence and can still be tested and disproven
C
A theory is just an educated guess with no supporting data
D
A theory is unchangeable once accepted by scientists
Q2Why is it important to only change ONE variable at a time in an experiment?
A
So you can be certain which variable caused the result (controlled experiment)
B
Because changing multiple variables makes the experiment too complicated
C
To make the experiment finish faster
D
It doesn't matter how many variables change at once
Q3Why do we need to choose a reference point before measuring position or motion?
A
To calculate the object's weight
B
To determine the force acting on it
C
Because position is meaningless without knowing what you're measuring from
D
Only needed for objects moving in a circle
Q4What makes velocity a "vector" quantity while speed is not?
A
Velocity is always numerically larger than speed
B
Velocity can be negative; speed cannot
C
Speed includes direction; velocity does not
D
Velocity includes both magnitude AND direction; speed is magnitude only
Q5A car accelerates from rest at 3 m/sΒ². What is its speed 4 seconds after it starts moving?
A
3 m/s
B
12 m/s
C
7 m/s
D
0.75 m/s
Q6Galileo could observe falling objects but couldn't fully describe their changing motion mathematically. What did he lack?
A
Calculus β€” the math needed to describe continuously changing quantities
B
A good telescope
C
Basic algebra
D
The motivation to study the problem
Q7A heavy cannonball and a small marble are dropped at the same time from the same height in a vacuum. Which hits the ground first?
A
The cannonball β€” gravity pulls heavier things faster
B
The marble β€” it has less air resistance
C
Both hit at the same time β€” all objects fall with the same acceleration in a vacuum
D
Impossible to say without knowing the exact height
Q8Using calculus to find the area under a velocity-time curve tells you the object's...
A
acceleration
B
mass
C
force
D
displacement (position change)
Q9The acceleration due to gravity (g = 9.81 m/sΒ²) is the same for all falling objects because...
A
all objects have the same mass
B
gravity's pull and an object's resistance to motion (inertia) both increase with mass equally, so they cancel out
C
lighter objects fall faster because they have less resistance
D
g only applies to objects in a vacuum
Q10A bullet is dropped and another is fired horizontally from the same height simultaneously. Neglecting air resistance, which hits the ground first?
A
The dropped bullet β€” it has no horizontal speed to distract it
B
The fired bullet β€” it has more energy
C
Both hit at exactly the same time β€” both have identical vertical acceleration
D
Depends on how fast the bullet was fired
Q11In projectile motion (no air resistance), which component of velocity NEVER changes during the flight?
A
Horizontal β€” no horizontal force acts, so horizontal velocity stays constant
B
Vertical β€” gravity is constant so vertical stays constant too
C
Both stay constant throughout the flight
D
Neither β€” both change constantly due to gravity
Q12A ball thrown straight up and a ball thrown straight down from the same cliff at the same initial speed β€” which hits the ground with greater speed?
A
The ball thrown downward β€” it never wasted time going up first
B
The ball thrown upward β€” it gains extra speed coming back down
C
Both hit with the same final speed β€” energy is conserved
D
Depends on the height of the cliff
Q13In the "Monkey and Hunter" problem, the hunter aims directly at the monkey. The monkey drops the instant the gun fires. What happens?
A
The bullet flies above the monkey β€” should have aimed lower
B
The bullet hits the monkey β€” both fall the same distance due to gravity during flight
C
The bullet flies below the monkey
D
Depends on how far away the monkey is
⚑

Section 3: Dynamics & Newton's Laws

F = ma, Newton's three laws, gravity, drag, torque, circular motion

β€”
/ 15 pts
Q1"Dynamics" studies the causes of motion. What does that mean?
A
It describes how fast objects move without asking why
B
It only deals with objects at rest
C
It studies the forces and torques that make objects start, stop, or change motion
D
It only applies to falling objects
Q2A 4 kg object accelerates at 5 m/sΒ². What net force is acting on it? (F = ma)
A
20 N
B
9 N
C
1.25 N
D
0.8 N
Q3A 10 kg wagon is pulled north with 20 N and south with 50 N. What is its acceleration? (a = F/m)
A
5 m/sΒ² north
B
3 m/sΒ² south
C
7 m/sΒ² south
D
2 m/sΒ² north
Q4A 30 N force gives an object an acceleration of 6 m/sΒ². What is the object's mass? (m = F/a)
A
180 kg
B
36 kg
C
24 kg
D
5 kg
Q5A car is equally hard to accelerate on the Moon as on Earth, even though it weighs much less there. Why?
A
The Moon has the same surface gravity as Earth
B
The car's mass (and therefore inertia) is the same β€” mass doesn't depend on gravity
C
The Moon's rough surface creates more friction to compensate
D
It is actually much easier to accelerate on the Moon
Q6"Every force creates an equal and opposite force." Which of Newton's Laws is this?
A
Newton's Third Law
B
Newton's First Law
C
Newton's Law of Gravitation
D
Newton's Second Law
Q7A swimmer pushes backward on the water to move forward. This illustrates...
A
Newton's First Law β€” she keeps moving due to inertia
B
Newton's Second Law β€” net force causes acceleration
C
Newton's Third Law β€” the water pushes her forward with an equal force
D
Archimedes' principle of buoyancy
Q8A box moves at constant speed after being pushed. A second equal and opposite force is suddenly applied. With no friction, the box now...
A
immediately stops dead
B
gradually slows and stops
C
reverses direction
D
continues at constant speed β€” net force is zero, so by Newton's First Law, no acceleration
Q9When you stand on a bathroom scale, what force is the scale actually measuring?
A
The gravitational pull of Earth on you
B
The normal force the scale pushes up on you
C
Your mass in kilograms
D
The frictional force between you and the scale
Q10When you double a car's speed, the drag force on it increases by a factor of...
A
Four β€” drag is proportional to speed squared (vΒ²)
B
Two β€” drag doubles with speed
C
Eight β€” drag cubes with speed
D
It stays the same regardless of speed
Q11Door handles are placed on the opposite side of the door from the hinges because...
A
It increases the force applied to the door directly
B
Most people are right-handed
C
The larger distance from the hinge creates more torque with the same pushing force
D
It reduces the torque needed, making it harder to open
Q12What keeps a roller coaster from falling off the track at the TOP of a loop?
A
Centrifugal force pushes it outward against the track
B
Centripetal force β€” gravity and the track both push toward the center of the loop, keeping it in circular motion
C
The car's inertia alone prevents it from falling
D
Magnetic force from the track
Q13What allows the Moon to keep orbiting Earth without flying away or crashing down?
A
Centrifugal force perfectly balances gravity
B
The Moon is too far for gravity to affect it significantly
C
The Moon has no forces acting on it in space
D
Gravity pulls it inward while its forward velocity carries it forward β€” together these create a stable orbit
Q14Newton's law of gravitation says gravity is created by...
A
the mass of objects β€” every object with mass attracts every other
B
only planets and stars
C
the motion and velocity of objects
D
only objects that are spherical
Q15A 60 N force acts on a 12 kg object. What is its acceleration? (a = F/m)
A
720 m/sΒ²
B
48 m/sΒ²
C
5 m/sΒ²
D
0.2 m/sΒ²
πŸ”‹

Section 4: Momentum, Energy & Thermodynamics

Momentum conservation, impulse, work, energy, heat, entropy

β€”
/ 15 pts
Q1The center of mass of a system behaves as though...
A
all external forces are applied at that single point
B
gravity only acts on the heaviest part of the object
C
no forces act on it at all
D
it is always located at the geometric center of the object
Q2A piece of putty with 1 unit of momentum hits and sticks to a stationary bowling ball. Their combined momentum afterward is...
A
more than 1 unit β€” the collision adds energy
B
less than 1 unit β€” some was lost to heat in the collision
C
1 unit β€” momentum is conserved when there are no external forces
D
zero β€” the ball was at rest so it absorbs all the momentum
Q3For momentum to be conserved in a collision, what condition must be met?
A
No net external forces act on the system
B
The collision must be perfectly elastic
C
The objects must stick together after impact
D
There must be a large impulse force applied
Q4A cannon fires a cannonball. The cannon recoils slowly while the ball moves fast. The cannon's speed is small because...
A
the force on the cannon is smaller than the force on the ball
B
the cannon has much more mass β€” same momentum shared by more mass means less speed
C
momentum isn't conserved during explosions
D
the cannon's wheels absorb all the momentum
Q5Airbags reduce injury in car crashes because they...
A
decrease the change in momentum during impact
B
increase the force of impact to protect the bones
C
completely cancel out the momentum transfer
D
increase the time of impact, which reduces the peak force on your body
Q6A moving bicycle is much easier to balance than a stationary one. The best physics explanation is...
A
friction between the tires and the road increases at higher speeds
B
the wheels generate lift like an airplane wing
C
conservation of angular momentum β€” spinning wheels strongly resist tipping
D
the rider's center of mass shifts automatically to compensate
Q7When angular momentum is conserved, what does it NOT require?
A
Mass to be present in the system
B
An external torque β€” without one, angular momentum stays constant on its own
C
Some rotational speed
D
A direction of rotation
Q8To change the mechanical energy of a system, you must...
A
do work β€” apply a force over a distance
B
do nothing β€” energy naturally fluctuates
C
only apply heat
D
change its velocity without applying a force
Q9Potential energy is energy stored based on an object's...
A
current speed
B
temperature
C
momentum
D
position β€” like a rock held high above the ground
Q10A clerk can lift a box 1 m straight up, or roll it up a 2 m ramp to the same height. Using the ramp, the required force is...
A
the same β€” simple machines don't actually help
B
about half β€” the ramp trades more distance for less force
C
twice as much β€” the longer path takes more effort
D
four times as much
Q11Different objects absorb heat differently based on their...
A
heat capacity β€” the energy needed to raise 1 kg by 1Β°C
B
color only
C
weight
D
phase (solid, liquid, gas) only
Q12At exactly 0Β°C, water can be...
A
only liquid
B
only solid ice
C
either liquid or solid β€” 0Β°C is the melting/freezing point where both phases coexist
D
always gaseous
Q13Energy lost to friction is stored as...
A
potential energy in the surface
B
kinetic energy in the object
C
electrical energy
D
thermal energy β€” friction converts motion into heat
Q14A refrigerator works by...
A
removing thermal energy from inside and pumping it to the outside
B
generating cold air and blowing it inside
C
converting heat into cold energy
D
making thermal energy disappear entirely
Q15The Second Law of Thermodynamics says disorder naturally increases. This occurs because...
A
both energy and entropy are perfectly conserved in all situations
B
an ordered state is statistically far less likely than a disordered one β€” there are vastly more ways to be messy than organized
C
thermal energy is the same thing as temperature
D
heat always flows from cold to hot objects
πŸ’‘

Section 5: Electricity & Circuits

V = IR, electrostatics, electric fields, series vs. parallel, AC vs. DC

β€”
/ 12 pts
Q1The strength of the electrostatic force depends on which two factors?
A
The amount of charge on each object AND the distance between them
B
The mass of each object and the temperature
C
The current flowing and the resistance only
D
Whether the charges are positive or negative, and the current
Q2Two charged particles are released and the force between them increases as they move. This means the charges must be...
A
opposite signs β€” they attract and move toward each other, increasing force
B
the same sign β€” they repel but are moving closer, which would increase force... wait: they were RELEASED so if force increases, they're attracting β†’ opposite signs
C
neutral β€” no charge means no force
D
not enough information given
Q3A material that does NOT allow electrical charge to flow through it is called a(n)...
A
insulator
B
conductor
C
superconductor
D
resistor
Q4Lightning rods protect buildings because they are conductors that are also...
A
made of rubber, which repels lightning
B
shaped to attract storm clouds away
C
insulators that block the electrical charge
D
grounded β€” providing lightning a safe, direct path to the Earth
Q5Birds sit on high-voltage wires without being electrocuted because...
A
birds are excellent electrical conductors
B
both feet are on the same wire at the same voltage β€” no voltage difference means no current flows through the bird
C
birds have no electrical charges in their bodies
D
feathers act as electrical insulation
Q6We use a tiny "test charge" to map an electric field because...
A
large charges are too heavy to place precisely
B
only small charges respond to electric fields
C
a tiny charge reveals the field without disturbing it β€” showing the invisible force map
D
electric fields only exist near very small charges
Q7Voltage is best described as electrical...
A
potential energy per unit charge β€” the "pressure" driving current through a circuit
B
the number of electrons flowing per second
C
the resistance of the circuit
D
the speed at which electrons travel through the wire
Q8A 100 Ξ© resistor has 0.09 A of current through it. What is the voltage across it? (V = IR)
A
1,111 V
B
100.09 V
C
0.0009 V
D
9 V
Q9Two lamps connected in SERIES to a battery β€” the total resistance of the circuit is...
A
more than either lamp alone β€” resistances simply add in series
B
less than either lamp alone
C
zero
D
equal to just the higher-resistance lamp
Q10Two lamps connected in PARALLEL to a battery β€” the total resistance of the circuit is...
A
more than either lamp alone
B
equal to the sum of both lamps
C
less than either lamp alone β€” parallel paths give current more routes, reducing total resistance
D
zero
Q11A circuit has 12 V across it and 4 Ξ© of resistance. What current flows? (I = V/R)
A
48 A
B
3 A
C
0.33 A
D
16 A
Q12Alternating current (AC) is used in homes instead of direct current (DC) because...
A
AC is what batteries naturally produce
B
DC is far too dangerous for home use
C
AC produces more current than DC at all times
D
AC can be stepped up/down with transformers, making it efficient to transmit over long distances