A LevelPhysicsAQAExam QuestionsFurther Mechanics & Thermal PhysicsCircular Motion

Circular Motion (AQA A Level Physics)

Exam Questions

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Circular Motion

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Circular Motion

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11 mark

For a particle moving in a circle with uniform speed, which of the following statements is correct?

  • the velocity of the particle constant.

  • the acceleration of the particle is towards the centre of the circle.

  • the kinetic energy of the particle is constantly changing.

  • the displacement of the particle is in the direction of the force.

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21 mark

What is the value of 70º in radians?

  • straight pi over 9

  • fraction numerator 7 straight pi over denominator 36 end fraction

  • fraction numerator 7 straight pi over denominator 18 end fraction

  • fraction numerator 7 straight pi over denominator 9 end fraction

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31 mark

What is the angular speed of a car wheel of radius 0.20 m when the speed of the car is 15 m s–1?

  • 75.0 rad s–1

  • 0.01 rad s–1

  • 37.5 rad s–1

  • 7.5 rad s–1

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41 mark

Which one of the following does involve a centripetal force?

  • an electron travelling at right angles to an electric field

  • a car travelling round a roundabout

  • a box being lifted by a cable

  • a trolley being pushed in a supermarket  

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51 mark

A 0.06 kg ball is attached to an in extensible string and whirled overhead such that it rotates in a horizontal circle. What is the centripetal force on the ball if the string is 0.45 m long and the ball is travelling at 2.3 m s–1?

  • 0.80 N

  • 0.45 N

  • 0.31 N

  • 0.71 N

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11 mark

What is the linear velocity of a point on the surface of the Earth?

  • 460 m s–1

  • 1.67 × 106 m s–1

  • 27.8 × 103 m s–1

  • 570 m s–1

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21 mark

A particle of mass m moves in a circle of radius r at uniform speed, taking time T for each revolution. What is the kinetic energy of the particle?

  • 2 m r pi f squared

  • m r squared pi squared f squared

  • 2 m r squared straight pi squared straight f squared

  • 4 m r squared straight pi squared straight f squared

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31 mark

For a particle moving in a circle with uniform speed, which of the following statements is incorrect?

  • The speed of the particle is constant

  • The acceleration of the particle is perpendicular to its direction of motion

  • The momentum of the particle is constant

  • The particle is accelerating

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41 mark

What is the time period of a girl of mass 45 kg standing on a roundabout 130 cm from the centre and rotating uniformly? 

(The force of friction on the girl is 630 N).

  • 0.77 s

  • 2.2 s

  • 3.7 s

  • 1.9 s

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51 mark

A spinning top makes fifteen revolutions in three minutes. What is the angular speed of the spinning top?

  • straight pi over 6

  • 24 pi

  • straight pi over 90

  • 30 pi

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61 mark

A straight length of a garden hose is unwound from a roll rotating about a fixed axis with constant angular velocity. The radius of the roll decreases at a steady rate and its angular velocity remains constant. 

Which one of the following graphs below correctly shows how the speed v at which the hose moves away from the roll varies with time?

6-1-mcq--q6-medium-aqa-a-level-physics

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    11 mark

    A particle travels in a circular path in a magnetic field with radius r and centripetal acceleration a. 

    What is the time taken for 12 complete rotations?

    • 24πsquare root of a over r end root

    • 24πsquare root of r over a end root

    • straight pi over 6 square root of r over a end root

    • straight pi over 6 square root of a over r end root

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    21 mark

    A hammer thrower rotates a ball on a string in a circular path gradually increasing its angular velocity with each rotation.

    6-1-mcq--q2-hard-aqa-a-level-physics

    When the hammer releases the ball, the subsequent path taken by the ball is

    • a vertical circle

    • a parabola in a horizontal plane

    • a parabola in a vertical plane

    • a straight line along a radius of the circle

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    31 mark

    A body moves in a circle with increasing angular velocity. At times t, the angles θ swept out by the body added cumulatively from the same reference point and its angular velocities ω are as follows 

    t / s

    θ / rad

    ω / rad s–1

    5.0

    10

    15

    20

    2

    16

    42

    80

    0.4

    1.6

    2.8

    4.0

     The angular acceleration of the body

    • is constant at 0.24 rad s–2

    • gradually decreases and is 0.37 rad s–2 when t = 15 s

    • is constant at 0.48 rad s–2

    • increases at a constant rate and is 2.0 rad s–2 when t = 10 s

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    41 mark

    An aircraft moving in a horizontal plane at a constant speed of 710 m s–1 makes a turn with a radius of 58 km.

    6-1-mcq--q4-hard-aqa-a-level-physics

    The angle of the tilt θ that the aircraft makes with the vertical is

    • 90º

    • 0.73º

    • 49º

    • 42º

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    51 mark

    A disc of diameter 210 mm can turn about an axis through its centre.

    6-1-mcq--q5-hard-aqa-a-level-physics

    The disc is turned through an angle of 60º in 30 ms. What is the average speed of a point 15 mm from the edge of the disc during this time?

    • fraction numerator 7 straight pi over denominator 6 end fraction m s-1

    • fraction numerator 7 straight pi over denominator 3 end fraction m s-1

    • π m s-1

    • 180 m s-1

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