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AP®PhysicsCollege BoardPhysics 1: Algebra-BasedExam QuestionsUnit 2: Force & Translational DynamicsNewton's Laws

Newton's Laws (College Board AP® Physics 1: Algebra-Based): Exam Questions

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Newton's Laws

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1
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Which of the following statements about inertia is correct?

  • It is always more difficult to move a larger box.

  • Objects with a greater mass have a greater inertia.

  • Inertia is the tendency of an object to follow a change in motion.

  • Objects with a smaller mass have a greater tendency to resist a change in motion.

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2
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The Moon orbits the Earth at a constant speed of around 2000 mph. Which of the following statements are correct?

  • This is not an example of Newton's first law of motion.

  • The Moon moves with a constant velocity of 2000 mph.

  • The centripetal force on the Moon is created by the gravitational force from the Sun.

  • The net force acting on the Moon is zero.

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3
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An object is initially held at rest at the top of a rough, inclined plane before it is released. The object is connected to a light, inextensible string, which is slack at the start of the motion. When the object reaches the bottom of the inclined plane, the string is fully extended.

Which of the following correctly describes the motion of the system and the forces acting in each plane?

Parallel plane

Perpendicular plane

A.

the object accelerates down the incline due to balanced forces in the parallel plane

unbalanced forces act perpendicular to the incline due to the tension in the string

B.

unbalanced forces act parallel to the incline due to friction

the string extends due to unbalanced forces in the perpendicular plane

C.

the object moves at a constant speed down the incline due to balanced forces in the parallel plane

the string extends due to balanced forces in the perpendicular plane

D.

the object accelerates down the incline due to unbalanced forces in the parallel plane

the object does not accelerate towards or away from the incline due to balanced forces in the perpendicular plane

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    4
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    Which of the following statements about Newton's third law are correct?

    • A Newton's third law pair describes the interaction of two forces opposite in direction on one object.

    • A Newton's third law pair describes the interaction of two objects in terms of the paired forces that each exerts on the other.

    • A Newton's third law pair must be different types of force.

    • In a Newton's third law pair the forces have different magnitudes.

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    51 mark

    An object of mass m is placed at rest on a frictionless, horizontal shelf attached to a wall perpendicular to the surface of the Earth. An identical object is at rest on a frictionless, horizontal shelf attached to a wall perpendicular to the surface of Mars.

    A net force F with rightwards arrow on top subscript n e t end subscript is needed to accelerate the object on Earth along the shelf with an acceleration a. The acceleration due to gravity at the surface of Earth, g subscript e a r t h end subscript is three times that of the acceleration due to gravity on Mars, g subscript m a r s end subscript.

    Which expression correctly identifies the force needed to give the object on Mars the same acceleration as that on Earth?

    • F with rightwards arrow on top subscript n e t end subscript

    • 3 F with rightwards arrow on top subscript n e t end subscript

    • F with rightwards arrow on top subscript n e t end subscript over 3

    • 2 over 3 F with rightwards arrow on top subscript n e t end subscript

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    1
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    A box is placed on a flat, frictionless surface. A constant force of 20 space straight N is applied to the box horizontally. If the box has a mass of 4 space kg, what will happen to the box after the force is removed?

    • It will stop immediately.

    • It will continue moving at a constant speed.

    • It will slow down gradually.

    • It will accelerate.

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    2
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    A person standing on a boat pushes off from the jetty with a force of 50 space straight N. The boat moves backward as a result.

    Which of the following best describes the reaction force in this interaction?

    • The jetty exerts negative 50 space straight N on the person.

    • The water exerts 50 space straight N on the boat.

    • The jetty exerts negative 50 space straight N on the boat.

    • The boat exerts 50 space straight N on the water.

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    3
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    A car travels along a straight road for 15 space km at a constant speed for 8 minutes.

    The net force on the car

    • is equal to the car's weight.

    • acts in the opposite direction to the car's motion.

    • is equal to the applied force.

    • is zero.

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    4
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    Two ice skaters push off from each other. If Skater A has half the mass of Skater B, how do their accelerations compare?

    • Skater A has half the acceleration of Skater B.

    • Skater A has the same acceleration as Skater B.

    • Skater A has twice the acceleration of Skater B.

    • Skater A has four times the acceleration of Skater B.

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    5
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    A 5 space kg object is dropped from rest. What is the reaction force to the Earth’s gravitational pull on the object?

    • The object pulling the Earth upward with a force of 50 space straight N.

    • The air resistance acting on the object with a force of 50 space straight N.

    • The object pulling the Earth upward with a force of 10 space straight N.

    • The air resistance acting on the object with a force of 10 space straight N.

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    1
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    An object remains at rest on a table. Which of the following explains why it does not move?

    • The object exerts a force on the table, and the table exerts an equal but opposite force on the object.

    • The normal force of the table on the object and the gravitational force of the Earth on the object are balanced.

    • The frictional force of the table on the object and the normal force of the table on the object are balanced.

    • The table provides an upward acceleration that counteracts the acceleration due to gravity.

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    21 mark

    A pendulum bob hangs from the ceiling in a carriage in a train and is just above a certain mark on the floor when the train is at rest. Hours later, the train is moving with a constant velocity forward. Which of the following best describes the position of the bob?

    • The bob is behind the mark because the pendulum thread lies along the resultant of the forces due to the motion of the train and gravity. 

    • The bob remains over the mark because the force due to the motion of the train is balanced by the reaction force of the thread on the support. 

    • The bob oscillates about the mark because of the unbalanced force due to the motion of the train. 

    • The bob remains over the mark because the motion of the train produces no additional force on the bob. 

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    3
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    Masses m and n m are joined by a light string that passes over a frictionless pulley. n greater than 1. Which of the following dest describes the acceleration of the masses and the tension in the string?

    Acceleration

    Tension

    A

    fraction numerator n minus 1 over denominator n plus 1 end fraction

    m g open parentheses fraction numerator n minus 1 over denominator n plus 1 end fraction close parentheses

    B

    g open parentheses n plus 1 close parentheses

    m g open parentheses fraction numerator n minus 1 over denominator n plus 1 end fraction space minus 1 close parentheses

    C

    fraction numerator g open parentheses n minus 1 close parentheses over denominator n plus 1 end fraction

    m g open parentheses fraction numerator n minus 1 over denominator n plus 1 end fraction space plus 1 close parentheses

    D

    fraction numerator g open parentheses n plus 1 close parentheses over denominator n minus 1 end fraction

    m g open parentheses fraction numerator n plus 1 over denominator n minus 1 end fraction space plus 1 close parentheses

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      4
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      Two blocks with mass 5 m and 3 m are pushed along a smooth horizontal surface by an applied force F.

      2-2-sl-mcq-hard-q9-phy

      Which of the following is the magnitude of the force exerted between the blocks? 

      • F with rightwards arrow on top subscript n e t end subscript

      • 2 over 8 F with rightwards arrow on top subscript n e t end subscript

      • 3 over 8 F with rightwards arrow on top subscript n e t end subscript

      • 8 over 3 F with rightwards arrow on top subscript n e t end subscript

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      5
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      Two bodies, X and Y, of masses m subscript X and m subscript Y respectively, exert forces on each other and have no external forces acting on them. The force acting on X is F with rightwards arrow on top, which gives X an acceleration a with rightwards arrow on top subscript X.

      What is the magnitude of the force on Y and its acceleration?

       

      Magnitude of force on Y

      Acceleration of Y

      A

      m subscript Y over m subscript X open vertical bar F with rightwards arrow on top close vertical bar

      a subscript X

      B

      open vertical bar F with rightwards arrow on top close vertical bar

      m subscript Y over m subscript X a subscript X

      C

      m subscript X over m subscript Y open vertical bar F with rightwards arrow on top close vertical bar

      a subscript X

      D

      open vertical bar F with rightwards arrow on top close vertical bar

      m subscript X over m subscript Y a subscript X

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