AP®PhysicsCollege BoardPhysics 1: Algebra-BasedExam QuestionsUnit 5: Torque & Rotational DynamicsTorque

Torque (College Board AP® Physics 1: Algebra-Based): Exam Questions

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Torque

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1
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Which of the following correctly describes the translational analog of torque?

  • Force

  • Mass

  • Acceleration

  • Momentum

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2
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A driver turns a steering wheel of radius 0.2 space straight m by applying two tangential forces of magnitude 20 space straight N at different points on the wheel.

Which of the following is most nearly the magnitude of the torque applied by the driver on the steering wheel?

  • 0 space straight N times straight m

  • 2 space straight N times straight m

  • 4 space straight N times straight m

  • 8 space straight N times straight m

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3
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Forces of different magnitudes are applied to the ends of four wrenches of varying lengths to tighten a bolt.

Which of the following diagrams shows the combination of wrench length and applied force that would produce the greatest magnitude of torque on the bolt?

  • Force F is applied vertically upwards to the end of a wrench of length L.
  • Force F/2 is applied vertically upwards to the end of a wrench of length 2L.
  • Force 2F is applied at an angle of 30° above the horizontal at the end of a wrench of length L.
  • Force 2F is applied vertically upwards to the end of a wrench of length L.

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4
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A beam inclined at 30 degrees with two forces of magnitude 10 N applied at each end in opposite directions.

Two forces of magnitude 10 space straight N are applied in opposite directions at each end of a rigid 10 space cm long beam, as shown in the figure.

Which of the following is most nearly the magnitude of the torque exerted on the beam?

  • 0.25 space straight N times straight m

  • 0.5 space straight N times straight m

  • 0.9 space straight N times straight m

  • 1.0 space straight N times straight m

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5
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Diagram of a pulley system with a circular pulley suspended from a horizontal line and a square mass labeled "m" hanging from the pulley by a rope.

A block of mass 10 space kg is attached to a rope that runs over a pulley of radius 0.5 space straight m, as shown in the figure.

Which of the following is most nearly the magnitude of the torque exerted by the box on the pulley?

  • 5 space straight N times straight m

  • 20 space straight N times straight m

  • 50 space straight N times straight m

  • 100 space straight N times straight m

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1
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Diagram showing a wedge pushing a drum, labeled "drum," with a hanging square labeled "crate." The system appears to involve mechanical movement.

A winch used to lift heavy crates consists of a cable wound around a drum of diameter 2.5 space straight m, as shown in the figure. The maximum torque the winch can withstand without breaking is 1250 space straight N times straight m.

Which of the following most nearly represents the maximum mass of the crate the winch could lift without breaking?

  • 50 space kg

  • 100 space kg

  • 500 space kg

  • 1000 space kg

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2
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Four diagrams labeled A to D showing different forces acting on a pivoted beam. Forces are applied vertically and at an angle in various magnitudes and directions.

Forces are exerted on four identical rods, as shown in the figure.

Which of the following correctly ranks the magnitude of the net torque about the pivot on the left end of each rod from greatest to least?

  • tau subscript A space greater than thin space tau subscript B space greater than thin space tau subscript C space greater than thin space tau subscript D

  • tau subscript A space greater than thin space tau subscript B space greater than thin space tau subscript D space greater than thin space tau subscript C

  • tau subscript D space equals thin space tau subscript C space greater than thin space tau subscript B space greater than thin space tau subscript A

  • tau subscript C space greater than thin space tau subscript D space greater than thin space tau subscript B space greater than thin space tau subscript A

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3
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Diagram showing a horizontal bar pivoted at point O, inclined at an angle of 30 degrees above the horizontal, with a vertical dashed line from the bar to indicate the angle.

A uniform rigid bar of weight W is pivoted at point O and is supported by a rope that makes a 30° angle with the horizontal axis, as shown in the figure.

Which of the following diagrams best represents the directions of the forces acting on the bar?

  • A horizontal beam with two upward arrows at its ends and one downward arrow labeled "w" at its center, indicating forces acting on it.
  • A rectangular bar with two diagonal arrows pointing upwards at each end and a downward arrow labeled "W" in the center.
  • Diagram of a rectangular beam with one downward arrow labeled 'W' at its center and two diagonal arrows at opposite ends pointing up and to the sides.
  • Diagram depicting a horizontal rectangular beam with three force vectors. Two angled vectors act on the top left and bottom right, and one vertical vector labeled 'w' acts downward.

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4
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Two forces F subscript 1 and F subscript 2 act on a gate of length L and produce torques of magnitude tau subscript 1 and tau subscript 2 respectively. Force F subscript 1 acts at the midpoint of the gate, perpendicular to its surface. Force F subscript 2 acts at the free end of the gate, at an angle of 30° to its surface.

How does tau subscript 1 compare to tau subscript 2?

  • tau subscript 1 space equals space tau subscript 2

  • tau subscript 1 space greater than space tau subscript 2

  • tau subscript 1 space less than space tau subscript 2

  • The answer cannot be determined without knowing the magnitudes of F subscript 1 and F subscript 2.

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5
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Two flywheels joined at their centers with radii 2R and 3R. Force F1 acts at the edge of the 3R cylinder and points to the left. Force F2 acts at the edge of the 2R cylinder and points to the right.

Two flywheels, of radii 2 R and 3 R respectively, are joined together and free to rotate about a common axis through their centers. Forces F subscript 1 and F subscript 2 are applied to light cords which are wound around the larger and smaller flywheels respectively, as shown in the figure.

If the magnitudes of the torques produced are equal, which of the following statements correctly describes the magnitudes of F subscript 1 and F subscript 2?

  • The magnitudes of F subscript 1 and F subscript 2 are equal.

  • The magnitude of F subscript 1 is 1.5 times greater than the magnitude of F subscript 2.

  • The magnitude of F subscript 2 is 1.5 times greater than the magnitude of F subscript 1.

  • The magnitudes of F subscript 1 and F subscript 2 cannot be compared.

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1
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Pendulum diagram showing mass m at end of length L, forming a 60-degree angle with a horizontal pivot point P.

A pendulum of length L with a bob of mass m is suspended from point P, as shown in the figure.

Which of the following expressions correctly represents the torque exerted on the pendulum about point P when released from an angle of 60° below the horizontal?

  • 1 half m g L

  • fraction numerator square root of 3 over denominator 2 end fraction m g L

  • m g L

  • square root of 3 m g L

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2
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Diagram of a door handle with a 0.5 cm axle and 10 cm handle.

A door handle of length 10 space cm requires a force of at least 20 space straight N to turn it about an axle of diameter 0.5 space cm, as shown in the figure. One day, the handle breaks and the door can only be opened using the axle of the handle.

Which of the following is most nearly the force required to open the door when the handle is broken?

  • 20 space straight N

  • 40 space straight N

  • 200 space straight N

  • 400 space straight N

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3
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Diagram of a lever with point A, B, and C. AB is 50 cm, BC is 40 cm at 60° to AB. A 20 N force is applied horizontally at point C.

A light uniform rod made up of two segments, AB and BC, of lengths 50 space cm and 40 space cm respectively, is attached to the wall at point A, as shown in the figure. Rod BC makes an angle of 60 degree with rod AB. A force of 20 space straight N is exerted horizontally at point C on the rod.

Which of the following is most nearly the magnitude of the torque produced by the 20 space straight N force about point A?

  • 7 space straight N times straight m

  • 9 space straight N times straight m

  • 10 space straight N times straight m

  • 16 space straight N times straight m

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4
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Diagram of a wheel of radius R with a rotation axis through central point O. Four force vectors, F1 to F4 are applied at different points on the wheel.

Four forces are applied to a wheel which is free to rotate about its central axis through point O, as shown in the figure. Forces F subscript 1 space equals space 6.0 space straight N, F subscript 2 space equals space 4.0 space straight N, and F subscript 4 space equals space 8.0 space straight N are applied at the radius R of the wheel. Force F subscript 3 space equals space 4.0 space straight N is applied at a distance r, which is the midpoint between point O and the edge of the wheel.

Which of the following correctly ranks the magnitude of the torques produced by their corresponding forces about the rotation axis at point O from greatest to least?

  • tau subscript 1 space greater than thin space tau subscript 2 space greater than thin space tau subscript 3 space greater than thin space tau subscript 4

  • tau subscript 4 space greater than thin space tau subscript 1 space greater than thin space tau subscript 2 space equals thin space tau subscript 3

  • tau subscript 1 space greater than thin space tau subscript 2 space greater than thin space tau subscript 3 space equals thin space tau subscript 4

  • tau subscript 4 space greater than thin space tau subscript 3 space greater than thin space tau subscript 2 space greater than thin space tau subscript 1

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5
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A uniform ladder of mass m leans against a wall while a person of mass M stands on it, as shown in the figure. The ladder does not slip. The coefficient of the static friction between the ladder and the wall is 1 third and the coefficient of the static friction between the ladder and the ground is 2 over 5.

Which of the following best represents the forces acting on the ladder and the number of torques applied about the base of the ladder?

Force Diagram

Number of Torques

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ A‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Diagram showing a ladder leaning on a wall with forces labeled: FW perpendicular to the wall, FN perpendicular to the ground, Mg and mg vertically downwards, 1/3FW pointing down and 2/5FN pointing left.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ 4 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ B‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Diagram showing a ladder leaning on a wall with forces labeled: FW perpendicular to the wall, FN perpendicular to the ground, (m+M)g vertically downwards, 1/3FW pointing up and 2/5FN pointing left.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 2‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ C‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Diagram showing a ladder leaning on a wall with forces labeled: FW perpendicular to the wall, FN perpendicular to the ground, mg and Mg vertically downwards, 1/3FW pointing up and 2/5FN pointing right.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 4‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ D‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Diagram showing a ladder leaning on a wall with forces labeled: FW perpendicular to the wall, FN perpendicular to the ground, (m+M)g vertically downwards, 1/3FW pointing down and 2/5FN pointing right.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 2‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

    Choose your answer