Physics Bowl - Home Practice 1

Which one of the following choices represents the smallest amount of time?

• 1 day

• 1 minute

• 1 second

• 1 week

• 1 year

The position vs. time graph of an object moving on a horizontal line is shown. At what time(s) is the object moving with its greatest speed?

• At time 𝑡 = 3.0 𝑠 only

• At time 𝑡 = 3.5 𝑠 only

• At times 𝑡 = 3.5 𝑠 and 𝑡 = 9.0 𝑠

• At time 𝑡 = 7.0 𝑠 only

• At time 𝑡 = 9.0 𝑠 only

A car accelerates uniformly from 0 𝑘𝑚/ℎ𝑟 to 60 𝑘𝑚/ℎ𝑟 in 4.50 𝑠. Which one of the following choices best represents the acceleration of the car?

• 13.3 𝑚/𝑠²

• 9.8 𝑚/𝑠²

• 4.8 𝑚/𝑠²

• 3.7 𝑚/𝑠²

• 0.37 𝑚/𝑠²

The following four length measurements are recorded: 5.4×10⁻¹ 𝑚, 5.4×10⁰ 𝑚, 5.40×10¹ 𝑚, and 5.400×10² 𝑚. Which one of the following choices best represents the sum of these values using the rules of significant digits?

• 6×10² 𝑚

• 6.0 ×10² 𝑚

• 6.00 ×10² 𝑚

• 5.999×10² 𝑚

• 5.9994×10² 𝑚

In the figure shown, the mass 𝑚 = 6.0 𝑘𝑔 and the mass 𝑀 = 14.0 𝑘𝑔 are stationary. The mass 𝑀 rests on the floor. Which one of the following choices represents the tension in the string connecting the masses?

• 40 𝑁

• 60 𝑁

• 80 𝑁

• 140 𝑁

• 200 𝑁

An object, thrown straight downward with a speed of 20.0 𝑚/𝑠, takes 2.00 𝑠 to reach the ground below. From what height above the ground was the object thrown? Ignore air resistance.

• 20.0 𝑚

• 40.0 𝑚

• 50.0 𝑚

• 60.0 𝑚

• 80.0 𝑚

Three cylindrical resistors are made of the same material. The length and radius of each resistor is:

Resistor 1: Length 𝐿, radius 𝑟

Resistor 2: Length 𝐿/2 , radius 𝑟/2

Resistor 3: Length 𝐿/4, radius 𝑟/2

Which one of the following choices correctly ranks the resistance of these resistors (𝑅1, 𝑅2, 𝑅3)?

• 𝑅1 = 𝑅2 < 𝑅3

• 𝑅2 < 𝑅1 < 𝑅3

• 𝑅3 < 𝑅2 < 𝑅1

• 𝑅1 < 𝑅2 = 𝑅3

• 𝑅1 = 𝑅3 < 𝑅2

In the history of physics, the names Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, James Clerk Maxwell, and Isaac Newton are very recognizable. Which one of the following choices correctly orders these names chronologically by the approximate dates of each person’s scientific work (ending with the most recent)?

• Copernicus → Galileo → Newton → Maxwell

• Copernicus → Galileo → Maxwell → Newton

• Galileo → Copernicus → Newton → Maxwell

• Galileo → Newton → Copernicus → Maxwell

• Newton → Copernicus → Maxwell → Galileo

In the circuit shown, an electric current exists in the metal resistor connected to the battery. Which one of the following choices best describes the direction of electron flow through the resistor and the direction of the electric field through the interior of the resistor?

• A

• B

• C

• D

• E

A person wishes to accelerate an object upward uniformly. Which one of the following choices must be true of the force, 𝐹, provided by the person onto the object? 𝑊 represents the magnitude of the gravitational force acting on the object. Ignore any effects of the air or of the Earth’s rotation.

• 𝐹 = 𝑊

• 𝐹 ≥ 𝑊

• 𝐹 > 𝑊

• 𝐹 ≥ 2𝑊

• 𝐹 > 2𝑊