Physics Questions

A book is placed on a ramp, and it slides down. A brick is placed on the same ramp, and it does not slide down. What is the most likely reason the brick does not slide down the ramp?

• friction

• gravity

• balance

• magnetism

Bobby’s wagon started rolling down the hill. What type of force causes it to roll down the hill?

• friction

• gravity

• magnetic force

• electrical force

A crane raises and lowers objects and also moves them back and forth. The following illustration shows a crane lifting a heavy container. What must the crane work against in order to lift the container upward?

• wind

• gravity

• friction

• magnetism

Which action involves a push?

• A ball slows down and stops in the grass.

• A paper airplane is thrown across a room.

• An orange falls from a branch to the ground.

• A rubber band is stretched around a stack of papers.

Stephanie started pushing a bookcase across the room, as shown in picture 1. Then, she removed the books and continued pushing with the same force and direction, as shown in picture 2. How does removing the books affect the motion of the bookcase?

• The mass is decreased, making the bookcase move faster.

• The gravity is increased, making the bookcase move slower.

• The friction is increased, making the bookcase move slower.

• The mechanical energy is decreased, making the bookcase move faster.

Jake is hitting a baseball. The faster he swings the bat, the farther the baseball travels. Which statement best explains why?

• The force applied to the baseball is greater.

• The force applied to the baseball is smaller.

• Friction acting against the baseball is smaller.

• Friction acting against the baseball is greater.

Rosa tried to pound a large nail into a board using a small hammer. Partway into the board, the nail stopped and would not move when she hit it. Rosa switched to using a heavier hammer, and the nail went into the board easily. Why did the larger hammer work when the small hammer did not?

• The nail could not push the larger hammer out of the way.

• There is more friction between a large hammer and the nail.

• The flat part of the larger hammer was wider, so it hit the nail better.

• The larger hammer had more mass, so it exerted more force when it hit the nail.

Sarah throws a ball to Billy, but it does not go far enough for him to catch it. What must Sarah apply to her next throw in order for it to reach Billy?

• less force

• equal force

• greater force

• greater mass

Which block will have the greatest change in motion?

• red

• blue

• green

• yellow

When a large truck goes up a hill, the engine exerts a lot of force to overcome the forces of gravity and friction. Why does a truck carrying a heavy load move uphill slower than an empty truck, even though the engine exerts the same force?

• The force of gravity increases as the heavier truck moves up the hill.

• The force exerted by the engine has a smaller effect on the truck with greater mass.

• The amount of force that the engine exerts is less for a loaded truck, so it moves slower.

• The trucks move at the same speed, but the empty truck seems to move faster because it has less mass.