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WorksheetsPhysics Summative Test
Total questions: 42
Worksheet time: 21mins
A uniform beam balances at its midpoint. If a 20 N weight is hung 2.0 m from the pivot, where must a 40 N weight be hung to maintain equilibrium?
0.5 m
1.0 m
2.0 m
4.0 m
A gymnast pulls her arms inward during a spin. What happens to her angular speed, and why?
It increases because moment of inertia decreases
It decreases because moment of inertia increases
It stays the same because angular momentum is not conserved
It becomes zero because torque cancels rotation
A solid disk and a hollow cylinder (same mass and radius) roll without slipping from rest down the same incline. Which reaches the bottom first and why?
Disk, because it has a smaller moment of inertia
Cylinder, because it has a larger moment of inertia
Both at the same time because masses are equal
Cylinder, because it has greater surface contact
Engineers design a flywheel to store rotational energy for an engine. For a given angular speed, which design change stores more energy?
Increase the flywheel's radius while keeping mass distribution near rim
Decrease the flywheel's mass
Concentrate mass at the center
Increase friction
A ladder of length L leans against a smooth (frictionless) wall making an angle θ with the horizontal. Which force provides the horizontal balance that prevents slipping?
Friction at the ground
Normal reaction at the ground
Normal reaction at the wall
Weight of the ladder
Scientists consider a hypothetical “Super-Earth” with the same mass as Earth but double the radius. Predict how the surface gravity compares to Earth’s.
People would weigh the same as on Earth
Objects would fall with only one-fourth Earth’s acceleration
Satellites in low orbit would move faster than on Earth
Mountain heights would increase due to stronger gravity
Astronauts in the International Space Station feel weightless because:
they are in a continuous state of free fall around the Earth.
there is no gravity in space.
the space station is far from Earth's gravitational pull.
they are moving away from the Earth at high speed.
A) There is negligible gravity at orbit altitude B) Both astronauts and station are in free fall around Earth C) Their mass is reduced in orbit D) Earth's gravity is canceled by centrifugal force
There is negligible gravity at orbit altitude
Both astronauts and station are in free fall around Earth
Their mass is reduced in orbit
Earth's gravity is canceled by centrifugal force
A satellite orbits Earth at radius R with orbital period T. If the orbit radius is increased to 2R, what happens to the orbital period (Kepler’s third law)?
Period becomes 2T
Period becomes 2√2 · T
Period becomes 4T
Period becomes √2 · T
Two spherical planets have equal mass but Planet A has smaller radius than Planet B. Which planet has greater surface gravity and why?
Planet A, because surface is closer to mass center
Planet B, because larger radius increases gravity
Both same because masses are equal
Cannot be determined without density
Ocean tides on Earth are primarily caused by:
The Sun’s gravitational pull only
The Moon’s gravitational pull only
Differential gravitational pull of the Moon
Earth's rotation
According to Kepler’s third law (P2 ∝ r3), if the orbital radius increases by a factor of 27, the orbital period increases by a factor of:
9
27
3
√27
A pendulum clock calibrated at sea level is taken to a high-altitude location where g is slightly smaller. What happens to its period?
Period increases slightly
Period decreases slightly
Period unchanged
Pendulum stops
The period T of a simple pendulum of length L is given by T = 2π√(L/g). If L is quadrupled, the period changes by what factor?
2
4
√2
1/2
Which observational evidence supports that planetary orbits are elliptical rather than perfectly circular?
Constant orbital speed
Variation of orbital speed along orbit (closer point faster)
Planets always stay at same distance from Sun
Equal orbital periods for different radii
Ultrasound imaging uses high-frequency mechanical waves. For better spatial resolution in soft-tissue imaging, which property of the ultrasound is desirable?
Lower frequency (longer wavelength)
Higher frequency (shorter wavelength)
Larger amplitude
Greater intensity
A string fixed at both ends vibrates in its fundamental mode. How many nodes (points of zero displacement) are present along its length (excluding ends)?
0
1
2
3
Two tuning forks have frequencies 256 Hz and 260 Hz. What is the beat frequency heard by a listener?
2 Hz
4 Hz
8 Hz
516 Hz
Soldiers are ordered to 'break step' when crossing a bridge to avoid:
Increasing tension in bridge cables
Resonant excitation of bridge natural frequency
Corrosion due to synchronized footfall
Overloading the bridge due to combined weight
Sound intensity I from a point source decreases with distance r according to which law (in free field)?
I ∝ 1/r
I ∝ 1/r²
I ∝ r
I ∝ r²
An ambulance with a siren approaches an observer. The observed pitch is higher because of:
Reflection
Doppler effect
Refraction
Interference
Standing waves on a string occur when:
Two identical waves travel in same direction
Two waves of equal frequency travel in opposite directions and interfere
Frequency changes with time
Wave speed is zero
A car sounding a horn (frequency f0) moves toward a stationary listener at speed v (v << speed of sound). The observed frequency f is approximately:
f0(1 + v/v_sound)
f0(1 - v/v_sound)
f0(1 + v2/v_sound2)
f0
Doppler ultrasound in medicine is primarily used to measure:
Tissue density
Blood flow velocity
Electrical conductivity
Bone thickness
Two waves of equal amplitude and frequency are exactly out of phase (180°). Their superposition at a point yields:
Amplitude doubled
Complete destructive interference (zero amplitude)
Beat phenomenon
Standing wave
Noise-canceling headphones work by producing a sound wave that:
Matches in-phase the ambient noise
Produces an out-of-phase wave that destructively interferes with ambient noise
Reflects incoming sound
Amplifies the desired frequencies
A wooden block has mass 200 g and volume 500 cm³. What is its density in g/cm³?
0.2
0.4
2.0
2.5
Which of the following best explains why a ship floats on water?
Steel is less dense than water
The ship’s average density (including trapped air) is less than water
Water has lower pressure under ship
The ship's hull repels water
A hydrometer is an instrument that measures:
Viscosity
Specific gravity (relative density)
Temperature
Surface tension
Hot air balloons rise because heating the air inside:
Increases its mass
Decreases its density so the balloon + air becomes less dense than surrounding air
Generates lift through Bernoulli effect
Creates a vacuum inside the envelope
What is the specific gravity (relative to water at 1000 kg/m3) of a liquid that has density of 1200 kg/m3?
0.83
1.2
1.0
1.5
Pascal’s principle states that a pressure change applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted:
Only to the point of application
Equally throughout the fluid
Only downward
Only upward
A hydraulic press has a small piston area 0.01 m2 and a large piston area 1.00 m2. To lift a 5-ton (≈50,000 N) load on the large piston, what minimum force is needed on the small piston (neglect friction)?
50 N
500 N
5,000 N
50,000 N
An iceberg floats with 90% of its volume submerged. What does this imply about ice density relative to water?
A) Ice density > water density
B) Ice density = water density
C) Ice density ≈ 0.90 × water density
D) Ice density ≈ 1.10 × water density
A submarine controls its depth by adjusting buoyancy. How does it do this?
Changing its shape
Filling or emptying ballast tanks to change overall density
Changing water density around it
Speeding up to generate lift
Archimedes’ principle states that the buoyant force on a submerged object equals:
Weight of the object
Weight of the displaced fluid
Object’s mass × gravity
Fluid density × object volume × velocity
The Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics provides the basis for:
A) Thermal equilibrium and temperature measurement
B) Conservation of energy
C) Entropy
D) Heat engines
Which temperature scale has no negative values for temperatures above absolute zero?
Celsius
Fahrenheit
Kelvin
Rankine
A steel rod expands 2.0 mm when heated from 20°C to 100°C. Assuming linear expansion, how much will it expand from 20°C to 200°C?
4.0 mm
6.0 mm
8.0 mm
10.0 mm
Bimetallic strips in thermostats bend when temperature changes because the two metals have:
Different densities
Different coefficients of linear expansion
Different electrical conductivity
Different Young’s modulus only
A glass cup cracks when very hot water is poured into it because:
Glass is porous
thermal expansion causes stress
Hot water chemically reacts with glass
Choose the correct option.
A)
B)
C)
D) Water evaporates rapidly
