AP Physics 1 Midterm Exam Review

_____1. The graph above shows the velocity v as a function of time t for an object moving in a straight line.

Which of the following graphs shows the corresponding displacement x as a function of time t for the same

time interval?

_____2. A target T lies flat on the ground 3 m from the side of a building that is 10 m tall, as shown above. A

student rolls a ball off the horizontal roof of the building in the direction of the target. Air resistance is

negligible. The horizontal speed with which the ball must leave the roof if it is to strike the target is most

nearly

(A) 3/10 m/s (B) 2 m/s (C) 2

3m/s (D) 3 m/s

_____3. The graph above shows velocity v versus time t for an object in linear motion. Which of the following

is a possible graph of position x versus time t for this object?

(A) (B) (C) (D)

_____4. Starting from rest at time t = 0, a car moves in a straight line with an acceleration given by the

accompanying graph. What is the speed of the car at t = 3 s?

(A) 1.0 m/s (B) 2.0 m/s (C) 6.0 m/s (D) 10.5 m/s

Questions 5-6

A car starts from rest and accelerates as shown in the graph below.

_____5. At what time would the car be moving with the greatest velocity?

(A) 2 seconds (B) 4 seconds (C) 6 seconds (D) 8 seconds

_____6. At what time would the car be farthest from its original starting position?

(A) 2 seconds (B) 4 seconds (C) 6 seconds (D) 8 seconds

_____7. Which of the following sets of graphs might be the corresponding graphs of Position, Velocity, and

Acceleration vs. Time for a moving particle?

(A) (B) (C) (D)

_____8. An arrow is aimed horizontally, directly at the center of a target 20 m away. The arrow hits 0.050 m

below the center of the target. Neglecting air resistance, what was the initial speed of the arrow?

(A) 20 m/s (B) 40 m/s (C) 100 m/s (D) 200 m/s

_____9. A 40 kg box is dragged across a frictionless horizontal surface by a rope. The tension in the rope is 65

N and it is at an angle of 42o to the horizontal. What is the box's acceleration?

A. 1.6 m/s2 B. 1.1 m/s

2 C. 0.6 m/s

2

D. 1.2 m/s2 E. 0.9 m/s

2

_____10. What is the acceleration of a block on a ramp inclined 35 degrees to the horizontal if µk = 0.4?

A. 3.5 m/s2. B. 0.9 m/s

2. C. 2.4 m/s

2.

D. 9.8 m/s2. E. not enough information given.

_____11. A block of mass 5 kilograms lies on an inclined plane, as shown above. The horizontal and vertical

supports for the plane have lengths of 4 meters and 3 meters, respectively. The coefficient of kinetic friction

between the plane and the block is 0.3. The magnitude of the force F necessary to pull the block up the plane

with constant speed is most nearly

(A) 30 N (B) 41 N (C) 49 N (D) 50 N (E) 58 N

_____12. When an object of weight W is suspended from the center of a massless string as shown above, the

tension at any point in the string is

(A) 2Wcos (B) ½Wcos (C) Wcos (D) W/(2cos)

(E) W/(cos)

_____13. A block of mass 3m can move without friction on a horizontal table. This block is attached to another

block of mass m by a cord that passes over a frictionless pulley, as shown above. If the masses of the cord and

the pulley are negligible, what is the magnitude of the acceleration of the descending block?

(A) Zero (B) g/4 (C) g/3 (D) 2g/3 (E) g

_____14. A rope of negligible mass supports a block that weighs 30 N, as shown above. The breaking strength

of the rope is 50 N. The largest acceleration that can be given to the block by pulling up on it with the rope

without breaking the rope is most nearly

(A) 6 m/s2 (B) 6.7 m/s

2 (C) 10 m/s

2 (D) 15 m/s

2 (E) 16.7 m/s

_____15. A simple Atwood's machine (above) remains motionless when equal masses M are placed on each end

of the chord. When a small mass m is added to one side, the masses have an acceleration a. What is M? You

may neglect friction and the mass of the cord and pulley. (see sketch above)

(A) 𝑚(𝑔−𝑎)

2𝑎 (B)

2𝑚(𝑔−𝑎)

𝑎 (C)

2𝑚(𝑔+𝑎)

𝑎 (D)

𝑚(𝑔+𝑎)

2𝑎 (E)

𝑚(𝑎−𝑔)

2𝑎

_____16. A block of mass M is initially at rest on a frictionless floor. The block, attached to a massless spring

with spring constant k, is initially at its equilibrium position. An arrow with mass m and velocity v is shot into

the block. The arrow sticks in the block. What is the maximum compression of the spring?

kMm

mvD

mk

vMmC

k

MmvB

k

mvA

)()(

)()()()(

_____17. Two 5 kg masses are attached to opposite ends of a long massless cord which passes tautly over a

massless frictionless pulley. The upper mass is initially held at rest on a table 50 cm from the pulley. The

coefficient of kinetic friction between this mass and the table is 0.2. When the system is released, its resulting

acceleration is closest to which of the following? (see sketch above)

(A) 9.8 m/s2 (B) 7.8 m/s

2 (C) 4.9 m/s

2 (D) 3.9 m/s

2 (E) 1.9 m/s

2

_____18. A spring is compressed between two objects with unequal masses, m and M, and held together. The

objects are initially at rest on a horizontal frictionless surface. When released, which of the following is

true?

(A) The total final kinetic energy is zero.

(B) The two objects have equal kinetic energy.

(C) The speed of one object is equal to the speed of the other.

(D) The total final momentum of the two objects is zero.

_____19. Two football players with mass 75 kg and 100 kg run directly toward each other with speeds of 6

m/s and 8 m/s respectively. If they grab each other as they collide, the combined speed of the two players

just after the collision would be:

(A) 2 m/s (B) 3.4 m/s (C) 4.6 m/s (D) 7.1 m/s

_____20. A rubber ball is held motionless a height ho above a hard floor and released. Assuming that the

collision with the floor is elastic, which one of the following graphs best shows the relationship between the

total energy E of the ball and its height h above the surface.

(A) (B) (C) (D)

_____21. A mass m has speed v. It then collides with a stationary object of mass 2m. If both objects stick

together in a perfectly inelastic collision, what is the final speed of the newly formed object?

(A) v / 3 (B) v / 2 (C) 2v / 3 (D) 3v / 2

_____22. A tennis ball of mass m rebounds from a racquet with the same speed v as it had

initially as shown. The magnitude of the momentum change of the ball is

(A) 0 (B) 2mv (C) 2mv sin (D) 2mv cos

_____23. From the top of a high cliff, a ball is thrown horizontally with initial speed vo. Which of the following

graphs best represents the ball's kinetic energy K as a function of time t ?

(A) (B) (C) (D)

_____24. The following graphs, all drawn to the same scale, represent the net force F as a function of

displacement x for an object that moves along a straight line. Which graph represents the force that will

cause the greatest change in the kinetic energy of the object from x = 0 to x = x1?

(A) (B) (C) (D)

_____25. A pendulum bob of mass m on a cord of length L is pulled sideways until the

cord makes an angle θ with the vertical as shown in the figure to the right. The change in potential energy

of the bob during the displacement is:

(A) mgL (1–cos θ) (B) mgL (1–sin θ) (C) mgL sin θ

(D) mgL cos θ

_____ 26. A child holds a ball in their hand, taking this position to be zero. They toss the ball upwards and

catch it at the same level. Select the correct row of signs:

Ascent Peak of flight Descent

s v a s v a s v a

a + + + 0 0 0 - - -

b + + - + 0 0 + - -

c + - - + 0 - + + -

d + + - + 0 - + - -

e + + - + 0 0 + - -

_____ 27. At time zero, two runners run side-by-side for an instant as one passes the other. What is true of the

time marked t’?

a. The runners are again side-by-side

b. Runner A is ahead

c. Runner B is ahead

d. The runners have the same acceleration

e. None of the above

_____ 28. Two objects begin at the same position and the same time zero. Subsequent times are labeled for

each. When do the two have the same speed?

a. Before one second

b. It will not happen until after six seconds

c. Just after two seconds

d. Between three and four seconds

e. They never have the same speed and never will

_____ 29. In the graph above, during how many times spans is there positive acceleration and slowing down?

a. Zero

b. One

c. Two

d. Three

e. Four

_____ 30. In Cartesian coordinates, what is 1

2A + B – 2C?

a. < -5, 4 >

b. < 4, 4 >

c. < -8, 4 >

d. < -7, 5 >

_____ 31. A projectile is fired from left to right as shown above. During this first half of the flight diagrammed,

the speed of the projectile is:

a. remaining constant

b. increasing

c. decreasing

_____ 32. On a smooth, level track, three strongmen can accelerate a train car at an acceleration a. What

acceleration can six total strongmen produce when two similar train cars are added to the first?

a. 2a

b. a

c. 3

2a

d. 2

3a

e. 1

2a

_____ 33. How many of the graphs above demonstrate a net force of zero?

a. four

b. two

c. three

d. one

_____34. On the frictionless surface above, what is the force of the 4kg block on the 1kg block?

a. 26N

b. 2N

c. 8N

d. 18N

_____ 35. A 2.0kg block slides down a 30º incline at a constant velocity. What is the coefficient of kinetic

friction between the block and incline?

a. 0.50

b. 0.577

c. 0.866

d. 0.289

_____ 36. The coefficient of static friction between the wall and block is μ. What force, F, must be applied to

keep the block from sliding down?

a. mg/μ

b. mg

c. μ/mg

d. μmg

_____37. Each of the spherical masses is 1kg. Rank the tensions in the cords.

a. B = D > A = C = E

b. A = B = C = D = E

c. B > A = C = D = E

d. B = C = D > A = E

_____38. What is the net gravitational force on the center mass?

a. 4𝐺𝑚2

3𝐷2 b. 28𝐺𝑚2

3𝐷2 c. −28𝐺𝑚2

3𝐷2 d. 12𝐺𝑚2

𝐷2

_____39. A rider spins in an amusement park ride so that they do not slide down. Which set of physical forces

acts on the passenger?

a. a force of gravity, a force of static friction, and a centrifugal force

b. a force of gravity, a normal force from the wall, and a centripetal force

c. a force of gravity, a force of static friction, and a normal force from the wall

d. a force of gravity, a normal force from the wall, and a centrifugal force

_____40. A satellite of mass m orbits a planet of mass M at an orbital radius R and speed v. Which of the

following is true for the satellite?

I. the acceleration of the satellite is 𝐺𝑀

𝑅2

II. the acceleration of the satellite is 𝑣2

𝑅

III. the period of the satellite’s orbit is 2𝜋𝑅

𝑣

a. I and III

b. II and III

c. I and II

d. I and II and III

_____ 41. A bungee jumper has a mass of 50kg and falls straight 40m downward from a bridge. If they are then

traveling at -10m/s, the work done by gravity has been __________ and the work done by the bungee

cord has been __________.

a. -20,000 N·m, 20,000 N·m

b. -20,000 N·m, 2,500 N·m

c. 2,500 N·m, 0 N·m

d. 20,000 N·m, -17,500 N·m

_____ 42. A cart with a mass of 4.0kg has a velocity of 2m/s when at a position of 3m. What is the velocity of

the cart when at a position of 8m?

a. √3 m/s

b. √7 m/s

c. √2 m/s

d. -√2 m/s

_____ 43. A toy car with a mass of 500g has a velocity of 6m/s when at a position of 2m. What is the velocity

of the toy car when at a position of 4m?

a. √20 m/s

b. 4 m/s

c. 1 m/s

d. √5 m/s

_____44. An 1800kg car is capable of accelerating from 0m/s to 10m/s in 1.5 seconds. If the power output of

the car is constant, how much time will it take the car to accelerate from 0m/s to 40m/s?

a. 3s

b. 6s

c. 12s

d. 24s

_____45. A person with a mass m stands on the left end a wooden board with a mass of 10m, which is on

frictionless ice. The person walks to the right until they reach the right end of the board. Relative to the

stationary post shown on the left, the person ________, the board ________, and the center of mass of

the person/board system ________.

a. moves right, moves right, remains stationary

b. moves right, moves left, moves left

c. moves right, moves left, moves right

d. moves right, moves left, remains stationary

_____ 46. What are the coordinates of the center of mass of the system above?

a. 4.25m, -1.00m

b. -1.5m, 1.00m

c. 3.11m, 0.00m

d. -0.67m, 2.13m

_____ 47. Taking the bottom-left corner as the origin, what are the coordinates of the center of mass of the

system above?

a. 18𝐿

13,

12𝐿

13

b. 6𝐿

13,

8𝐿

13

c. 9𝐿

13,

24𝐿

13

d. 9𝐿

13,

12𝐿

13

_____48. The left diagram shows the momentum vector of a firecracker as it flies through the air. It then

explodes into two pieces. Which of the remaining vector diagrams represents a possibility for the

momenta of the two fragments immediately after the explosion?

_____ 49. A block of mass 100m sits at rest on a frictionless surface. A bullet with mass m strikes the block at

100v and leaves the block at 10v. What is the velocity of the block after the bullet has passed through?

a. 11

10 v

b. 100

101 v

c. 9

10 v

d. 99

100 v

_____50. Is the collision diagrammed above perfectly elastic?

a. yes

b. no

c. cannot be determined

1. A model rocket is launched vertically with an engine that is ignited at time t = 0, as shown above. The engine

provides an upward acceleration of 30 m/s2 for 2.0 s. Upon reaching its maximum height, the rocket deploys

a parachute, and then descends vertically to the ground.

a. Determine the speed of the rocket after the 2 s firing of the engine.

b. What maximum height will the rocket reach?

c. At what time after t = 0 will the maximum height be reached?

2. A world-class runner can complete a 100 m dash in about 10 s. Past studies have shown that runners in such a

race accelerate uniformly for a time t and then run at constant speed for the remainder of the race. A

world-class runner is visiting your physics class. You are to develop a procedure that will allow you to

determine the uniform acceleration a and an approximate value of t for the runner in a 100 m dash. By

necessity your experiment will be done on a straight track and include your whole class of eleven students.

a. By checking the line next to each appropriate item in the list below, select the equipment, other than the

runner and the track, that your class will need to do the experiment.

____Stopwatches ____Tape measures ____ Rulers ____ Masking tape

____Metersticks ____ Starter's pistol ____ String ____ Chalk

b. Outline the procedure that you would use to determine a and t, including a labeled diagram of the

experimental setup. Use symbols to identify carefully what measurements you would make and include

in your procedure how you would use each piece of the equipment you checked in part (a).

c. Outline the process of data analysis, including how you will identify the portion of the race that has

uniform acceleration, and how you would calculate the uniform acceleration.

3. A mass-less string passes over a frictionless pulley hanging from the ceiling. (a classic two mass Atwood’s

machine) The string connects two objects of mass 15.0 kg and 20.0 kg. When the masses are released (a)

find their acceleration and (b) the tension in the string between them.

4. A track consists of a frictionless arc XY, which is a quarter-circle of radius R, and a rough horizontal section

YZ. Block A of mass M is released from rest at point X, slides down the curved section of the track, and

collides instantaneously and inelastically with identical block B at point Y. The two blocks move together

to the right, sliding past point P, which is a distance L from point Y. The coefficient of kinetic friction

between the blocks and the horizontal part of the track is Express your answers in terms of M, L, , R,

and g.

a. Determine the speed of block A just before it hits block B.

b. Determine the speed of the combined blocks immediately after the collision.

c. Assuming that no energy is transferred to the track or to the air surrounding the blocks. Determine the

amount of energy transferred in the collision

d. Determine the additional thermal energy that is generated as the blocks move from Y to P

5. Two objects of masses m1 = 0.65 kg and m2 = 1.00 kg are placed on a horizontal frictionless surface and a

compressed spring of spring constant K = 290 N/m is placed between them. Neglect the mass of the spring.

The spring is not attached to either object and is compressed a distance of 11 cm. If the objects are released

from rest, find the final velocity of each mass.

6. From near ground-level, a cannon fires a cannonball at a velocity of (90m/s, 30º). The cannonball strikes a

castle wall 500m from the cannon.

a. At what height does it strike the wall? Show work for partial credit.

b. Sketch six graphs versus time: x-position, x-velocity, x-acceleration, y-position, y-velocity,

y-acceleration.

7. The system above has a block of mass 2m hanging on the right and tied to a cord. The cord runs over two

pulleys and is tied on the other end to an L-brace with a mass of m which sits on the floor. Placed on the L-

brace is a bowling ball of mass 3m.

a. What is the tension in the cord?

b. What is the normal force of the floor on the L-brace?

c. Draw a free-body-diagram for the L-brace, labeling all forces.

d. If the bowling ball then rolls off of the L-brace, with what acceleration will it rise?

8. The orbital radii and orbital periods for several planets are provided below. Complete the chart by

calculating R3 and T

2.

Planet R (m) T (s) R3 T

2

Venus

1.08 x 1011

1.94 x 107

Earth

1.50 x 1011

3.16 x 107

Mars

2.28 x 1011

5.94 x 107

b. Sketch a graph of R3 versus T

2. Include axes labels and units.

c. Draw a linear regression line. Write the slope of the line, including units, next to the graph.

d. Derive an equation for the mass of the sun in terms of T, R, and any fundamental constants.

9. A block with a mass of m begins at rest along the left side of a loop with radius R. The block slides down the

loop and then across a rough surface with a coefficient of kinetic friction μ.

a. What is the speed of the block at the base of the circle?

b. How far, L, along the rough portion of the flat track will the block slide before stopping?

c. How much thermal energy will be generated by friction as the block slows down?

d. Check what effects each of the following would have on the distance, L, the block slides.

Increases Decreases Has no effect

Increasing block mass

Increasing R

Decreasing μ

Decreasing g

10. A motion sensor and a force sensor record the motion of a cart along a track, as shown above. The cart is

given a push so that it moves toward the force sensor and then collides with it. The two sensors record the

values shown in the following graphs.

a. Determine the cart's average acceleration between t = 0.33 s and t = 0.37 s.

b. Determine the magnitude of the change in the cart's momentum during the collision.

c. Determine the mass of the cart.

d. Determine the energy lost in the collision between the force sensor and the cart.