Describing Motion Practice Questions

Question 1

4 marks

A walker starts at a car park and follows a straight footpath 5.0 km due north. She then turns round and walks 3.0 km due south back along the same footpath.

(a)

Calculate the total distance walked.

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(b)

Determine the walker's displacement from the car park at the end of her walk.

Give both the magnitude and the direction.

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(c)

Distance is a scalar quantity. State what is meant by a vector quantity.

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Question 2

4 marks

(a)

The table gives typical speeds for a person travelling in different ways.

Complete the table.

Method of travel	Typical speed in m/s
walking	1.5
running
cycling

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(b)

Give two factors that affect the speed at which a person can walk.

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Question 3

4 marks

A ferry crosses a lake at a constant speed of 12 m/s. The crossing takes 25 minutes.

(a)

Convert 25 minutes to seconds.

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(b)

Calculate the distance travelled by the ferry during the crossing.

Give your answer in kilometres.

Distance = .................... km

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Question 4

5 marks

A delivery robot moves in a straight line along a corridor.

Figure 1 shows a distance–time graph for the motion of the robot.

(a)

Describe the motion of the robot during section B of the graph.

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(b)

Determine the speed of the robot during section A.

Speed = .................... m/s

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(c)

Compare the speed of the robot in section C with its speed in section A.

Use the graph to justify your answer.

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Question 5

4 marks

A student wants to find the average speed of a battery-powered toy car as it travels along a straight bench.

The student has a metre rule, a stopwatch and some sticky tape.

(a)

Describe a method the student could use to determine the average speed of the toy car.

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(b)

The student repeats the measurement using a light gate and a data logger instead of the stopwatch.

Give one reason why this gives a more accurate value for the speed.

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Question 0

5 marks

A runner takes part in a training session.

She runs 1500 m in 5 minutes 0 seconds.
She then rests for 2 minutes 0 seconds.
She then jogs a further 600 m in 4 minutes 0 seconds.

(a)

Calculate the average speed of the runner during the first 1500 m.

Average speed = .................... m/s

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(b)

Calculate the average speed of the runner for the whole training session.

Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

Average speed = .................... m/s

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Question 0

6 marks

A lift (elevator) travels upwards from the ground floor of a building to the top floor.

Figure 2 shows a velocity–time graph for the journey.

(a)

Determine the acceleration of the lift during the first 4 seconds.

Acceleration = .................... m/s $^2$

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(b)

Determine the total distance travelled by the lift.

Distance = .................... m

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(c)

Describe the motion of the lift between 12 s and 16 s.

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Question 0

4 marks

A satellite moves in a circular orbit around the Earth at a constant speed of 7800 m/s.

(a)

Explain why the velocity of the satellite is changing, even though its speed is constant.

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(b)

A student says: 'The satellite cannot be accelerating because its speed is not changing.'

Explain why the student is wrong.

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Question 0

5 marks

A coconut falls from rest from a branch 12 m above the ground.

acceleration due to gravity = 9.8 m/s $^2$

(a)

Calculate the speed of the coconut just before it hits the ground.

Use the equation:

$v^2 - u^2 = 2\,a\,s$

Speed = .................... m/s

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(b)

A feather is dropped from the same height. It takes much longer to reach the ground than the coconut.

Explain why.

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Question 0

6 marks

A steel ball bearing is released from rest at the surface of the oil in a tall measuring cylinder. The ball bearing sinks to the bottom of the cylinder.

(a)

Explain, in terms of the forces acting on the ball bearing, why its speed increases at first and then becomes constant.

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(b)

The experiment is repeated with a ball bearing of the same size but made of a denser metal, so it has a greater mass.

State and explain the effect this has on the terminal velocity of the ball bearing.

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Question 0

6 marks

A tram travelling along a straight, level track at 14 m/s slows down uniformly and stops at a tram stop after 20 s.

(a)

Write down the equation that links acceleration ( $a$ ), change in velocity ( $\Delta v$ ) and time taken ( $t$ ).

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(b)

Calculate the deceleration of the tram as it comes into the stop.

Deceleration = .................... m/s $^2$

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(c)

The tram then sets off from the stop and reaches a velocity of 12 m/s in 15 s.

Calculate the acceleration of the tram.

Acceleration = .................... m/s $^2$

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Question 0

6 marks

A student uses a stopwatch and a trundle wheel to record how far a robot vacuum cleaner travels in a straight line across a hall.

The results are shown in the table.

Time in s	0	5	10	15	20	25	30
Distance in m	0	3	6	9	9	9	15

Figure 3 shows a grid for plotting the results.

(a)

Plot the data from the table on Figure 3 and draw straight lines between the points.

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(b)

Determine the speed of the robot vacuum cleaner during the first 15 s.

Speed = .................... m/s

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(c)

Describe the motion of the robot vacuum cleaner between 15 s and 25 s.

/ 1

Question 0

6 marks

Two students measure the speed of sound in air. One student stands 80 m from a large flat wall and claps two blocks of wood together. The second student measures the time between the clap and the echo being heard.

The measured time was 0.48 s.

(a)

Explain why the distance travelled by the sound is 160 m.

/ 1

(b)

Calculate the speed of sound obtained from these measurements.

Speed = .................... m/s

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(c)

The accepted typical value for the speed of sound in air is 330 m/s.

Suggest one reason why the students' value is not exactly equal to this, and give one way they could improve their measurement.

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Question 0

8 marks

A metro train travels between two stations along a straight, level track.

It accelerates uniformly from rest to 24 m/s in 12 s.
It then travels at a constant velocity of 24 m/s for 200 m.
It then decelerates uniformly at 3.0 m/s $^2$ until it stops at the next station.

(a)

Calculate the distance travelled by the train while it is accelerating.

Distance = .................... m

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(b)

Calculate the distance travelled by the train while it is decelerating.

Use the equation:

$v^2 - u^2 = 2\,a\,s$

Distance = .................... m

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(c)

Calculate the average speed of the train for the whole journey between the two stations.

Give your answer to 3 significant figures.

Average speed = .................... m/s

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Question 0

6 marks

A skydiver jumps from a stationary helicopter. She falls for some time before opening her parachute, then lands safely on the ground at a low, steady speed.

Describe how the velocity of the skydiver changes during the fall, and explain these changes in terms of the forces acting on her.

You should refer to the shape of a velocity–time graph for the whole fall in your answer.

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Question 0

5 marks

A marble is released from rest at the top of a long, straight, sloping track.

Figure 4 shows a distance–time graph for the marble.

(a)

Explain how Figure 4 shows that the marble is accelerating.

/ 1

(b)

Determine the speed of the marble 20 s after it was released.

Speed = .................... m/s

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Energy

Electricity

Particle Model of Matter

Atomic Structure

Forces

Waves

Magnetism & Electromagnetism

Space Physics

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