1.

2.

1
3.

4. A satellite is orbiting the earth in a circular orbit. Which one of the following properties of the satellite
does not remain constant?

A. Kinetic energy

B. Gravitational potential energy

C. Angular momentum

D. Velocity

2
5. The diagrams show the direction and speed u of a ball before it strikes a vertical wall and its direction and
speed v after striking the wall.

wall wall

u v

before after

The ball is in contact with the wall for a time Δt.

The magnitude of the average force F exerted on the ball by the wall is given by

mu − mv
A. F= .
Δt

B. F = ( mu − mv ) Δt .

mu + mv
C. F= .
Δt

D. F = ( mu + mv ) Δt .

6. Two pucks move without friction across a horizontal surface such as a flat sheet of ice or an ëair tableí.
The momentum vectors of the two pucks before they collide are shown in Figure 1. On colliding, the
pucks stick together. Which one of the vectors shown in Figure 2 best represents the total momentum of
the joined pucks after the collision?

Figure 1 Figure 2

D.

A.

C.

B.

3
 7. A small explosion is used to separate a space capsule from its rocket, after the rocket fuel is used up.

rocket capsule

In this process, what happens to the total momentum and total kinetic energy of the system consisting of
capsule plus rocket?

Total momentum Total kinetic energy

A. Increase Increase

B. Increase Unchanged

C. Unchanged Unchanged

D. Unchanged Increase

8. The figure shows a ìballistic pendulumî arrangement used to determine bullet speeds. A bullet is fired
into a block suspended from cords and the block with the embedded bullet swings as far as the position
shown below. The measured quantities are the masses of the bullet and the block and the maximum
height h to which the block rises after impact.

In order to calculate the speed with which the bullet struck the block, what principle(s) or law(s) should
be applied in this situation?

A. Newtonís first and second laws

B. Conservation of energy only

C. Conservation of momentum only

D. Both conservation of energy and conservation

4 of momentum.
 9. A radioactive nucleus at rest decays by emitting an alpha particle.

Just after emitting the alpha particle the daughter nucleus will have

A. zero kinetic energy and momentum.

B. kinetic energy equal in magnitude to that of the alpha particle.

C. momentum equal and opposite to that of the alpha particle.

D. both energy and momentum equal in magnitude to those of the alpha particle.

10. A varying force acts upon an object. The graph below shows how the force varies with time.

Force / N

10

0
0 0.1 0.2 Time / s

The impulse received by the object is

A. 100 N s.

B. 10 N s.

C. 2 N s.

D. 1 N s.

5
11. A rocket is fired vertically. At its highest point, it explodes. Which one of the following describes what
happens to its total momentum and total kinetic energy as a result of the explosion?

Total momentum Total kinetic energy

A. unchanged increased

B. unchanged unchanged

C. increased increased

D. increased unchanged

12. An object is moving at constant velocity. Which one of the following quantities must have zero
magnitude?

A. Weight of object

B. Momentum of object

C. Kinetic energy of object

D. Resultant force on object

13. An astronaut in outer space is holding a hammer and drifting at constant velocity. The astronaut throws
the hammer in the opposite direction to that in which she is drifting.

What change, if any, occurs in the total kinetic energy and the total momentum of the astronaut and
hammer?

Total kinetic energy Total momentum

A. unchanged increased

B. unchanged unchanged

C. increased increased

D. increased unchanged

6
 14. A constant force is applied to a ball of mass m. The velocity of the ball changes from v1 to v2 . The
impulse received by the ball is

A. m(v2 + v1 ).

B. m(v2 − v1 ).

C. m(v2 2 + v12 ).

D. m(v2 2 − v12 ).

15. A stone on a string is moving in a circle as shown below.

x-direction

y-direction

At point P, the stone of mass m has speed v in the y-direction. A quarter of a revolution later, the stone
at point Q has speed v in the x-direction.

What is the change, in the y-direction only, of the magnitude of the momentum of the stone?

A. zero

B. mv

C. 2mv

D. 2mv

16. The momentum of a system is conserved if

A. no external forces act on the system.

B. no friction forces act within the system.

C. no kinetic energy is lost or gained by the system.

D. the forces acting on the system are in equilibrium.

7
 17. A ball is travelling horizontally with a speed of 3.0 m s–1. It collides with a vertical wall and rebounds
with a horizontal speed of 2.0 m s–1.

before collision
3.0 m s–1

after collision
2.0 m s–1

The mass of the ball is 1.0 kg and it is in contact with the wall for 0.20 s.

The magnitude of the force that the ball exerts on the wall is

A. 0.20 N.

B. 0.25 N.

C. 20 N.

D. 25 N.

18. An object of mass m is initially at rest. An impulse I acts on the object. The change in kinetic energy
of the object is

A. I2 .
2m

B. I2.
m

C. I 2m.

D. 2I 2m.

8
19. A spring is compressed by a force F.

For a compression e, the force F is given by F ke. When the compression force is removed, the
spring returns to its original length in time t. The best estimate for the power developed by the spring
during its expansion is

A. ke .
2t

B. ke .
t

C. ke 2 .
2t

D. ke 2 .
t

20. The graph below shows the variation with time t of the magnitude of the net force F acting on a body
moving along a straight-line.

0
0 t

The shaded area represents

A. the total work done by F.

B. the change in the kinetic energy of the body.

C. the change in the momentum of the body.

D. the change in the velocity of the body.

9
21. A net force of magnitude F acts on a body for a time t producing an impulse of magnitude Y.
Which of the following is the magnitude of the rate of change of momentum of the body?

A. F

B. F t

C. Y

D. Y t

22. A rocket is moving through space. The rocket engine ejects a mass m of exhaust gases in time t.
The speed of the exhaust gases, relative to the rocket, is v as shown below.

rocket
direction of motion
exhaust gases, speed v
of rocket

Which of the following expressions is the magnitude of the force exerted on the rocket by the
exhaust gases?

A. mv

B. mv2

C. mvt

mv
D.
t

10
23. Sand falls vertically on a conveyor belt at a rate of m kg s–1 .

v sand
belt

In order to keep the belt moving at constant speed v the horizontal force that must be exerted
on the belt is

A. mv.

B. 1
2 mv.

C. mv2.

D. 1
2 mv 2.

24. A rocket is fired vertically into the air. When the rocket reaches its maximum height, the rocket
explodes.

What change, if any, occurs in the momentum and in the kinetic energy of the rocket during
the explosion?

momentum kinetic energy

A. increases increases

B. increases constant

C. constant increases

D. constant constant

11
25. A ball X is sliding along a horizontal surface. It collides with an identical ball Y that is at rest.

+v

X Y

The velocity of ball X just before the collision is +v .

Which of the following is a possible velocity of X and of Y immediately after the collision?

Velocity of X Velocity of Y
A. 0 +v

B. −v +v

v v
C. − +
2 2

D. −v 0

26. Two carts of different mass m and M are connected by a spring. They are pushed together such that
the spring is compressed.

M m

v
M m

After the carts are released, the cart of mass m moves with velocity v. The change in the
momentum of mass M is

A. mv.

B. mv.

C. Mv.

D. Mv.
12
 27. A net force of magnitude 4.0 N acts on a body of mass 3.0 kg for 6.0 s. The body is initially at rest.
Which of the following is the speed of the body after the 6.0 s interval?

A. 0.50 m s–1

B. 2.0 m s–1

C. 4.5 m s–1

D. 8.0 m s–1

28. A gas atom strikes a wall with speed v at an angle θ to the normal to the wall. The atom rebounds
at the same speed v and angle θ.

v
θ
θ
v

Which of the following gives the magnitude of the momentum change of the gas atom?

A. zero

B. 2mv sinθ

C. 2mv

D. 2mv cosθ

29. A body is moving in a straight line. A force F acts on the body in the direction of the body’s motion.
A resistive force f acts on the body. Both forces act along the same straight line as the motion of
the body. The rate of change of momentum of the body is equal to

A. F – f.

B. F.

C. F + f.

D. f.

13
30. p t. What is the impulse acting on the object
during this change?

A. ∆p

B. ∆p ∆t

∆p
C.
∆t

D. zero

31. A ball of mass m travels horizontally with speed v before colliding with a vertical wall.
The ball rebounds at speed v in a direction opposite to its initial direction. What is the magnitude
of the change in momentum of the ball?

A. 0

mv
B.
2

C. mv

D. 2mv

32. Two identical spheres, each of mass m and speed v, travel towards each other on a frictionless
surface in a vacuum.

v v
m m

The spheres undergo a head-on elastic collision.

Which statement correctly describes the spheres after the collision?

A. The total momentum of the spheres is 2mv.

B. Each sphere has zero momentum.

C. The total kinetic energy of the spheres is mv2.

D. Each sphere has zero kinetic energy.

14
 33. In the collision between two bodies, Newton’s third law

A. only applies if momentum is conserved in the collision.

B. only applies if energy is conserved in the collision.

C. only applies if both momentum and energy are conserved in the collision.

D. always applies.

34. Two identical spheres, each of mass m and speed v, travel towards each other on a frictionless
surface in a vacuum.

v v
m m

The spheres undergo a head-on elastic collision.

Which statement correctly describes the spheres after the collision?

A. The total momentum of the spheres is 2mv.

B. Each sphere has zero momentum.

C. The total kinetic energy of the spheres is mv2.

D. Each sphere has zero kinetic energy.

35. A ball with mass m moves horizontally with speed u. The ball hits a vertical wall and rebounds in
the opposite direction with speed v < u. The duration of the collision is T. What are the magnitude
of the average force exerted by the wall on the ball and the loss of kinetic energy of the ball?

Average force Loss of kinetic energy

m (u + v ) m (u 2 − v 2 )
A.
T 2

m (u + v ) m (u − v )2
B.
T 2

m (u − v ) m (u 2 − v 2 )
C.
T 2

m (u − v ) m (u − v )2
D.
T 2

15
 A boy jumps from a wall 3 m high. What is an estimate of the change in momentum of the boy
36. when he lands without rebounding?

A. 5 ´ 100 kg m s–1

B. 5 ´ 101 kg m s–1

C. 5 ´ 102 kg m s–1

D. 5 ´ 103 kg m s–1

A cyclist accelerates in a straight line. At one instant, when the cyclist is exerting a forward force
37. of 40 N, the air resistance acting on the cyclist is 10 N.

What is the rate of change of momentum of the cyclist at this instant?

A. 10 kg m s-2

B. 30 kg m s-2

C. 40 kg m s-2

D. 50 kg m s-2

38. A ball of mass 0.2 kg strikes a force sensor and sticks to it. Just before impact the ball is travelling
horizontally at a speed of 4.0 m s–1. The graph shows the variation with time t of the force F
recorded by the sensor.

F
Fmax

0
400 440 t / ms

What is Fmax?

A. 2N

B. 4N

C. 20 N

D. 40 N

16
39. A toy car of mass 0.15 kg accelerates from a speed of 10 cm s–1 to a speed of 15 cm s–1. What is
the impulse acting on the car?

A. 7.5 mN s

B. 37.5 mN s

C. 0.75 N s

D. 3.75 N s

40. Child X throws a ball to child Y. The system consists of the ball, the children and the Earth.
What is true for the system when the ball has been caught by Y?

child X child Y

[Source: https://pixabay.com/en/playing-ball-kids-boy-girl-31339/]

A. The momentum of child Y is equal and opposite to the momentum of child X.

B. The speed of rotation of the Earth will have changed.

C. The ball has no net momentum while it is in the air.

D. The total momentum of the system has not changed.

17
 The graph shows the variation with time t of the force F acting on an object of mass 15 000 kg.
41. The object is at rest at t = 0.

4
F / kN
3

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
t/s

What is the speed of the object when t = 30 s?

A. 0.18 m s–1

B. 6 m s–1

C. 12 m s–1

D. 180 m s–1

42. A ball of mass m is thrown with an initial speed of u at an angle q to the horizontal as shown.
Q is the highest point of the motion. Air resistance is negligible.

What is the momentum of the ball at Q?

A. zero

B. mu cosq

C. mu

D. mu sinq

18
 A ball of mass m collides with a vertical wall with an initial horizontal speed u and rebounds with a
43. horizontal speed v. The graph shows the variation of the speed of the ball with time.

speed

0
0 t1 t2 time

What is the magnitude of the mean net force on the ball during the collision?

m (u − v )
A.
(t 2 + t1 )

m (u − v )
B.
(t 2 − t1 )

m (u + v )
C.
(t 2 + t1 )

m (u + v )
D.
(t 2 − t1 )

19
 44. The graph shows the variation of momentum with time for an object.

20

momentum /
kg m s-1

0
0 2.0 4.0
time / s

What net force acts on the object for the first 2.0 s and for the second 2.0 s of the motion?

Force for first 2.0 s / N Force for second 2.0 s / N

A. 10 0

B. 20 40

C. 10 40

D. 20 0

45. A table-tennis ball of mass 3 g is fired with a speed of 10 m s-1 from a stationary toy gun
of mass 0.600 kg. The gun and ball are an isolated system.

What are the recoil speed of the toy gun and the total momentum of the system immediately
after the gun is fired?

Recoil speed of the toy gun / m s-1 Total momentum of the system / kg m s-1

A. 0.05 0

B. 0.05 0.03

C. 0.5 0

D. 0.5 0.03

20