Name:

Date:

GRAPHS FOR MOTION

TEST 1

AS-Level Mark Grade

PHYSICS

For this paper you must have:

Ruler
Pencil and Rubber
Scientific calculator, which you are expected to use when appropriate

Instructions
Answer all questions
Answer questions in the space provided
All working must be shown

Information
The marks for the questions are shown in brackets

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 A student performs an experiment to find the acceleration due to gravity. The student measures
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the time t for a spherical object to fall freely through measured vertical distances s. The time is
measured electronically. The results are shown in the table below.

mean time
s/m t1/s t2/s t3/s tm2/s 2
tm/s

0.300 0.245 0.246 0.244 0.245 0.0600

0.400 0.285 0.286 0.286 0.286 0.0818

0.500 0.319 0.321 0.318 0.319 0.102

0.600 0.349 0.351 0.348 0.349 0.122

0.700 0.378 0.380 0.378 0.379 0.144

0.800 0.403 0.406 0.404

0.900 0.428 0.428 0.430

(a) Complete the table by entering the missing values for tm and tm2
(1)

(b) Complete the graph below by plotting the remaining two points and draw a line of best fit.
(2)

(c) Determine the gradient of the graph.

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(3)

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(d) Theory suggests that the equation for the line is where g is the acceleration due to

gravity.

Calculate a value for g using the above equation and the gradient of your graph above.

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(1)

(e) Calculate the percentage difference between your value for g and the accepted value of
9.81 m s –2.

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(1)

(f) Calculate the uncertainty in the smallest value of tm.

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(1)

(g) Calculate the value of g which would be given from the smallest value of tm and the
corresponding value of s.

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(3)

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(h) The uncertainty in each value of s is ± 0.001 m.

Calculate the uncertainty in the value of g you calculated in part (g).

You will need to use the uncertainty for tm you calculated in part (f).

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(3)

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(i) A student wishes to investigate the effect of changing the mass of the spherical object on
the acceleration of free fall.

Explain how you would modify the experiment seen at the start of this question.

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(3)
(Total 18 marks)

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 The velocity–time graph for a falling object is shown.
2

Which of the following shows the corresponding acceleration–time graph?

(Total 1 mark)

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 A girl jogs at 2.0 m s–1 in a straight line for 30 seconds, turns around and returns to her starting
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point 20 seconds later.

What is her average velocity and average speed?

Average velocity/m s–1 Average speed/m s–1

A 0 m s−1 2.4 m s−1

B 0 m s−1 2.5 m s−1

C 1.0 m s−1 2.0 m s−1

D 2.5 m s−1 2.5 m s−1

(Total 1 mark)

Figure 1 shows the variation of velocity v with time t for a Formula 1 car during a test drive along
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a straight, horizontal track.

The total mass of the car and driver is 640 kg. The car engine provides a constant driving force of
5800 N.

Figure 1

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(a) (i) Determine the distance travelled by the car during the first 10 s.

distance ____________________ m
(3)

(ii) Show that the instantaneous acceleration is about 4 m s−2 when t is 10 s.

(2)

(iii) Calculate the magnitude of the resistive forces on the car when t is 10 s.

resistive forces ____________________ N

(3)

(iv) Calculate the power, in kW, of the car at the maximum speed during the test drive.

power ____________________ kW
(2)

(b) Figure 2 shows the aerofoil that is fitted to a Formula 1 car to increase its speed around
corners.

Figure 2

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 However, the aerofoil exerts an unwanted drag force on the car when it is travelling in a
straight line so a Drag Reduction System (DRS) is fitted. This system enables the driver to
change the angle of the aerofoil to reduce the drag.

The graph in Figure 1 is for a test drive along a straight, horizontal track. Under the
conditions for this test drive, the DRS was not in use and the engine produced a constant
driving force.

Explain why the velocity varies in the way shown in the graph.

Go on to explain how the graph will be different when the DRS is in use and the driving
force is the same.

The quality of written communication will be assessed in your answer.

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(Total 16 marks)

(a) Indicate with ticks (✓) in the table below which of the quantities are vectors and which are
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scalars.

Velocity Speed Distance Displacement

vector

scalar

(2)

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(b) A tennis ball is thrown vertically downwards and bounces on the ground. The ball leaves
the hand with an initial speed of 1.5 m s–1 at a height of 0.65 m above the ground. The ball
rebounds and is caught when travelling upwards with a speed of 1.0 m s–1.

Assume that air resistance is negligible.

(i) Show that the speed of the ball is about 4 m s–1 just before it strikes the ground.

(3)

(ii) The ball is released at time t = 0. It hits the ground at time tA and is caught at time tB.
On the graph, sketch a velocity−time graph for the vertical motion of the tennis ball
from when it leaves the hand to when it returns. The initial velocity X and final
velocity Y are marked.

(3)

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 (c) In a game of tennis, a ball is hit horizontally at a height of 1.2 m and travels a horizontal
distance of 5.0 m before reaching the ground. The ball is at rest when hit.

Calculate the initial horizontal velocity given to the ball when it was hit.

horizontal velocity = ____________________ m s–1

(3)
(Total 11 marks)

In the 17th century, when thinking about forces, Galileo imagined a ball moving in the absence of
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air resistance on a frictionless track as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

(a) Galileo thought that, under these circumstances, the ball would reach position C if released
from rest at position A. Position C is the same height above the ground as A.

Using ideas about energy, explain why Galileo was correct.

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(b) Galileo then imagined that the track was changed, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2

The slope beyond B was now horizontal.

On the axes below, sketch a speed – time graph for the ball from its release at A until it
reaches the position X shown in Figure 2. Indicate on your graph the time when the ball is
at B.

(3)

(c) Newton later published his three laws of motion.

Explain how Newton’s first law of motion is illustrated by the motion of the ball between B
and X.

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(2)
(Total 8 marks)

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 The graph shows how the force acting on a body changes with time.
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The body has a mass of 0.25 kg and is initially at rest. What is the speed of the body after 40 s
assuming no other forces are acting?

A 200 ms–1

B 400 ms–1

C 800 ms–1

D 1600 ms–1
(Total 1 mark)

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 The figure below is a speed-time graph for a sprinter at the start of a race.
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Determine the distance covered by the sprinter in the first 0.3 s of the race.

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distance ______________________ m
(Total 3 marks)

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 The diagram below shows the variation of the speed, v, of a sprinter with time, t, from the time
9 the starting pistol is fired until the sprinter reaches the finishing line during a 100 m sprint.

(a) Explain why the graph does not go through the origin.

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(1)

(b) Determine the acceleration of the sprinter 3.5 s after the start of the race.
Give an appropriate unit for your answer.

acceleration ____________________
(3)

(c) What distance was covered in the first 2.0 s of the race?

distance ____________________
(4)

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 (d) Describe briefly how the data for the sprinter’s velocity–time graph shown in the diagram
above could have been collected.

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(2)
(Total 10 marks)

Figure 1 shows the speed-time graph for a swimmer performing one complete cycle of the
10 breast stroke.

Figure 1

Figure 2

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(a) (i) Find the acceleration of the swimmer at time 0.65 s.

acceleration ____________________
(2)

(ii) Sketch, on the axes in Figure 2, a graph to show how the acceleration of the
swimmer varies with time for the same time interval. You are not required to make
any further calculations but your graph should show relative values.
(2)

(b) Use the graph in Figure 1 to estimate the distance travelled by the swimmer in one
complete cycle of the stroke. Show your working clearly.

distance travelled ____________________ m

(4)
(Total 8 marks)

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