Physics Primers
The coefficient of static friction is generally: A. larger than the coefficient of kinetic friction B. unrelated to the coefficient of kinetic friction C. equal to the coefficient of kinetic friction D. smaller than the coefficient of kinetic friction
A - larger than the coefficient of kinetic friction
In a spontaneous natural process that doesn't involve oscillation, potential energy will: A. always decrease B. always increase C. remain constant D. increase or decrease depending on the work done on the system
A. always decrease
As more identical light bulbs are connected in series, the brightness of each bulb: A. decreases B. remains the same C. increases D. decays to zero
A. decreases
The magnetic force on a moving charged particle alters the particle's: A. direction B. neither of these quantities C. speed D. both of these quantities
A. direction
You can lift 1000 kg of bricks from the ground to a one-meter-high shelf in an hour. Your bodybuilding friend can lift 1000 kg of bricks from the ground to a one-meter-high shelf in fifteen minutes, then spend the rest of the hour posing. During that hour, your friend: A. exerted more power than you while doing the same work B. did more work than you C. exerted less power than you did doing the same work D. did less work that you
A. exerted more power than you while doing the same work
The electric field inside a charged parallel-plate capacitor: A. is constant and perpendicular to the plates B. is zero C. increases closer to the positive plate D. is constant and parallel to the plates
A. is constant and perpendicular to the plates
Which of the following is true about heat? A. it is a type of energy transferred between objects B. it can only be transferred by direct contact between objects C. all of these statements are ture D. it is proportional to temperature
A. it is a type of energy transferred between objects
A particle accelerates antiparallel to an electric field in the absence of other forces. Which of the following must be true? A. it is negatively charged B. it is a proton C. it is an electron D. it is positively charged
A. it is negatively charged
The reason light bends toward the normal when it passes from air to water is because: A. it slows down B. it shifts frequency C. it loses energy D. it speeds up
A. it slows down
An object is in a circular path at a constant speed: A. undergoes a continuously changing acceleration of constant magnitude B. has changing kinetic energy C. undergoes a constant acceleration D. experiences zero acceleration
A. undergoes a continuously changing acceleration of constant magnitude
A man pulls on a massless rope tied to a tree with a force of 500 N. Later, two men pull on opposite ends of the same rope with opposing forces of 500 N each. The tension on the rope is: A. none of these B. 500 N in both cases C. 250 N in the first case, 500 N in the second case D. 500 N in the first case, 1000 N in the second case
B - 500 N in both cases
The area under the curve on a velocity-v-time graph represents: A. average velocity B. displacement C. speed D. acceleration
B - displacement
An object is moving along a one-dimensional path. At its turning point: A. the acceleration is zero B. the instantaneous velocity is zero C. all of these statements are true D. the average velocity of the object is zero
B - the instantaneous velocity is zero
A block of wood is floating on water. If you push down on the top of the block until it's completely submerged, the buoyant force on it: A. depends on the density of the wood B. increases C. remains constant D. decreases
B. increases
The electric potential inside a parallel-plate capacitor: A. is perpendicular to the plates B. increases linearly from the negative to the positive plate C. is constant D. all of these statements are ture
B. increases linearly from the negative plate to the positive plate
Which is true of electric current? A. it flows from the negative terminal of a battery to the positive terminal B. it is a measure of the flow rate of positive charge C. it is a measure of the flow speed of positive charge D. it measures the number of electrons in a wire
B. it is a measure of the flow rate of a positive charge
The potential energy of a mass relative to the Earth is: A. always proportional to height above Earth B. proportional to height above Earth for heights smaller than the radius of Earth C. equal to its kinetic energy D. inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the center of the Earth
B. proportional to height above Earth for heights smaller than the radius of Earth
The focal length of a lens is: A. the distance from a lens at which an object would be in focus B. the distance from the lens at which incident parallel rays would intersect C. the distance of an image from a lens D. the square root of the radius of the lens
B. the distance from the lens at which the incident parallel rays would intersect
You're having trouble unscrewing a stuck screw from a wooden plank. Which of these measures would be most likely to help? A. hitting the screwdriver with a hammer while it is inserted in the screw B wrapping the screwdriver handle with a rubber sheet to make it thicker C. using a screwdriver with a longer handle D. none of these will help
B. wrapping the screwdriver handle with a rubber sheet to make it thicker
Which of the following is true of simple harmonic oscillation? A. the tenth oscillation is identical to the first B. the restoring force of the oscillation is directly proportional to the displacement from equilibrium C. all of these statements are true D. the period of the oscillation is independent of its amplitude
C. all of these statements are true
Compared to visible light, x-rays: A. have a higher wavelength B. have less likelihood of passing through a material C. have a higher frequency and energy per photon D. move at a greater speed
C. have a higher frequency and energy per photon
Charge is fundamentally different from other dimensions because: A. it gives rise to an inverse-square force law B. it is associated with a field C. it can be positive or negative D. charge carriers do not have mass
C. it can be positive or negative
An ideal gas undergoes a closed cycle of processes on a PV diagram. Which of the following must be true? A. all of these statements are true B. the total work done by the gas is zero C. the change in internal energy is zero D. the total heat exchanged with the environment is zero
C. the change in internal energy is zero
Which of the following provides the best evidence of light behaving as a particle? A. total internal reflection B. the Rutherford planetary model of the atom C. the photoelectric effect D. the Heisenberg uncertainty principle
C. the photoelectric effect
Which of the following units is equivalent to newtons per coulomb? A. farads per meter B. volts C. volts per meter D. farads
C. volts per meter
A big kid pushes a little kid and the little kid falls backwards. The big kid remains relatively stationary. What best explains this? A. The little kid experiences a greater action force than the big kid experienced a reaction force. B. The little kid experiences the only horizontal force because the big kid did the pushing. C. The action force the big kid exerted on the little kid canceled out the reaction force from the little kid on the big kid. D. The little kid underwent a greater acceleration than did the big kid because of his smaller mass.
D - The little kid underwent a greater acceleration than did the big kid because of his smaller mass.
An object undergoing a nonzero acceleration can be: A. slowing down B. speeding up C. turning at constant speed d. all of these
D - all of these
A dam is built to create an artificial lake. The pressure at the bottom of the dam: A. depends upon the total weight of the water held back by the dam and the area of the dam B. depends on the depth of the water and the area of the dam C. depends only on the total weight of the water held back by the dam D. depends only on the depth of the water at that point
D. depends only on the depth of water at that point
As more light bulbs are connected in a parallel circuit, the current coming from the power source: A. decreases B. remains the same C. decays to zero D. increases
D. increases
Water flowing out of a hose: A. is subject to greater pressure the faster it is moving B. must have a constant flow speed C. is subject to less pressure the faster it is moving D. is subject to atmospheric pressure
D. is subject to atmospheric pressure
Which of the following is true of a virtual image? A. it can only be formed by a diverging lens or mirror B. it is an image that can never be brought into focus C. it is an optical illusion D. it is located behind the reflecting surface of a mirror
D. it is located behind the reflecting surface of a mirror
A train sounds its whistle ass it moves toward you with a constant speed. Which of the following quantities is increasing with time? A. wave speed B. pitch C. all of these D. loudness
D. loudness
As more identical light bulbs are connected in a parallel circuit, the brightness of each bulb: A. increases B. decays to zero C. decreases D. remains the same
D. remains the same
Which of the following is true about sound waves and light waves? A. sound waves have a greater intensity than light waves B. both slow down when moving from air to water C. both can undergo polarization D. sound waves speed up when moving from air to water whereas light waves slow down
D. sound waves speed up when moving into water whereas light waves slow down
Bernoulli's Law should not be applied to which of the following cases: A. a tiny leak in the side of a large swimming pool B. standing blood pressure difference between arms and legs C. water flowing rapidly out of a hose D. air flowing smoothly over and airfoil
D. standing blood pressure difference between arms and legs
The main reason to use a simple machine to accomplish a task is: A. to reduce the total work done B. to increase power C. to minimize work done by friction D. to reduce the amount of force that must be applied
D. to reduce the amount of force that must be applied
