Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) · PHYSICS · Chapter
Forces, Movement, Shape, and Momentum
173 practice questions
Topics covered
- FORCES AND SHAPE29 practice questions
- HOOKE'S LAW16 practice questions
- FORCE, MASS AND ACCELERATION18 practice questions
- FRICTION AND BRAKING20 practice questions
- AIR RESISTANCE AND TERMINAL VELOCITY19 practice questions
- MOMENTUM20 practice questions
- NEWTON'S THIRD LAW: ACTION AND REACTION16 practice questions
- THE TURNING EFFECT OF FORCES24 practice questions
Practice questions
11–19 of 19 · Hard
Question 11
5 marks · Hard
Answer and see the solution →A student drops two objects of equal mass but different shapes (a smooth metal ball and a large feather) at the same time from the same height in a classroom. Assume air resistance is significant for the feather.
(a)[2 marks]State which object will reach the floor first and explain your answer.
(b)[3 marks]Describe, in terms of forces, what happens to the feather as it falls until it reaches its terminal velocity.
Question 12
4 marks · Hard
Answer and see the solution →A helicopter drops a small probe of mass 0.60 kg from a height above the ground. The gravitational field strength is 9.8 N/kg. The probe quickly reaches terminal velocity as it falls through the air.
(a)[1 mark]Calculate the weight of the probe.
(b)[3 marks]At terminal velocity, what is the size of the air resistance force acting on the probe? Explain your answer.
Question 13
5 marks · Hard
Answer and see the solution →The diagram below shows the forces acting on a raindrop falling through air. The downward force is the weight of the raindrop and the upward force is air resistance.
Forces on a falling raindrop at three different moments. (a)[4 marks]Describe how the relative sizes of weight and air resistance change as the raindrop falls, and what effect this has on the motion of the raindrop. Refer to what happens at the start, as it speeds up, and at terminal velocity.
(b)[1 mark]Explain why the raindrop does not accelerate at terminal velocity.
Question 14
5 marks · Hard
Answer and see the solution →Two identical trolleys, A and B, each of mass 1.2 kg, move along a smooth, straight track. Trolley A is moving at 1.6 m/s towards stationary trolley B. The trolleys collide and stick together.
(a)[2 marks]Calculate the total momentum of the two trolleys before the collision.
(b)[2 marks]Calculate the velocity of the combined trolleys immediately after the collision.
(c)[1 mark]Explain why the principle of conservation of momentum can be applied in this situation.
Question 15
5 marks · Hard
Answer and see the solution →A 1500 kg car is moving at 12 m/s along a straight road. The driver presses the brakes and brings the car to a complete stop in 2.8 s.
(a)[2 marks]Calculate the change in momentum of the car.
(b)[2 marks]Calculate the average braking force exerted on the car.
(c)[1 mark]Explain in physics terms why increasing the stopping time would affect the force experienced by the car.
Question 16
5 marks · Hard
Answer and see the solution →A fireworks shell of mass 0.75 kg is initially at rest. It explodes in mid-air into two fragments: fragment X (0.45 kg) flies west at 16 m/s and fragment Y (unknown mass) flies east.
(a)[1 mark]Calculate the mass of fragment Y produced in the explosion.
(b)[3 marks]Calculate the velocity of fragment Y after the explosion.
(c)[1 mark]Explain why fragment Y moves in the opposite direction to fragment X.
Question 17
6 marks · Hard
Answer and see the solution →A uniform metal plank of length 2.5 m and mass 4.0 kg is placed horizontally across a small stream, resting on rocks at each end (points R and S). A stone of mass 2.0 kg is placed 0.75 m from end R, as shown.
Plank and stone over stream Take gravitational field strength . Ignore the weight of the plank unless stated otherwise.
(a)[3 marks]Calculate the upward force at support S when only the stone is on the plank. (Ignore the weight of the plank.)
(b)[3 marks]Now include the weight of the plank. Calculate the new upward force at support S.
Question 18
5 marks · Hard
Answer and see the solution →A carpenter tries to lift a heavy lid off a crate using a crowbar. The crowbar is 1.2 m long. She places the fulcrum (pivot point) 0.2 m from one end. She applies a vertical downward force of 250 N at the far end of the bar (opposite the pivot).
(a)[2 marks]Calculate the moment produced by the carpenter's force about the fulcrum.
(b)[3 marks]If the lid is just lifted (i.e., the system is in balance), calculate the minimum upward force at the lid end needed to balance the moment.
Question 19
5 marks · Hard
Answer and see the solution →An athlete is balancing on a horizontal board that is supported at both ends (points L and M). The board has negligible mass. The athlete stands a distance d from support L on the 3.0 m long board. The athlete's weight is 630 N.
(a)[2 marks]Write an expression for the upward force, F_M, at support M in terms of d.
(b)[3 marks]The athlete stands 2.2 m from support L. Calculate the upward force at support M.