High School Physics - Problem Drill 04: Kinematics in One Dimension

Question No. 1 of 10
Instructions: (1) Read the problem and answer choices carefully (2) Work the problems on paper as
needed (3) Pick the answer (4) Go back to review the core concept tutorial as needed.
1. Which of these is not a vector quantity?

(A) Displacement
(B) Weight
Question 01 (C) Acceleration
(D) Speed
(E) Velocity

A. Incorrect!
Displacement is a vector quantity, it has magnitude and direction.

B. Incorrect!
Weight is a vector quantity, it has magnitude and direction.

C. Incorrect!
Feedback on
Acceleration is a vector quantity, it has magnitude and direction.
Each Answer
Choice
D. Correct!
Speed is a scalar quantity, it has only magnitude.

E. Incorrect!
Velocity is a vector quantity, it has magnitude and direction.

A vector quantity has both magnitude and direction a scalar quantity has only
magnitude.

The correct answer is (D).

Solution

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Question No. 2 of 10
Instructions: (1) Read the problem and answer choices carefully (2) Work the problems on paper as
needed (3) Pick the answer (4) Go back to review the core concept tutorial as needed.
2. A train travels at a constant speed for a time t, and covers a distance, d. If its
speed remains the same, how far would the train travel in a time of 2t?

(A) d/2
Question 02 (B) d
(C) 2d
(D) 4d
(E) Insufficient information.

A. Incorrect!
A greater time travelling would lead to more distance covered than with time t.

B. Incorrect!
A greater time travelling would lead to more distance covered than with time t.

Feedback on C. Correct!
Each Answer Distance is directly proportional to time.
Choice

D. Incorrect!
Distance is directly proportional to time.

E. Incorrect!
Consider the formula for speed, distance and time.

Consider the formula for speed, distance and time:

Distance
Speed =
Time

If we rearrange the equation for distance we see that:

Distance = speed × time

Distance is directly proportional to time, which means if we double the time we

Solution double the distance.

The correct answer is (C).

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Question No. 3 of 10
Instructions: (1) Read the problem and answer choices carefully (2) Work the problems on paper as
needed (3) Pick the answer (4) Go back to review the core concept tutorial as needed.
3. A mile is approximately 1609m. Calculate the average speed in m/s of a quick
runner that covers one mile in exactly 4 minutes.

(A) 6.70 m/s

Question 03 (B) 26.8 m/s
(C) 402 m/s
(D) 1609 m/s
(E) 670 m/s

A. Correct!
You need to convert minutes to seconds, one mile into meters, then use v = d/t. v
= 1609m / 240sec = 6.70 m/s.

B. Incorrect!
You forgot to use four minutes instead of one.

C. Incorrect!
Feedback on
You forgot to change minutes into seconds.
Each Answer
Choice
D. Incorrect!
That’s way too fast, faster than the speed of sound. Consider the number of
seconds in four minutes.

E. Incorrect!
Check your conversions, pay attention to units.

Known: t = 4 minutes, 1 minute = 60 s

d = 1 mile, 1 mile = 1609 m

Unknown: speed, v

d
Define: Use v=
t

1609 m
Output: v = = 6.70 m/s
240 s

Solution Substantiate: Units are correct, correct number of significant figures, magnitude
of answer is reasonable.

The correct answer is (A).

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Question No. 4 of 10
Instructions: (1) Read the problem and answer choices carefully (2) Work the problems on paper as
needed (3) Pick the answer (4) Go back to review the core concept tutorial as needed.
4. A car travels on a slick highway at 25 m/s. When applying the brakes, it can
slow at -6.0 m/s2. How much time is needed to bring it to a complete halt?

(A) 1.6 s
Question 04 (B) 4.2 s
(C) 9.8 s
(D) 58.8 sec
(E) 4.2 m

A. Incorrect!
Consider the acceleration formula/definition. Acceleration equals change in velocity
per unit time.

B. Correct!
Acceleration equal change in velocity per change in time. Rearranging gives time
equals change in velocity divided by acceleration. The change in velocity is 25m/s
and the acceleration is -6 m/s2. Dividing these quantities give 4.2 s.

Feedback on C. Incorrect!
Each Answer That’s the acceleration due to gravity. The car isn’t falling to earth so we won’t use
Choice that one here.

D. Incorrect!
Consider the acceleration formula/definition. Acceleration equals change in velocity
per unit time.

E. Incorrect!
You are being asked to find time to stop not distance.

Known: vi = 25 m/s
vf = 0 m/s (halted)
a = -6 m/s2

Unknown: time
vf
- vi
Define: a =
t
a
t =
vf − vi
-6 m/s2
Output: t = = 4.2 s
0 m/s - 25 m/s
Solution
Substantiate: units are seconds, 2 sig fig, positive realistic answer

The correct answer is (B).

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Question No. 5 of 10
Instructions: (1) Read the problem and answer choices carefully (2) Work the problems on paper as
needed (3) Pick the answer (4) Go back to review the core concept tutorial as needed.
5. When using vectors in a problem, which of these is the most accurate statement
about sign conventions for physics problems?

(A) Down is always negative, right is always positive.

(B) Down is always positive, right is always negative.
Question 05
(C) Down is always negative, right is always negative.
(D) Down is always positive, right is always positive.
(E) The convention for down and right can be arbitrary but must be
consistent for any one problem.

A. Incorrect!
This is the more usual convention but not always.

B. Incorrect!
This is convention could be used but not always.

C. Incorrect!
Feedback on This is convention could be used but not always.
Each Answer
Choice
D. Incorrect!
This is convention could be used but not always.

E. Correct!
Signs can be assigned arbitrarily from problem to problem; the most important
thing is to ensure you use the same convention throughout any one problem.

A common convention is to assign down to be negative and right positive, but this
does not have to be the case.
Signs can be assigned arbitrarily from problem to problem; the most important
thing is to ensure you use the same convention throughout any one problem.

The correct answer is (E).

Solution

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Question No. 6 of 10
Instructions: (1) Read the problem and answer choices carefully (2) Work the problems on paper as
needed (3) Pick the answer (4) Go back to review the core concept tutorial as needed.
6. An object is dropped from a cliff, assuming that air resistance is negligible what
will it’s velocity be after 3.0 s?

(A) Insufficient information

Question 06 (B) 9.8 m/s2 , down
(C) 29 m/s
(D) 29 m/s, down
(E) 9.8 m/s, down

A. Incorrect!
If you know acceleration due to gravity then you can calculate the velocity.

B. Incorrect!
This is acceleration due to gravity not a velocity.

C. Incorrect!
This is the correct magnitude but since it does not give specific directional
information there is a better answer.
Feedback on
Each Answer
Choice D. Correct!
You were asked for the velocity, this answer has magnitude and direction. Given
that the initial velocity is 0 m/s the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s2, down
and the time is 3.0s. The equation for acceleration can be rearranged to find the
velocity after 3.0 s.

E. Incorrect!
This is the velocity after 1 s.

Known: vi = 0.0 m/s

t = 3.0 s
a = 9.8 m/s2, down

Unknown: vf
vf- vi
Define: a =
t
v = a•t + v
f i
Solution
Output: v
f
= 9.8 m/s • 3 s + 0 = 29 m/s, down

Substantiate: Correct units and number of significant figures, reasonable

magnitude and direction.

The correct answer is (D).

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Question No. 7 of 10
Instructions: (1) Read the problem and answer choices carefully (2) Work the problems on paper as
needed (3) Pick the answer (4) Go back to review the core concept tutorial as needed.
7. Which would be the best equation to use to answer the following question?

“If you stand at the edge of a high cliff, and throw a ball straight upwards at 60
m/s, where will the ball be 4.0 s after you launch it?”

at2
(A) d = vit +
2
Question 07
(B) v2
f
= v2
i
+ 2ad
vf - vi
(C) a =
t
(D) d = vt

(E) 160 m

A. Correct!
You need to identify an equation that relates displacement to acceleration due to
gravity as well as the initial velocity and time.

B. Incorrect!
This formula could be used after some rearranging but is not the best choice to
answer this question.

C. Incorrect!
Feedback on
This formula does not show the relationship between acceleration and
Each Answer
displacement.
Choice

D. Incorrect!
This formula does not take into account acceleration due to gravity.

E. Incorrect!
Check what the question was asking you to do.

You need to identify an equation that relates displacement to acceleration due to

gravity as well as the initial velocity and time.

Solution The correct answer is (A).

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Question No. 8 of 10
Instructions: (1) Read the problem and answer choices carefully (2) Work the problems on paper as
needed (3) Pick the answer (4) Go back to review the core concept tutorial as needed.
8. If you stand at the edge of a high cliff, and throw a ball straight upwards at
30.0 m/s, where will the ball be 8.0 s after you launch it? Use the sign convention
of up is positive.

(A) +240 m
Question 08
(B) +200 m
(C) -74 m
(D) +554 m
(E) 74 m

A. Incorrect!
The ball won’t move upwards with a constant velocity because it will experience
acceleration due to the force of gravity.

B. Incorrect!
Check that you are using your selected formula correctly.

C. Correct!
Identify your given information and unknown. Select a formula with all those
at2
Feedback on items. In this case it is: d = vit +
2
Each Answer
Be sure to watch signs, remember up was selected to be positive. The negative sign
Choice
in your answer simply means the object is that distance below the starting point.

D. Incorrect!
Don’t forget the acceleration from gravity must be considered the opposite sign to
the initial velocity of the ball.

E. Incorrect!
Remember that you need to include the sign as well as the magnitude of the
answer.

Known: vi = +30 m/s (given convention of up is positive)

t = 8.0 s

Unknown: d= ?

at2
Define: d = vit +
2
a = -9.8 m /s2 given the convention of up is positive, acceleration due
to gravity is always directed down, so will be assigned a negative sign in
this case.

Solution -9.8 m/s2 (8.0 s)2

Output: d = (30 m/s) 8.0 s +
2

d = (240 m) - (314 m) = -74 m

The negative sign means the object has fallen below the point where it
initially started.

Substantiate: Units are correct, sig fig are correct, answers magnitude and
direction are reasonable.

The correct answer is (C).

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Question No. 9 of 10
Instructions: (1) Read the problem and answer choices carefully (2) Work the problems on paper as
needed (3) Pick the answer (4) Go back to review the core concept tutorial as needed.
9. An object is thrown downwards at 20.0 m/s from the top of the Empire State
building in New York. This building is 321m tall. Neglecting the effects of air
resistance and friction, find how fast will the object be moving when it gets to the
ground below. Use the convention that down is positive.

Question 09 (A) +8180 m/s

(B) +76.7 m/s
(C) +20 m/s
(D) +9.8 m/s
(E) +81.8 m/s

A. Incorrect!
You need to check your units.

B. Incorrect!
You must account for the initial velocity of 20.0 m/s downward.

C. Incorrect!
The object will not fall at a constant velocity due to the acceleration from gravity.
Feedback on Use a formula that incorporates that fact.
Each Answer
Choice D. Incorrect!
9.8 is the magnitude of the acceleration from gravity. However, that isn’t the same
as the velocity of the object. Identify the information given, along with the
unknown, and look for a formula that incorporates all of those.

E. Correct!
Notice that the initial velocity and acceleration due to gravity are both in the same
direction. They must have the same sign. The displacement will also need to use
the same sign convention.

Known: vi = 20 m/s (use the convention that down is positive)

d = 321 m (use the convention that down is positive)

Unknown: vf = ?

Define : v2
f
= v2
i
+ 2ad

a = 9.8 m/s2. (use the convention that down is positive)

Output : v2
f
= (20 m/s)2 +2(9.8 m/s2 • 321 m)
Solution
v2 = (400 m2 /s2 )+ 6291m2 /s2 = 6691 m2 /s2
f
2 2
v = 6691 m /s = +81.8 m/s
f

Substantiate: Units are correct, number sig fig is correct, magnitude and sign of
the answer is reasonable.

The correct answer is (E).

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Question No. 10 of 10
Instructions: (1) Read the problem and answer choices carefully (2) Work the problems on paper as
needed (3) Pick the answer (4) Go back to review the core concept tutorial as needed.
10. A ball is dropped from a mountain on mars, where the acceleration due to
gravity is approximately 0.4 that of on earth, which of these is the best estimate for
how far the ball travels in 2 s compared to on earth. Assume we neglect for air
resistance and friction on both planets.

Question 10 (A) The ball will travel 0.16 times as far as it would on earth.
(B) The ball will travel 0.4 times what it would on earth.
(C) The ball will travel 2.5 times as far as it would on earth.
(D) The ball will travel 4 times what it would on earth.
(E) The ball will travel the same distance as it would on earth.

D. Incorrect!
The distance is directly proportional to acceleration due to gravity, not the square
of the value.
B. Correct!
at2
Use the equation d = vit + the initial velocity is 0 m/s on both planets, the time is
2
the same on each planet, so d is proportional to acceleration due to gravity on each
planet.

Feedback on C. Incorrect!
Each Answer The distance is directly proportional to acceleration due to gravity.
Choice

D. Incorrect!
The distance is directly proportional to acceleration due to gravity.

E. Incorrect!
at2
Use the formula d = vit + if the acceleration changes then the distance must also
2
change.

at2
Use the equation d = vit + the initial velocity is 0 m/s on both planets, the time is
2
the same on each planet, so d is proportional to acceleration due to gravity on each
planet and will be 0.4 times that on earth.

The correct answer is (B).

Solution

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