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Topic 3 Practice Paper: Momentum — question paper

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QQ/IGCSE-PHYS/T3

IGCSE · Cambridge IGCSE Physics (Extended (Core + Supplement))

Topic 3 Practice Paper

Momentum

Duration: 40 minutes
Total: 30 marks
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READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

  • Answer all questions.
  • Section A contains ten multiple-choice questions. Choose one answer, A, B, C or D, for each.
  • Section B contains structured questions. Write your answers in the spaces provided.
  • The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
  • The total mark for this paper is 30.

Original practice material written against the Cambridge IGCSE Physics syllabus. It is not an official Cambridge examination paper. Topic 3: Momentum (Supplement content: p = mv, impulse, conservation, F = Δp/Δt).

For Examiner’s Use
Section A/ 10
Section B/ 20
Total/ 30

Section A: Multiple-choice questions[10 marks]

Choose one answer for each question. Each question is worth 1 mark.

  1. 1

    Which row gives the correct unit and vector nature of momentum?

    UnitScalar or vector
    Akg m/svector
    BN sscalar
    Ckg m/s²vector
    DN mscalar
    1. 2

      A bird of mass 0.15 kg flies at 6.0 m/s. What is its momentum?

      1. A90 kg m/s
      2. B0.025 kg m/s
      3. C6.2 kg m/s
      4. D0.90 kg m/s
      ( )
    2. 3

      A resultant force of 60 N acts for 0.50 s. The impulse delivered is

      1. A0.0083 N s
      2. B120 N s
      3. C30 N s
      4. D60.5 N s
      ( )
    3. 4

      A 3.0 kg trolley at 4.0 m/s couples with a 1.0 kg trolley at rest. Their common velocity is

      1. A3.0 m/s
      2. B2.7 m/s
      3. C1.0 m/s
      4. D12 m/s
      ( )
    4. 5

      During a collision between two trolleys on a frictionless track, which quantity stays constant in total?

      1. AKinetic energy only
      2. BBoth momentum and kinetic energy, always
      3. CVelocity of the pair
      4. DMomentum only
      ( )
    5. 6

      A rocket in deep space pushes exhaust gas backwards. The rocket moves forwards because

      1. Athe gas pushes on the launch pad
      2. Btotal momentum must stay constant, so the rocket gains momentum opposite to the gas
      3. Cthe gas reduces the rocket’s mass to zero
      4. Dair resistance on the gas is negligible
      ( )
    6. 7

      A ball of mass 0.20 kg hits a wall at 10 m/s and rebounds along its path at 10 m/s. The magnitude of its momentum change is

      1. Azero
      2. B2.0 kg m/s
      3. C4.0 kg m/s
      4. D1.0 kg m/s
      ( )
    7. 8

      A passenger of mass 60 kg stops from 12 m/s in a crash. Which design change reduces the force on the passenger most?

      1. AIncreasing the car’s initial speed
      2. BReducing the stopping time to 0.02 s
      3. CIncreasing the passenger’s mass
      4. DIncreasing the stopping time from 0.10 s to 0.50 s
      ( )
    8. 9

      The momentum of a trolley changes by 6.0 kg m/s in 0.20 s. The average resultant force on it is

      1. A30 N
      2. B0.033 N
      3. C1.2 N
      4. D6.2 N
      ( )
    9. 10

      A stationary grenade-style firework of mass 0.40 kg bursts into two fragments that fly apart along a line: 0.30 kg moves left at 8.0 m/s. The velocity of the 0.10 kg fragment is

      1. A2.4 m/s to the left
      2. B24 m/s to the right
      3. C24 m/s to the left
      4. D8.0 m/s to the right
      ( )

    Section B: Structured questions[20 marks]

    Answer all questions in the spaces provided.

    1. 11

      A supermarket trolley of mass 18 kg rolls at 1.5 m/s into a stacked trolley of mass 12 kg that is at rest. They move off together.

      1. (a)

        Calculate the momentum of the moving trolley before the collision.

        [2]
      2. (b)

        Explain why the total momentum after the collision is also 27 kg m/s.

        [1]
      3. (c)

        Calculate how fast the coupled trolleys move off together.

        [2]
      4. (d)

        Without calculation, state what happens to the total kinetic energy in this collision.

        [1]
    2. 12

      A tennis player’s racket exerts an average force of 400 N on a 0.058 kg ball for 0.0050 s, striking it from rest.

      1. (a)

        Calculate the impulse given to the ball.

        [2]
      2. (b)

        State the momentum of the ball as it leaves the racket.

        [1]
      3. (c)

        Calculate the speed of the ball as it leaves the racket.

        [2]
      4. (d)

        A slower swing gives the same ball an impulse of 1.0 N s. State and explain what happens to the speed at which the ball leaves the racket.

        [1]
    3. 13

      A crash-test trolley of mass 750 kg travels at 20 m/s and is brought to rest in 0.25 s by a barrier.

      1. (a)

        Work out how much the momentum of the trolley changes by.

        [2]
      2. (b)

        Calculate the average force exerted by the barrier on the trolley.

        [2]
      3. (c)

        The barrier is padded so the trolley stops in 0.50 s instead. State the new average force.

        [1]
    4. 14

      An ice skater of mass 55 kg stands at rest on frictionless ice and throws a 4.0 kg bag horizontally at 3.0 m/s.

      1. (a)

        Explain why the total momentum of the skater and bag is zero after the throw.

        [1]
      2. (b)

        Calculate the velocity of the skater immediately after the throw.

        [2]

    — End of paper —