Sec 3 Physics Kinematics topical questions

A jogger runs 300 m in 75 s along a straight path.

1. (a)Calculate her average speed in m/s.[2]
2. (b)State one way average speed differs from average velocity.[1]

A bus accelerates uniformly from 5.0 m/s to 17 m/s in 12 s.

1. (a)Calculate the acceleration.[2]
2. (b)State what "uniform acceleration" means.[1]

A fruit falls from a tree and takes 1.6 s to reach the ground. Take g = 10 m/s² and ignore air resistance.

1. (a)Calculate the speed with which it hits the ground.[2]
2. (b)Calculate the height it fell from.[2]

A metro train’s motion between two stations is: accelerates uniformly from rest to 20 m/s in 40 s; travels at 20 m/s for 90 s; decelerates uniformly to rest in 50 s.

1. (a)Sketch the velocity–time graph, labelling the axes and key values.[2]
2. (b)Calculate the total distance between the stations.[3]
3. (c)Calculate the average velocity for the whole journey.[1]

A cyclist’s displacement–time graph consists of: a straight rise from 0 to 60 m in 20 s; a flat section for 10 s; a straight fall back to 0 in the next 30 s.

1. (a)Calculate the velocity in each of the three stages.[3]
2. (b)Describe the direction of the final stage and what it means physically.[2]
3. (c)State the total distance travelled and the final displacement.[1]

A stone is thrown vertically downwards from a tower at 8.0 m/s. Take g = 10 m/s² and ignore air resistance.

1. (a)Calculate its velocity 3.0 s after release.[2]
2. (b)Calculate how far it falls in those 3.0 s.[3]

A ping-pong ball is released just below the surface of a deep tank of water and its velocity is recorded.

1. (a)Show that the initial acceleration is about 8 m/s² and state what happens to the acceleration between 0.20 s and 1.00 s.[3]
2. (b)State the terminal velocity of the ball and name the two forces that balance to produce it.[3]

A car travels at 25 m/s when the driver sees a hazard. Her total stopping motion takes 6.0 s at an approximately uniform deceleration to rest.

1. (a)Calculate the deceleration.[2]
2. (b)Calculate the stopping distance.[2]
3. (c)State how the stopping distance would change on an icy road, with a reason.[1]

A hot-air balloon rises steadily at 5.0 m/s. A sandbag is released and hits the ground 4.0 s later. Take g = 10 m/s² and ignore air resistance.

1. (a)Explain why the sandbag continues upwards briefly after release.[2]
2. (b)Calculate the height of the balloon when the bag was dropped.[3]
3. (c)Calculate the speed of the bag on impact.[2]

Two stations are 2.4 km apart. A train starts from rest at one and reaches rest at the other, using a maximum speed of 24 m/s: uniform acceleration for 60 s, cruise at 24 m/s, then uniform deceleration for 40 s.

1. (a)Calculate the acceleration and deceleration.[2]
2. (b)Calculate the distance covered while accelerating and while decelerating.[2]
3. (c)Calculate how long the train cruises at 24 m/s.[2]
4. (d)Calculate the total journey time.[2]

A student models a bus journey with a velocity–time graph that is a single triangle: rest to 12 m/s in 30 s, immediately decelerating uniformly back to rest over 20 s. She claims the bus travelled farther while speeding up than while slowing down.

1. (a)Assess the claim with calculations.[4]
2. (b)State the average velocity for the whole journey.[2]

A ball is thrown upwards at 30 m/s from the edge of a building and lands at the base 7.0 s later. Take g = 10 m/s² and ignore air resistance.

1. (a)Calculate the time to reach the highest point and the height above the launch point.[3]
2. (b)Calculate the velocity on landing.[2]
3. (c)Calculate the height of the building.[3]