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Physics SAT Test 1
Physics SAT Test 1
PHYSICS TEST
Par
artt A
Directions: Each of the sets of lettered choices below refers to the questions and/or statements
that follow. Select the lettered choice that is the best answer to each question and fill in the
corresponding oval on the answer sheet. In each set, each choice may be used once, more than
once, or not at all.
Questions 1–2 relate to the diagram below, Questions 3–5 relate to the diagram below,
which shows a set of open-ended pipes with which shows atomic particles moving through a
waves vibrating inside them. magnetic field.
1. Which of the diagrams shows the pipe 5. At which letter would a stream of elec-
containing waves with the longest wave- trons strike the screen if the poles of the
length? magnet were reversed?
Questions 6–7 relate to the graph below, which Questions 8–10 relate to the symbols used in
shows an object that is thrown almost straight writing nuclear equations. Atomic nuclei are
up from the top of a ten-story building. A
typically written in the form X.
Z
(A) 75,000N
(B) 40,000N
(C) 37,500N
(D) 2500N
(E) 0N
Par
artt B
Directions: Each question or statement below is followed by five possible answers. In each case,
select the best possible answer and fill in the corresponding oval on the answer sheet.
14. A carbon atom decays into a nitrogen atom 16. Two 1 liter containers contain 1 mole each
in the equation below. Which of the quanti- of the same gas at the same temperature.
ties correctly finishes the equation? Container A is allowed to expand until the
temperature of gas A is reduced by half.
Container B is compressed until the tem-
14 14
C → N+? perature of gas B doubles. Both gases are
6 7 then mixed together in a 2 liter container.
Which of the following statements about
(A) Alpha the gases is correct?
(B) Beta (A) Both gases gain heat.
(C) Gamma (B) Both gases lose heat.
(D) Neutron (C) Gas A loses heat to gas B.
(E) Neutrino (D) Gas B loses heat to gas A.
(E) The equilibrium temperature of the
15. A rocket is launched into the air during a gases is exactly one half the original
fireworks show. Which of the following starting temperature of the gases.
statements about the parts of the rocket is
appropriate immediately after the explo- 17. The energy obtained in a nuclear reaction is
sion? derived from
(A) They have less mass than they had (A) mass defect.
before the explosion. (B) binding energy.
(B) They have more momentum than they (C) fission.
had before the explosion. (D) fusion.
(C) They have less momentum than they (E) all of these.
had before the explosion.
(D) They have the same momentum as 18. Constructive interference between two
they had before the explosion. light beams results in
(E) They have less kinetic energy than (A) a loss of kinetic energy.
they had before the explosion. (B) the destruction of the waves.
(C) the reversal of the direction of the
waves.
(D) a larger wave.
(E) the refraction of the waves.
19. Two batteries are hooked together in an 21. A hydrogen electron gains enough energy
electric circuit. Which of the following to rise from the n=1 to the n=5 energy
statements is/are true? level. How much energy does it gain?
23. An unmanned exploratory space vehicle is 25. A force is applied to an object that is free
accelerated to .85c as it leaves the solar to move. Which of the following statements
system. Years later a stationary extra- is correct?
terrestrial watches the vehicle pass and (A) The frictional force is larger than the
measures the length of the vehicle to be applied force.
12.64 m. What was the length of the (B) The frictional force is smaller than the
vehicle on earth before it began its trip? applied force.
(A) 8.44 m (C) The weight of the object is larger than
(B) 12.64 m the applied force
(C) 18.23 m (D) The weight of the object is smaller
(D) 24.0 m than the applied force
(E) 29.77 m (E) All of these statements could be
correct.
41. At the third maxima on both sides of the 44. A motorcycle racer starts from rest and
zeroth fringe in a Young’s double slit accelerates on a straight track at 5 m/s2.
experiment, the light How far does the racer travel in 8 seconds?
(A) travels the same distance. (A) 40 m
(B) from the lower opening travels three (B) 60 m
times farther than light from the (C) 80 m
upper opening. (D) 120 m
(C) from the upper opening travels three (E) 160 m
times farther than light from the
lower opening. 45. A photon can eject an electron from the
(D) from either opening travels 2 wave- surface of a photovoltaic metal if and only
lengths farther than light from the if
other opening.
(A) the frequency of the photon is above
(E) from either opening travels 3 wave- the activation minimum.
lengths farther than light from the
(B) the wavelength of the photon is above
other opening.
the activation minimum.
(C) the speed of the photon is above an
42. A professional golfer strikes a golf ball
activation minimum.
with his driver, imparting a momentum of 8
kg· m/s on the ball. The golf ball strikes a (D) the momentum of the photon is below
wall and maintains contact for .0025 the activation minimum.
seconds before it bounces straight back- (E) the momentum of the impacted
ward at the same velocity with which it electron is above the activation mini-
struck the wall. The momentum of the golf mum.
ball is
(A) 6400 kg·m/s
(B) 3200 kg.·m/s
(C) 8 kg·m/s
(D) .02 kg·m/s
(E) .01 kg·m/s
52. Two moving electrons enter a strong 54. According to Einstein’s theory of relativity,
magnetic field at right angles to the field. which of the following would be a correct
The velocity of one of the electrons is four assumption to make for a traveler in a
times greater then the velocity of the other spaceship traveling at .95c?
electron. Which of the following best (A) Clocks on the spaceship run more
describes the ration of the circular radii the slowly.
two electrons follow? (B) The spaceship will appear shortened.
(A) The faster electron has a radius two (C) The mass of the spaceship increases
times larger than the slower electron. while it is in motion.
(B) The faster electron has a radius four (D) Light travels at the same velocity for
times larger than the slower electron. the traveler whether he is moving or
(C) The faster electron has a radius eight not moving.
times larger than the slower electron. (E) All of these assumptions would be
(D) The faster electron has a radius correct.
sixteen times larger than the slower
electron. 55. The engineer of a train blows the train
(E) The faster electron has a radius sixty- whistle as he approaches a crossing. A few
four times larger than the slower moments later he hears an echo from the
electron. whistle. The engineer hears the echo of the
whistle because of
53. A pair of a particles (helium nuclei) ap- (A) reflection.
proach one another head on. Compared to (B) refraction.
the force they exert on one another at a
(C) constructive interference.
distance of .066 m, by how much will the
(D) destructive interference.
force the two particles exert on one an-
other at .033 mm increase? (E) Doppler effect.
(A) 2
(B) 3
(C) 4
(D) 6
(E) 8
61. A 30 kg child is standing in the back of a 63. Two similar pith balls are very near to one
stationary 10 kg wagon that is free to another, and each is charged with 2 excess
move. The child jumps from the wagon into electrons. The angle q between q1 and q2 is
his mother’s arms. Which of the following 5.5°. One electron is removed from q1 and
statements is correct at the moment he placed on q2, so that q1 has 1 electron and q2
jumps from the wagon? has 3 electrons. The angle between the pith
(A) The child’s velocity is greater than the balls changes to 4°. Which of the following
wagon’s velocity. statements is correct?
(B) The wagon’s velocity is greater than
the child’s velocity I. The amount of electrostatic charge
(C) The impulse exerted by the child on has decreased.
the wagon is the same as the momen- II. The electrostatic force between the
tum gained by the wagon. pith balls has decreased.
(D) The impulse exerted by the wagon on III. Both the electrostatic charge and
the child is larger than the momentum force have decreased.
gained by the child.
(E) None of these statements is correct. (A) I only
(B) II only
62. Ice, which has a temperature of 0°C, is (C) I and III only
added to 500 g of water that has a tempera- (D) II and III only
ture of 100°C. Ice is continually added to (E) I, II, and III
the system until it has all melted and no
more ice will melt. What is the tempera- 64. Complete the nuclear reaction below by
ture of the water in the system? selecting the answer choice that correctly
(A) 50°C completes the reaction.
(B) 25°C
(C) 4.184°C 1 7 7
(D) 1°C H + Li → Be + ?
1 3 4
(E) 0°C
1
(A) H
1
1
(B) n
0
0
(C) e
−1
(D) α
(E) Υ
65. A stuntman drives a brand new 800kg 68. A tugboat pulls on an 84,000N barge with
sports car off a high cliff at 200 km/hour. a cable having a breaking strength of
At the exact moment that the car is driven 15,000N. The maximum acceleration the
off the cliff, an 800kg rock is dislodged and tugboat can apply to the barge without the
falls straight down toward the ground. cable breaking is
Which of the following is a correct state- (A) .75 m/s2
ment about the event? (B) 1.0 m/s2
(A) The car hits the ground first. (C) 1.25 m/s2
(B) The rock hits the ground first. (D) 1.5 m/s2
(C) The car and the rock hit the ground at (E) 1.75 m/s2
the same time.
(D) The x velocities of the car and the 69. Two equal vectors V and V’ are added
rock equalize over a period of time. together. All of the following are possible
(E) The x accelerations of the car and the values for the magnitude of the resultant
rock are different vector EXCEPT
(A) 0
66. A person standing 1.5 m in front of a plane (B) 1/4 V
flat mirror would see their image at a
(C) 1/2 V
distance of
(D) 2 V
(A) .75 m
(E) 4 V
(B) 1.5 m
(C) 2.25 m 70. A 30N child can push open a 1000N door
(D) 3 m because
(E) 6 m (A) the torque the child exerts on the door
is greater than the torque the door
67. A paperboy rides his bicycle down the exerts on the child.
street and throws the papers to houses as (B) the lever arm through which the
he rides by them. When a thrown paper child’s force is exerted is less than the
leaves his hand, which of the following lever arm through which the door’s
statements is NOT true about the paper? weight is exerted.
(A) Its velocity changes. (C) the door’s center of gravity is located
(B) Its acceleration changes. at the bottom hinge.
(C) Its displacement changes. (D) the door’s center of gravity is located
(D) Its position relative to the earth at the top hinge.
changes. (E) the door’s center of gravity is located
(E) Its position relative to the paperboy at the doorknob.
changes.
71. The kinetic energy a pendulum contains 74. Einstein’s theory of relativity is based on
when it passes through its zero displace- which of the following statements?
ment may be decreased by (A) Mass and energy are equivalent.
(A) increasing the mass of the bob. (B) The velocity of light is a constant.
(B) increasing the thickness of the string. (C) Space and time are anomalies.
(C) decreasing the length of the string. (D) All particles have antiparticles.
(D) increasing the length of the string. (E) Energy is infinite.
(E) decreasing the displacement of the
bob. 75. While a child flies a kite on a breezy day, a
burst of wind causes the kite to fly in 1.6 m
diameter circles in the sky every second. If
the circular motion were converted to a
straight down speed, how fast would the
kite dive toward the ground?
(A) 3.14 m/s
(B) 5 m/s
(C) 6.28 m/s
72. An object (O) is placed in front of a convex (D) 9.8 m/s
lens as shown. Which of the positions best (E) 15.7 m/s
describes the location of the image?
(A) Position A
(B) Position B
(C) Position C
(D) Position D
(E) Position E
STOP
IF YOU FINISH BEFORE THE TEST SESSION ENDS, YOU MAY REVIEW YOUR WORK ON THIS TEST
ONLY. YOU MAY NOT TURN TO ANY OTHER TEST IN THIS BOOK.