Bowen EHS, Inc.

ASP/CSP 05 Physics Engineering Study Solutions

1. A chemical plant has a problem with truck drivers speeding through the facility.
The posted speed limit is 10 mph. The safety manager wants to determine how
fast some of the drivers are going, but he does not have access to a radar gun.

The safety manager measures 100 yards between the gate (where drivers must
stop to sign in) and a prominent marker. He uses a stopwatch to time one of the
truck drivers making a delivery. It takes the driver 16.4 sec to travel the distance.

What was the final speed of the driver?

A. Find the acceleration.

at 2
s = v0t +
2
a(16.4 sec)2
300 ft =
2
2(300 ft) ft
a= 2
= 2.23
(16.4 sec) sec 2

B. Find the final speed.

v = v 0 + at
2.23 ft ft
v = 0+ 2
16.4 sec = 36.6
sec sec

C. Convert speed to mph.

36.6 ft 3600 sec mile

=25 mph
sec hr 5280 ft

The correct solution is B.

2. A 200 lb man is standing on a 1 foot x 6 foot scaffold. Calculate the pressure on

the scaffold.

Force 200 lbs 200 lbs 200 lbs

Pressure = = = = = 0.23 PSI
Area  12 in  12 in x 72 in 864 in2
12 in x 6 ft  
 ft 

The correct solution is A.

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3. What is the kinetic energy of a 6 kg bowling ball rolling down the lane at 6
meters/sec?

KE = ½ m v2

KE = ½ (6 kg) (6 m/sec)2 = 108 J

The correct solution is D.

4. What is the horizontal force required to move a 250-lb wooden crate along a
concrete floor? The surface area of the crate contacting the floor is 4 ft2. The
coefficient of friction between wood and a concrete floor is 0.62.

F = µN = 0.62(250 lbs) = 155 lbs

The correct solution is C.

5. A standpipe is 80 feet high and has a radius of 3.5 inches. If this standpipe is
filled with water, how much pressure is created?

Pressure = ρgh
Weight-density of water (ρg) = 62.4 lb/ft3

Step 1: Multiply height of standpipe by weight density of water.

Pressure =

Step 2: Convert your answer from pounds per square feet to psi.

Pressure =

The correct solution is C.

6. What is the maximum moment on a 12 inch cantilever beam with 250 pounds
placed at the end of the beam?
250 lb

12 inches

12 inches = 1 foot
Moment =

The correct solution is B.

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 Bowen EHS, Inc.

7. A safety manager is presenting a capital improvement plan to the management

committee. The cost of the improvement is $100,000. What is the expected cost
if management delays funding for 3 years? Assume an inflation rate of 4.2%.

F = P(1 + i)n

F = $100,000(1 + 0.042)3 = $113,000

The correct solution is D.

8. The safety manager of ABC manufacturing needs to conduct noise monitoring on

an annual basis for 12 employees. The cost to rent a noise dosimeter is
$75/day. The safety manager needs to rent one dosimeter for one day for each
employee each year. The CFO of the corporation requires that all capital
purchases have a return of at least 8%. Suppose a noise dosimeter has a life
expectancy of 10 years, and it incurs maintenance costs of $150 each year.
What is the maximum cost the CFO will approve to purchase one noise
dosimeter?

The annual cost of renting the equipment = 12 days x $75/day/year = $900/year

Annual maintenance cost of owning equipment = $150/year

Annual savings from purchasing equipment = $900 - $150 = $750/year

We want to know the principal amount that will yield $750 in annual savings
when invested at 8%.

 (1+i )n -1 
P=A  
 i (1+i )n 
 
 (1+0.08 )10 -1 
P=$750   = $5,032
 0.08 (1+0.08 )10 
 

The correct solution is C.

9. A safety manager takes early retirement after 30 years with the company. The
company offers the manager a lump sum retirement benefit of $950,000. What is
the expected annual payment the safety manager would receive if he bought a
30 year annuity with an interest rate of 6%?

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 Bowen EHS, Inc.

 i (1+i )n 
A=P  
 (1+i )n -1 
 
 0.06 (1+0.06 )30 
A=$950,000   = $69,016
 (1+0.06 )30 -1 
 

The correct solution is D.

10. If indirect and direct costs of a loss total $200,000, how many units priced at $1
each must a self-insured company manufacture to recover their costs if the profit
margin is 10%?

A. 20,000 units
B. 200,000 units
C. $2,000,000
D. 2,000,000 units

The correct solution is D

First find the profit per unit: $1 x 10% = $0.10/unit

Next divide the losses by the profit per unit: $200,000/$0.10 = 2, 000,000 units

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