Physics A

Projectile Motion (practice questions)

Adam Loxton

Please note that you may see slight differences

between this paper and the original.
Duration: Not set     
Candidates answer on the Question paper.

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•   Ruler (cm/mm)

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
•   Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes above. Please write clearly and in capital letters.
•   Use black ink. HB pencil may be used for graphs and diagrams only.
•   Answer all the questions, unless your teacher tells you otherwise.
•   Read each question carefully. Make sure you know what you have to do before starting your answer.
•   Where space is provided below the question, please write your answer there.
•   You may use additional paper, or a specific Answer sheet if one is provided, but you must clearly show your candidate number, centre number
    and question number(s).

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

•   The quality of written communication is assessed in questions marked with either a pencil or an asterisk. In History and Geography
    a Quality of extended response question is marked with an asterisk, while a pencil is used for questions in which Spelling, punctuation and
    grammar and the use of specialist terminology is assessed.
•   The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
•   The total number of marks for this paper is 33.
•   The total number of marks may take into account some 'either/or' question choices.

1. Fig. 4.1 shows the path of a tennis ball after bouncing on the ground at A and hitting a
vertical wall at B.

The ball is travelling horizontally as it hits the wall at B. Air resistance has negligible effect
on the motion of the ball.

i. Explain why the horizontal component of the velocity of the ball remains constant as
it moves from A to B.

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 [1]

ii. The ball loses some of its kinetic energy when it hits the wall at B. It leaves the wall
horizontally.
1. On Fig. 4.1, sketch the path of the ball between bouncing at the wall and
hitting the ground.
2. Explain how the time taken for the ball to travel from A to B compares with
the time it takes to travel from B to the ground.

[3]

2.  

A tennis ball is struck with a racket.

The initial velocity v of the ball leaving the racket is 30.0 m s –1 and it makes an angle of 70°
to the horizontal as shown in Fig. 16.
Air resistance is negligible

Fig. 16

i. Calculate the vertical component of the initial velocity of the ball.

vertical component =  
ii. Use your answer in (i) to show that the ball reaches a maximum height h of about 40
m.

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 h =   m
iii. Explain why the kinetic energy of the ball is not zero at maximum height.

[1]

iv. The mass m of the ball is 57.0 g.

Calculate the kinetic energy Ek of the ball when it is at its maximum height.

Ek =   J
 

3. When a sandbag is dropped from a balloon hovering 1.3 m above the ground, it hits the
ground at 5.0 ms−1.
On another occasion, the sandbag is released from the balloon which is rising at 7.0 ms −1
when 1.3 m above the ground. There is also a crosswind of 5.0 m s −1.

At what speed does the sandbag hit the ground?

A. 2.0 ms−1
B. 5.4 ms−1
C. 10 ms−1
D. 13 ms−1

Your answer  
[1]
 

4. A ball is launched horizontally at 5 m s−1 from the end of a table. The ball is in flight for 0.4
s before it lands on the floor. The ball is now launched from the end of the same table with
a horizontal velocity 10 m s−1.

What is the new time of flight of the ball?

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 A. 0.2 s
B. 0.4 s
C. 0.5 s
D. 0.8 s

Your answer  
[1]
 

5. Fig. 2.1 shows the path of a golf ball which is struck at point F on the fairway landing at
point G on the green. The effect of air resistance is negligible.

The ball leaves the club at 17 m s−1 at an angle of 60° to the horizontal at time t = 0.

Show that the speed of the ball at the highest point H of the trajectory is between 8 and 9
m s−1.

speed = .......................................... m s−1  [2]

 

6. Fig. 2.2 shows a jet of water from the end of a hosepipe.

Air resistance has negligible effect on the motion of the water jet. The water jet reaches
maximum height at point Y.

i. State the direction of the force acting on the water at Y.

[1]

ii. Describe and explain how the horizontal component of the velocity of the water
varies from point X to point Y.

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[2]

iii. Describe how the vertical component of the velocity of the water varies from point X
to point Z.

[2]

7(a). Fig. 3.1 shows a stunt rider on a powerful motorbike at X at the top of a ramp.

Fig. 3.1

The total mass of motorbike and rider is 190 kg. The height difference between the top and
the bottom of the ramp is 25 m. The rider uses the engine to accelerate down the ramp. He
leaves the end of the horizontal section of the ramp at Y with a speed of 30 m s−1.

Calculate the loss of gravitational potential energy Ep of the rider and motorbike from X to
Y.

Ep = ........................................................... J [1]
 

  (b). Calculate the kinetic energy Ek of the rider and motorbike at Y.

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 Ek = ........................................................... J [1]
 

  (c). Explain why your answer to (b) is greater than your answer to (a).
 
 
[1]
 

  (d). The total distance travelled by the motorbike from X to Y along the ramp is 120 m.
Calculate the average accelerating force that the motorbike engine provides along the
ramp.

force = ........................................................... N [2]

 

  (e). The end of the ramp at Y is at a height of 9.5 m above the ground. The motorbike travels
through the air after leaving the ramp and flies over a number of cars lined up side by side.
Assume air resistance has negligible effect on the motion of the rider and motorbike.

i. Show that the time taken for the motorbike to travel from Y to the ground is 1.4 s.

[2]

ii. Each of the cars has a width of 1.8 m. Estimate the number of cars the motorbike
can clear.

number = ........................................................... [2]

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8. In a hockey match a hockey ball is hit 18.0 m from the front of the goal. The ball leaves the
hockey stick with initial velocity v at an angle θ to the horizontal ground. The ball passes
over the goal at a maximum height of 2.0 m as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3

The initial vertical component of the velocity of the ball is 6.3 m s −1. Air resistance has
negligible effect on the motion of the ball.

i. Show that the time t taken for the ball to reach the maximum height is about 0.6 s.

[1]

ii. Use the answer to (i) and Fig. 3 to show that the horizontal component of the
velocity of the ball as it leaves the hockey stick is about 30 m s −1.

[1]

iii. Calculate the magnitude of the initial velocity v of the ball.

v = ........................................................... m s−1[2]

 
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9. A ball is thrown through the air. The ball experiences a small amount of drag compared to
its weight.
At a particular time the ball is at point X.
Which arrow best represents the direction of the resultant force on the ball when it is at X?

Your answer [1]

 

END OF QUESTION PAPER

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