Dynamics A level

1) A ball of mass 800 g hits a vertical wall with a horizontal speed of 5 ms-1 and rebounds from the wall
with a horizontal speed of 3 ms-1. The time of collision is 50 ms. Calculate (a) the change in momentum of
the ball, (b) the average force exerted on the wall by the ball during the collision. (ans: 6.4 Ns left, 128 N)

2) The graph shows how the force acting on a tennis ball F/N
varies with time when the ball is struck by a racket.

Find (a) the change in momentum of the ball, (ii) impulse 200
on the ball, (iii) average force on the ball by the racket
during the strike. (ans: 3.0 Ns, 100 N)

0 0.03 t/s
-2
3) A force of 15 N is applied to a block of mass 2 kg to accelerate it at 3 ms along a rough level table.
Calculate the frictional force 𝑓 on the block. (ans: 9 N)

4) A car of mass 900 kg moves with a horizontal acceleration of 2 ms-2 against a horizontal resistive force of
1 k N. Calculate the horizontal forward driving force 𝐹 on the car. (ans: 2800 N)

5) A car of 1200 kg tows a caravan of 1800 kg along a level road by a rigid tow-bar
tow-bar. The car accelerates at 1.8 ms-2 by a driving force of 5600 N. The caravan car
total resistive force on the car is 65 N. Calculate (i) the tension 𝑇 in the tow-
bar, (ii) the resistive force F on the caravan. (ans: 3375 N, 135 N) 1800 kg 1200 kg

6) A rough inclined plane makes an angle of 30  with the horizontal. A 4 kg a = 3 ms-2

bock of mass 4 kg moves down the plane with an acceleration of 3 ms -2.
Calculate the frictional force 𝑓 between the block and the plane. 30
(ans: 7.62 N)
block smooth
7) A block of 6 kg on a horizontal rough surface is attached to 6 kg pulley
a mass of 4 kg hanging vertically by a string passing over a
smooth pulley. When the block is released from rest, a rough surface
frictional force of 15 N acts on it. Calculate the acceleration
mass
of the block. (ans: 2.42 ms-2)
4 kg

8) Two blocks A and B, of mass 2 kg and 3 kg respectively, are B

accelerated along a smooth level surface by a force of 15 N applied to 15 N A
3 kg
2 kg
block A, as shown in the diagram. Calculate the magnitude of the force
exerted by block B on block A. (ans; 9 N) smooth surface

9) Water leaves a hose pipe of cross-sectional area 3.2 × 10-4 m2 with a horizontal speed of 3 ms-1. It hits a
vertical wall and runs down it without rebounding. The density of water is 1000 kgm -3. Calculate the force
exerted on the water by the wall. (ans: 2.88 N)

10) A molecule hits the wall with a speed of 420 ms-1 and angle of 30  with the wall. The molecule
rebounds with the same speed and angle. Calculate the momentum change (impulse) of the molecule.
(ans: 420 ms-1)
11) A rocket is fired vertically upwards. Initially, the mass of the rocket is 13600 kg and gases are exhausted
at the rate of 146 kgs-1 with a speed of 1520 ms-1, relative to the rocket. Calculate the initial acceleration of
the rocket. (ans: 6.51 ms-1)
wall 2 ms-1
2 ms-1
12) The ball has a mass of 0.50 kg, bounces normally from the surface
and remains in contact with the surface for 0.15 s. Calculate average
force exerted by (a) the wall on the ball, (b) the ground on the ball. 4 ms-1 ground
4 ms-1
(ans: (a) 20 N (b) 25 N)
(a) (b)

13) A hose ejects water through a hole of 5 cm2 with velocity of 20 ms-1. The water strikes a wall normally. If
the density of water is 1000 kgm-3, calculate the force on the wall assuming the water is brought to rest
there. (ans 200 N)

14) A helicopter of mass 480 kg hovers when its rotating blades move through an area of 30 m 2.
Estimate the velocity imparted to the air, which has a density of 1.3 kgm-3, by the rotation of the blades.
(ans: 11.0 ms-1)

15) Pebbles are deposited vertically at a uniform rate of 30 kgs-1 onto a conveyor belt which is moving
horizontally at a constant speed of 0.25 ms-1.
(a) In order to keep the conveyor belt moving at constant velocity calculate (i) the force applied to the belt,
(ii) the power required, (iii) the rate of change of k.e of the pebbles.
(b) The conveyor belt is now inclined at 10 to the horizontal, so that the pebbles are carried upward, and
the pebbles travel 30 m on the belt before falling off. Calculate the new power required to maintain the
belt at a constant speed of 0.25 ms-1. (ans; 7.5 N, 1.875 W, 0.9375 W, 14.6 W)

2-D Collision

1) A snooker ball, travelling at a speed of 2.0 ms-1, has an off-centre collision with an identical ball which is
at rest, as shown in the diagram. After the collision the first ball moves at an angle of 60  to the original
direction at a speed of 0.8 ms-1.
𝑣

2.0 ms-1 
60 

0.8 ms-1

(a) Calculate the speed 𝑣 and direction  of the second ball after the collision. (ans: 1.74 ms-1, 23.4)

(b) State, with a reason, whether the collision is elastic or inelastic.

2) A particle moves towards a stationary particle of equal mass 𝑚, with a velocity of 2 ms-1. After the collision
one particle moves off with a velocity 1 ms-1 at an angle of 60  to the original velocity. The second particle
moves off with a velocity of magnitude 1.73 ms-1. Calculate the angle the second particle makes with the
original velocity. (ans: 30)
Kinematics (A level)

1) Two balls start out moving to the right with constant velocities of 5.0 ms −1 and 4.0 ms−1. The slow ball
starts first and the other 4.0 s later. Determine the position of the balls when they meet.
(ans: 80 m to the right of the start)

2) A particle starts out from the origin with velocity 10 m s−1 and continues moving at this velocity for 5 s.
The velocity is then abruptly reversed to −5 m s−1 and the object moves at this velocity for 10 s. For this
motion find: (a) the change in position, i.e. the displacement, (b) the total distance travelled, (c) the average
speed, (d) the average velocity. (ans: 0 m, 100 m, 6.7 ms-1, 0 ms-1)

3) An object with initial velocity 20 ms−1 and initial position of −75 m experiences a constant acceleration of
−2 m s−2. Sketch the position–time graph for this motion for the first 20 s.

4) An object is thrown vertically upwards with an initial velocity of 20 m s−1 from the edge of a cliff that is 30
m from the sea below. Find: (a) the ball’s maximum height, (b) the time taken for the ball to reach its
maximum height, (c) the time to hit the sea, (d) the speed with which it hits the sea.
(ans: 20 m, 2 s, 5.2 s, 32 ms-1)

5) An object is launched horizontally from a height of 20 m above the ground with speed 15 m s−1. Determine:
(a) the time at which it will hit the ground, (b) the horizontal distance travelled, (c) the speed with which it
hits the ground. (Take g = 10 m s−2 ans: 2.02 s, 30.3 m, 24.9 ms-1)

6) A projectile is launched at 32.0° to the horizontal with initial speed 25.0 m s −1. Determine the maximum
height reached. (Take g = 9.81 m s−2) ans: 8.95 m

7) A stone is thrown at an angle of 30  to the level ground with a speed of 20 ms-1. Find its range and the
maximum height reached. (ans: 35.3 m, 5 m)

8) A projectile is launched horizontally from a height of 42 m above the ground. As it hits the ground, the
velocity makes an angle of 55° to the horizontal. Find the initial velocity of launch. (Take g = 9.8 m s−2)
ans: 20 ms-1

9) A javelin is thrown with a velocity of 21 ms–1 at an angle of 45° to the ground from a height of
1.8 m. Find (i) the horizontal distance travelled, (ii) the speed with which it hits the ground.
(ans: 46.7 m, 21.8 ms-1)

10) A golf ball is hit at 12.1 ms–1 at an angle of 31.5° above the horizontal from a podium 4.20 m
above the surface of the ground. Calculate the maximum height above the ground reached by the
ball. (ans: 6.24 m)

An object is released from rest at the top of a tower of height 47 m and falls to the ground.
Calculate (a) the time it takes to fall to the ground, (b) its speed just before impact at the ground.

A package is released from a hot air balloon at a certain height above the ground when the
balloon is ascending at a steady speed of 4.0 m s 1. The package takes 5.0 s to fall to the
ground. Calculate the height of the balloon (a) when the package is released, (b) when the
package hits the ground.

A package is released from a hot air balloon at a height of 36 m above the ground when the
balloon is descending at a steady speed of 4.0 m s-1. Calculate
a) the speed of the package just before impact,
b) the time taken by the package to fall to the ground.
An air-rifle pellet of mass 0.001 kg, moving at a speed of 100 ms-1, strikes a tree and embeds itself
to a depth of 50 mm in the wood. Calculate (a) the loss of momentum of the pellet due to the
impact, (b) the duration of the impact, (c) the force of impact.

A rocket of total mass 1200 kg accelerates directly upwards off the launch pad with a constant
thrust from its engines of 16 kN. (a) Calculate its weight and show that its acceleration is 3.5 ms-2.
(b) Calculate the rate of loss of mass of fuel from the rocket if the exhaust gases are ejected at a
speed of 1200 ms-1. (c) Calculate how long its fuel would last if its initial mass of fuel was 800 kg.

A uniform shelf of weight 20 N and of width 0.60 m is hinged horizontally to a vertical wall by a
small bracket and a metal stay at the centre of the shelf, as shown in the diagram The stay makes
an angle of 508 with the wall.
a) Show that the moment of the shelf about the hinge is 6.0 N m.
b) Calculate the tension in the stay.
c) Calculate the magnitude and direction of the force of the hinge on the shelf.

A plank of weight 160 N and of length 5.0 m rests horizontally on two pillars. One pillar, X,
supports the plank at one end and the other pillar, Y, supports it 1.0 m from the other end.
a) Sketch a free-body diagram for this arrangement.
b) Calculate the support force from each pillar on the plank.

The Earth has radius 6400 km. The gravitational field strength on the Earth’s surface is 9.81 N
kg−1. Use this information to determine the mass of the Earth and its mean density.
(ans: 6.0 × 1024 kg, 5500 kg m-3)

A planet has a diameter of 6800 km and a mass of 4.9 ×1023 kg. A rock of mass 200 kg, initially at
rest and a long distance from the planet, accelerates towards the planet and hits the surface of the
planet. Calculate the change in potential energy of the rock and its speed when it hits the surface.
(ans: 1.9 × 109 J, 4400 ms-1)

The Moon orbits the Earth at an average distance of 384 000 km from the centre of the Earth.
Calculate its orbital speed. (The mass of the Earth is 6.0 × 1024 kg) (ans: 1 km s-1)

A satellite is to be placed in a polar orbit 100 km above the Earth’s surface. Calculate:
(i) the period of the orbit, (ii) the speed of the satellite
(mass of Earth = 6.0 × 1024 kg, radius of Earth = 6.4 × 103 km, ans: 5.0 × 103 s = 1.4 h, 7.8 kms-1)

Calculate the height above the Earth that a satellite must be placed for it to orbit in a geostationary
manner. (ans: 3.59 × 107 m)
In each of the following cases, identify any sources of systematic and random uncertainties
(errors) and suggest how they could be reduced:

(i) measuring the length of a sharp pencil with a 30 cm rule,

RE: Parallax error due to misalignment of sharp end of pencil with scale of rule. Use a set square
with perpendicular edges to scale and sharp end.
SE: End of rule damaged resulting in zero error. Measure length of pencil from centre of rule.
Wrong scale calibration. Check scale calibration by comparing the scale with a standard scale.

(ii) measuring the diameter of a wire with a micrometer screw gauge,

RE: Cross-sectional area is non-uniform. Measure diameter at different points along the length of
wire or in different directions around the circumference of wire.
SE: Zero error on micrometer. Check for zero error and note the zero error to correct observed
reading.

(iii) measuring the period of oscillation of a pendulum,

RE: Start and stop stopwatch at incorrect position of oscillation/incomplete number of oscillations.
Use a fiducial marker at centre of oscillation to indicate the start and end of an oscillation.
SE: Zero error on stopwatch, reset stopwatch to zero. Human Reaction Time (HRT) error, time
several number of oscillations to reduce % error due to HRT in time.

(iv) measuring the current in a resistor,

RE: Fluctuation in ammeter readings. Ensure tight and good electrical connections at terminals
and junctions.
SE: Zero error on analogue ammeter, reset ammeter to zero. wrong calibration of ammeter, check
for wrong calibration by connecting the ammeter in series with another ammeter.

(v) measuring the focal length of a convex lens,

RE: Image focused on screen not sharpest. Repeat and average focal length, carry out
experiment in a darkened room.
SE: Measurement of length is not from centre of lens, measure base of holder and divide it by two
to locate and mark centre of lens on base holder. Miscalibration of scale of rule.

(vi) using a top pan balance to measure mass,

RE: A random gust of wind, extra mass or human force has accidentally caused the reading to be
randomly recorded as greater than it should be.
SE: Zero error or parallax error when reading the value from an analogue scale.

(vii) using a liquid-in-glass thermometer,

RE: interpolate between two divisions/reading thermometer to nearest 0.5 C, parallax error..
SE: Wrong scale calibration, do not wait for the temperature to become steady before taking the
reading