Topic 1.1: Kinematics Questions

A steel bolt and a plastic button, of very different masses, are released from rest at the same instant from the same height above the floor.

Air resistance is negligible.

State which object reaches the floor first, and state the value of the acceleration of free fall.

A go-kart accelerates uniformly from rest at 3.0 m s⁻² for 4.0 s in a straight line.

Calculate its final speed.

A cyclist accelerates uniformly from rest and reaches 9.0 m s⁻¹ after 6.0 s.

Calculate the magnitude of the acceleration.

Distinguish between a scalar quantity and a vector quantity, giving one example of each from kinematics.

A delivery drone flies along a winding route between two rooftops.

Which statement best describes the drone's instantaneous velocity at a particular moment during the flight?

Identify which one of the following is a vector quantity: distance, speed, displacement, time.

Justify your choice.

Outline the difference between the average velocity of an object over a time interval and its instantaneous velocity.

Outline why an object falling through air does not keep accelerating at g all the way down.

Describe how the acceleration of an object can be obtained from its velocity–time graph.

A cyclist accelerates uniformly from 4.0 m s⁻¹ to 10 m s⁻¹ in 3.0 s.

Determine the distance travelled during this time using the equation that does not involve the acceleration.

A football is kicked from level ground and follows a curved path through the air.

Air resistance is negligible.

State the magnitude and direction of the ball's acceleration at the highest point of its flight.

State what is meant by the displacement of an object.

State what is meant by the *terminal velocity* of a falling object.

On a velocity–time graph, state what physical quantity is given by the area between the line and the time axis.

A cyclist travels at a constant 7.5 m s⁻¹ for 24 s.

Determine the displacement from the area under the velocity–time graph.

State what is meant by the acceleration of an object, and give its SI unit.

A runner's velocity–time graph is a straight line rising uniformly from 3.0 m s⁻¹ at t = 0 to 11 m s⁻¹ at t = 5.0 s.

Show that the displacement during these 5.0 s is approximately 35 m.

An object starts from rest.

On its acceleration–time graph the acceleration is constant at 2.5 m s⁻² for 8.0 s.

Use the area under the graph to find the object's velocity at 8.0 s, and state what that area represents.

A bus is already moving at 9.0 m s⁻¹ and brakes uniformly to rest in 6.0 s.

Calculate the distance it travels while braking, using the area under the velocity–time graph.

A firework shell is launched straight up from the ground at 24 m s⁻¹ and rises freely (engine off).

Take g = 9.81 m s⁻² and ignore air resistance.