AP Physics 1 : AP Physics 1

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Physics 1

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Gravitational Potential Energy

Consider the following system:

Slope_1

If  of work is done against the progression of the block over a distance , and the coefficient of kinetic friction is , what is the slope of the plane?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This problem helps you become more comfortable with using obscure units. Since we are given work as a function of mass, we don't actually have to know the mass of the block. Furthermore, since we are neglecting air resistance, we know that all of the work is done by friction. To calculate the force of friction, we can use the following expression:

To calculate the work done by this force, we multiply by the distance that it was applied:

Since we were given work as a function of mass, we can eliminate mass to get:

Rearranging for the angle, we get:

We know all of these values, allowing us to solve for the angle:

Example Question #3 : Gravitational Potential Energy

A mountain biker goes off a jump with an initial vertical velocity of . If the biker lands a vertical distance of  below the launch point, what is his vertical velocity the moment he lands?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We can use the expression for conservation of energy to solve this problem:

Assuming a final height of zero, we can eliminate final potential energy. Then, substituting in expressions for each variable, we get:

Canceling out mass and rearranging for final velocity, we get:

Example Question #1 : Gravitational Potential Energy

A rock is lifted 10m off of the ground, carried by the person holding it across a field of length 100m, and held at a final height of 10m. What was the change in gravitational potential energy?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The change in gravitational potential energy is only dependent on the final and initial height of the object, and is independent of the path taken to get to the final height. Because the change in height for the rock is zero, the change in gravitational potential energy equals zero.

Example Question #3 : Gravitational Potential Energy

A dumbell with a mass of  has been dropped from a height of . What is the amount of potential energy in the dumbell after three seconds?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Over the distance described, change in gravitational pull is negligible, so gravity can be treated as a constant. Potential energy therefore varies with the dumbell's proximity to the ground, h:

Since the dumbell has an inital position of 100m, and an initial velocity of zero, its height can be described using the kinematic equation:

From this, the potential energy at a time of three seconds is:

Example Question #1 : Gravitational Potential Energy

A  ball rolls down a frictionless ramp of height , at the end of the ramp what will its velocity be?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The first step for this problem is to determine the potential energy the ball has at the top of the ramp through this equation:

We see that it has a potential energy of 100 joules. All of this potential energy gets converted to kinetic energy as the ball falls down the ramp. 

Knowing this, we can determine the velocity the ball has at the bottom of the ramp by setting the potential energy equal to the kinetic energy:

We substitute the known mass and solve for :

Example Question #5 : Gravitational Potential Energy

A ball with a mass of 2kg hangs from a cord 1.4 meters in length from the ceiling of a room with a total height of 3.1 meters. What is the gravitational potential energy of the ball relative to the ceiling? Assume the acceleration of gravity .

Possible Answers:

None of these

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Gravitational potential energy is proportional to both the height and mass of an object. Gravitational potential energy is given by:

 

Gravitational potential energy is also relative to a "zero height" and in our case this is the ground. What this means is that if the ground is a our "zero height", the higher the object from the ground the greater the potential energy

Example Question #4 : Gravitational Potential Energy

Two balls of equal mass (3kg) are hanging from cords 1.5 meters and 2 meters in length from a ceiling in a room with a total height of 3 meters. Which has a greater gravitational potential energy relative to the floor? Assume the acceleration of gravity is .

Possible Answers:

They have the same gravitational potential energy since they have the same mass

Cannot be determined without knowing the density of the masses

The ball with the longer cord

The ball with the shorter cord

There is a negligible difference

Correct answer:

The ball with the shorter cord

Explanation:

Gravitational potential energy is proportional to both the height from a "zero potential energy" reference point (in our case the floor) and the mass. While the balls would have the same gravitational potential energy since they are the same mass, they have differing energies because of differing heights. The shortest cord, or the ball the highest from the ground will have the greatest potential energy as shown:

Example Question #2 : Gravitational Potential Energy

A cart is traveling at  when it launches a ball straight into the air with initial velocity . Ignore air resistance.

How high will the ball go?

Possible Answers:

None of these

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Use conservation of energy:

Plug in known values and solve for the maximum height of the object.

Example Question #11 : Gravitational Potential Energy

On the surface of planet Mars, the gravitational constant  is . Considering that earth's gravitational constant is , how high above the surface do you need to be on planet Mars to have the same gravitational potential energy as you would if you were  up on Earth? Assume your mass is unchanged on both planets. 

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Recall that the formula for gravitational potential energy is:

To determine the height on planet Mars needed to have equivalent potential energy, we can set the two equations for gravitational potential energies equal. 

, where  is mass and  is height above the ground on Earth while  is the height above the ground on Mars. 

The mass,  can be eliminated from both sides of the equation since they are equal. Plug in and solve for the height on Mars.

 

Example Question #12 : Gravitational Potential Energy

A cat jumps to the top of a wall of height . Determine the cat's initial upward velocity.

Possible Answers:

Cannot be determined without knowing the mass of the cat

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Use conservation of energy:

Since initially the cat is on the ground, and can assumed to be still at the top of the wall:

Solve for velocity:

Plugging in values

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