MCAT Physical : MCAT Physical Sciences

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for MCAT Physical

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Example Questions

Example Question #4 : Other Forces

Which of the following forces is not conservative?

Possible Answers:

Elastic 

Frictional

Electrostatic

Gravitational 

Correct answer:

Frictional

Explanation:

Conservative forces are forces that do not lose energy to heat, sound, or light. Of these answers, energy is completely conserved and transferred from kinetic energy to potential energy, or vice versa. Gravitational forces, electrostatic forces, and elastic forces all work by providing a potential that will work in the same direction as the motion of an object or particle, allowing kinetic and potential energy to interconvert. Frictional forces lose energy as heat when sliding across a surface, and the more force (the more rough the surface), the more energy that is lost.

Example Question #251 : Newtonian Mechanics And Motion

A 2kg mass is suspended on a rope that wraps around a frictionless pulley attached to the ceiling with a mass of 0.01kg and a radius of 0.25m. The other end of the rope is attached to a massless suspended platform, upon which 0.5kg weights may be placed. While the system is initially at equilibrium, the rope is later cut above the weight, and the platform subsequently raised by pulling on the rope.

Screen_shot_2013-10-09_at_10.32.21_pm

If, instead of using one pulley to raise the platform after it falls, we decided to use two, how would the force required to lift the platform change?

Screen_shot_2013-10-09_at_10.40.14_pm

Possible Answers:

Increase by 4 times

Decrease by 1/2

Increase by 1/2

Decrease by 4 times

Correct answer:

Decrease by 1/2

Explanation:

One-half of the force will be required to pull the platform up in the new scenario. In the diagram below, now notice that the box has two upward tension forces due to the pulley attached directly to the box. These two tension forces act against the weight of the box, meaning that each tension force is one half of the weight of the box. Because tension is transmitted unchanged over the length of the rope, the tension a person would need to pull against would be half the weight of the box. This leads us to determine that half the force would be required to lift the box if two pulleys were used.

Screen_shot_2013-10-09_at_10.40.14_pm

Example Question #3 : Other Forces

Two students (student X and student Y) lift a boulder vertically from point A to point B. Student X directly lifts the boulder from point A to point B, whereas student Y uses a pulley to lift the boulder. This allows student Y to apply a force (\(\displaystyle F_y\)) that is three times smaller than the force applied by student X (\(\displaystyle F_x\)). Both students apply force upwards and take the same amount of time to complete this task.

The vertical distance between point A and point B is \(\displaystyle 5m\).

Student Z uses a frictionless inclined plane to lift the boulder and has to apply only a third of \(\displaystyle F_x\). Which of the following is true regarding the inclined plane and the pulley (used by Student Y)?

Possible Answers:

More information is required to determine the relative mechanical advantage

The pulley and the inclined plane have the same mechanical advantage

The pulley has a greater mechanical advantage than the inclined plane

The inclined plane has a greater mechanical advantage than the pulley

Correct answer:

The pulley and the inclined plane have the same mechanical advantage

Explanation:

The question states that:

\(\displaystyle F_z=\frac{1}{3}F_x\)

Recall that the passage states that \(\displaystyle F_y\) is also one third of \(\displaystyle F_x\).

\(\displaystyle F_y=\frac{1}{3}F_x\)

The force exerted by student Y and student Z is the same.

\(\displaystyle F_y=F_z\)

Mechanical advantage is defined as:

\(\displaystyle \text{Mechanical advantage}=\frac{\text{Object weight}}{\text{Force to lift object}}\)

The weight of the object is the same for both students because both of them are lifting the same boulder. The force applied is also the same; therefore, mechanical advantage for both machines is the same.

Example Question #71 : Forces

Two students (student X and student Y) lift a boulder vertically from point A to point B. Student X directly lifts the boulder from point A to point B, whereas student Y uses a pulley to lift the boulder. This allows student Y to apply a force (\(\displaystyle F_y\)) that is three times smaller than the force applied by student X (\(\displaystyle F_x\)). Both students apply force upwards and take the same amount of time to complete this task.

The vertical distance between point A and point B is \(\displaystyle 5m\).

If the pulley has a mechanical advantage of \(\displaystyle 5\) and \(\displaystyle F_y = 6N\), what is the weight of the boulder?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 1.2N\)

\(\displaystyle 30N\)

\(\displaystyle 3kg\)

\(\displaystyle 0.12kg\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 30N\)

Explanation:

The definition of mechanical advantage is:

\(\displaystyle \text{Mechanical advantage}=\frac{\text{Object weight}}{\text{Force to lift object}}\)

Rearranging this equation and solving for weight gives:

\(\displaystyle \text{Object weight}=(\text{Mechanical advantage})(\text{Force to lift object})\)

\(\displaystyle \text{Object weight}=(5)(6N)=30N\)

Mechanical advantage is a unitless quantity. Remember the difference between weight and mass. Weight is a measure of force and has units of Newtons, whereas mass has units of kilograms.

Example Question #71 : Forces

A 2kg object falls from a height of 3m onto a spring, which compresses 20cm. What is the spring constant?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 573 \frac{N}{m}\)

\(\displaystyle 3136 \frac{N}{m}\)

\(\displaystyle 184 \frac{N}{m}\)

\(\displaystyle 5221 \frac{N}{m}\)

\(\displaystyle 2445 \frac{N}{m}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 3136 \frac{N}{m}\)

Explanation:

Conservation of energy is the key here. Initial energy is all gravitational potential energy:

\(\displaystyle E_{i} = mg(h + x)\) 

Note that the final height change is equal to the height above the spring added to the displacement of the spring.

This is equal to the final energy, which is all spring potential energy:

\(\displaystyle E_{f}=\frac{1}{2}kx^{2}\)

Set these equations equal and solve for the spring constant.

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}kx^{2}= mg(h + x)\)

\(\displaystyle k=\frac{2mg(h+x)}{x^2}\)

\(\displaystyle k=\frac{2(2kg)(9.8\frac{m}{s})(3m+0.20m)}{(0.20m)^2}\)

\(\displaystyle k=3136\frac{N}{m}\)

Example Question #1 : Density

What is the density of a log that is 25cm long, has a cross sectional area of  5cm2, and weighs 100g?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 15.0\frac{g}{cm^3}\)

\(\displaystyle 3.0\frac{g}{cm^3}\)

\(\displaystyle 0.80\frac{g}{cm^3}\)

\(\displaystyle 20.0\frac{g}{cm^3}\)

\(\displaystyle 0.25\frac{g}{cm^3}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 0.80\frac{g}{cm^3}\)

Explanation:

The density of an object is equal to mass over volume.

\(\displaystyle \rho=\frac{m}{V}\)

Knowing the length and the cross sectional area of the log, we can find its volume.

\(\displaystyle V=(area)(length)=(5cm^2)(25cm)=125cm^3\)

Plugging in volume and mass into the equation will enable us to find density.

\(\displaystyle \rho=\frac{100g}{125cm^3}=0.80\frac{g}{cm^3}\)

Example Question #2 : Density

Solid A has a volume of \(\displaystyle 36\:cm^{3}\) and a density of \(\displaystyle 0.25\:\frac{g}{cm^{3}}\). Solid B is cube with sides of \(\displaystyle \small 5cm\) and has a density of \(\displaystyle 0.10\:\frac{g}{cm^{3}}\).

What is the difference in mass between the two solids?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 13.7g\)

\(\displaystyle 0.15g\)

\(\displaystyle 16.3g\)

\(\displaystyle 89g\)

\(\displaystyle 3.5g\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 3.5g\)

Explanation:

The formula for density is:

\(\displaystyle \rho=\frac{mass}{volume}\)

In the question, we are given the densities of both solids and a means to find their volumes. Using these values, we will be able to determine the mass of each solid.

\(\displaystyle m=\rho*V\)

\(\displaystyle m_A=(0.25\frac{g}{cm^3})(36cm^3)=9g\)

\(\displaystyle m_B=(0.10\frac{g}{cm^3})(5cm)^3=12.5g\)

Now that we know both masses, we can find the difference.

\(\displaystyle m_B-m_A=12.5g=9g=3.5g\)

Example Question #4 : Submersion

A researcher performs an elemental analysis on a compound. He finds that the compound is made up of only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. He isolates a pure sample of the compound and finds that this sample contains \(\displaystyle 144g\) of carbon, \(\displaystyle 24g\) of hydrogen, and \(\displaystyle 32g\) of oxygen. The researcher wants to perform further analysis on this compound the next day. Before leaving the lab the researcher creates three stock solutions of varying concentrations of this compound: \(\displaystyle 1M\) (solution A), \(\displaystyle 2M\) (solution B), and \(\displaystyle 3M\) (solution C). He stores these solutions overnight at a temperature of \(\displaystyle 15^oC\).

Molecular weight of this compound = \(\displaystyle 300.486\frac{g}{mol}\)

A \(\displaystyle 1M\) stock solution, solution X, kept at room temperature (\(\displaystyle 25^oC\)) will have __________ compared to solution A.

Possible Answers:

a lower density

a greater density

Relative densities can’t be determined without more information

the same density

Correct answer:

a lower density

Explanation:

Solution A and solution X have the same concentration, therefore, we are only concerned with temperature differences between the two solutions. Density is dependent on temperature: as temperature increases density decreases. Recall the definition of density:

\(\displaystyle \rho=\frac{\text{mass}}{\text{volume}}\)

Increasing the temperature will slightly increase the volume of the solution and, subsequently, decrease density. The temperature has no effect on mass. The solution at the higher temperature (solution X) will have a lower density.

Example Question #1 : Density

Various sample sizes of a pure, unknown substance are measured for mass (in grams) and volume (in mL). The results are plotted on a graph with grams of the y-axis and milliliters on the x-axis. Which of the following results most likely indicates experimental error?

Possible Answers:

A slope very close to zero

A linear slope

A negative slope

A slope greater than one

Correct answer:

A negative slope

Explanation:

Plotted in this way, the slope of the line is equal to the density of the substance.

\(\displaystyle \rho=\frac{\text{mass}}{\text{volume}}=\frac{g}{mL}\)

We would expect the line to be linear and positive. A slope close to zero could indicate that the data was not graphed optimally or that the density is extremely small, and a density greater than one is possible (anything that sinks in water has a density greater than one). A negative density would indicate that greater masses of this substance have smaller volumes, which, for a pure substance, does not make sense.

Example Question #1 : Submersion

\(\displaystyle \rho_{H_2O}=1.0\frac{g}{mL}\)

\(\displaystyle \rho_{Al}=2.7\frac{g}{mL}\)

\(\displaystyle \rho_{Pb}=11.4\frac{g}{mL}\)

\(\displaystyle 454g=1lb\)

Which of these samples, if any, has a volume greater than three liters?

\(\displaystyle 19lbs\ Al\)

\(\displaystyle 6.0lbs H_{2}O\)

\(\displaystyle 50lbs\ Pb\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 50lbs\ Pb\)

Both the aluminum and water samples

\(\displaystyle 19lbs\ Al\)

None of these has a volume greater than three liters

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 19lbs\ Al\)

Explanation:

Solving this question requires that we use the given densities to convert mass to volume.

\(\displaystyle 6.0 lb H_{2}O * \frac{454 g}{lb} * \frac{1 mL}{1.0 g}* \frac{1 L}{1000 mL} = 2.7 L\)

\(\displaystyle 50 lb Pb * \frac{454 g}{lb} * \frac{1 mL}{11.4 g}* \frac{1 L}{1000 mL} = 2.0 L\)

\(\displaystyle 19 lb Al * \frac{454 g}{lb} * \frac{1 mL}{2.7 g}* \frac{1 L}{1000 mL} = 3.2 L\)

We see that only the aluminum sample has a volume over three liters.  

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