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Revision-Physics
Symbols and Units:

Quantity Symbol Unit Unit Symbol
Force F Newton N
displacement X meters m
Spring Constant K Newton per meter N/m
mass M kilograms kg
height H meters m
Free fall acceleration G Meters per second
squared
m/s
2

speed V Meter per second m/s
Energy E, GPE, KE, EPE,
E
photon
, ME
Joules (or electron-
Volt)
J (or eV)
1 eV = 1.6 x 10
-19
J
acceleration A Meters per second
squared
m/s
2

Amplitude A meters m
wavelength meters m
period T seconds s
Frequency F Hertz Hz (1 Hz = s
-1
)
distance D meters m
time T seconds s
Speed of sound in air
at room temperature
v = 343 or 340 m/s
Speed of light and EM
waves in vacuum and
air
c = 3 x 10
8
m/s
Plancks Constant h = 6.63 x 10
-34
J.s
Threshold Frequency f
0
Hertz Hz
Work function W Joules (or electron-
Volt)
J (or eV)




Mathematical Expressions/Formulas:
F = kx F
g
= mg F = ma
GPE = mgh EPE = kx
2
KE = mv
2

ME = KE + PE

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ME
i
= ME
f
(given no friction);
i.e.,
mv
i
2
+ mgh
i
= mv
f
2
+ mgh
f

v = d/t c = d/t v = f c = f
f = 1/T
E = hf = hc/
W = hf
threshold

KE = hf W
g = 10 m/s
2

c = 3 x 10
8
m/s
1 eV = 1.6 x 10
-19
J
h = 6.63 x 10
-34
J.s
Other formulas
.
.

Definitions and Laws:

Energy:
GPE:
KE:
ME: Mechanical energy is the energy due to motion and position.
Mechanical energy is the sum of Kinetic energy and potential energy.



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Law of Conservation of Mechanical Energy:
Amplitude:
Crest:
Trough:
Wavelength:
Frequency:
Period:
Wave speed:
Visible Spectrum:
Audible Range:
Infrasonic:
Ultrasonic:
Ultraviolet:
Infrared:
Constructive Interference:
Destructive Interference:
Doppler Effect:
Red Shift:
Blue Shift:
Pitch:
Loudness:
Wave:
Longitudinal wave:
Transverse Wave:
Mechanical Wave:

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Electromagnetic (Non-mechanical) Wave:
EM Radiation Rays:
Photons:
Photoelectric Effect:
Work Function:
Threshold Frequency:

Unit Conversions:
1 cm = 10
-2
m
1 mm = 10
-3
m
1 m = 10
-6
m
1 nm = 10
-9
m
1 kg = 10
3
g
1 Mg = 10
6
g
1 MHz = 10
6
Hz
1 GHz = 10
9
Hz
1 eV = 1.6 x 10
-19
J









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Questions:
___ 1. Which of the following is that form of energy associated with an object's motion?
a. Potential
b. Thermal
c. bio-chemical
d. Kinetic

____ 2. Which of the following is that form of energy associated with an object's location in a field?
a. Potential energy
b. Thermal energy
c. bio-chemical energy
d. Kinetic energy

____ 3. What is the kinetic energy of a 0.135-kg baseball thrown at 40.0 m/s (90.0 mph)?
a. 54.0 J
b. 87.0 J
c. 108 J
d. 216 J

____ 4. If both mass and velocity of a ball are tripled, the kinetic energy is increased by a factor of:
a. 3.
b. 6.
c. 9.
d. 27.

____ 5. If during a given physical process the only force acting on an object is friction, which of the
following must be assumed in regard to the object's kinetic energy?
a. It decreases.
b. It increases.
c. It remains constant.
d. It cannot be determined from the information given.


____ 6. A 7.00-kg bowling ball falls from a 2.00-m shelf. Just before hitting the floor, what will be its
kinetic energy? (g = 10.0 m/s
2
and assume air resistance is negligible)
a. 14.0 J
b. 19.6 J
c. 29.4 J
d. 140 J

____ 7. A rock is thrown straight up with an initial velocity of 15.0 m/s. Ignore energy lost to air friction.
How high will the rock rise?
a. 1.53 m
b. 22.9 m
c. 6.50 m

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d. 11.3 m

____ 8. What is the minimum amount of energy required for an 80-kg climber carrying a 20-kg pack to
climb Mt. Everest, 8 850 m high?
a. 8.85 MJ
b. 4.16 MJ
c. 2.47 MJ
d. 1.00 MJ

____ 9. A baseball catcher puts on an exhibition by catching a 0.15-kg ball dropped from a helicopter at
a height of 101 m. What is the speed of the ball just before it hits the catcher's glove 1.0 m above
the ground? (Ignore air resistance)
a. 45 m/s
b. 38 m/s
c. 31 m/s
d. 22 m/s

____ 10. Two blocks are released from the top of a building. One falls straight down while the other slides
down a smooth ramp. If all friction is ignored, which one is moving faster when it reaches the
bottom?
a. The block that went straight down.
b. The block that went down the ramp.
c. They both will have the same speed.
d. Insufficient information to work the problem.

____ 11. Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone Park shoots water hourly to a height of 40 m. With what
velocity does the water leave the ground?
a. 7.0 m/s
b. 14 m/s
c. 20 m/s
d. 28 m/s


____ 12. A bobsled makes a run down an ice track starting at 150 m vertical distance up the hill. If there is
no friction, what is the velocity at the bottom of the hill?
a. 27 m/s
b. 36 m/s
c. 45 m/s
d. 55 m/s

____ 13. Is it possible for the total mechanical energy of a moving particle to be negative?
a. No, because a moving particle has positive kinetic energy.
b. No, because potential energy cannot have a value more negative than the value of
the positive kinetic energy of the particle.
c. Only if friction is involved.
d. yes

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____ 14. Which of the following formulas would be used to directly calculate the kinetic energy of an
object with mass m bouncing up and down on a spring with spring constant k?
a.

c.

b.

d.


____ 15. Gravitational potential energy is always measured in relation to
a. kinetic energy. c. total potential energy.
b. mechanical energy. d. a zero level.

____ 16. What is the potential energy of a 1.0 kg mass 1.0 m above the ground?
a. 1.0 J c. 10 J
b. 98 J d. 96 J

____ 17. For which of the following situations is the conservation of mechanical energy most likely to be
a valid assumption?
a. A skateboard rolls down a pavement.
b. A parachutist falls from a plane.
c. You rub your hands together to keep warm.
d. A soccer ball flies through the air.

____ 18. Which of the following refers to the sum of kinetic energy and all forms of potential energy?
a. total energy c. Non-mechanical energy
b. thermal energy d. mechanical energy

____ 19. A 3.00 kg toy falls from a height of 1.00 m. What will the kinetic energy of the toy be just before
the toy hits the ground? (Assume no air resistance.)
a. 0.98 J c. 30.0 J
b. 9.8 J d. 294 J

____ 20. Which of the following equations expresses the Law of Conservation of Mechanical Energy?
a. c.

b. d.

____ 21. How are frequency and period related?
a. They are directly related.
b. They are inversely related.
c. Their sum is constant.
d. Both measure the number of cycles per unit of time.

____ 22. A wave travels through a medium. As the wave passes, the particles of the medium vibrate in a
direction perpendicular to the direction of the waves motion. The wave is
a. longitudinal. c. electromagnetic.
b. a pulse. d. transverse.


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____ 23. Which of the following most affects the wavelength of a mechanical wave moving through a
medium? Assume that the frequency of the wave remains constant.
a. the nature of the medium c. the height of a crest
b. the amplitude d. the energy carried by the wave

____ 24. When crest of one wave coincides with the crest of another wave and the trough coincides with
the trough, the amplitude of the resultant wave is always ____ the amplitudes of each wave
alone.
a. greater than c. the sum of
b. less than d. the same as

____ 25. Two mechanical waves that have positive displacements from the equilibrium position meet and
coincide. What kind of interference occurs?
a. constructive c. complete destructive
b. destructive d. none


____ 26. Two mechanical waves meet and coincide. One wave has a positive displacement from the
equilibrium position, and the other wave has a negative displacement. What kind of interference
occurs?
a. constructive c. complete constructive
b. destructive d. none








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____ 27. In the diagram above, use the superposition principle to find the resultant wave of waves X and
Y.
a. a c. c
b. b d. d






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____ 28. In the diagram above, use the superposition principle to find the resultant wave of waves Q and
R.
a. a c. c
b. b d. d

____ 29. Sound waves
a. are a part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
b. do not require a medium for transmission.
c. are longitudinal waves.
d. are transverse waves.

____ 30. The trough of the sine curve used to represent a sound wave corresponds to
a. a compression. c. the amplitude.
b. the wavelength. d. a rarefaction.

____ 31. Pitch depends on the ____ of a sound wave.
a. frequency c. power
b. amplitude d. speed

____ 32. In general, sound travels faster through
a. solids than through gases. c. gases than through liquids.
b. gases than through solids. d. empty space than through matter.

____ 33. The Doppler effect occurs with
a. only sound waves. c. only water waves.
b. only transverse waves. d. all waves.

____ 34. Which portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to identify fluorescent minerals?
a. ultraviolet light c. infrared waves
b. X rays d. gamma rays

____ 35. When red light is compared with violet light,
a. both have the same frequency. c. both travel at the same speed.
b. both have the same wavelength. d. red light travels faster than violet light.

____ 36. If you know the wavelength of any form of electromagnetic radiation, you can determine its
frequency because
a. all wavelengths travel at the same speed.
b. the speed of light varies for each form.
c. wavelength and frequency are equal.
d. the speed of light increases as wavelength increases.

____ 37. The relationship between frequency, wavelength, and speed holds for light waves because
a. light travels slower in a vacuum than in air.
b. all forms of electromagnetic radiation travel at a single speed in a vacuum.
c. light travels in straight lines.

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d. different forms of electromagnetic radiation travel at different speeds.

____ 38. Which of the following statements about electromagnetic radiation is true?
a. It transfers energy to objects in the path of the electromagnetic waves.
b. It can be converted to other energy forms.
c. It transports the energy of electromagnetic waves.
d. all of the above

____ 39. A monochromatic light beam with a quantum energy value of 3.0 eV is incident upon a
photocell. The work function of the photocell is 1.6 eV. What is the maximum kinetic energy of
the ejected electrons?
a. 4.6 eV c. 1.4 eV
b. 4.8 eV d. 2.4 eV





____ 40. An object is suspended 10 m above the ground. The object has a mass of 50 kg. How much potential
energy does the object possess?
a. 500 J c. 20 J
b. 5000 J d. 2000 J




____ 41. An echo is heard 6 s after a sound has originated. If the sound moves at 340 m.s
-1
, the distance between
the sound source and the reflecting surface is ___________________.
a. 680 m c. 340 m
b. 1020 m d. 34 m




____ 42.
An echo is heard 4 s after a sound has originated. If the sound moves at 340 m.s
-1
, the distance
between the sound source and the reflecting surface is ___________________.
a. 680 m c. 340 m
b. 1020 m d. 34 m

43. A wave with a period of 2.0 s has a frequency of __________________.
a. 1 Hz c. 2 Hz
b. 0.5 Hz d. 0.2 Hz
Short Answer

44. Electromagnetic waves can move through empty space, but mechanical waves require a
____________________ through which to travel.





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45. In the waveform shown above, which feature of a wave does each of the letters A, B, C, and D
represent?

46. In the transverse waveform shown above, the feature designated by letter B corresponds to a(n)
____________________ in a longitudinal wave.

47. A student observes two pulses on a rope wave meet and temporarily form a wave with a greater
amplitude than either of the two waves alone. The student has observed an example of
____________________ interference.

48. Describe any changes in pitch of the sound a stationary observer hears from the siren of an
ambulance as the ambulance passes the observer.

49. Is light a particle or a wave? Explain.

50. Which model of light best explains the photoelectric effect?

Problem

51. An amusement park ride has a frequency of 0.064 Hz. What is the rides period?

52. Bats chirp at high frequencies that humans cannot hear. They use the echoes to detect objects,
such as insects, that are as small as one wavelength. If a bat emits a chirp at a frequency of 45.4
kHz and the speed of sound waves in air is 340 m/s, what is the size in millimeters of the
smallest insect that the bat can detect?

53. Yellow light has a wavelength of 595 nm. What is its frequency? What is the energy of its
photons?

How much energy does a photon of red light that has a wavelength of 645 nm contain?
(h 6.63 x 10 J.s; c 3.00 x 10 m/s; 1 eV 1.6 x 10 J)

54. What is the energy, in eV, of a photon whose wavelength is 537 nm?

55. What is the wavelength of a photon whose energy is 3.8 eV?

56. What is the kinetic energy of a 1.5 x 10 kg car traveling at 25 m/s?

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57. A ski jumper has 1.2 x 10 J of potential energy at the top of the ski jump. The friction on
the jump slope is small, but not negligible. What can you conclude about the ski jumpers
kinetic energy at the bottom of the jump? Explain your answer.

58. What form of energy is associated with the position of an object in Earths gravitational field?

59. A weightlifter raises a 180-kg barbell to a height of 1.95 m. What is the increase in the
potential energy of the barbell?
60. What is the KE of a truck that is at rest?
61. What happens to the KE of an object if its mass is
a. Doubled
b. Tripled
c. Halved

62. What happens to the KE of an object if its speed is
d. Doubled
e. Tripled
f. cut in half
63. Yellow light has a wavelength of 570 nm while blue light has a wavelength of 475 nm:
a. Which photons have more energy: Yellow or blue light photons? Why?
b. Calculate the frequency of yellow light waves.
c. Calculate the energy of yellow light waves.
64. Give one example of the use of each of the following:
Visible Light Rays
Ultraviolet rays
X-rays
Gamma Rays
Infrared Rays
Microwave Rays
TV and Radio waves

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65. Missy Dewater, the former platform diver for the Ringling Brother's Circus, had a kinetic
energy of 12000 J just before hitting the bucket of water. If Missy's mass is 40 kg, then
what is her speed?
66. Maryam and Maitha are sitting out under the night stars in the desert one night.
Maryam comments, "The stars seem to be moving towards us."
Maitha argues, "You're wrong. The universe is expanding, so the stars and the Earth are actually getting
further apart."

Diagram 1 shows the position of a spectral line of hydrogen as observed from a hydrogen discharge tube
in a laboratory on the Earth. Diagram 2 shows that of the same spectral line of hydrogen received from
the light of a star in a distant galaxy.

Diagram 1: Spectral line of hydrogen from hydrogen discharge tube

Diagram 2: Same spectral line of hydrogen from star in a distant galaxy

Who is more correct, Maryam or Maitha? Use evidence given in Diagrams 1 and 2 to support your
answer. (Explain the concepts Doppler effect and Red shift in your answer)


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a. What is the work function of this metal in (12.3 above) eV?
A light beam carrying photons with 2.2 eV of energy is shone onto this metal.
b. Calculate the energy of photons of this light in J.
c. Calculate the frequency of this incident light.
d. Calculate the kinetic energy of the emitted photo-electrons in both Joule and eV.


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