Chapter 1 - Measurements
1.
Describe an experiment to show how the period of pendulum can be determined
The simple pendulum is made to oscillate at a small angle.
When the oscillation is steady, the time taken for 20 oscillations is measured using a
stopwatch.
The measurement is repeated and the average is calculated.
The period of the pendulum is given by average time for 20 oscillations divided by 20.
State the precautions you would take for the experiment.
Ensure that the oscillation is steady before starting to time.
Ensure that the angular displacement of the bob is less than 10 degrees.
2.
Describe how you would obtain experimentally accurate values for internal (external) diameter of
a thick metal pipe.
Use internal (external) jaws of vernier calipers to measure the internal (external) diameters
of the pipe at three different positions.
Take the average values of the measurements.
Why is there a need to obtain the average of several readings?
To reduce random errors (the positive errors and negative errors will cancel out)
Chapter 2 - Kinematics
1.
A car travels round a circular track at a constant speed of 40 km/h. Explain why the car’s velocity
is not constant
Velocity is a vector quantity that depends on both direction and magnitude.
Since the car’s direction changes continuously as it travels around a circular track, its
velocity changes all the time.
Is the car accelerating? Explain your answer.
Acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity with time.
Since velocity is changing, the car is accelerating.
2.
An athlete initially at rest, runs a 100 m race and completed it with an average speed of 13.2 m/s.
Explain why at some point in time his instantaneous speed must have exceeded the average
value.
Since the athlete starts from rest, he must have had a speed of less than 13.2 m/s during
his acceleration.
Therefore, his speed at other parts of the race must exceed 13.2 m/sin order for the
average to be obtained as 13.2 m/s
Chapter 3 - Forces
1.
Describe ways in which a force might change the motion of a body.
A force is may make
o stationary bodies move.
o moving bodies speed up, slow down or stop.
o moving bodies change direction.
2.
Describe how an object released from rest (subjected to air resistance) will eventually fall with
constant velocity.
Immediately upon release, gravitational force acting on the object causes it to accelerate
at 10 m/s2.
As the object gains speed, the upward air resistance increases. This will cancel out the
downward gravitational force and decrease the acceleration.
Eventually the upward air resistance increases to a point where it equals the downward
gravitational force.
The resultant force acting on the object is now zero. Therefore the acceleration is zero
and it continues falling with constant velocity (known as terminal velocity).
3.
Suggest and explain why a car moves at constant velocity after some time even though the car
engine continues providing the same amount of forward driving force (thrust).
During acceleration, the car gains speed and the backward resistive forces (air resistance
and contact friction with road) increases.
It comes to a point where backward resistive forces equals the forward driving force
(thrust)
The resultant force acting on the object is now zero. Therefore the acceleration is zero
and it continues moving with constant velocity (known as terminal velocity).