School / IB / PHYSICS SL / Space, time and motion Question practice
Space, time and motion About this practice Kinematics, forces and momentum, work, energy and power.
Physics: Standard Level Space, time and motion
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1 A 2.0 kg block starts from rest on a horizontal frictionless surface. A constant resultant force of 3.0 N acts on it for 4.0 s. Determine the acceleration, the final speed and the displacement of the block. Medium 5 marks Calculator + 2 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “A 2.0 kg block starts from rest on a horizontal frictionless surface. A constant resultant force of 3.0 N acts on it for 4.0 s. Determine the acceleration, the final speed and the displacement of the block.” Their response addresses only this point: “Uses a = F/m = 3.0/2.0.” Evaluate the response against the complete 5-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Medium 5 marks Calculator + 3 A ball is thrown horizontally at 15 m/s from the top of a 20 m cliff. Calculate the time to reach the ground and the horizontal distance travelled. Use g = 9.8 m/s². Medium 4 marks Calculator + 4 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “A ball is thrown horizontally at 15 m/s from the top of a 20 m cliff. Calculate the time to reach the ground and the horizontal distance travelled. Use g = 9.8 m/s².” Their response addresses only this point: “States that vertical and horizontal motion are independent, and uses the vertical equation 20 = ½(9.8)t² to find time.” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Medium 4 marks Calculator + 5 Define linear momentum, and state the principle of conservation of momentum. Easy 2 marks No calculator + 6 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Define linear momentum, and state the principle of conservation of momentum.” Their response addresses only this point: “Defines momentum as the product of an object's mass and velocity (p = mv), a vector quantity.” Evaluate the response against the complete 2-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 2 marks No calculator + 7 A 0.50 kg ball moving at 8.0 m/s collides head-on with a stationary 1.5 kg ball, and they stick together. Calculate their common velocity after the collision. Easy 3 marks Calculator + 8 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “A 0.50 kg ball moving at 8.0 m/s collides head-on with a stationary 1.5 kg ball, and they stick together. Calculate their common velocity after the collision.” Their response addresses only this point: “Uses conservation of momentum: total momentum before = total momentum after.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks Calculator + 9 State the work-energy theorem, and use it to explain why a car's braking distance depends on the square of its initial speed. Easy 3 marks No calculator + 10 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “State the work-energy theorem, and use it to explain why a car's braking distance depends on the square of its initial speed.” Their response addresses only this point: “States that the work done by the resultant force on an object equals its change in kinetic energy.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks No calculator + 11 A crane lifts a 500 kg load through a vertical height of 12 m in 20 s at constant speed. Calculate the useful power output of the crane. Use g = 9.8 m/s². Medium 4 marks Calculator + 12 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “A crane lifts a 500 kg load through a vertical height of 12 m in 20 s at constant speed. Calculate the useful power output of the crane. Use g = 9.8 m/s².” Their response addresses only this point: “Calculates the weight lifted: 500 × 9.8 = 4900 N.” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Medium 4 marks Calculator + 13 A car of mass 1200 kg travelling at 20 m/s brakes and comes to rest over a distance of 40 m. Calculate the average braking force, using the work-energy theorem. Medium 4 marks Calculator + 14 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “A car of mass 1200 kg travelling at 20 m/s brakes and comes to rest over a distance of 40 m. Calculate the average braking force, using the work-energy theorem.” Their response addresses only this point: “Calculates the initial kinetic energy: ½ × 1200 × 20² = 240 000 J.” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Medium 4 marks Calculator + 15 An object moves in a horizontal circle of radius 0.50 m at a constant speed of 4.0 m/s. Calculate its centripetal acceleration and state the direction of the resultant force causing it. Easy 3 marks Calculator + 16 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “An object moves in a horizontal circle of radius 0.50 m at a constant speed of 4.0 m/s. Calculate its centripetal acceleration and state the direction of the resultant force causing it.” Their response addresses only this point: “Uses centripetal acceleration a = v²/r.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks Calculator + 17 State Newton's third law of motion, and use it to explain the forces acting when a swimmer pushes against the water to move forward. Easy 3 marks No calculator + 18 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “State Newton's third law of motion, and use it to explain the forces acting when a swimmer pushes against the water to move forward.” Their response addresses only this point: “States Newton's third law: for every action force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force acting on a different object.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks No calculator + 19 A ball of mass 0.20 kg is dropped from rest and hits the ground 1.5 s later. Calculate its momentum just before impact, and the impulse delivered to it by gravity during the fall. Use g = 9.8 m/s². Medium 4 marks Calculator + 20 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “A ball of mass 0.20 kg is dropped from rest and hits the ground 1.5 s later. Calculate its momentum just before impact, and the impulse delivered to it by gravity during the fall. Use g = 9.8 m/s².” Their response addresses only this point: “Uses v = gt = 9.8 × 1.5 to find the speed just before impact.” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Medium 4 marks Calculator + 21 A 1.0 kg trolley moving at 6.0 m/s collides elastically with a stationary 1.0 kg trolley. Determine the velocities of both trolleys after the collision, and verify that both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. Medium 4 marks Calculator + 22 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “A 1.0 kg trolley moving at 6.0 m/s collides elastically with a stationary 1.0 kg trolley. Determine the velocities of both trolleys after the collision, and verify that both momentum and kinetic energy are conserved.” Their response addresses only this point: “States that momentum conservation requires m₁u₁ = m₁v₁ + m₂v₂.” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Medium 4 marks Calculator + 23 A ball is kicked with an initial speed of 20 m/s at an angle of 30° above the horizontal. Calculate the time taken to reach maximum height, and the total time of flight, assuming it lands at the same height from which it was kicked. Use g = 9.8 m/s². Medium 5 marks Calculator + 24 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “A ball is kicked with an initial speed of 20 m/s at an angle of 30° above the horizontal. Calculate the time taken to reach maximum height, and the total time of flight, assuming it lands at the same height from which it was kicked. Use g = 9.8 m/s².” Their response addresses only this point: “Resolves the initial vertical velocity component: uᵧ = 20 sin30° = 10.0 m/s.” Evaluate the response against the complete 5-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Medium 5 marks Calculator + 25 A spring with spring constant 200 N/m is stretched by 0.15 m within its elastic limit. State Hooke's law, and calculate the elastic potential energy stored in the spring. Medium 4 marks Calculator + 26 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “A spring with spring constant 200 N/m is stretched by 0.15 m within its elastic limit. State Hooke's law, and calculate the elastic potential energy stored in the spring.” Their response addresses only this point: “States Hooke's law: F = kx, valid within the elastic limit of the spring.” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Medium 4 marks Calculator + 27 A 5.0 kg block rests on a frictionless slope inclined at 30° to the horizontal. Calculate the component of the block's weight acting parallel to the slope, and hence its acceleration down the slope. Use g = 9.8 m/s². Medium 4 marks Calculator + 28 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “A 5.0 kg block rests on a frictionless slope inclined at 30° to the horizontal. Calculate the component of the block's weight acting parallel to the slope, and hence its acceleration down the slope. Use g = 9.8 m/s².” Their response addresses only this point: “Calculates the weight of the block: 5.0 × 9.8 = 49 N.” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Medium 4 marks Calculator + 29 An electric motor is supplied with 400 J of electrical energy and does 260 J of useful work lifting a load against gravity. Calculate the efficiency of the motor, and state one reason why the efficiency is less than 100%. Easy 3 marks Calculator + 30 Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “An electric motor is supplied with 400 J of electrical energy and does 260 J of useful work lifting a load against gravity. Calculate the efficiency of the motor, and state one reason why the efficiency is less than 100%.” Their response addresses only this point: “Uses efficiency = (useful energy output ÷ total energy input) × 100%.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks. Marking analysis Easy 3 marks Calculator + Self-assessed Not marked yet
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