Chapter 2: Newton's First Law Of Motion, Inertia

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  • 1/18 Questions

    A man weighing 800 N stands at rest on two bathroom scales so that his weight is distributed evenly over both scales. The reading on each scale is

    • 200 N
    • 400 N
    • 800 N
    • None of these
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Chapter 2: Newton
About This Quiz

Explore the foundational principles of Newton's First Law of Motion through this engaging quiz. Covering Galileo's revolutionary ideas on inertia and motion, this quiz assesses understanding of mechanical equilibrium and the practical applications of inertia in everyday phenomena.

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  • 2. 

    According to Newton's law of inertia, a railroad train in motion should continue going forever even if its engine is turned off. We never observe this because railroad trains

    • Move too slowly

    • Are much too heavy

    • Must go up and down hills

    • Always have forces that oppose their motion

    Correct Answer
    A. Always have forces that oppose their motion
    Explanation
    According to Newton's law of inertia, an object in motion will continue moving in a straight line at a constant speed unless acted upon by an external force. In the case of a railroad train, there are always forces that oppose its motion, such as friction between the wheels and the tracks, air resistance, and the force required to overcome the train's own weight. These opposing forces eventually bring the train to a stop, even if its engine is turned off. Therefore, we never observe a railroad train in motion forever because there are always forces that act against its motion.

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  • 3. 

    Whereas Aristotle relied on logic in explaining nature, Galileo relied on

    • Logic also

    • Patterns

    • Experiment

    • Mathematics

    Correct Answer
    A. Experiment
    Explanation
    Galileo relied on experimentation in explaining nature. Unlike Aristotle who relied solely on logic, Galileo believed that the best way to understand the natural world was through conducting experiments and observing the results. Through his experiments, Galileo was able to challenge traditional beliefs and develop new theories about motion, gravity, and the behavior of objects. His emphasis on experimentation revolutionized the scientific method and laid the foundation for modern physics.

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  • 4. 

    If your automobile runs out of fuel while you are driving, the engine stops but you do not come to an abrupt stop. The concept that most explains why is

    • Inertia

    • Gravity

    • Acceleration

    • Resistance

    Correct Answer
    A. Inertia
    Explanation
    Inertia is the concept that most explains why the engine does not come to an abrupt stop when an automobile runs out of fuel while driving. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion. In this case, the moving car has inertia, so even when the engine stops, the car will continue to move forward due to its momentum. It will gradually slow down and come to a stop as the frictional forces and resistance from the road gradually bring it to a halt.

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  • 5. 

    Whirl a rock at the end of a string and it follows a circular path. If the string breaks, the tendency of the rock is to

    • Continue to follow a circular path

    • Follow a straight-line path

    • Increase its speed

    • Revolve in a smaller circle

    Correct Answer
    A. Follow a straight-line path
    Explanation
    When a rock is whirled at the end of a string, it follows a circular path due to the tension in the string that keeps it in that path. However, if the string breaks, there is no longer any force acting on the rock to keep it in a circular path. As a result, the rock will continue moving in a straight line according to Newton's first law of motion, which states that an object in motion will continue in a straight line at a constant speed unless acted upon by an external force. Therefore, the tendency of the rock when the string breaks is to follow a straight-line path.

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  • 6. 

    A truck is moving at constant velocity. Inside the storage compartment, a rock is dropped from the midpoint of the ceiling and strikes the floor below. The rock hits the floor

    • Exactly below the midpoint of the ceiling

    • Ahead of the midpoint of the ceiling

    • Behind the midpoint of the ceiling

    • More information is needed to solve this problem

    • None of these

    Correct Answer
    A. Exactly below the midpoint of the ceiling
    Explanation
    The truck is moving at constant velocity, which means it is not accelerating or decelerating. When the rock is dropped from the midpoint of the ceiling, it will continue to move horizontally with the same velocity as the truck. Therefore, it will hit the floor directly below the midpoint of the ceiling, as there is no horizontal displacement.

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  • 7. 

    The force of friction on a sliding object is 10 N. The applied force needed to maintain a constant velocity is

    • More than 10 N

    • Less than 10 N

    • 10 N

    Correct Answer
    A. 10 N
    Explanation
    The applied force needed to maintain a constant velocity is 10 N. This is because the force of friction on the sliding object is also 10 N. In order for the object to move at a constant velocity, the applied force must equal the force of friction. If the applied force is less than 10 N, the object would slow down and eventually come to a stop. If the applied force is more than 10 N, the object would accelerate and its velocity would change. Therefore, the applied force needed to maintain a constant velocity is 10 N.

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  • 8. 

    A sheet of paper can be withdrawn from under a container of milk without toppling it if the paper is jerked quickly. This best demonstrates that

    • The milk carton has no acceleration

    • There is an action-reaction pair of forces

    • Gravity tends to hold the milk carton secure

    • The milk carton has inertia

    • None of these

    Correct Answer
    A. The milk carton has inertia
    Explanation
    When the paper is jerked quickly, it creates a sudden force on the milk carton. However, due to the milk carton's inertia, it tends to resist changes in its state of motion. Therefore, the milk carton remains in place and does not topple over. This demonstrates that the milk carton has inertia, which is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion. The other options are not applicable in this scenario.

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  • 9. 

    When you stand at rest on a pair of bathroom scales, the readings on the scales will always

    • Each be half your weight

    • Each equal your weight

    • Add up to equal your weight

    Correct Answer
    A. Add up to equal your weight
    Explanation
    When you stand at rest on a pair of bathroom scales, the readings on the scales will add up to equal your weight. This is because each scale measures the force exerted on it by your body, which is equal to your weight. Therefore, when you stand on both scales, the total force exerted on both scales will be equal to your weight.

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  • 10. 

    Hang from a pair of gym rings and the upward support forces of the rings will always

    • Each be half your weight

    • Each equal your weight

    • Add up to equal your weight

    Correct Answer
    A. Add up to equal your weight
    Explanation
    When hanging from a pair of gym rings, the upward support forces of the rings add up to equal your weight. This is because the rings provide support in opposite directions, balancing the downward force of your weight. The upward support forces from each ring must be equal in magnitude but opposite in direction in order to keep you suspended. Therefore, when combined, these forces add up to equal your weight.

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  • 11. 

    A package falls off a truck that is moving at 30 m/s. Neglecting air resistance, the horizontal speed of the package just before it hits the ground is

    • Zero

    • Less than 30 m/s but larger than zero

    • About 30 m/s

    • More than 30 m/s

    • More information is needed for an estimate

    Correct Answer
    A. About 30 m/s
    Explanation
    The horizontal speed of the package just before it hits the ground is about 30 m/s because neglecting air resistance means that there are no external forces acting on the package horizontally. Therefore, the package will continue to move with the same horizontal velocity as the truck, which is 30 m/s.

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  • 12. 

    If no external forces are acting on a moving object, it will

    • Continue moving at the same speed

    • Continue moving at the same velocity

    • Move slower and slower until it finally stops

    Correct Answer
    A. Continue moving at the same velocity
    Explanation
    If no external forces are acting on a moving object, it will continue moving at the same velocity. This is because velocity is a vector quantity that includes both speed and direction. When there are no external forces acting on an object, there is no net force to change its speed or direction. Therefore, the object will continue moving in a straight line with the same velocity it had before.

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  • 13. 

    When a rocket ship accelerating in outer space runs out of fuel, it

    • Accelerates for a short time, then slows down to a constant velocity

    • Accelerates for a short time, slows down, and eventually stops

    • No longer accelerates

    Correct Answer
    A. No longer accelerates
    Explanation
    When a rocket ship runs out of fuel, it no longer accelerates. This is because acceleration requires a force to be applied to an object, and in the absence of fuel, there is no force to propel the rocket forward. Without acceleration, the rocket will continue to move at a constant velocity or gradually slow down due to external forces like gravity or air resistance. However, it will not experience any further acceleration.

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  • 14. 

    An object in mechanical equilibrium is an object

    • At rest

    • Moving with constant velocity

    • Having no acceleration

    • All of these

    Correct Answer
    A. All of these
    Explanation
    An object in mechanical equilibrium is one that is either at rest, moving with constant velocity, or experiencing no acceleration. This means that the net force acting on the object is zero, resulting in a balanced state where there is no change in its motion. Therefore, all of the given options are correct as they describe different scenarios in which an object can be in mechanical equilibrium.

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  • 15. 

    A 300-kg bear grasping a vertical tree slides down at constant velocity. The friction force between the tree and the bear is

    • 30 N

    • 300 N

    • 3000 N

    • More than 3000 N

    Correct Answer
    A. 3000 N
    Explanation
    The friction force between the tree and the bear is 3000 N. This is because the bear is sliding down at a constant velocity, which means that the net force acting on it is zero. Since the bear is moving downwards, the friction force must be equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the force of gravity acting on the bear. The force of gravity on the bear can be calculated using the formula F = m*g, where m is the mass of the bear (300 kg) and g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s^2). Therefore, the force of gravity on the bear is 300 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 2940 N. Since the friction force must be equal to this force, the friction force is 3000 N.

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  • 16. 

    Galileo's use of inclined planes allowed him to effectively

    • Slow down the acceleration of free fall

    • Increase the acceleration beyond that of free fall

    • Eliminate the acceleration of free fall

    • Eliminate friction

    Correct Answer
    A. Slow down the acceleration of free fall
    Explanation
    Galileo's use of inclined planes allowed him to slow down the acceleration of free fall. By using inclined planes, Galileo was able to reduce the steepness of the descent and increase the distance traveled, thereby slowing down the rate at which objects accelerated during free fall. This allowed him to study and measure the effects of gravity more accurately, leading to his groundbreaking insights into the laws of motion and the concept of acceleration.

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  • 17. 

    The scientist to first introduce the concept of inertia was

    • Aristotle

    • Galileo

    • Newton

    • Copernicus

    Correct Answer
    A. Galileo
    Explanation
    Galileo was the scientist who first introduced the concept of inertia. He conducted experiments to study the motion of objects and observed that objects tend to stay at rest or in motion unless acted upon by an external force. This concept contradicted Aristotle's belief that objects naturally come to rest. Galileo's work laid the foundation for Newton's laws of motion and revolutionized the understanding of motion and inertia.

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  • 18. 

    Galileo's interpretation of motion differed from Aristotle's in that Galileo emphasized

    • The acceleration of free fall

    • Time rates

    • The role of distance in describing motion

    • All of these

    • None of these

    Correct Answer
    A. Time rates
    Explanation
    Galileo's interpretation of motion differed from Aristotle's in that Galileo emphasized time rates. This means that Galileo focused on the concept of measuring how quickly an object's motion changes over time, rather than just describing the object's overall distance or position. Galileo's emphasis on time rates allowed for a more precise understanding of motion and laid the foundation for the development of modern physics.

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  • Current Version
  • Mar 21, 2023
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Sep 07, 2012
    Quiz Created by
    Drtaylor
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