P2: Forces

Question 1

What tools are used to measure short distances accurately?

Answer 1

A metre ruler or tape measure.

Question 2

What tool is used to measure long distances (e.g., in a field)?

Answer 2

A trundle wheel.

Question 3

What tool is used in experiments for precise timing of short intervals?

Answer 3

Light gates connected to a timer or data logger.

Question 4

What tool is commonly used for manual time measurements?

Answer 4

A stopwatch.

Question 5

What is the formula for calculating speed?

Answer 5

Speed = Distance ÷ Time

Question 6

What are the standard SI units for speed, distance, and time?

Answer 6

Speed: m/s, Distance: m, Time: s

Question 7

If time is given in minutes, what must you do before using the formula?

Answer 7

Convert time to seconds.

Question 8

How do you convert km to m?

Answer 8

Multiply by 1,000 (1 km = 1,000 m)

Question 9

How do you convert hours to seconds?

Answer 9

Multiply by 3,600 (1 hour = 3,600 s)

Question 10

How do you convert m/s to km/h?

Answer 10

Multiply by 3.6
Example: 10 m/s × 3.6 = 36 km/h

Question 11

How do you convert km/h to m/s?

Answer 11

Divide by 3.6
Example: 36 km/h ÷ 3.6 = 10 m/s

Question 12

What is a rate in physics?

Answer 12

A quantity divided by time (e.g., speed = distance/time)

Question 13

What is a scalar quantity?

Answer 13

A quantity with only magnitude (size), not direction.

Question 14

What is a vector quantity?

Answer 14

A quantity with both magnitude and direction.

Question 15

Is distance a vector or scalar?

Answer 15

Scalar

Question 16

Is displacement a vector or scalar?

Answer 16

Vector

Question 17

Is speed a vector or scalar?

Answer 17

Scalar

Question 18

Is velocity a vector or scalar?

Answer 18

Vector

Question 19

What is displacement?

Answer 19

The straight-line distance from start to finish in a specific direction.

Question 20

Can displacement be zero even if distance isn’t?

Answer 20

Yes — e.g., when an object returns to its starting point.

Question 21

What does a horizontal line on a distance-time graph mean?

Answer 21

The object is stationary (not moving).

Question 22

What does a straight sloping line on a distance-time graph mean?

Answer 22

The object is moving at constant speed.

Question 23

What does a curved line on a distance-time graph mean?

Answer 23

The object is accelerating or decelerating.

Question 24

What does the gradient (slope) of a distance-time graph show?

Answer 24

The speed of the object.

Question 25

What does a horizontal line on a velocity-time graph show?

Answer 25

Constant velocity (no acceleration).

Question 26

What does a straight sloping line on a velocity-time graph show?

Answer 26

Uniform acceleration or deceleration.

Question 27

What does the gradient of a velocity-time graph represent?

Answer 27

Acceleration

Question 28

What does the area under a velocity-time graph represent?

Answer 28

The distance travelled.

Question 29

How do you find the area under a velocity-time graph?

Answer 29

Use geometry (area of triangle or rectangle) or count squares if irregular.

Question 30

What is the area of a rectangle on a velocity-time graph?

Answer 30

base×height

Question 30

What is the area of a triangle on a velocity-time graph?

Answer 30

1/2×base×height

Question 31

What is the formula for average speed in non-uniform motion?

Answer 31

Average speed = Total distance ÷ Total time

Question 32

Can average speed be used if speed changes?

Answer 32

Yes — it gives an overall measure over the whole journey.

Question 33

What is the basic formula for constant speed?

Answer 33

v=d/t ​

Question 34

What does each letter stand for in the motion equations?

Answer 34

v: final velocity 𝑢: initial velocity 𝑎: acceleration 𝑡: time 𝑠: distance (displacement)

Question 35

What is the formula to calculate final velocity with constant acceleration?

Answer 35

𝑣=𝑢+𝑎𝑡

Question 36

What is the formula to calculate displacement with initial velocity and acceleration?

Answer 36

s=ut+ 1/2at^2

Question 37

What is the formula to calculate final velocity squared?

Answer 37

𝑣^2=𝑢^2+2𝑎𝑠

Question 38

What is the formula to calculate displacement using average velocity?

Answer 38

s=(u+v)/2×t

Question 39

What is the SI unit of acceleration?

Answer 39

Metres per second squared (m/s²)

Question 40

How does acceleration affect velocity?

Answer 40

Acceleration increases or decreases velocity over time.

Question 41

Can speed be negative?

Answer 41

No — speed is a scalar and always positive. Velocity can be negative (direction matters).

Question 42

What is meant by "uniform acceleration"?

Answer 42

Constant acceleration — the object speeds up or slows down at a steady rate.