P2 Forces and Motion

Higher

68 minutes
68 marks

Page 1 of 14

Q1.

The diagram shows the horizontal forces acting on a car of mass 1200 kg.

(a)

Calculate the acceleration of the car at the instant shown in the diagram.
Write down the equation you use, and then show clearly how you work out your
answer and give the unit.
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Acceleration = .............................
(4)

(b)

Explain why the car reaches a top speed even though the thrust force remains
constant at 3500 N.
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(3)

Page 2 of 14

(c)

The diagram shows a car and a van.

The two vehicles have the same mass and identical engines.
Explain why the top speed of the car is higher than the top speed of the van.
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(4)
(Total 11 marks)

Q2.

A car travelling along a straight road has to stop and wait at red traffic lights. The graph
shows how the velocity of the car changes after the traffic lights turn green.

Page 3 of 14

(a)

Between the traffic lights changing to green and the car starting to move there is a time
delay. This is called the reaction time. Write down one factor that could affect the drivers
reaction time.
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(1)

(b)

Calculate the distance the car travels while accelerating. Show clearly how you work out
your answer.
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Distance = ...............................................metres
(3)

(c)

Calculate the acceleration of the car. Show clearly how you work out your final answer and
give the units.
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Acceleration = ...................................................................
(4)

(d)

The mass of the car is 900 kg.

(i)

Write down the equation that links acceleration, force and mass.
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(1)

(ii)

Calculate the force used to accelerate the car. Show clearly how you work out your
final answer.
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Force = ..................................................... newtons
(2)
(Total 11 marks)

Page 4 of 14

Q3.

A car is driven along a straight road. The graph shows how the velocity of the car changes
during part of the journey.

(a)

Use the graph to calculate the deceleration of the car between 6 and 9 seconds.
Show clearly how you work out your answer and give the unit.
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Deceleration = .................................................
(3)

(b)

At what time did the car change direction?

.................................. seconds
(1)
(Total 4 marks)

Page 5 of 14

Q4.

In an experiment at an accident research laboratory, a car driven by remote control was

crashed into the back of an identical stationary car. On impact the two cars joined together and
moved in a straight line.
(a)

The graph shows how the velocity of the remote-controlled car changed during the
experiment.

(i)

How is the velocity of a car different from the speed of a car?

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(1)

(ii)

Use the graph to calculate the distance travelled by the remote-controlled car before
the collision.
Show clearly how you work out your answer.
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Distance = ............................................... m
(2)

Page 6 of 14

(iii)

Draw, on the grid below, a graph to show how the velocity of the second car
changed during the experiment.

(2)

(iv)

The total momentum of the two cars was not conserved.

What does this statement mean?
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(1)

Page 7 of 14

(b)

The graph line shows how the force from a seat belt on a car driver changes during a
collision.

Scientists at the accident research laboratory want to develop a seat belt that produces a
constant force throughout a collision.
Use the idea of momentum to explain why this type of seat belt would be better for a car
driver.
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(2)
(Total 8 marks)

Q5.

A car is driven along a straight, snow covered, road. The graph shows how the velocity of
the car changes from the moment the driver sees a very slow moving queue of traffic ahead.

Page 8 of 14

(a)

Use the graph to calculate the distance the car travels while it is slowing down.
Show clearly how you work out your answer.
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Distance = ....................................... m
(3)

(b)

The car has a mass of 1200 kg.

Calculate the kinetic of the car when it travels at a speed of 12 m/s.
Write down the equation you use, and then show clearly how you work out your answer.
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Kinetic energy = ....................................... J
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

Q6.

The diagram shows the horizontal forces acting on a car of mass 1200 kg.

Page 9 of 14

(a)

Calculate the acceleration of the car at the instant shown in the diagram.
Write down the equation you use, and then show clearly how you work out your
answer and give the unit.
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
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Acceleration = .............................
(4)

(b)

Explain why the car reaches a top speed even though the thrust force remains
constant at 3500 N.
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........................................................................................................................
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........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
(3)

Page 10 of 14

(c)

The diagram shows a car and a van.

The two vehicles have the same mass and identical engines.
Explain why the top speed of the car is higher than the top speed of the van.
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(4)
(Total 11 marks)

Q7.

The graph shows the speed of a runner during an indoor 60 metres race.

Page 11 of 14

(a)

Calculate the acceleration of the runner during the first four seconds.
(Show your working.)
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(3)

(b)

How far does the runner travel during the first four seconds?
(Show your working.)
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(3)

(c)

At the finish, a thick wall of rubber foam slows the runner down at a rate of 25 m/s2.
The runner has a mass of 75kg.
Calculate the average force of the rubber foam on the runner.
(Show your working.)
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Answer ......................... newtons (N)
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

Q8.

When a gun is fired, a very large force acts on the bullet for a very short time.
The change in momentum of the bullet is given by the following relationship:
force (N) time(s) = change in momentum (kg m/s)
(a)

An average force of 4000 newton acts for 0.01 seconds on a bullet of mass 50g.
Calculate the speed of the bullet. (Show your working.)
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Answer ............................................... m/s
(4)

Page 12 of 14

(b)

The bullet is fired horizontally. In the short time it takes for the bullet to reach its target, its
horizontal speed has fallen to 80% of its initial speed.
(i)

Explain why the speed of the bullet decreases so quickly.

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(2)

(ii)

Calculate the percentage of its original kinetic energy the bullet still has when it
reaches its target.
(Show your working.)
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(4)
(Total 10 marks)

Page 13 of 14

Page 14 of 14