Tutorial

Physics JC1 2012

Tutorial 1: Measurement
Units and Physical Quantities, Estimates
1. N2007/H1/I/2
When a beam of light is incident on a surface, it delivers energy to the surface. The intensity
of the beam is defined as the energy delivered per unit area per unit time.
What is the unit of intensity, expressed in S.I. base units?

energy force×displacement
I 
area×time area×time
mass×acceleration×displacement
I
area×time
-2
kg m s m
[I ]  2
 kg s -3
ms

2. (N07/H2/I/2)
A radio aerial of length L, when the current is I, emits a signal of wavelength  and power P.
These quantities are related by
2
L
P  kI 2  


where k is a constant.

What unit, if any, should be used for the constant k?

A volt
B ohm
C watt
D no unit

Answer: B ohm
2
L
P  kI 2  

P 
2

k 2 
I L
VI   
2

k 2 
I L
 
2
V
k  
I L
2
L
k  R 
 
2
m
[k ]      
m

1
3. Give reasoned estimates of the following quantities. In each case, give your answer in
an SI unit.

(a) The area of the island of Singapore.

(b) The acceleration of a train on the Singapore rapid transit system.

(c) The power of a car traveling on an expressway.

(a) Assuming Singapore island as a kite of width 40 km and height 30 km,

[M1] for justification
area of Singapore
= 2 [ ½ (40  15)]
= 600 km2 [A1] for reasonable order of magnitude

(b) Estimate that the train accelerates from rest to 80 km/h in 10 s,

[M1] for justification
v  u  at
80000
 0  a (10)
60  60
a = 2.2 m s-2 [A1] for reasonable order of magnitude

(c) Estimate that the car accelerates from rest to 90 km/h in 15 s.

Drag force experienced by car
= (weight of car)
= 0.3(1000)(9.8)
= 2940 N

Speed of car on expressway = 90 km h-1

= 25 m s-1 [M1] for justification

Power of car = Fdrivingv = (2940)(25)

= 7.4  104 W [A1] for reasonable order of magnitude

Systematic and Random Errors, Precision and Accuracy

4. N91/III/1 (part)
An experiment is set up as shown to determine the spring constant of
a spring. Using the formulae mg = kx, the spring constant k may be
determined by finding the extension of the spring, x, and the load
applied, m.

(a) Give one example of a systematic error and one example of a

random error which could occur in this experiment.
(b) Readings of the position of the bottom end of the spring are
made using the metre rule. Suggest a method by which the
error in these readings may be kept to a minimum.

(a)
Errors that may affect the value of k:
Systematic Error Random Error

2
Wrong value of acceleration of free fall Reading from the metre rule taken
used when spring system is not stable
Wrong calibration of the metre rule or Parallax error arising from
electronic mass balance measurement using the metre rule

(b) Either
Place a pointer (pin) horizontally at the bottom of the spring and put the metre rule scale as
close as possible to the pointer.
or
View the scale normally (i.e. line of sight is perpendicular to the scale) with the help of a set
square.

5. N99/I/2
A student measures the time t for a ball to fall from rest through a vertical distance h.
1 2
Knowing that the equation is h  at applies, the student plots the graph shown.
2

Which of the following is an explanation for the intercept?

A Air resistance has not been taken into account for larger values of h.
B There is a constant delay between starting the timer and releasing the ball.
C There is an error in the timer that consistently makes it run faster.
D The student should have plotted h against t 2.

Ans: B The constant delay in releasing the ball will result in the measured time
being longer. Thus the graph shifts to the right.

6. (MJC/Prelim07)
Four physicists each made a series of measurements of the speed of the light. The table
below shows the results obtained. Which physicist obtained a set of results that could be
described as precise but not accurate?

Ans: A

3
Determination of uncertainty of unknown quantity
7. The period of oscillation of a pendulum is given by the equation
l
T  2
g
where l is the length of the pendulum and g is the acceleration due to free fall.
To measure g, a boy takes the following measurements:

Time for 20 oscillations = (18.2  0.1) s

Length of the pendulum = (20.6  0.1) cm

Calculate g and its associated uncertainty. [9.8  0.2 m s -2 ]

l
T  2
g
t l
 2
20 g
18.2 20.6  102
 2
20 g
g  9.8207 m s-2

t l
 2
20 g
l
g  4 2 2
 t 
 
 20 
g l t
 2
g l t
g 0.1 0.1
 2
9.8207 20.6 18.2
g  0.2 m s -2

 g  9.8  0.2 m s-2

4
8. N2008/H1/I/2
A specimen of volume V is cut from a length of circular-section metal rod. The length of the
specimen is known with an uncertainty of 1% and the diameter with an uncertainty of 2%.
What will be the percentage uncertainty of V? [5%]

2
d 
V    l
2
V d l
2 
V d l
V d l
 100%  2  100%   100%
V d l
V
 100%  2(2%)  1%
V
V
 100%  5%
V

9. N2007/H1/I/3 (modified)
A student carries out an experiment to determine the resistivity of copper, using a copper
wire, and obtains a value of 1.71  10-8  m. The uncertainties in the measurements are
shown.

uncertainty in resistance R of wire = 0.8 %

uncertainty in length l of wire = 0.2 %
uncertainty in diameter d of wire = 1.6 %

4l
The equation relating resistivity , to the other physical quantities is R  .
d2
How should the answer for resistivity be stated?
[(1.71  0.07)  10-8  m]

Rearranging the equation gives

 d 2R

4l
 d R l
2  
 d R l

 2(0.016)  0.008  0.002
1.71 108
  0.07182  108
  0.07  108 (to 1 s.f.)

   (1.71  0.07)  108  m

5
Vector Addition and vector subtraction
10. Two tugs A and B pull a ship along the direction XO (i.e. the resultant
force on the boat is along XO.) Tug A exerts a force on the ship of 3.0 
104 N at an angle of 15° to XO. Tug B pulls with a force of 1.8  104 N
at an angle  to XO.
a. Draw a vector diagram showing all the forces exerted on the ship
and the resultant force.
b. Hence,
(i) find the value of angle  .
(ii) find the value of this resultant force.

[25.6°, 4.5  104 N]

(b)(i)

sin15 sin 

18 30
  25.6
(b)(ii)
sin139.4 sin15

R 18
R  4.5 10 N
4

6
 11. A car is driven 125 km west and then 65.0 km southwest.
By resolving the displacements, find the resultant displacement of the car from the point
of origin? [177 km, 15.0° S of W]

[4.5  104 N]
x-component y-component
displacement 1 125 (left) 0
displacement 2 65 sin 45 65 cos 45
(left) (down)
resultant 170.69 (left) 45.96 (down)

R 2  Rx2  Ry2
R 2  (170.96) 2  (45.96) 2
R  177 km
45.96
tan  
170.69
  15.1
The resultant displacement is 177 km, 15.1 below negative x-axis.

7
12. An aircraft is climbing with a steady speed of 50 m s-1 at an angle of 30° to the horizontal.
A short time later, its velocity changes to 60 m s-1 vertically upwards.

(a) Using a scale of 1 cm to represent 10 m s-1, draw a vector diagram to show the initial
and final velocities and hence find the change in velocity graphically (i.e draw to
scale).
[ 56 m s-1 , 39 above horizontal x-axis]

From scale drawing,

v is 55 m s-1, 39 above the horizontal.

8
13. N85/I/1
A particle has an initial velocity of 15 m s-1 in the 0x direction, as shown in the Fig. 1 below.
As a later time its velocity is 15 m s-1 at an angle of 60 to 0x (Fig. 2). Directions are
indicated by measuring angles anticlockwise from the direction 0x.

Fig. 11
Fig. Fig. 2
The change of velocity that has taken place in this interval is
A zero.
B 26 m s-1 at an angle of 30 to 0x.
C 15 m s-1 at an angle of 120 to 0x.
D 26 m s-1 at an angle of 210 to 0x.
E 15 m s-1 at an angle of 300 to 0x.

Ans: C
The vector diagram shows an equilateral triangle

9
14. A passenger in a train travelling due North at
speed vT sees a car travelling due East at
speed vc.

Which diagram shows the velocity vR of the car

relative to the passenger on the train?

NB: velocity vR of the car relative to the

passenger on the train = velocity of car –
velocity of train (refer to appendix of lecture
note.)

Velocity of the car relative to the passenger on the train = vC – vT

vC

vT
vR

Ans: C

10
 Resolving Vectors
15. A ball is thrown into the air and at one instance, it is moving upwards with a speed of 5.0
m s-1 at an angle of 60 to the vertical.
(i) using a scale such that 1.0 cm represents a speed of 1.0 m s-1, draw a line,
starting at O on Fig. 5, to represent the velocity of the ball at that instant.

(ii) On Fig. 5, construct lines to represent the vertical and the horizontal components
of the velocity of the ball. Hence, from your drawing, determine
1. the vertical component of the velocity
2. the horizontal component of the velocity.

O

Vertical line
Fig. 5

11
16. J98/III/1 (part)
A cyclist travels down an inclined road without pedalling. The angle that the road makes with
the horizontal is 6.8, as shown in the figure.

The cyclist and bicycle have a combined weight of 760 N.

Show that the component of the weight of the cyclist and bicycle down the slope is 90 N.

Component of weight along the slope

= 760 sin 6.8
= 90 N

12