Physics A

Module 3.2 - Forces in Action - QSet

L8th Physics
St Paul's School
Please note that you may see slight differences between
this paper and the original.
Duration: Not set
Candidates answer on the Question paper.

OCR supplied materials:

Additional resources may be supplied with this paper.

Other materials required:

• Pencil
• Ruler (cm/mm)

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
• Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes above. Please write clearly and in capital letters.
• Use black ink. HB pencil may be used for graphs and diagrams only.
• Answer all the questions, unless your teacher tells you otherwise.
• Read each question carefully. Make sure you know what you have to do before starting your answer.
• Where space is provided below the question, please write your answer there.
• You may use additional paper, or a specific Answer sheet if one is provided, but you must clearly show your
candidate number, centre number and question number(s).

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

• The quality of written communication is assessed in questions marked with either a pencil or an asterisk. In History
and Geography a Quality of extended response question is marked with an asterisk, while a pencil is used for questions in
which Spelling, punctuation and grammar and the use of specialist terminology is assessed.
• The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
• The total number of marks for this paper is 126.
• The total number of marks may take into account some 'either/or' question choices.

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 1 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 1. The diagram shows two opposite vertical forces of magnitude 1.2 N and 2.1 N acting on an object.

Which of the following statements could be correct?

1 The object is accelerating and moving up.

2 The object is decelerating and moving down.

3 The magnitude of the resultant force is 0.9 N.

A Only 3

B Only 1 and 3

C Only 2 and 3

D 1, 2 and 3

Your answer [1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 2 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 2. The diagram below shows three forces acting on an object.

The object is stationary. All the forces lie in the vertical plane. The weight of the object is 4.0 N.

Which statement is not correct?

A The resultant force on the object is zero.

B The magnitude of the resultant force of 3.0 N and 4.0 N forces is 5.0 N.
C The magnitude of the vertical component of the 5.0 N force is 4.0 N.
D The resultant force in the horizontal direction is 3.0 N.

Your answer
[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 3 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 3. A block of wood is at rest on a ramp.
The weight of the block is W and the frictional force on the block is F.

A triangle of forces diagram can be used to determine the magnitude and the direction of the normal contact
force N.

Which is the correct diagram for this triangle?

Your answer

[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 4 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 4. A balloon is travelling vertically downwards at a constant acceleration. The upthrust on the balloon is U,
its weight is W and it experiences air resistance F.

Which statement is correct?

A F+W>U
B W+U>F
C F>W+U
D W>U+F

Your answer
[1]

5. A cable is attached to an object of weight 30 N. The object is pulled vertically upwards with an
acceleration of 6.0 m s−2.

What is the tension in the cable?

A 12 N

B 18 N

C 30 N

D 48 N

Your answer [1]

6. A piece of flat A4 paper is dropped and falls to the floor. The same piece of paper is then collapsed into a
ball and dropped again.

Which of the following will change in the second situation?

A the maximum magnitude of the air resistance

B the weight of the paper
C the time taken to reach terminal velocity
D the initial acceleration when dropped

Your answer

[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 5 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 7. A man of mass M is standing on a set of scales in a lift. The lift is accelerating vertically upwards at a
constant acceleration a.

The scales show the normal contact force experienced by the man.
What is the reading shown on the scales?

A Mg
B M (g − a)
C M (a + g)

Your answer

[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 6 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 8. An object of mass 7.0 kg is pulled vertically upwards by a rope. The acceleration of the object is 2.0 m s–2.

What is the tension in the rope?

A 14 N
B 55 N
C 69 N
D 83 N

Your answer
[1]

9. Two balls X and Y are dropped from a very tall building. Both balls reach terminal velocity before hitting
the ground. The balls have the same diameter. The mass of X is greater than the mass of Y.

Which statement is correct?

A The balls hit the ground at the same time.

B The terminal velocity of Y is greater than that of X.
C The initial acceleration of both balls is the same.
D The balls have the same kinetic energy just before hitting the ground.

Your answer
[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 7 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 10. A bubble of gas rises upwards through a glass of lemonade. Fig. 26.1 shows a spherical bubble
accelerating vertically upwards through the lemonade.

Add arrows to show each force acting on the bubble shortly after it starts to move.

Label each arrow clearly.

[2]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 8 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 11. An object is placed on a smooth horizontal surface. Two horizontal forces act on this object.
Fig. 21.3 shows the magnitudes and the directions of these two forces.

The mass of the object is 320 g.

Calculate the magnitude of the acceleration of the object.

–2
acceleration =_______________________________m s [3]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 9 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 12(a) A table tennis ball experiences drag as it travels through the air. Fig. 6.1 shows the ball in three different
. situations, A, B and C.

The ball has weight W and the drag force is D.

(i) On Fig. 6.1 draw an arrow to show the direction of travel of the ball in situation A.

[1]

(ii) In situation B the magnitude of the weight and the drag are the same.

Explain whether or not the ball is travelling at its terminal velocity.

[1]

(iii) Describe and explain the motion of the ball in situation C.

[2]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 10 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 (b). Fig. 6.2 shows a DVD held above the ground.

The DVD is dropped from rest. The circular face remains horizontal as it falls. The DVD does not reach terminal
velocity before it hits the ground.

Describe and explain how the acceleration of the DVD varies from the instant it is dropped until just before it
hits the ground.

[4]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 11 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 13. A student holds a golf ball and a table tennis ball out of an upper window of a tall building. The balls are
released at the same time. Both balls have the same size. The golf ball has a greater mass than the tennis ball.
One of the balls reaches a greater terminal velocity.

(i) State and explain the acceleration of the golf ball immediately after it is released.

[2]

(ii) By referring to the forces acting on the golf ball, explain what is meant by terminal velocity.

[1]

(iii) Explain which of the two balls reaches the greater terminal velocity.

[3]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 12 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 14. A 2.0 m rigid rod with negligible weight is subject to forces in three different ways as shown in diagrams 1-3
below.

For the rod to be in equilibrium which of the diagrams above is / are correct?

A 1, 2 and 3
B Only 1 and 2
C Only 2 and 3
D Only 1

Your answer

[1]

15. Two forces act on an object in the same plane.

Which diagram shows a couple?

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 13 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 C

Your answer [1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 14 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 16(a) Fig. 2.1 shows an object held horizontally by a string.
.

One end of the object rests on a support and the other end is held by the string. The object is in equilibrium.
Point G is the centre of gravity of the object. The mass of the object is 1.2 kg. The tension T in the string is 5.1
N. The string makes an angle of 40° with the vertical.

Take moments about the support and calculate the distance d.

d =_______________________________m [3]
(b). Explain why the force at the support cannot be vertically upwards.

[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 15 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 17(a) State the principle of moments.
.

[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 16 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 (b). A gymnast hangs from the rings apparatus shown in Fig. 17.1. He raises his legs from a vertical to a horizontal
position. Fig. 17.2 shows a simple model to demonstrate the forces exerted on his legs in the horizontal position.
The total weight W of the legs is 260 N and acts at a point 40 cm from the pivot P in the hip. A force T is supplied
by his hip flexor muscles which are attached to a point in the bone 3.0 cm from the pivot P. When horizontal,
force T makes an angle of 50° with his legs.

(i) Take moments about P to calculate the force T needed to keep his legs horizontal.

T =_______________________N [3]

(ii) Describe and explain the change in the force T, if any, as his legs are lowered from the horizontal position to
vertical position.

[2]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 17 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 18(a) Fig. 1.1 shows a sign hanging from a rod fixed to a vertical wall. A metal wire attached between the rod and the
. wall holds the rod horizontal.

The weight W of the sign and rod act through the centre point of the rod. The value W is 120 N. The angle
between wire and rod is 30°.

Explain why the vertical force exerted on the rod by the wire is 60 N.

[2]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 18 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 (b).

(i) Draw an arrow on Fig. 1.1 to show the direction of the force exerted on the rod by the wall.

[1]

(ii) State how you chose this direction.

[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 19 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 19(a)
.
(i) Define the moment of a force about a point.

[1]

(ii) State the principle of moments as a condition for equilibrium.

[1]

(b). Fig. 1 shows the top of a crane which has an arm AC of mass 1800 kg. The centre of mass of the arm is at D.

The arm can rotate about the pivot at A. It is supported by a horizontal cable BC. The dimensions are as shown
on the diagram.

(i) The arm is in equilibrium. Draw and label three arrows on Fig. 1 to represent the three forces acting on the

arm.
[3]

(ii) Calculate the tension in the cable BC.

tension =_______________________kN [3]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 20 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 (c). The arm is rotated about A by shortening the cable BC. The cable is no longer
horizontal. Explain whether the tension in the cable has increased or decreased.

[3]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 21 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 20(a) Fig. 4.1 shows a cyclist.
.

Fig. 4.1

The bicycle tyres are in contact with the road at X and Y. The cyclist is travelling at constant velocity on a level
road. The weight of the bicycle is 180 N and the weight of the cyclist is 720 N.

State the magnitude of the resultant force acting on the cyclist. Explain your answer.

[2]
(b). Define moment of a force.

In your answer, you should use appropriate technical terms, spelled correctly.

[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 22 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 (c). Explain why the two vertical forces acting on the tyres at X and Y do not form a couple.

[1]
(d). Take moments about X to determine the size of the vertical force F acting on the tyre at Y.

F =_______________________________N [3]
(e). The cyclist leans further forward. How does this affect the force on the tyre at X? Explain your answer.

[2]

21. The table below shows the measurements recorded by a student for a solid metal sphere. The absolute
uncertainties in the mass of the sphere and in its radius are also shown.
mass 100 ± 6 g
radius 1.60 ± 0.08 cm

What is the percentage uncertainty in the density of the sphere?

A 1%
B 11%
C 16%
D 21%

Your answer
[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 23 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 22. A group of civil engineers are assessing whether or not to use solid concrete pillars or hollow metal tubes to
support a building. One such tube is shown below. The tube is placed on a horizontal surface. The tube is
made of metal of thickness t. The tube has height h and a mean internal radius R. The radius R >> thickness t.

A heavy metal block of mass m is placed on top of the tube.

What is the approximate pressure p acting on the tube?

Your answer

[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 24 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 23. A bottle cork floats on water. It is partially submerged in the water.

Which of the following statements is / are true?

1 The net force acting on the cork is equal to the weight of the water displaced.
2 The weight of the cork is equal to the upthrust on the cork.
3 The upthrust on the cork is equal to the mass of the water displaced.

A 1, 2 and 3
B Only 2 and 3
C Only 3
D Only 2

Your answer
[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 25 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 24. A brick of mass m has sides of lengths a, b and c, where a < b < c. The brick is placed on a horizontal table such
that the pressure it exerts on the table is a maximum.

What is the maximum pressure p acting on the table?

Your answer
[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 26 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 25. Gas under pressure is forced into a pipe formed into a U shape bend. A liquid of density ρ is pushed up the right
hand side so there is a difference h in the height on each side, measured along the side of the tube.
The pipe on the right hand side is inclined at an angle θ to the vertical and it has a cross sectional area double
that on the left side.

What is the pressure of the gas in excess of atmospheric pressure?

A hρg
B 2hρg
C hρg cosθ
D 2hρg cosθ

Your answer

[1]

26. What is the best estimate for the density of steel?

A 10−3 g cm−3
B 103 g cm−3
C 1 kg m−3
D 103 kg m−3

Your answer

[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 27 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 27. A ball of mass m is dropped into water. A constant upthrust U acts on the ball as it travels down through the
water. The acceleration of the ball is a when the drag is D.

The acceleration of free fall is g.

What is the correct expression for the acceleration a?

Your answer

[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 28 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 28(a) A block of concrete rests on the ground, as shown in Fig. 7.1.
.

The concrete block is 15 m long, 0.80 m wide and 1.2 m high. The density of concrete is 2.4 × 103 kg m−3.
Calculate

(i) the weight of the concrete

weight =_______________________________N [2]

(ii) the pressure exerted on the ground by the block of concrete.

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 29 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 pressure =_______________________________Pa [2]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 30 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 (b). Fig. 7.2 shows two vertical walls supporting a uniform horizontal platform in equilibrium.

(i) The net force acting on the platform is zero. State another condition that applies to this platform.

[1]

(ii) The walls exert upward forces on the platform. An engineer suggests that the wall X should be moved a
little further away from the centre of gravity of the platform and the opposite wall left where it is.

State and explain the effect this change would have on the force exerted by wall X on the platform.

[2]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 31 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 29. Fig. 23.1 shows a metal cylinder of diameter of about 5 cm placed on a horizontal table.

Fig. 23.1

Describe how you can use instruments available in a physics laboratory to determine the pressure exerted by
the cylinder on the table. State how you would make your results as precise as possible.

[4]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 32 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 30. A cylinder of wood is placed in water.
The density of the wood is 6.0 × 102 kg m–3. The density of water is 1.0 × 103 kg m–3.

What fraction of the volume of the cylinder is below the water line?

A 0.2
B 0.4
C 0.6
D 1.0

Your answer

[1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 33 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 31. Fig. 23.1 shows a metal cylinder of diameter of about 5 cm placed on a horizontal table.

Fig. 23.1

(i) State Archimedes' principle.

[1]

(ii) Fig. 23.2 shows the metal cylinder hung from a newtonmeter.

Fig. 23.2

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 34 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 The reading on the newtonmeter is 9.0 N.
The cylinder is slowly lowered into water in a beaker until it is completely submerged.
The cylinder does not touch the side or the bottom of the beaker. The newtonmeter reading now is 7.8 N.
The density of water is 1000 kg m−3.
Calculate the density ρ of the metal of the cylinder.

−3
ρ =_______________________________kg m [3]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 35 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 32. A cylinder head gasket is a thin sheet of material used in a car engine.
A car manufacturer wants to locate the centre of gravity of the gasket shown in Fig. 18.1.

Describe how the centre of gravity of the gasket can be determined using equipment from a laboratory.

[4]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 36 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 33. The diagram below shows an object submerged in water.

The object is stationary in the water.

Which statement about the upthrust acting on the object is correct?

A It is zero.

B It is equal to the mass of the object.

C It is equal to the weight of the object.

D It is equal to the volume of the water displaced.

Your answer [1]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 37 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 34(a) A solid wooden sphere of density 650 kg m−3 has a diameter of 2.8 cm.
.

(i) Describe and explain how the student can measure precisely the diameter of the sphere.

[2]

(ii) Show that the mass of the sphere is 0.0075 kg.

[2]

(iii) The sphere is pushed below the surface of water as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 38 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 Determine the force F that needs to be applied to the sphere to keep the wooden sphere stationary in this
position.
density of water = 1000 kg m−3

F =_____________________ . N [2]

(b).

A student wishes to investigate how the terminal velocity v of a metal sphere varies with the radius r of
the sphere as it travels through a liquid.
It is suggested that

v = Kr2

where K is a constant.

Describe with the aid of a suitable diagram how an experiment can be safely conducted, and how the data can
be analysed to determine K.

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 39 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 [6]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 40 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 35. Fig. 22 shows a uniform platform secured to a wall and resting on a vertical concrete pillar.

Fig. 22

The platform is in a horizontal position.

The weight of the platform is 9100 N and it has length 5.0 m. The centre of the pillar is 3.5 m from the wall.

Use the principle of moments and the information provided in Fig. 22 to calculate the vertical force F exerted by
the pillar on the platform.

F =______________________N [2]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 41 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 36(a) A swimming pool designer investigates the depth d below a water surface reached by a diver when diving from
. a height h above the water surface.
The designer models the diver as a uniform wooden cylinder.
The experimental arrangement is shown in Fig. 18.1.

Fig. 18.1

The wooden cylinder has mass 5.0 × 10−3 kg, diameter 1.0 × 10−2 m and length 7.0 × 10−2 m.

(i) Calculate the density of the wood.

−3
density =_____________________kg m [2]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 42 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 (i) Suggest why wood is an appropriate material to model the depth reached by a diver.

[2]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 43 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 (b). Fig. 18.2 shows the cylinder fully submerged under the water surface before it has come to rest. The cylinder
is moving vertically down.

Fig. 18.2

(i) Add arrows to Fig. 18.2 to show the three forces acting on the wooden cylinder. Label the arrows.

[3]

(ii) Describe and explain how the resultant force on the wooden cylinder varies from the moment the cylinder
is fully submerged until it reaches its deepest point.

[3]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 44 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 (c). The graph of Fig. 18.3 shows the depth d reached for different initial drop height h.

Fig. 18.3

The designer is required to double the height of a diving board for an existing swimming pool. He suggests that
the depth of the pool also needs to be doubled.
Use Fig. 18.3 to explain whether you agree with this suggestion.

[3]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 45 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 37. Fig. 2.1 shows the graph of velocity against time for a parachutist falling vertically through the air. The
initial vertical velocity is zero.

Fig. 2.2

(i) State two factors that affect the magnitude of the drag force on the parachutist.

[1]

(ii) State and explain the magnitude of the acceleration of the parachutist at the start of the fall.

[2]

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 46 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder

 (iii) On Fig. 2.2 sketch a graph to show the variation of the size of the resultant force F acting on the parachutist
with time t.

[2]

(iv) The total mass of the parachutist is 80 kg. Calculate the drag force acting on the parachutist at
an acceleration of 3.0 m s−2.

drag force =_______________________________N [3]

END OF QUESTION PAPER

© OCR 2021. You may photocopy this page. 47 of 47 Created in ExamBuilder