Checkpoint 3

Topic: Dynamics and Momentum

Deadline: 10 March 2025, Monday
• You may print out and write your working in the space provided.
• Key in your answers in the Google Form for Checkpoint 3 via the SJPO Google
Classroom.

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1 A force is applied to a box to push it across the horizontal floor at a constant speed of
4.0 m s-1. Assume air resistance is negligible. What can you say about the forces acting
on the box?

A If the force applied to the box is doubled, the constant speed of the box will double to
8.0 m s-1

B The magnitude of force applied to keep the box moving at a constant speed must be
more than the magnitude of its weight.

C The force being applied to the box to keep it moving at constant speed makes an
action-reaction pair with the frictional force that resists its motion.

D The magnitude of force applied to keep the box moving at a constant speed must be
equal to the magnitude of the frictional forces that resist its motion.

E The magnitude of force applied to keep the box moving at a constant speed must be
more than the magnitude of the frictional forces that resist its motion.

2 If the force applied to the box in question 1 is suddenly discontinued, the box will;

A stop suddenly
B continue at a constant velocity.
C suddenly start slowing to a stop.
D increase its speed for a very short period of time, then start slowing to a stop.
E continue at a constant speed for a very short period of time and then slow to a stop.

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3 A sphere of mass 2.0 kg rests on a frictionless slope as shown.

wall
30°

The spring obeys Hooke’s Law and has a spring constant of 40 N m-1. What is the
compression of the spring? (Hint: the force in a spring is given by F = kx where k is the
spring constant and x is the change in length of the spring when it is compressed or
extended.)
A 25 cm

B 42 cm

C 49 cm

D 98 cm

4 A block of mass m is attached to a vertical inextensible string and is moving upwards as

shown in the figure on the right. The breaking strength of the string is 4mg. g is the
gravitational acceleration on earth.

The maximum positive and negative accelerations that the block can have are

A 4g and 3g respectively
B 4g and g respectively
C 3g and 4g respectively
D 3g and g respectively
E 3g and 3g respectively

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5 A light, inextensible string running over a frictionless pulley connects a 0.2 kg mass and
a 1.0 kg mass. When one mass is placed on a smooth table, the other hangs over the
table via the string and pulley. Two possible such cases are shown in Fig. A and Fig. B.
0.2 kg 1.0 kg

1.0 kg 0.2 kg

Fig. A Fig. B
If the blocks in both Fig. A and Fig. B are released from rest, what is the ratio of the
acceleration of the blocks in Fig. A to that in Fig. B?

A 6:1
B 5:1
C 1:1
D 1:2

6 Two blocks X and Y of mass ratio 1:3 slide on a frictionless slope as shown below.

X
Y

Given the mass of X is m, what is the magnitude of the force that Y exerts on X during the
sliding?

A 0
B 0.33 mg sin
C mg sin
D 3.0 mg sin

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7 Which statement best explains why a coin flies off a rapidly rotating turntable?

A Centrifugal force acts on the coin and causes them to fly off.

B The outward force on the coin is greater than the centripetal force on it.

C The changing velocity causes the coin to not have a good grip on the turntable.

D The frictional force on the coin is insufficient to keep it moving in a circle round the
turntable.

8 A candle is lighted in a gas jar as shown below. If the jar swings in a circle about O at a
constant speed, in which direction will the flame of the candle point?

A Forward, in the direction of motion.

B Backward, opposite to its velocity.

C Still vertically upwards.

D Inward, points towards O.

E Outwards, away from O.

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9 A rough flat horizontal platform moves in a vertical circle with uniform speed. A small
mass is placed on it and moves together with the platform, as shown.

W Z

mass
platform
X Y

In which pair of positions is the normal force acting on the mass the largest?

A W and X
B X and Y
C Y and Z
D Z and W

10 On an amusement park ride, passengers are strapped

securely with safety belts and rotated uniformly in a vertical
circle of radius 4.00 m. Passengers complete one
revolution in 4.70 s.

A passenger of mass 67.0 kg is shown in the diagram when

at the highest point of the ride and when at the lowest point
of the ride.

Which net force do the ride and safety belt exert on the
passenger in each position?

force at highest point force at lowest point

A 1140 N down 178 N up
B 178 N down 1140 N up
C 178 N up 1140 N up
D 1140 N down 178 N down

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11 During an alternative assessment practical session conducted by a particular school in
Singapore, students attached a 200 g mass to a 50 cm length of fishing line and spun
it in a horizontal circle as shown:

43.4 cm

The mass completes one revolution every second with approximately constant speed.
What is the magnitude of tension in the string?

A 0.49 N
B 0.63 N
C 3.1 N
D 4.0 N

12 A ball of mass m is attached to a light string of length l that is fixed to a pole. The ball
travels in a horizontal circle at a constant speed v with the string making an angle of 45
to the pole as shown in Fig.12.1.

string
45

pole ball

Fig. 12.1 Fig. 12.2

Which of the following changes to the setup will allow the string to be almost horizontal as
shown in Fig. 12.2?
A Change the length of string to 10l, keeping all other variables unchanged.
B Change the mass of ball to 10m, keeping all other variables unchanged.
C Change the mass to 0.10m, keeping all other variables unchanged.
D Change the speed to 10v, keeping all other variables unchanged.

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13 A radar tower 0.20 km tall is built at the equator on a hill of height 1.30 km.
As a result of the Earth’s rotation, what is the difference in the speed between a man at
the top of the tower and someone at the foot of the hill?

Hint: The period of the Earth’s rotation is 24 hours. How is this info relevant to circular
motion?
A zero

B 0.11 m s–1

C 0.39 m s–1

D More information needs to be provided before the question can be solved.