PHY1501/101/3/2015

Tutorial letter 101/3/2015

Elementary Mechanics

PHY1501
Semesters 1 & 2
Department of Physics

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
This tutorial letter contains important information
about your module.

PHY1501/101/3/2015

CONTENTS
Page
1

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 3

PURPOSE OF AND OUTCOMES FOR THE MODULE............................................................... 3

2.1

Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 3

2.2

Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 4

LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS................................................................................... 5

3.1

Lecturer(s) .................................................................................................................................... 5

3.2

Department.5

3.3

University ...................................................................................................................................... 5

MODULE-RELATED RESOURCES ............................................................................................. 6

4.1

Prescribed books .......................................................................................................................... 6

4.2

Recommended books ................................................................................................................... 6

4.3

Electronic Reserves (e-Reserves)................................................................................................. 6

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE MODULE ............................................................... 6

MODULE-SPECIFIC STUDY PLAN ............................................................................................. 7

MODULE PRACTICAL WORK AND WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING .................................... 8

ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................................. 8

8.1

Assessment plan .......................................................................................................................... 8

8.2

General assignment numbers ....................................................................................................... 8

8.2.1

Unique assignment numbers ........................................................................................................ 8

8.2.2

Due dates for assignments ........................................................................................................... 9

8.3

Submission of assignments ........................................................................................................ 10

8.4

Assignments ............................................................................................................................... 10

OTHER ASSESSMENT METHODS ........................................................................................... 10

10

EXAMINATION ........................................................................................................................... 10

11

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ........................................................................................ 10

12

SOURCES CONSULTED ........................................................................................................... 11

13

CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................ 11

14

ADDENDUM ............................................................................................................................... 11

PHY1501/101/3/2015

INTRODUCTION

Dear Student
The Department of Physics at UNISA is very pleased to welcome you to this module (PHY1501)
and we hope that you will find it both interesting and rewarding. Throughout the year we shall
do our best to make you succeed in this module. From your side we expect you (i) to try your
best to start studying early in the semester/year and (ii) to complete all your assignments
thoroughly and on time.
During the Semester you will receive a number of tutorial letters. Tutorial letters are our main
way of communicating with you about teaching, learning and assessment.
Tutorial matters
Tutorial Letter 101 contains important information about the scheme of work, resources and
assignments for this module. We urge you to read it carefully and to keep it close at hand when
working through the study material, preparing the assignment(s), preparing for the examination
and addressing questions to your module leader.
Please read Tutorial Letter 301 in combination with Tutorial Letter 101, as it gives you an idea of
generally important information when studying at a distance through the Department of Physics.
In Tutorial Letter 101, you will find the assignments and assessment criteria as well as
instructions on the preparation and submission of the assignments. This tutorial letter also
provides all the information you need with regard to the prescribed study material and other
resources and how to obtain it. Please study this information carefully and make sure that you
obtain the prescribed material as soon as possible.
We have also included certain general and administrative information about this module.
Please study this section of the tutorial letter carefully.
Right from the start we would like to point out that you must read all the tutorial letters you
receive during the semester/year immediately and carefully.
We hope that you will really enjoy this module and wish you all the best!

PURPOSE OF AND OUTCOMES FOR THE MODULE

2.1

Purpose

For Non-Engineering Qualifications

The primary goal of this module (PHY1501) is to help you develop a conceptual understanding
of the following aspects of Physics:
Introduction to Physics
One-Dimensional Kinematics
Vectors in Physics
Two-Dimensional Kinematics
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PHY1501/101/3/2015
Forces and Newtons laws of motion
Application of Newtons Laws of Motion
Work and Kinetic Energy
Potential Energy and Conservation of Energy
Linear Momentum and Collisions
Rotational Kinematics and Energy
Rotational Dynamics and Static Equilibrium
Oscillations about Equilibrium and Elasticity
Fluids
For Engineering Qualifications
The basics of applied mechanics Units and basic terms, Method of problem solution and
workmanship, Numerical accuracy and significant figures, algebraic and simultaneous
equations, trigonometry and geometry
Forces, vectors, and resultants Vectors, Force Types, Force characteristics and units,
Resultants
Moments and Couples Moments of a force, Couples
Equilibrium Free-Body Diagrams and Conventions, Equations of Equilibrium, Two-Force
Members, Coplanar Force Systems
Structures and Members Method of Joints, Method of Sections, Method of Members
Friction Friction Laws, Coefficients of Friction, Angle of Friction
Centroids and Centre of Gravity Centroids of Simple Areas, Centroids of Composite Areas,
Centroids of Lines
Moments of Inertia Moment of Inertia of an Area, Parallel Axis Theorem, Moment of Inertia of
Composite Areas, Radius of Gyration, Mass Moment of Inertia, Mass Moment of Inertia of
Composite Bodies, Radius of Gyration of Bodies
Stress Analysis Stress, Strain, Modulus of Elasticity, Factor of Safety, Hookes Law
Hydrostatics Density, Specific Weight, Pressure, Resultant Hydrostatic Force on Immersed
Plane Surfaces
Flow of fluids and Bernoullis Equation
Physics is often regarded as a collection of equations that can only be used blindly to solve
problems. A good problem solving technique does NOT begin with equations. It starts with a
firm grasp of the concepts and how they fit together to provide a coherent description of the
physical world. We trust that you will inculcate the latter approach in studying this module.
2.2

Outcomes

At the end of this module you should be able to apply the concepts learned to solve simple reallife problems related to the modules scope.
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PHY1501/101/3/2015
NOTE: Engineering students are expected to be familiar with the concepts in the syllabus
for Non-Engineering Qualifications.

LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS

3.1

Lecturer(s)

The lecturers for this module will be announced in a follow up tutorial letter and also on the
Physics department website:
http://www.unisa.ac.za/Default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=223
PLEASE NOTE: Letters to the module leader must not be enclosed with assignments.
Lecturers are usually available for pre-arranged appointments on weekdays from 08:00 to
15:30. All queries about the academic content should be directed to the module leader, or to the
secretary of the Physics Department.
3.2

Department

Communication with the Physics Department and the module leader

When contacting us please have your student number, module code and study material ready.
Whenever you send us an e-mail or letter, please include your student number and the
appropriate module code. Our general contact information is as follows:
Name of Module Leader for PHY1501

Tel: +27 (0)11 670-9066

Department of Physics (UNISA)

Fax: +27 (0)11 471-2988

Private Bag X06

E-mail: physics@unisa.ac.za

Florida, Roodepoort
1710
3.3

University

All administrative enquiries to the university may be directed by post as follows:

Physical address:

Postal address:

University of South Africa

Cnr. Christiaan de Wet Street &
Pioneer Avenue
Florida Park
Roodepoort
1709

University of South Africa

Private Bag X06
Florida, Roodepoort
1710

Consult the brochure My studies @ Unisa to find other details if you need to contact the
University about matters which are not directly related to the academic content of this module.

PHY1501/101/3/2015

MODULE-RELATED RESOURCES

4.1

Prescribed books

(a) Non-Engineering Qualifications

The prescribed textbook is:
PHYSICS: Technology Update, plus MasteringPhysics, 4th Edition PNIE by James S.
Walker (ISBN: 978-1-29202-100-3) Published by Pearson Education (2014)
There is NO study guide for this textbook. may be purchased separately in addition to the
textbook.
Please refer to the list of official booksellers and their addresses listed in My studies @ Unisa.
If you have any difficulties in obtaining books from these bookshops, please contact the Unisa
Prescribed Book Section at Tel: +27 (0) 12 429-4152 or email vospresc@unisa.ac.za.
(b) Engineering Qualifications
The prescribed textbook is:
Applied Mechanics for Engineering Technology (8th Edition) by K. M. Walker. (ISBN: 9781-29202-736-4) Published by Pearson Education Limited (2014).
Please refer to the list of official booksellers and their addresses listed in My studies @ Unisa.
If you have any difficulties in obtaining books from these bookshops, please contact the Unisa
Prescribed Book Section at Tel: +27 (0) 12 429-4152 or email vospresc@unisa.ac.za
4.2

Recommended books

The recommended book for students pursuing Engineering Qualifications is:

PHYSICS: Technology Update, plus MasteringPhysics, 4th Edition PNIE by James S.
Walker (ISBN: 978-1-29202-100-3) Published by Pearson Education (2014)
4.3
Electronic Reserves (e-Reserves)
There are no e-Reserves for this module.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE MODULE

For information on the various student support systems and services available at Unisa (e.g.
student counselling, tutorial classes, language support), please consult the publication
MyStudies @ Unisa that you received with your study material.
Contact with fellow students
a)

Study groups

It is advisable to have contact with fellow students. One way to do this is to form study
groups. The addresses of students in your area may be obtained from the following department
by writing to:
Directorate: Student Administration and Registration
PO Box 392
UNISA
0003

PHY1501/101/3/2015
Please note: Although there is nothing stopping you from working together on assignments,
you should always write out and submit your own individual assignment. Even though you must
submit only the answers to the multiple-choice questions (on a mark reading sheet), it is in
your best interest to generate your own ideas and to keep a written record of these and your
attempts at solving the assignment problems. It is unacceptable for a group of students to
submit identical assignments on the basis that they worked together. That is copying (a form of
plagiarism), for which you may be penalized or subjected to disciplinary proceedings by the
University.
b)

myUnisa

If you have access to a computer that is linked to the internet, you can quickly access resources
and information at the University. The myUnisa learning management system is Unisa's online
campus that will help you to communicate with your lecturers, with other students and with the
administrative departments of Unisa all through the computer and the internet.
To go to the myUnisa website, start at the main Unisa website, http://www.unisa.ac.za and
then click on the Login to myUnisa link on the right-hand side of the screen. This should take
you to the myUnisa website. You can also go there directly by typing in http://my.unisa.ac.za
For more information on myUnisa, please consult My studies @ Unisa.
c)

Group Discussions

You will receive information with dates, venues and times for group discussions for this module
on the modules website on myUnisa portal. The groups discussions(popularly referred to as
Discussion Classes) will be facilitated by the Module Leader/Lecturer. You are therefore advised
to keep your contact details updated and to keep your mylife email active. Visit this website
regularly.

MODULE-SPECIFIC STUDY PLAN

This is a semester module. The semester period is roughly seventeen (17) weeks only. We
therefore encourage you to work as fast as you can through the prescribed work. You are
advised to go through the prescribed work before you attempt to do any assignments. In your
studies for the semester you should take into account the following: In order to remain an active
student you must have submitted:
Semester 1:

at least one assignment by 2nd April 2015

Semester 2:

at least one assignment by 11th of September 2015

PHY1501/101/3/2015

MODULE PRACTICAL WORK AND WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING

There are no practicals for this module per se. However, if you are doing this module and
registered for the engineering stream make sure that you are also registered for one of the
practical modules such as MCAPRAC1.

ASSESSMENT

8.1

Assessment plan

There are mainly two types of assessment for this module.

(a) Continuous Assessment - Assignments.
(b) Summative Assessment - Final Examination at the end of each semester.
There are three (3) compulsory assignments for each semester. The assignments are
numbered 01, 02, and 03 as can be seen in this tutorial letter. An additional assignment for
further practice may be posted on the module website on myUnisa at a later stage. Therefore it
is vital that you check the myUnisa website from time to time.
The questions for the assignments are given in this Tutorial letter as follows:
For Semester 1 Non-Engineering Qualifications: See pages 12 - 21
For Semester 2 Non-Engineering Qualifications: See pages 22 -31
For Semester 1 Engineering Qualifications: See pages 32 - 42
For Semester 2 Engineering Qualifications: See pages 43 - 53
The questions and problems are taken from various sources, but mainly from the prescribed
textbooks and the recommended textbooks.
Please make sure that you answer the assignments for the semester for which you are
registered. If you answer questions for the semester for which you are not registered your
assignment will not be marked and you will get zero mark and if you answer questions
for the qualification for which you are not registered you will get zero marks.
The average of the percentage marks obtained in your assignments will contribute 20% toward
your final mark.
8.2

General assignment numbers

There are three (3) assignments that you are required to do for this module: Assignment 1,
Assignment 2 and Assignment 3. Assignments 1 and 2 consist of ten (10) questions each and
you are required to submit written solutions to the questions for assessment. Assignment 3
consist of twenty five (25) Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and each question caries four (4)
marks.
8.2.1 Unique assignment numbers
Each assignment is allocated a unique assignment number. Note that each assignment has its
own unique number which must be written on the cover of your assignment upon submission.
The unique assignment numbers for this module are as follows:
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PHY1501/101/3/2015

SEMESTER 1
Assignment Number

Unique Assignment Number

01

586068

02

586077

03

586126

SEMESTER 2
Assignment Number

Unique Assignment Number

01

586164

02

586677

03

586689

8.2.2 Due dates for assignments

The due dates for the assignments for both semester 1 and semester 2 are as follows:

SEMESTER 1
Assignment Number

Unique Number

Due Dates

01

586068

23 February 2015

02

586077

23 March 2015

03

586126

20 April 2015

SEMESTER 2
01

586068

17 August 2015

02

586077

07 September 2015

03

586126

05 October 2015

PHY1501/101/3/2015
8.3

Submission of assignments

You may submit written assignments and assignments completed on mark-reading sheets
either by post or electronically via the myUnisa portal. Consult the brochure My studies @ Unisa
for details on how to do this. Assignments may NOT be submitted by fax or e-mail.
You will receive the solutions (keys) for each of the assignments from Unisa a few weeks after
the due dates of the assignments. These solutions will be posted on the module website for
you to download.
8.4

Assignments

The assignments section starts from page 12. Please choose the correct assignments
which correspond with the qualification that you are pursuing. The chapters to read
referred to in the assignments section are from your prescribed book.

OTHER ASSESSMENT METHODS

There are no other assessment methods for this module. However, we urge you to visit the
website link : http://www.compadre.org/osp, which has a plethora of simulations exercises that
may help you understand Physics concepts much better. Please send the feedback on your
experience with the use of this website to either Mr. T. Tshuma (tshumt@unisa.ac.za) or Prof
ML Lekala (lekalml@unisa.a.c.za).

10

EXAMINATION

10.1

Examination admission

To be admitted to the examination you need to submit at least one compulsory assignment. A
two-hour examination is written at the end of each semester. The examination contributes 80%
toward your final mark.
10.2

Examination period

This module is offered in semester period of about seventeen weeks. Therefore if you are
registered for the first semester, you will write the examination in May/June 2015, and the
supplementary examination will be written in October/November 2015. If you are registered for
the second semester you will write the examination in October/November 2015 and the
supplementary examination will be written in May/June 2016.
During the semester, the Examination Section of the University will provide you with information
regarding the examination in general, examination venues, examination dates and examination
times.
10.3

Examination paper

The examination will be a single written paper of two hours duration. The exam will consist of
two sections i.e. sections A and B which will consist of long questions where you will submit
written solutions to the questions. You are allowed to use a non-programmable calculator in the
exam. Refer to the My Studies @ Unisa brochure for general examination guidelines and
examination preparation guidelines.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For any other study information see the brochure My Studies @ Unisa.

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PHY1501/101/3/2015

12

SOURCES CONSULTED

To be successful in your studies this semester you are required to consult the prescribed and
recommended textbooks and the accompanying study guides if available and the myUnisa
website.

13

CONCLUSION

We hope that this tutorial letter will greatly help you in planning and managing your studies. We
would like to emphasize, once again, that late assignments WILL NOT be considered, you are
therefore required to adhere to assignment due dates.

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ADDENDUM
No addendum.

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PHY1501/101/3/2015

SEMESTER 1 ASSIGNMENTS
FOR NON-ENGINEERING
STUDENTS

(The assignments that follow are for students registered for the FIRST SEMESTER for NonEngineering Qualifications ONLY)

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A. NON-ENGINEERING STUDENTS
The following assignments should be done by students who are pursuing NonEngineering Qualifications ONLY.

Assignment 01 Semester 1
Unique No: 586068
Due date: 23 February 2015
(Total: 100 marks. Contribution to year mark: 30%)

Question

Problems to solve

Book Chapters to read

Marks to be awarded

53 page 55

[10]

56 page 55

[10]

10 page 84

[10]

14 page 84

[10]

68 page 120

[10]

69 page 120

[10]

28 page 156

[10]

32 page 156

[10]

37 page 199

[10]

10

85 page 203

[10]

These problems are taken from your prescribed book

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PHY1501/101/3/2015

Assignment 02 Semester 1
Unique No: 586077
Due date: 23 March 2015
(Total: 100 marks. Contribution to year mark: 30%)

Question

Problems to solve

Book Chapters to read

Marks to be awarded

2 page 235

[10]

27 page 236

[10]

83 page 279

[10]

84 page 279

[10]

31 page 327

[10]

80 page 331

[10]

22 page 364

10

[10]

34 page 365

10

[10]

94 page 415

11

[10]

10(a)

76 page 501

13

(b)

43 page 596

15

These problems are taken from your prescribed book

14

[10]

PHY1501/101/3/2015

Assignment 03 Semester 1
Unique No: 586126
Due date: 20 April 2015
(Total: 100 marks. Contribution to year mark: 40%)

1) If you are measuring the length of a room, the most appropriate SI unit is the
1) kilometer.
2) meter.
3) centimeter.
4) millimeter.
5) micrometer.
2) A typical E. coli bacterium is measured in microns. Which of the following is a representation
of a micron?
1) 1 10-15
2) 1 10-12
3) 1 10-9
4) 1 10-6
5) 1 10-3
3) Suppose that an object travels from one point in space to another. Make a comparison
between the displacement and the distance traveled.
1) The displacement is either greater than or equal to the distance traveled.
2) The displacement is always equal to the distance traveled.
3) The displacement is either less than or equal to the distance traveled.
4) The displacement can be either greater than, smaller than, or equal to the distance traveled.
5) If the displacement is equal to zero, then the distance traveled will also equal zero.
4) A car is moving with a speed of 32.0 m/s. The driver sees an accident ahead and slams on
the brakes, giving the car a deceleration of 3.50 m/s2. How far does the car travel after the
driver put on the brakes before it comes to a stop?
1) 4.57 m
2) 9.14 m
3) 112 m
4) 146 m
5) 292 m

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PHY1501/101/3/2015
5) If a vector A has components Ax > 0, and Ay > 0, then the angle that this vector makes with
the positive x-axis must be in the range
1) 0 to 90.
2) 90 to 180.
3) 180 to 270.
4) 270 to 360.
5) cannot be determined without additional information
6) The components of vectors A and B in the Figure below are

1) Ax = 0
2) Ax = A sin 90
3) Ax = A cos 0
4) Ax = A cos 90
5) Ax = A cos 90

Bx = B sin 30
Bx = B cos 60
Bx = -B cos 60
Bx = B sin 60
Bx = 0

Ay = 0
Ay = A cos 90
Ay = A cos 90
Ay = A sin 90
Ay = A sin 90

By = B cos 30.
By = B sin 60.
By = B cos 30.
By = B cos 60.
By = 0

7) Vector A = 6.0 m and points 30 north of east. Vector B = 4.0 m and points 30 south of
west. The resultant vector A + B is given by
1) 2.0 m at an angle 30 north of east.
2) 2.0 m at an angle 60 north of east.
3) 10.0 m at an angle 60 east of north.
4) 10.0 m at an angle 30 north of east.
5) 10.0 m at an angle 60 north of east.

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PHY1501/101/3/2015
8) In the Figure below, the components of the vector sum are given by

Choice

x-component

y-component

1
2
3
4
5

3.73 cm
-3.73 cm
-2.27 cm
2.27 cm
3.73 cm

2.20 cm
2.20 cm
0 cm
0 cm
-2.20 cm

1) Choice 1
2) Choice 2
3) Choice 3
4) Choice 4
5) Choice 5
9) James and John dive from an overhang into the lake below. James simply drops straight
down from the edge. John takes a running start and jumps with an initial horizontal velocity of
25 m/s. Compare the time it takes each to reach the lake below.
1) James reaches the surface of the lake first.
2) John reaches the surface of the lake first.
3) James and John will reach the surface of the lake at the same time.
4) Cannot be determined without knowing the mass of both James and John.
5) Cannot be determined without knowing the weight of both James and John.
10) A projectile is launched with an initial velocity of 80 m/s at an angle of 30 above the
horizontal. Neglecting air resistance, what is horizontal component of the projectile's
acceleration?
1) 80 m/s2
2) 40 m/s2
3) 9.8 m/s2
4) 0 m/s2
5) 4.9 m/s2

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PHY1501/101/3/2015
11) To determine the mass of a car, a student (with a friend at the wheel) pushes the car
holding a bathroom scale between himself and the car and carefully maintains a constant
reading of 400 N on the scale while the car accelerates on level ground. At the conclusion of the
experiment his friend reports that the car accelerated from rest to 14.0 km/hr in 12.0 s. What
was the mass of the car?
1) 343 kg
2) 1230 kg
3) 2460 kg
4) 3360 kg
5) 3430 kg
12) A 10.0-kg picture is held in place by two wires, one hanging at 50.0 to the left of the
vertical and the other at 45.0 to the right of the vertical. What is the tension in the first wire?
1) 69.6 N
2) 50.8 N
3) 98.1 N
4) 69.4 N
5) 23.8 N
13) A child pulls a 3.00-kg sled across level ground at constant velocity with a light rope that
makes an angle 30.0 above horizontal. The tension in the rope is 5.00 N. Assuming the
acceleration of gravity is 9.81 m/s2, what is the coefficient of friction between the sled and the
ground?
1) 0.161
2) 0.188
3) 0.0441
4) 0.0851
5) 0.103
14) Block A has a mass of 3.00 kg and rests on a smooth table and is connected to block B,
which has a mass of 2.00 kg, after passing over an ideal pulley, as shown below. Block B is
released from rest.

What is the acceleration of the masses?

1) 3.22 m/s2
2) 5.10 m/s2
3) 3.92 m/s2
4) 6.54 m/s2
5) 8.24 m/s2

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15) A 4.0 kg mass is moving with speed 2.0 m/s. A 1.0 kg mass is moving with speed 4.0 m/s.
Both objects encounter the same constant braking force, and are brought to rest. Which object
travels the greater distance before stopping?
1) the 4.0 kg mass
2) the 1.0 kg mass
3) Both travel the same distance.
4) Cannot be determined from the information given.
5) None of the above
16) An object of 1.0 kg mass is pulled up an inclined plane by a constant force of 10 N that
causes a displacement of 0.50 m. The angle of inclination with the horizontal is 30. Neglect
friction and use g = 10 m/s2. What is the work done by the net force on the object along the
inclined plane?
1) 4.3 J
2) 4.3 kg m/s2
3) 0 J
4) 2.5 J
5) 3.5 J
17) You and your friend want to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Your friend takes the elevator
straight up. You decide to walk up the spiral stairway, taking longer to do so. Compare the
gravitational potential energy (U) of you and your friend, after you both reach the top.
1) It is impossible to tell, since the times are unknown.
2) It is impossible to tell, since the distances are unknown.
3) Your friend's U is greater than your U, because she got to the top faster.
4) Both of you have the same amount of potential energy.
5) Your U is greater than your friend's U, because you traveled a greater distance in getting to
the top.
18) A roller coaster of mass 80.0 kg is moving with a speed of 20.0 m/s at position A as shown
in the Figure below. The vertical height at position A above ground level is 200 m. Neglect
friction and use g = 10.0 m/s2

What is the total energy of the roller coaster at point A?

1) 16.0 103 J
2) 20.2 103 J
3) 16.0 104 J
4) 17.6 104 J
5) There is not enough information to solve this problem.

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19) A 1200-kg pick-up truck traveling south at 15.0 m/s collides with a 750-kg car traveling east.
The two vehicles stick together. A patrolman investigating the accident determines that the final
position of the wreckage after the collision is 25.0 m, at an angle of 50.0 south of east, from the
point of impact. He also determines that the coefficient of friction between the tires and the road
at that location was 0.400. What was the speed of the car before the collision?
1) 19.6 m/s
2) 4.84 m/s
3) 14.0 m/s
4) 23.4 m/s
5) 17.4 m/s
20) A curling stone slides on ice with a speed of 2.0 m/s and collides in-elastically with an
identical, stationary curling stone. After the collision, the first stone is deflected by a
counterclockwise angle of 28 from its original direction of travel, and the second stone moves
in a direction that makes a 42 clockwise angle with the original direction of travel of the first
stone. What fraction of the initial energy is lost in this collision?
1) 0.12
2) 0.24
3) 0.36
4) 0.48
5) 0.64
21) An experiment that can be used to measure the velocity of a bullet is to have two cardboard
disks attached to a rotating shaft some distance apart and to measure the angular separation of
the holes made by the bullet. In such an experiment, two cardboard disks are placed 0.534 m
apart on a shaft that is rotating at 3000 rpm. The bullet is fired parallel to the axis and the
angular separation of the holes is measured to be 22.0. What is the speed of the bullet?
1) 72.8 m/s
2) 139 m/s
3) 219 m/s
4) 437 m/s
5) 1380 m/s
22) A man is holding an 8.00-kg vacuum cleaner at arm's length, a distance of 0.550 m from his
shoulder. What is the torque on the shoulder joint if the arm is held at 30.0 below the
horizontal?
1) 21.6 Nm
2) 2.20 Nm
3) 4.40 Nm
4) 12.6 Nm
5) 37.4 Nm

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PHY1501/101/3/2015
23) A store's sign, with a mass of 20.0 kg and 3.00 m long, has its center of gravity at the center
of the sign. It is supported by a loose bolt attached to the wall at one end and by a wire at the
other end, as shown in Figure below. The wire makes an angle of 25.0 with the horizontal.

What is the tension in the wire?

1) 464 N
2) 232 N
3) 116 N
4) 196 N
5) 297 N

24) A spar buoy consists of a circular cylinder, which floats with its axis oriented vertically. One
such buoy has a radius of 1.00 m, a height of 2.00 m, and weighs 40.0 kN. What portion of it is
submerged when it is floating in fresh water?
1) 1.35 m
2) 1.30 m
3) 1.25 m
4) 1.20 m
5) 1.50 m
25) The lift on an airplane wing is an application of
1) Bernoulli's principle.
2) Pascal's principle.
3) Archimedes' principle.
4) Poiseuille's equation.
5) Torricelli's equation.

21

PHY1501/101/3/2015

SEMESTER 2 ASSIGNMENTS
FOR NON-ENGINEERING
STUDENTS

(The assignments that follow are for students registered for the SECOND SEMESTER for NonEngineering Qualifications ONLY)

22

PHY1501/101/3/2015

Assignment 01 Semester 2
Unique No: 586164
Due date: 17 August 2015
(Total: 100 marks. Contribution to year mark: 30%)

Question

Problems to solve

Book Chapters to read

Marks to be awarded

64 page 56

[10]

68 page 56

[10]

17 page 84

[10]

15 page 84

[10]

81 page 121

[10]

82 page 121

[10]

30 page 156

[10]

27 page 156

[10]

45 page 200

[10]

10

107 page 205

[10]

These problems are taken from your prescribed book

23

PHY1501/101/3/2015

Assignment 02 Semester 2
Unique No: 586677
Due date: 07 September 2015
(Total: 100 marks. Contribution to year mark: 30%)

Question

Problems to solve

Book Chapters to read

3 page 235

[10]

30 page 236

[10]

86 page 279

[10]

87 page 279

[10]

32 page 327

[10]

80 page 331

[10]

19 page 364

10

[10]

37 page 365

10

[10]

105 page 417

11

[10]

10(a)

79 page 501

13

(b)

44 page 596

15

These problems are taken from your prescribed book

24

Marks to be awarded

[10]

PHY1501/101/3/2015

Assignment 03 Semester 2
Unique No: 586689
Due date: 05 October 2015
(Total: 100 marks. Contribution to year mark: 40%)

1) The meter is currently defined as

1) the distance between two etched lines in a platinum-iridium bar kept in Sevres, France.
2) the distance between two etched lines in a platinum-iridium bar kept in Washington, D.C.
3) one ten-millionth of the distance between the North pole and the equator.
4) the distance traveled by light in 1/299,792,458 of a second.
5) 1,553,164.1 wavelengths of red cadmium light in dry air at 25C.
2) In the year 2000, the average size of a transistor in a microprocessor was 250 nanometers. A
human hair has a diameter of 70 microns (micrometers). How many transistors fit across a
human hair?
1) 280
2) 28
3) 2800
4) 2.8
5) 0.28
3) Which statement below about the distance between the starting and ending positions and the
displacement between the starting and ending positions is correct?
1) The distance between the starting and ending positions is twice the magnitude of the
displacement between the starting and ending positions.
2) The distance between the starting and ending positions is equal to the magnitude of the
displacement between the starting and ending positions.
3) The distance between the starting and ending positions is the negative of the magnitude of
the displacement between the starting and ending positions.
4) The distance between the starting and ending positions is greater than the magnitude of the
displacement between the starting and ending positions.
5) The distance between the starting and ending positions is less than the magnitude of the
displacement between the starting and ending positions.

25

PHY1501/101/3/2015
4) A car is traveling with a constant speed when the driver suddenly applies the brakes, giving
the car a deceleration of 3.50 m/s2. If the car comes to a stop in a distance of 30.0 m, what was
the car's original speed?
1) 10.2 m/s
2) 14.5 m/s
3) 105 m/s
4) 210 m/s
5) 315 m/s
5) If a vector A has components Ax < 0, and Ay < 0, then the angle that this vector makes with
the positive x-axis must be in the range
1) 0 to 90.
2) 90 to 180.
3) 180 to 270.
4) 270 to 360.
5) cannot be determined without additional information
6) In the Figure below , the components of the sum of the vectors are given by

choice
1
2
3
4
5

x-component y-component
0 cm
+6.0 cm
-3.5 cm
-2.0 cm
+3.5 cm
-2.0 cm
0 cm
-4.0 cm
0 cm
-2.0 cm

1) Choice 1
2) Choice 2
3) Choice 3
4) Choice 4
5) Choice 5
7) Vector A = 8.0 m and points east, Vector B = 6.0 m and points north, and vector C = 5.0
m and points west. The resultant vector A + B + C is given by
1) 2.0 m at an angle 63 north of east.
2) 2.0 m at an angle 63 east of north.
3) 6.7 m at an angle 63 east of north.
4) 6.7 m at an angle 63 north of east.
5) 3.8 m at an angle 67 north of east
26

PHY1501/101/3/2015
8) The components of the sum of the vectors in the Figure below are given by

Choice
1
2
3
4
5

x-component y-component
4.9 cm
2.8 cm
2.8 cm
4.9 cm
0 cm
4.2 cm
-4.2 cm
0 cm
0 cm
4.2 cm

1) Choice 1
2) Choice 2
3) Choice 3
4) Choice 4
5) Choice 5
9) James and John dive from an overhang into the lake below. James simply drops straight
down from the edge. John takes a running start and jumps with an initial horizontal velocity of
25 m/s. When they reach the lake below,
1) the splashdown speed of James is larger than that of John.
2) the splashdown speed of John is larger than that of James.
3) they will both have the same splashdown speed.
4) the splashdown speed of James will always be 9.8 m/s larger than that of John.
5) the splashdown speed of John will always be 25 m/s larger than that of John.
10) A bullet is fired from ground level with a speed of 150 m/s at an angle 30.0 above the
horizontal at a location where g = 10.0 m/s2. What is the horizontal component of its velocity
when it is at the highest point of its trajectory?
1) 0 m/s
2) 10 m/s
3) 75.0 m/s
4) 130 m/s
5) 150 m/s
11) To determine the mass of a car, a student (with a friend at the wheel) pushes the car
holding a bathroom scale between himself and the car and carefully maintains a constant
reading of 400 N on the scale while the car accelerates on level ground. At the conclusion of the
experiment his friend reports that the car accelerated from rest to 14.0 km/hr in 12.0 s. What
was the mass of the car?
1) 343 kg
2) 1230 kg
3) 2460 kg
4) 3360 kg
5) 3430 kg
27

PHY1501/101/3/2015
12) A 10.0-kg picture is held in place by two wires, one hanging at 50.0 to the left of the
vertical and the other at 45.0 to the right of the vertical. What is the tension in the second wire?
1) 71.8 N
2) 75.4 N
3) 98.1 N
4) 69.4 N
5) 23.8 N
13) A 60.0-kg mass person wishes to push a 120-kg mass box across a level floor. The
coefficient of static friction between the person's shoes and the floor is 0.700. What is the
maximum coefficient of static friction between the box and the floor such that the person can
push horizontally on the box and cause it to start moving?
1) 0.333
2) 0.500
3) 0.350
4) 0.667
5) 0.700
14) Two masses are connected by a string which goes over an ideal pulley as shown in the
Figure below. Block A has a mass of 3.0 kg and can slide along a smooth plane inclined 30 to
the horizontal.

What is the mass of block B if the system is in equilibrium?

1) 1.5 kg
2) 3.0 kg
3) 2.6 kg
4) 3.5 kg
5) 6.0 kg
15) A policeman investigating an accident measures the skid marks left by a car. He determines
that the distance between the point that the driver slammed on the brakes and the point where
the car came to a stop was 28.0 m. From a reference manual he determines that the coefficient
of kinetic friction between the tires and the road under the prevailing conditions was 0.300. How
fast was the car going when the driver applied the brakes? (This car was not equipped with antilock brakes.)
1) 10.7 m/s
2) 12.8 m/s
3) 21.4 m/s
4) 32.9 m/s
5) 45.7 m/s

28

PHY1501/101/3/2015
16) You slam on the brakes of your car in a panic, and skid a certain distance on a straight,
level road. If you had been traveling twice as fast, what distance would the car have skidded,
under the same conditions?
1) It would have skidded 4 times farther.
2) It would have skidded twice as far.
3) It would have skidded 1.4 times farther.
4) It would have skidded one half as far.
5) It is impossible to tell from the information given.
17) An object of mass 10.0 kg is released from the top of an inclined plane which makes an
angle of inclination of 30.0 with the horizontal. The object slides along the inclined plane. The
questions refer to the instant when the object has traveled through a distance of 2.00 m
measured along the slope. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the mass and the surface
is 0.200. Use g = 10 m/s2. How much work is done by gravity?
1) 100 J
2) 20.0 J
3) 0 J
4) 10.0 J
5) 131 J
18) A 2.0-g bead slides along a wire, as shown in the Figure below. At point A, the bead is at
rest. Neglect friction and use g = 10 m/s2.

What is the kinetic energy of the bead at point A?

1) 2.0 x 10-2 J
2) 16 x 10-3 J
3) 0.40 J
4) 0 J
5) There is not enough information to solve this problem.
19) An 80.0-g puck moving at 1.20 m/s on an air table collides with a stationary 100-g puck.
After the collision, the 80.0-g puck moves in a direction that makes an angle of 45.0 with the
original direction of motion and the 100-g puck moves at an angle of 12.0 in the opposite
direction. What is the speed of the 80.0-g puck after the collision?
1) 0.809 m/s
2) 0.297 m/s
3) 0.533 m/s
4) 0.0953 m/s
5) 1.23 m/s

29

PHY1501/101/3/2015
20) A curling stone slides on ice with a speed of 1.70 m/s and collides elastically with an
identical, stationary curling stone. After the collision, the first stone has a velocity of 0.800 m/s in
a direction that makes a counterclockwise angle of 61.9 with its original direction of travel. At
what speed and what direction is the second stone traveling after the collision?
1) 1.50 m/s at a clockwise angle of 28.1
2) 1.40 m/s at a clockwise angle of 19.1
3) 1.60 m/s at a clockwise angle of 34.2
4) 1.60 m/s at a clockwise angle of 28.1
5) 1.40 m/s at a clockwise angle of 32.3
21) A wheel that is rotating at 33.3 rad/s is given an angular acceleration of 2.15 rad/s 2.
Through what angle has the wheel turned when its angular speed reaches 72.0 rad/s?
1) 83.2 rad
2) 316 rad
3) 697 rad
4) 66.8 rad
5) 948 rad
22) A man is holding an 8.00-kg vacuum cleaner at arm's length, a distance of 0.550 m from his
shoulder. What is the torque on the shoulder joint if the arm is held at 30.0 below the
horizontal?
1) 21.6 Nm
2) 2.20 Nm
3) 4.40 Nm
4) 12.6 Nm
5) 37.4 Nm
23) A stepladder consists of two halves, hinged at the top, and connected by a tie rod which
keeps the two halves from spreading apart. In this particular instance, the two halves are 2.50 m
long; the tie rod is connected to the center of each half and is 70.0 cm long. An 800-N person
stands 3/5 of the way up the stepladder, as shown in the figure below. Neglect the weight of the
ladder, and assume that the ladder is resting on a smooth floor.

What is the tension in the tie rod? Note: to solve this problem you must "cut" the ladder in half
and consider the equilibrium of forces and torques acting on each half of the ladder.
1) 140 N
2) 240 N
3) 280 N
4) 360 N
5) 560 N
30

PHY1501/101/3/2015
24) You have two identical pure silver ingots. You place one of them in a glass of water and
observe it to sink to the bottom. You place the other in a container full of mercury and observe
that it floats. Comparing the buoyant forces in the two cases you conclude that
1) the buoyant force in the water is equal to that in mercury.
2) the buoyant force in the water is larger than that in mercury.
3) the buoyant force in water is smaller than the that in mercury.
4) the buoyant force in the water is zero and that in mercury is non-zero.
5) No conclusion can be made about the respective values of the buoyant forces.
25) How a ship floats is described in terms of
1) Bernoulli's principle.
2) Pascal's principle.
3) Archimedes' principle.
4) Poiseuille's equation.
5) Torricelli's equation.

31

PHY1501/101/3/2015

SEMESTER 1 ASSIGNMENTS
FOR ENGINEERING
STUDENTS

(The assignments that follow are for students registered for the FIRST SEMESTER in
Engineering ONLY)

32

PHY1501/101/3/2015

B. ENGINEERING STUDENTS
The following assignments should be done by students who are pursuing Engineering
Qualifications ONLY.

Assignment 01 Semester 1
Unique No: 586068
Due date: 23 February 2015
(Total: 100 marks. Contribution to year mark: 30%)

Question

Problems to solve

Book Chapters to read

Marks to be awarded

1-4 page 26

[10]

1-40 page 34

[10]

2-13 page 59

[10]

2-21 page 61

[10]

3-11 page 83

[10]

3-9 page 83

[10]

4-4 page 131

[10]

4-10 page 132

[10]

5-1 page 185

[10]

10

5-38 page 196

[10]

These problems are taken from your prescribed book

33

PHY1501/101/3/2015

Assignment 02 Semester 1
Unique No: 586077
Due date: 23 March 2015
(Total: 100 marks. Contribution to year mark: 30%)

Questions 1-6 are taken from your prescribed book

Question

Problems to solve

Book Chapters to read

Marks to be awarded

7-4 page 279

[10]

7-42 page 287

[10]

8-9 page 309

[10]

8-22 page 313

[10]

9-42 page 342

[10]

9-46 page 342

[10]

Question 7
What diameter of a steel rod is required to support a tension load of 50.5 kN? Assume that the
allowable stress for the steel is 170 N/mm2
[10]
Question 8
Consider a simple tension member that carries an axial load of F= 26.68N. Find the total
elongation in the member due to the load. Assume that the member is made of steel, which has
a modulus of elasticity of 20.400 N/cm2. Also assume that the member is 3.048 m long and has
a cross-sectional area of 1.290x10-3 mm2.
[10]
34

PHY1501/101/3/2015
Question 9
For the oil tank shown below, compute the magnitude of the resultant force on the indicated
area and the location of the centre of pressure.

[10]
Question 10
A buoy is a solid cylinder 0.3 m in diameter and 1.2 m long. It is made of a material with a
specific weight of 7.9 kN/m3. If it floats upright, how much of its length is above the water?
[10]

35

PHY1501/101/3/2015

Assignment 03 Semester 1
Unique No: 586126
Due date: 20 April 2015
(Total: 100 marks. Contribution to year mark: 40%)

1) If you are measuring the length of a room, the most appropriate SI unit is the
1) kilometer.
2) meter.
3) centimeter.
4) millimeter.
5) micrometer.
2) A typical E. coli bacterium is measured in microns. Which of the following is a representation
of a micron?
1) 1 10-15
2) 1 10-12
3) 1 10-9
4) 1 10-6
5) 1 10-3
3) Suppose that an object travels from one point in space to another. Make a comparison
between the displacement and the distance traveled.
1) The displacement is either greater than or equal to the distance traveled.
2) The displacement is always equal to the distance traveled.
3) The displacement is either less than or equal to the distance traveled.
4) The displacement can be either greater than, smaller than, or equal to the distance traveled.
5) If the displacement is equal to zero, then the distance traveled will also equal zero.
4) A car is moving with a speed of 32.0 m/s. The driver sees an accident ahead and slams on
the brakes, giving the car a deceleration of 3.50 m/s2. How far does the car travel after the
driver put on the brakes before it comes to a stop?
1) 4.57 m
2) 9.14 m
3) 112 m
4) 146 m
5) 292 m

36

PHY1501/101/3/2015
5) If a vector A has components Ax > 0, and Ay > 0, then the angle that this vector makes with
the positive x-axis must be in the range
1) 0 to 90.
2) 90 to 180.
3) 180 to 270.
4) 270 to 360.
5) cannot be determined without additional information
6) The components of vectors A and B in the Figure below are

1) Ax = 0
2) Ax = A sin 90
3) Ax = A cos 0
4) Ax = A cos 90
5) Ax = A cos 90

Bx = B sin 30
Bx = B cos 60
Bx = -B cos 60
Bx = B sin 60
Bx = 0

Ay = 0
Ay = A cos 90
Ay = A cos 90
Ay = A sin 90
Ay = A sin 90

By = B cos 30.
By = B sin 60.
By = B cos 30.
By = B cos 60.
By = 0

7) Vector A = 6.0 m and points 30 north of east. Vector B = 4.0 m and points 30 south of
west. The resultant vector A + B is given by
1) 2.0 m at an angle 30 north of east.
2) 2.0 m at an angle 60 north of east.
3) 10.0 m at an angle 60 east of north.
4) 10.0 m at an angle 30 north of east.
5) 10.0 m at an angle 60 north of east.

37

PHY1501/101/3/2015
8) In the Figure below, the components of the vector sum are given by

Choice

x-component

y-component

1
2
3
4
5

3.73 cm
-3.73 cm
-2.27 cm
2.27 cm
3.73 cm

2.20 cm
2.20 cm
0 cm
0 cm
-2.20 cm

1) Choice 1
2) Choice 2
3) Choice 3
4) Choice 4
5) Choice 5
9) James and John dive from an overhang into the lake below. James simply drops straight
down from the edge. John takes a running start and jumps with an initial horizontal velocity of
25 m/s. Compare the time it takes each to reach the lake below.
1) James reaches the surface of the lake first.
2) John reaches the surface of the lake first.
3) James and John will reach the surface of the lake at the same time.
4) Cannot be determined without knowing the mass of both James and John.
5) Cannot be determined without knowing the weight of both James and John.
10) A projectile is launched with an initial velocity of 80 m/s at an angle of 30 above the
horizontal. Neglecting air resistance, what is horizontal component of the projectile's
acceleration?
1) 80 m/s2
2) 40 m/s2
3) 9.8 m/s2
4) 0 m/s2
5) 4.9 m/s2

38

PHY1501/101/3/2015
11) To determine the mass of a car, a student (with a friend at the wheel) pushes the car
holding a bathroom scale between himself and the car and carefully maintains a constant
reading of 400 N on the scale while the car accelerates on level ground. At the conclusion of the
experiment his friend reports that the car accelerated from rest to 14.0 km/hr in 12.0 s. What
was the mass of the car?
1) 343 kg
2) 1230 kg
3) 2460 kg
4) 3360 kg
5) 3430 kg
12) A 10.0-kg picture is held in place by two wires, one hanging at 50.0 to the left of the
vertical and the other at 45.0 to the right of the vertical. What is the tension in the first wire?
1) 69.6 N
2) 50.8 N
3) 98.1 N
4) 69.4 N
5) 23.8 N
13) A child pulls a 3.00-kg sled across level ground at constant velocity with a light rope that
makes an angle 30.0 above horizontal. The tension in the rope is 5.00 N. Assuming the
acceleration of gravity is 9.81 m/s2, what is the coefficient of friction between the sled and the
ground?
1) 0.161
2) 0.188
3) 0.0441
4) 0.0851
5) 0.103
14) Block A has a mass of 3.00 kg and rests on a smooth table and is connected to block B,
which has a mass of 2.00 kg, after passing over an ideal pulley, as shown below. Block B is
released from rest.

What is the acceleration of the masses?

1) 3.22 m/s2
2) 5.10 m/s2
3) 3.92 m/s2
4) 6.54 m/s2
5) 8.24 m/s2

39

PHY1501/101/3/2015
15) A 4.0 kg mass is moving with speed 2.0 m/s. A 1.0 kg mass is moving with speed 4.0 m/s.
Both objects encounter the same constant braking force, and are brought to rest. Which object
travels the greater distance before stopping?
1) the 4.0 kg mass
2) the 1.0 kg mass
3) Both travel the same distance.
4) Cannot be determined from the information given.
5) None of the above
16) An object of 1.0 kg mass is pulled up an inclined plane by a constant force of 10 N that
causes a displacement of 0.50 m. The angle of inclination with the horizontal is 30. Neglect
friction and use g = 10 m/s2. What is the work done by the net force on the object along the
inclined plane?
1) 4.3 J
2) 4.3 kg m/s2
3) 0 J
4) 2.5 J
5) 3.5 J
17) You and your friend want to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Your friend takes the elevator
straight up. You decide to walk up the spiral stairway, taking longer to do so. Compare the
gravitational potential energy (U) of you and your friend, after you both reach the top.
1) It is impossible to tell, since the times are unknown.
2) It is impossible to tell, since the distances are unknown.
3) Your friend's U is greater than your U, because she got to the top faster.
4) Both of you have the same amount of potential energy.
5) Your U is greater than your friend's U, because you traveled a greater distance in getting to
the top.
18) A roller coaster of mass 80.0 kg is moving with a speed of 20.0 m/s at position A as shown
in the Figure below. The vertical height at position A above ground level is 200 m. Neglect
friction and use g = 10.0 m/s2

What is the total energy of the roller coaster at point A?

1) 16.0 103 J
2) 20.2 103 J
3) 16.0 104 J
4) 17.6 104 J
5) There is not enough information to solve this problem.

40

PHY1501/101/3/2015
19) A 1200-kg pick-up truck traveling south at 15.0 m/s collides with a 750-kg car traveling east.
The two vehicles stick together. A patrolman investigating the accident determines that the final
position of the wreckage after the collision is 25.0 m, at an angle of 50.0 south of east, from the
point of impact. He also determines that the coefficient of friction between the tires and the road
at that location was 0.400. What was the speed of the car before the collision?
1) 19.6 m/s
2) 4.84 m/s
3) 14.0 m/s
4) 23.4 m/s
5) 17.4 m/s
20) A curling stone slides on ice with a speed of 2.0 m/s and collides in-elastically with an
identical, stationary curling stone. After the collision, the first stone is deflected by a
counterclockwise angle of 28 from its original direction of travel, and the second stone moves
in a direction that makes a 42 clockwise angle with the original direction of travel of the first
stone. What fraction of the initial energy is lost in this collision?
1) 0.12
2) 0.24
3) 0.36
4) 0.48
5) 0.64
21) An experiment that can be used to measure the velocity of a bullet is to have two cardboard
disks attached to a rotating shaft some distance apart and to measure the angular separation of
the holes made by the bullet. In such an experiment, two cardboard disks are placed 0.534 m
apart on a shaft that is rotating at 3000 rpm. The bullet is fired parallel to the axis and the
angular separation of the holes is measured to be 22.0. What is the speed of the bullet?
1) 72.8 m/s
2) 139 m/s
3) 219 m/s
4) 437 m/s
5) 1380 m/s
22) A man is holding an 8.00-kg vacuum cleaner at arm's length, a distance of 0.550 m from his
shoulder. What is the torque on the shoulder joint if the arm is held at 30.0 below the
horizontal?
1) 21.6 Nm
2) 2.20 Nm
3) 4.40 Nm
4) 12.6 Nm
5) 37.4 Nm

41

PHY1501/101/3/2015
23) A store's sign, with a mass of 20.0 kg and 3.00 m long, has its center of gravity at the center
of the sign. It is supported by a loose bolt attached to the wall at one end and by a wire at the
other end, as shown in Figure below. The wire makes an angle of 25.0 with the horizontal.

What is the tension in the wire?

1) 464 N
2) 232 N
3) 116 N
4) 196 N
5) 297 N

24) A spar buoy consists of a circular cylinder, which floats with its axis oriented vertically. One
such buoy has a radius of 1.00 m, a height of 2.00 m, and weighs 40.0 kN. What portion of it is
submerged when it is floating in fresh water?
1) 1.35 m
2) 1.30 m
3) 1.25 m
4) 1.20 m
5) 1.50 m
25) The lift on an airplane wing is an application of
1) Bernoulli's principle.
2) Pascal's principle.
3) Archimedes' principle.
4) Poiseuille's equation.
5) Torricelli's equation.

42

PHY1501/101/3/2015

SEMESTER 2 ASSIGNMENTS
FOR ENGINEERING
STUDENTS

(The assignments that follow are for students registered for the SECOND SEMESTER in
Engineering ONLY)

43

PHY1501/101/3/2015

Assignment 01 Semester 2
Unique No: 586164
Due date: 17 August 2015
(Total: 100 marks. Contribution to year mark: 30%)

Question

Problems to solve

Book Chapters to read

1-5 page 26

[10]

1-38 page 33

[10]

2-10 page 58

[10]

2-22 page 61

[10]

3-10 page 83

[10]

3-16 page 85

[10]

4-6 page 131

[10]

4-13 page 133

[10]

5-7 page 187

[10]

10

5-35 page 195

[10]

These problems are taken from your prescribed book

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Marks to be awarded

PHY1501/101/3/2015

Assignment 02 Semester 2
Unique No: 586677
Due date: 07 September 2015
(Total: 100 marks. Contribution to year mark: 30%)

Questions 1-6 are taken from your prescribed book

Question

Problems to solve

Book Chapters to read

Marks to be awarded

7-5 page 279

[10]

7-52 page 290

[10]

8-10 page 310

[10]

8-27 page 315

[10]

9-43 page 342

[10]

9-48 page 343

[10]

Question 7
What is the allowable stress for a steel rod which supports a tension load of 50.0 kN and has a
diameter of 20.5 mm?
[10]
Question 8
A steel bar that is 25 mm in diameter is 6 m long and caries a tension force of 25 kN. How much
does the bar elongate? Assume that Es = 2.04x105 N/mm2.
[10]

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PHY1501/101/3/2015
Question 9
For the oil tank shown below, compute the magnitude of the resultant force on the indicated
area and the location of the centre of pressure.

[10]

Question 10
A float to be used as a level indicator is being designed to float in oil, which has a specific
gravity of 0.90. It is to be a cube 100 mm on side, and is to have 75 mm submerged in the oil.
Calculate the required specific weight of the float material.
[10]

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PHY1501/101/3/2015

Assignment 03 Semester 2
Unique No: 586677
Due date: 05 October 2015
(Total: 100 marks. Contribution to year mark: 40%)

1) The meter is currently defined as

1) the distance between two etched lines in a platinum-iridium bar kept in Sevres, France.
2) the distance between two etched lines in a platinum-iridium bar kept in Washington, D.C.
3) one ten-millionth of the distance between the North pole and the equator.
4) the distance traveled by light in 1/299,792,458 of a second.
5) 1,553,164.1 wavelengths of red cadmium light in dry air at 25C.
2) In the year 2000, the average size of a transistor in a microprocessor was 250 nanometers. A
human hair has a diameter of 70 microns (micrometers). How many transistors fit across a
human hair?
1) 280
2) 28
3) 2800
4) 2.8
5) 0.28
3) Which statement below about the distance between the starting and ending positions and the
displacement between the starting and ending positions is correct?
1) The distance between the starting and ending positions is twice the magnitude of the
displacement between the starting and ending positions.
2) The distance between the starting and ending positions is equal to the magnitude of the
displacement between the starting and ending positions.
3) The distance between the starting and ending positions is the negative of the magnitude of
the displacement between the starting and ending positions.
4) The distance between the starting and ending positions is greater than the magnitude of the
displacement between the starting and ending positions.
5) The distance between the starting and ending positions is less than the magnitude of the
displacement between the starting and ending positions.

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PHY1501/101/3/2015
4) A car is traveling with a constant speed when the driver suddenly applies the brakes, giving
the car a deceleration of 3.50 m/s2. If the car comes to a stop in a distance of 30.0 m, what was
the car's original speed?
1) 10.2 m/s
2) 14.5 m/s
3) 105 m/s
4) 210 m/s
5) 315 m/s
5) If a vector A has components Ax < 0, and Ay < 0, then the angle that this vector makes with
the positive x-axis must be in the range
1) 0 to 90.
2) 90 to 180.
3) 180 to 270.
4) 270 to 360.
5) cannot be determined without additional information
6) In the Figure below , the components of the sum of the vectors are given by

choice
1
2
3
4
5

x-component y-component
0 cm
+6.0 cm
-3.5 cm
-2.0 cm
+3.5 cm
-2.0 cm
0 cm
-4.0 cm
0 cm
-2.0 cm

1) Choice 1
2) Choice 2
3) Choice 3
4) Choice 4
5) Choice 5
7) Vector A = 8.0 m and points east, Vector B = 6.0 m and points north, and vector C = 5.0
m and points west. The resultant vector A + B + C is given by
1) 2.0 m at an angle 63 north of east.
2) 2.0 m at an angle 63 east of north.
3) 6.7 m at an angle 63 east of north.
4) 6.7 m at an angle 63 north of east.
5) 3.8 m at an angle 67 north of east

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PHY1501/101/3/2015
8) The components of the sum of the vectors in the Figure below are given by

Choice
1
2
3
4
5

x-component y-component
4.9 cm
2.8 cm
2.8 cm
4.9 cm
0 cm
4.2 cm
-4.2 cm
0 cm
0 cm
4.2 cm

1) Choice 1
2) Choice 2
3) Choice 3
4) Choice 4
5) Choice 5
9) James and John dive from an overhang into the lake below. James simply drops straight
down from the edge. John takes a running start and jumps with an initial horizontal velocity of
25 m/s. When they reach the lake below,
1) the splashdown speed of James is larger than that of John.
2) the splashdown speed of John is larger than that of James.
3) they will both have the same splashdown speed.
4) the splashdown speed of James will always be 9.8 m/s larger than that of John.
5) the splashdown speed of John will always be 25 m/s larger than that of John.
10) A bullet is fired from ground level with a speed of 150 m/s at an angle 30.0 above the
horizontal at a location where g = 10.0 m/s2. What is the horizontal component of its velocity
when it is at the highest point of its trajectory?
1) 0 m/s
2) 10 m/s
3) 75.0 m/s
4) 130 m/s
5) 150 m/s
11) To determine the mass of a car, a student (with a friend at the wheel) pushes the car
holding a bathroom scale between himself and the car and carefully maintains a constant
reading of 400 N on the scale while the car accelerates on level ground. At the conclusion of the
experiment his friend reports that the car accelerated from rest to 14.0 km/hr in 12.0 s. What
was the mass of the car?
1) 343 kg
2) 1230 kg
3) 2460 kg
4) 3360 kg
5) 3430 kg
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PHY1501/101/3/2015
12) A 10.0-kg picture is held in place by two wires, one hanging at 50.0 to the left of the
vertical and the other at 45.0 to the right of the vertical. What is the tension in the second wire?
1) 71.8 N
2) 75.4 N
3) 98.1 N
4) 69.4 N
5) 23.8 N
13) A 60.0-kg mass person wishes to push a 120-kg mass box across a level floor. The
coefficient of static friction between the person's shoes and the floor is 0.700. What is the
maximum coefficient of static friction between the box and the floor such that the person can
push horizontally on the box and cause it to start moving?
1) 0.333
2) 0.500
3) 0.350
4) 0.667
5) 0.700
14) Two masses are connected by a string which goes over an ideal pulley as shown in the
Figure below. Block A has a mass of 3.0 kg and can slide along a smooth plane inclined 30 to
the horizontal.

What is the mass of block B if the system is in equilibrium?

1) 1.5 kg
2) 3.0 kg
3) 2.6 kg
4) 3.5 kg
5) 6.0 kg
15) A policeman investigating an accident measures the skid marks left by a car. He determines
that the distance between the point that the driver slammed on the brakes and the point where
the car came to a stop was 28.0 m. From a reference manual he determines that the coefficient
of kinetic friction between the tires and the road under the prevailing conditions was 0.300. How
fast was the car going when the driver applied the brakes? (This car was not equipped with antilock brakes.)
1) 10.7 m/s
2) 12.8 m/s
3) 21.4 m/s
4) 32.9 m/s
5) 45.7 m/s

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PHY1501/101/3/2015
16) You slam on the brakes of your car in a panic, and skid a certain distance on a straight,
level road. If you had been traveling twice as fast, what distance would the car have skidded,
under the same conditions?
1) It would have skidded 4 times farther.
2) It would have skidded twice as far.
3) It would have skidded 1.4 times farther.
4) It would have skidded one half as far.
5) It is impossible to tell from the information given.
17) An object of mass 10.0 kg is released from the top of an inclined plane which makes an
angle of inclination of 30.0 with the horizontal. The object slides along the inclined plane. The
questions refer to the instant when the object has traveled through a distance of 2.00 m
measured along the slope. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the mass and the surface
is 0.200. Use g = 10 m/s2. How much work is done by gravity?
1) 100 J
2) 20.0 J
3) 0 J
4) 10.0 J
5) 131 J
18) A 2.0-g bead slides along a wire, as shown in the Figure below. At point A, the bead is at
rest. Neglect friction and use g = 10 m/s2.

What is the kinetic energy of the bead at point A?

1) 2.0 x 10-2 J
2) 16 x 10-3 J
3) 0.40 J
4) 0 J
5) There is not enough information to solve this problem.
19) An 80.0-g puck moving at 1.20 m/s on an air table collides with a stationary 100-g puck.
After the collision, the 80.0-g puck moves in a direction that makes an angle of 45.0 with the
original direction of motion and the 100-g puck moves at an angle of 12.0 in the opposite
direction. What is the speed of the 80.0-g puck after the collision?
1) 0.809 m/s
2) 0.297 m/s
3) 0.533 m/s
4) 0.0953 m/s
5) 1.23 m/s

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PHY1501/101/3/2015
20) A curling stone slides on ice with a speed of 1.70 m/s and collides elastically with an
identical, stationary curling stone. After the collision, the first stone has a velocity of 0.800 m/s in
a direction that makes a counterclockwise angle of 61.9 with its original direction of travel. At
what speed and what direction is the second stone traveling after the collision?
1) 1.50 m/s at a clockwise angle of 28.1
2) 1.40 m/s at a clockwise angle of 19.1
3) 1.60 m/s at a clockwise angle of 34.2
4) 1.60 m/s at a clockwise angle of 28.1
5) 1.40 m/s at a clockwise angle of 32.3
21) A wheel that is rotating at 33.3 rad/s is given an angular acceleration of 2.15 rad/s2.
Through what angle has the wheel turned when its angular speed reaches 72.0 rad/s?
1) 83.2 rad
2) 316 rad
3) 697 rad
4) 66.8 rad
5) 948 rad
22) A man is holding an 8.00-kg vacuum cleaner at arm's length, a distance of 0.550 m from his
shoulder. What is the torque on the shoulder joint if the arm is held at 30.0 below the
horizontal?
1) 21.6 Nm
2) 2.20 Nm
3) 4.40 Nm
4) 12.6 Nm
5) 37.4 Nm
23) A stepladder consists of two halves, hinged at the top, and connected by a tie rod which
keeps the two halves from spreading apart. In this particular instance, the two halves are 2.50 m
long; the tie rod is connected to the center of each half and is 70.0 cm long. An 800-N person
stands 3/5 of the way up the stepladder, as shown in the figure below. Neglect the weight of the
ladder, and assume that the ladder is resting on a smooth floor.

What is the tension in the tie rod? Note: to solve this problem you must "cut" the ladder in half
and consider the equilibrium of forces and torques acting on each half of the ladder.
1) 140 N
2) 240 N
3) 280 N
4) 360 N
5) 560 N
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PHY1501/101/3/2015
24) You have two identical pure silver ingots. You place one of them in a glass of water and
observe it to sink to the bottom. You place the other in a container full of mercury and observe
that it floats. Comparing the buoyant forces in the two cases you conclude that
1) the buoyant force in the water is equal to that in mercury.
2) the buoyant force in the water is larger than that in mercury.
3) the buoyant force in water is smaller than the that in mercury.
4) the buoyant force in the water is zero and that in mercury is non-zero.
5) No conclusion can be made about the respective values of the buoyant forces.
25) How a ship floats is described in terms of
1) Bernoulli's principle.
2) Pascal's principle.
3) Archimedes' principle.
4) Poiseuille's equation.
5) Torricelli's equation.

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