8 Newton’s laws of motion

AQA Physics Answers to practice questions

Question Answer Marks Guidance
1 (a) (i) To find acceleration a, given values for u, v and Tests your ability to use the given
2 2
s, rearrange v – u = 2as to give data to calculate the deceleration
of a child in a car that decelerates
2 2 2
v –u 0 – 20 1 to a standstill and to calculate the
a= 2s = 2 × 40 force on the child due to his or
her seat belt.
-2
= -5.0 m s 1
1 (a) (ii) To find the force F on the child, use
F = ma = 15 × 5.0 = 75 N 1
1 (b) She would have continued to move forward as 1 Requires knowledge and
the car slowed down and she would have understanding of physics to be
collided with the back of a front seat or with the used in the context of UK safety
front windscreen of the car. legislation to explain why child
car seats make improve safety.
The impact time would have been much less so 1
the impact force would have been much
greater.
1 (c) The stopping distance would be much less at 20 1 How Science Works also features
mph than at 30 mph. in (c) which asks students to
discuss why a 20 mph speed limit
This is because the braking distance depends 1 near a school is better than a 30
on the square of the speed so it would be mph speed limit. Any general
2
reduced by more than half i.e. (20/30) . statements in the answer (e.g.
the braking distance is less)
Fewer accidents would occur because cars 1 needs to be backed up with a
travelling at 20 mph would stop in a much physics explanation.
shorter distance than cars at 30 mph.
2 (a) Relevant points include: 3 First law: a body travelling at
• when at constant speed, resultant force is constant velocity is equivalent to
zero (or forces are balanced) one that is at rest, requiring no
• weight and tension must have equal resultant force to act on it.
magnitudes
• but act in opposite directions Second law: from F = m a, a body
• a correct application of either Newton’s first travelling at constant velocity is
or second law of motion not accelerating and so F = 0, i.e.
there is no resultant force.
2 (b) (i) maximum acceleration is produced when 1 The maximum force that can be
resultant force is a maximum; applied to the body is achieved
Fmax = 12.0 + 8.0 = 20 N by adding the forces in the same
direction along a straight line. The
use of F = ma gives 1 minimum force is achieved by
F 20 -2 adding these vectors in opposite
a = m = 6.5 = 3.1 m s directions along a straight line.

In this instance, any magnitude of

force between 4 N and 20 N
could be achieved by adding the
12 N and 8 N forces at an angle
to each other, using vector
addition.

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 8 Newton’s laws of motion
AQA Physics Answers to practice questions
Question Answer Marks Guidance
2 (b) (ii) minimum acceleration is produced when 1
resultant force is a minimum;
Fmin = 12.0 − 8.0 = 4.0 N

use of F = ma gives 1
F 4.0 -2
acceleration a = m = 6.5 = 0.62 m s
3 (a) acceleration = gradient of graph 1 Alternatively, it would be
acceptable to calculate the
13.5 1 acceleration by using v = u + a t,
= 5.0 taking values for v and t from a
point on the graph.
−2
= 2.7 (± 0.1) m s 1
3 (b) (i) use of F = ma gives 1 Credit would be given in (b) for
F 2.0 × 103 the correct application of F = ma,
mass of car m = a = 2.7 no matter how wrong your
= 740 kg 1 answer to (a) had been.
3
3 (b) (ii) resistive force = 2.0 × 10 (because resultant 1 After 40 s the car is travelling at
−1
force on car is zero) constant velocity (28 m s ). The
forces acting on it are balanced.
4 (a) (i) use of F = ma gives 1 Another simple exercise in
3
F 1.8 × 10 substituting the given values in
acceleration a = m = 900 F = ma and working out the
-1
= 2.0 m s 1 result.
4 (a) (ii) use of v = u + a t gives 1 Questions involving F = ma are
−1
v = 0 + (2.0 × 8.0) = 16 m s often combined with further
practice on the uniform
acceleration equations. But be
aware of the fact that they only
apply when the acceleration is
constant.
4 (a) (iii) 1 2 1
use of s = u t + 2 a t gives distance
1 2
s = 0 + (2 × 2.0 × 8.0 )
= 64 m 1
4 (b) (i) resultant force decreases 1 The propulsive force provided by
the engine is opposed by
because air resistance increases as the car’s 1 increasing resistive forces as the
speed increases car speeds up.
4 (b) (ii) Relevant points include: 3 First law: a body travelling at
• eventually the propulsive force and the constant velocity is equivalent to
resistive force are equal in magnitude one that is at rest, requiring no
• resultant force is zero resultant force to act on it.
• F = 0 means there is no acceleration (or
speed remains constant) Second law: from F = m a, a body
• a correct application of either Newton’s first travelling at constant velocity is
or second law of motion not accelerating and so F = 0, i.e.
there is no resultant force.
5 (a) (i) 270 × 4 = 1080 kN 1 There are four identical engines.
When substituting in F = ma, note
once more that the force must be
in N and not in kN.

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www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements
 8 Newton’s laws of motion
AQA Physics Answers to practice questions
Question Answer Marks Guidance
5 (a) (ii) use of F = ma gives 1
6
F 1.08 × 10
acceleration a = m = 3.2 × 105
-2
= 3.38 m s 1
−1
5 (b) (i) use of v = u + a t gives 90 = 0 + 3.38 t 1 A take-off speed of 90 m s is
−1
324 km h (about 200 miles per
∴ time to reach take-off speed = 27 s 1 hour).
5 (b) (ii) resultant force on aircraft 1 The frictional force greatly
5 5
Fres = ma = 3.2 × 10 × 2.0 = 6.4 × 10 N reduces the overall propulsive
Fres = (force of engines) − (frictional force) 1 effect on the aircraft, decreasing
∴ frictional force = 1080 − 640 the acceleration considerably.
= 440 kN
2 2
5 (c) use of v = u + 2 a s gives 1 For safety reasons, the runway
2
90 = 0 + (2 × 2.0 × s) needs to be longer than this. A
∴ minimum length of runway = 2025 m 1 typical modern intercontinental
= 2.03 km airport has a main runway about
3 km long.
5 (d) using v = u + a t 1 The time required is from the
−1
gives 260 = 90 + 2.0 t point of take-off (at 90 m s ) and
time to cruising speed t = 85 s 1 not from when the aircraft was at
rest.
5 (e) Relevant points include: 2 When cruising, this aircraft moves
• (vertically) lift = weight, so flight is level at a constant horizontal velocity.
• (horizontally) thrust = drag, so no It is obvious that the vertical
acceleration forces must be balanced.
• no resultant force either vertically or
horizontally The horizontal forces are
demonstrating Newton’s laws of
motion: no acceleration means no
resultant force is acting.
6 (a) component of weight parallel to ramp 1 It usually helps to indicate the
= W sin θ = 7.2 × 103 sin 30° forces on a quick sketch. The
= 3.6 × 103 N angle between the vertical and a
normal to the surface of the ramp
is equal to the angle of the ramp.
6 (b) mass of car and passengers 1 Unusually, you are provided with
W 7.2 × 103 a value for the weight when F =
M = g = 9.81 = 734 kg ma requires use to use the mass.
use of F = ma gives deceleration 1
3
F 3.6 × 10 -2 The component of the weight acts
a= m = 734 = 4.90 m s down the ramp as the car moves
up the ramp.

This component therefore

provides a decelerating force.
2 2
6 (c) use of v = u + 2 a s gives 1 The decelerating force remains
0 = 182 + (− 2 × 4.90 × s) constant as the car travels up the
∴ length of ramp s = 33 m 1 ramp, so you can use the uniform
acceleration equations.

© Oxford University Press 2015 This resource sheet may have been changed from the original.
www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements
 8 Newton’s laws of motion
AQA Physics Answers to practice questions
Question Answer Marks Guidance
6 (d) Relevant points include: 2 The frictional forces acting
• frictional forces act on car and passengers include air resistance and friction
• these increase the resultant force acting in the bearings of the fairground
down the ramp car’s wheels. These forces
• therefore the deceleration is greater contribute to a greater force down
• energy is lost as heat the ramp, producing a greater
deceleration. Hence the car stops
more quickly and covers a
smaller stopping distance.

© Oxford University Press 2015 This resource sheet may have been changed from the original.
www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements