AP PHYSICS 1 Test Booklet

Newton’s Third Law Quiz

1.

A person standing on an escalator is not moving relative to the escalator steps. The escalator steps are moving up
and to the right at constant velocity. Let the force that the escalator step exerts on the person’s feet be and let
the force that the person’s feet exert on the escalator step be . Do these two forces have equal magnitude?
(A) No, because the person and step are moving to the right.
(B) No, because the step exerts a force on the person greater than the person’s weight.
(C) Yes, because the person and step move with constant velocity.
(D) Yes, because the person and the step create an interacting force pair.

2.

A rope pulls a block of mass to the right along a horizontal surface, as shown in the left figure. The block of
mass exerts a force on a block of mass with magnitude that varies with time, as shown in the graph
on the right. The blocks remain in contact during the time interval shown in the graph. Which of the following
correctly shows the magnitude of the force that the block of mass exerts on the block of mass during
the same interval?

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Newton’s Third Law Quiz

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

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Newton’s Third Law Quiz

3.

A hammer drives a nail into a piece of wood that is at rest. At the instant shown, the hammer is in contact with the
nail and the nail is accelerating downward. Which of the following claims correctly compares the magnitudes of the
forces between the hammer, nail, and wood at this instant?
The magnitude of the force that the hammer exerts on the nail is equal to the magnitude of the force that the
(A)
nail exerts on the hammer.
The magnitude of the force that the wood exerts on the nail is equal to the magnitude of the force that the
(B)
hammer exerts on the nail.
The magnitude of the force that the hammer exerts on the nail is equal to the magnitude of the force that the
(C)
nail exerts on the wood.
The magnitude of the force that the nail exerts on the hammer is equal to the force that the wood exerts on
(D)
the nail.

4. A student pushes a wall with a force of magnitude . The wall exerts a force of magnitude on the student.
The student then pushes harder on the wall, exerting a force of magnitude on the wall. The magnitude of the
force that the wall then exerts on the student is

(A)

(B)
(C)
(D)

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Newton’s Third Law Quiz

5.

Two identical crates are connected by heavy strings with non-negligible mass, as shown in the diagram. An upward
force is applied to String which causes the blocks-strings system to accelerate upward at a constant acceleration.
Which claim is true concerning the tension in String ?
The tension in String is greatest where it connects to the upper block because it has to support the weight of
(A)
the string and Block .
(B) The tension in String is greatest where it connects to the upper block because String is the bottom string.
(C) The tension in String is equal throughout its length because it is the bottom string.
(D) The tension in String is equal throughout its length because tension is always the same through a string.

6.

A rope is attached to two heavy chain links that are connected to each other, as shown. The rope is pulling the chain
links up at a constant speed. The top chain link exerts a force of magnitude on the bottom link, and the bottom
link exerts a force of magnitude on the top link. Which of the following correctly compares and and
provides a valid justification?

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Newton’s Third Law Quiz

(A) , because the chain links are moving upward.

(B) , because the rope only exerts a force on the top link.
(C) , because the chain links are moving at a constant speed.
(D) , because the chain links are an interacting Newton’s third law pair.

7.

A box is pulled to the right with constant speed across a rough horizontal surface. The box is subject to the four
forces shown in the diagram: a tension force , a friction force , a normal force , and a gravitational force
. Which of the following pair of these forces, if any, represents an interacting force pair described by Newton’s
third law?
(A) and
(B) and
(C) and
(D) None of the four forces are an interacting force pair because all four forces are exerted on the same object.

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Newton’s Third Law Quiz

8.

Two boxes of unequal mass are pulled upward at a constant speed by String , as shown. Box and Box are
connected by String . Both String and String are ideal strings. Which of the following correctly describes the
tension in String at Point and Point ?
(A) The tension at Point is greater.
(B) The tension at Point is greater.
(C) The tensions at Point and Point are equal.
(D) The tensions cannot be compared without knowing the relative masses of the boxes.

9. A heavy, uniform rope hangs from a ceiling and is not long enough to touch the floor. Which of the following best
compares the magnitude of the tension force in the middle of the rope, , to the magnitude of the tension at the
top of the rope near the ceiling, ?
(A)
(B)

(C)

(D)

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