SCIENCE EDUCATION CENTRE !

SOWETO/DIEPKLOOF ◈ P.O.BOX 39067 ◈ BOOYSENS 2016 !!! " 011 9381666/7 # 011 9383603 email: sec@global.co.za
Topic: VECTORS & SCALARS
Worksheet 1: Multiple Choice Questions Time: 30 Minutes
Instructions: Make a cross over the letter A, B, C, D or E (if applicable) to show the correct answer.

1.) According to the vector diagram below

F2 F1

F3

which is correct?

A F2 + F 3 = F1 B F1 + F2 = F 3
C F1 + F3 = F 2 D F1 + F2 + F 3 = 0

2.) Two forces of magnitude 3 N and 4 N respectively act on a body. The maximum possible
magnitude of the resultant of these forces is
A 12 N B 7N C 5N D 1N

3.) A man, who has walked a certain distance, but not in a straight line, can Ö
A have a zero displacement
B not have a negative displacement
C have a displacement higher in magnitude to the distance
D have a displacement equal in magnitude to the distance

4.) Which one of the following is not a vector quantity:

A velocity B force C energy D momentum

5.) A girl runs once around a circular track with a radius of 65m at a speed of 2m/s. Her
displacement is:
A 0 B 65m west C 65m east D 130m

6.) If a car rounds a bend at constant speed, then Ö

A it will undergo zero acceleration
B it will accelerate
C its velocity will remain constant
D its rate of change of velocity will be zero.

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© Science Education Centre 2002
Physics Grade 11-12 / Vectors and Scalars
7.) In which of the following vector diagrams is the resultant of the three vectors zero?

A B

C D

8.) A force F is used to pull a body, which is suspended from a

string, to one side as shown in the diagram to the right.
The body is in equilibrium.
Which of the following vector diagrams represents all the
forces acting on the body?

A B
F
body

C D E

9.) A body of mass m is placed on a frictionless inclined plane

(as shown in the sketch).

The component of the block's weight in a

direction parallel to the inclined plane
is given by Ö α

α mg

A mg cos α B mg sin α C mg tan α D none of the above

10.) A force of magnitude F acts at an angle α to the horizontal. The magnitude of the
horizontal component of the force is Ö

A F cos α B F sin α C F sin (900 - α) D 0

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© Science Education Centre 2002
Physics Grade 11-12 / Vectors and Scalars
SCIENCE EDUCATION CENTRE !
SOWETO/DIEPKLOOF ◈ P.O.BOX 39067 ◈ BOOYSENS 2016 !!! " 011 9381666/7 # 011 9383603 email: sec@global.co.za
Topic: VECTORS & SCALARS
Worksheet 2: Multiple Choice Questions Time: 30 Minutes
Instructions: Make a cross over the letter A, B, C, D or E to show the correct answer.

1.) Which of the following pairs are both scalar quantities?

A energy and force
B speed and mass
C temperature and velocity
D volume and weight
E density and acceleration

2.) Which of the following pairs are both vector quantities?

A weight and mass
B velocity and speed
C force and acceleration
D acceleration and speed
E velocity and energy

3.) The wind is blowing towards east. The pilot of an airplane

wishes to fly due North.

In which direction should he aim the airplane?

C
B D

A E

4.) Two forces of magnitude 20 N and 50 N act simultaneously on a body. Which one of
the following forces cannot be a resultant of the two forces?

A 20 N
B 30 N
C 40 N
D 70 N

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© Science Education Centre 2002
Physics Grade 11-12 / Vectors and Scalars
5.) Three forces of equal magnitude F act on a body as shown as in the diagram below.
The body Ö
F N
A does not accelerate
B accelerates towards north-west 450 F W E
C accelerates towards south-east 900

D accelerates towards north-east S

F

6.) A picture is hung on the wall in three different ways:

i) ii) iii)

The tension in the string is

A least in i)
B greatest in i)
C greatest in ii)
D least in iii)
E greatest in iii)

7.) The pilot of a small aircraft needs to fly from town X to town Y which lies north-east
of X. while flying the aircraft will encounter a steady wind blowing from the East, so
he draws a velocity - vector diagram to assist in setting his course correctly.

North Y I

III II

450
X

What is the correct label for the vector marked II in the diagram below?

A Velocity of aircraft relative to air

B Velocity of aircraft relative to the ground
C Velocity of air relative to the ground
D Resultant velocity of aircraft.

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© Science Education Centre 2002
Physics Grade 11-12 / Vectors and Scalars
8.) A ball is thrown vertically into the air. The path travelled by the ball is indicated by the
dotted line in the diagram below:
maximum height

ball

Which of the following diagrams represents the forces acting on the ball before it
reaches maximum height?

A B C D

9.) The diagram to the right shows a weight of 40 N B

suspended by an arrangement consisting of a light cord
strut hinged at A and a light cord tied at C and to
the wall at B. A strut C

Which statement about forces acting in this situation

is true? 40 N

A The tension in cord BC must be 40 N.

B The tension in cord BC is less than 40 N.
C The vector sum of the three forces acting at C must be 40 N.
D The vertical component of the force cord BC exerts on C is equal to 40 N.

10.) The diagram to the right shows the direction air resistance
of three forces acting on a moving sports car.
The car is travelling at constant speed. friction forward thrust

Which one of the following is correct?

forward thrust friction air resistance

A 2500 kN 1200 kN 1500 kN
B 2500 kN 2500 kN 2500 kN
C 3000 kN 1500 kN 2000 kN
D 3000 kN 1000 kN 2000 kN
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© Science Education Centre 2002
Physics Grade 11-12 / Vectors and Scalars
SCIENCE EDUCATION CENTRE !
SOWETO/DIEPKLOOF ◈ P.O.BOX 39067 ◈ BOOYSENS 2016 """ " 011 9381666/7 # 011 9383603 email: sec@global.co.za
Topic: Vectors and Scalars
Worksheet 3: Multiple Choice Questions Time: 30 Minutes
Instructions: Make a cross over the letter A, B, C or D to show the correct answer.

1.) Which one of the following represents a scalar quantity?

A The change in momentum of a rubber ball bouncing off the floor.

B The velocity of an airplane flying at 300 km.h-1 on a bearing 0400.
C The speed of a car travelling at 100 km.h-1.
D The acceleration of an object thrown vertically upwards and which has reached the
highest point of its motion.

2.) An aircraft is flying due West in a cross-wind that blows from north to south. The pilot
draws the following vector diagram to establish the aircraftís correct heading.

III
I

II

What is the correct label for the vector marked III in the diagram?

A Resultant velocity of aircraft relative to the ground.

B Velocity of aircraft relative to the ground.
C Velocity of air relative to the ground.
D Velocity of aircraft relative to the air.

3.) Which one of the following statements is CORRECT?

The direction of vector AB on the sketch can be written as a bearing of Ö

North

A 2400
B 1200
C 2100
D 0600 A

60o

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© Science Education Centre 2002
Physics Grade 11-12 / Vectors and Scalars
4.) Three forces F1, F2 and F3 act simultaneously on object O, which is in equilibrium.
F1 F2

F3

Which ONE of the following statements is NOT TRUE with reference to the three forces?

A The resultant of forces F1, F2 and F3 is zero.

B The forces F1, F2 and F3 lie in the same plane.
C Force F3 is the resultant of forces F2 and F3.
D The sum of the components of all forces in any chosen direction is zero.

5.) Three forces F1, F2 and F3 act simultaneously on object O, which is in equilibrium.
F1
F2

F3

Which one of the following vector diagrams correctly represents the above situation?

A B

C D

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© Science Education Centre 2002
Physics Grade 11-12 / Vectors and Scalars
Questions 6, 7 and 8 refer to the following diagram, showing a number of forces acting on an
object.

U P

θ
T Q

S R

6.) The resultant of force V and force R is force Ö

A P
B Q
C S
D T

7.) The equilibrant of force V and force S is force Ö

A P
B Q
C U
D T

8.) If force P is 100 N and angle θ = 300, than the magnitude of force V is Ö

A 50,0 N
B 57,7 N
C 86,6 N
D 88,9 N

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© Science Education Centre 2002
Physics Grade 11-12 / Vectors and Scalars
9.) Three horizontal forces of equal magnitude act on a box at rest as shown in the diagram
below.

450

900

The box Ö

A accelerates towards the north-east.

B accelerates towards the south-east.
C accelerates towards the south-west.
D does not accelerate.

10.) In which one of the following vector diagrams is the resultant of the three vectors
zero?

A B

C D

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© Science Education Centre 2002
Physics Grade 11-12 / Vectors and Scalars
STRUCTURED QUESTIONS:

Q1)
A sailing boat is kept motionless in a fast flowing river by ropes held by two boys, A and B,
on opposite banks as shown in the diagram below. The water exerts a force of 450 N (parallel
to the bank) on the boat. The angles of the ropes connecting A and B with the boat, with
respect to the river bank, are 550 at A and 350 at B as shown in the diagram below.

550

350

1.1.1 Give a reason why it is correct to say that the forces acting on the boat are in
equilibrium.
1.1.2 Draw a fully labelled diagram of forces indicating all the forces acting on the boat.
1.1.3 By means of an accurate vector diagram, using a scale of 1 cm = 50 N, or by
calculation, determine the magnitude of the forces acting on the boat.

Q2)
A freighter is 240 km due east of a harbour. A current is flowing due south and the freighter
captain wishes to set a course so that he can reach the harbour directly. He sets the course at
22,60 north of west and sets a speed through the water of 13 kmh-1 and the freighter
eventually reaches the harbour in 20 hours.

2.1 Define the RESULTANT of two vectors.

2.2 Calculate the resultant velocity of the freighter.
2.3 Draw a velocity vector diagram indicating the velocity of the current vc, the velocity
of the freighter through the water vf and the resultant velocity of the freighter vr,
showing how they are related.
2.4 Determine the velocity of the current.

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© Science Education Centre 2002
Physics Grade 11-12 / Vectors and Scalars
Q3)
A bricklayer on top of a building runs short of
bricks. He lowers a bucket on a cable to a
worker on a truck. The worker pulls the bucket 300
horizontally to the right to bring it close to the T
truck. The worker holds the bucket stationary
so that it makes an angle of 300 to the vertical B
(as shown in the diagram at the right). Another
worker then fills the bucket with bricks until
the total mass of the bucket is 96 kg.

96 kg
3.1 What is the weight of the bucket?
3.2 Are the forces acting on the bucket in equilibrium? Explain.
3.3 Draw a fully labelled force diagram (not to scale) showing all the forces acting on the
bucket. (Represent the bucket with a large dot.)
3.4 Draw a labelled vector diagram showing the relationship between the forces.
3.5 Determine the horizontal force exerted on the bucket by the worker to hold it in place
3.6 Determine the tension in cable T. You can use a scale diagram (scale: 10 mm = 100 N) or
trigonometry.

Q4
An electric lamp of mass 0,8 kg is attached
by an electric cable to the ceiling at point D. D E
To position it directly over her desk, Thembi
has pulled the lamp to one side by a string
tied to the lamp holder H and fixed to point E cable string
on the ceiling. Thembi is curious as to whether
the tension in the electric cable is affected
when the lamp is pulled aside. To investigate this, H
she measures the angles which the cable and the string
make with the ceiling and finds them to be 600 and 400
respectively as shown in the diagram at the right.

4.1 What would be the tension in the electric cable if the lamp were hanging down
straight?
4.2 Draw a force diagram for the lamp holder H and label all the forces acting on it.
4.3 Find the tensions in the electric cable and the string either by calculation or by
accurate scale drawing.
4.4 Has the tension in the electric cable been affected when the lamp is pulled aside?

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© Science Education Centre 2002
Physics Grade 11-12 / Vectors and Scalars
Q5
Two forces act over pulleys to support a block of wood as shown in the diagram below.

450 600

500 N 380 N

Calculate:
1. The vertical component of each force acting on the object.
2. The resultant vertical force acting on the object.
3. The weight of the block.

ANSWERS TO MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS:

(Worksheet 1) (Worksheet 2) (Worksheet 3)
1 D 1 B 1 C
2 B 2 C 2 D
3 A 3 B 3 A
4 C 4 A 4 C
5 A 5 C 5 B
6 B 6 E 6 B
7 C 7 A 7 B
8 D 8 A 8 A
9 B 9 D 9 C
10 A 10 D 10 C

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© Science Education Centre 2002
Physics Grade 11-12 / Vectors and Scalars