Newton’s Laws (Friction)

Practice Multiple Choice Questions

Questions 1 and 2:
A block lies on an inclined plane, as shown below. The horizontal and vertical supports for the plane have lengths of
4 meters and 3 meters, respectively.

1. If friction between the block and the plane is negligible, the magnitude of the force F necessary to pull the block
up the plane with constant speed is
(A) less than the weight of the block.
(B) equal to the weight of the block.
(C) greater than the weight of the block.
(D) zero.

2. If the force of kinetic friction between the block and the plane is 12 N, the magnitude of the force F necessary
to pull the block op the plane with constant speed is most nearly
(A) 30 N (B) 42 N (C) 49 N (D) 50 N

Questions 3 and 4:
A block with initial velocity 4.0 m/s in the positive direction slides 8.0 m across a rough horizontal floor before
coming to rest.

3. What is the acceleration of the block as it slides to rest?

(A) + 0.5 m/s2
(B) -0.5 m/s2
(C) +1.0 m/s2
(D) -1.0 m/s2
(E) +2.0 m/s2
(F) -2.0 m/s2

4. The coefficient of friction between the block and the floor is

(A) 0.80
(B) 0.40
(C) 0.20
(D) 0.10

5. The 10.0 kg box shown in the figure below is sliding to the right along the floor. A constant horizontal force of
10.0 N is being applied to the right. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the box and the floor is 0.20.
Which statement below best describes the acceleration of the box?

(A) The box is accelerating to the left at a constant rate.

(B) The box is accelerating to the right at a constant rate.
(C) The box is not accelerating.
(D) The box is accelerating to the left at a changing rate.
(E) The box is accelerating to the right at a changing rate.
Questions 6 - 9:
A car of mass m slides across a patch of ice at a speed v with its brakes locked. It then hits dry pavement and
skids to a stop in a distance d. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the tires and the dry road is µ.

6. Which graphs of distance, d, and velocity, v, versus time represent the motion of the car on the dry pavement?
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)
d d d v v v

t t t t t t

7. Which of the following is the correct expression for the stopping distance of the car, d?
(A) 2v2/g
(B) 2v2/mg
(C) v2 /g
(D) v2 /2mg
(E) v2 /2g

8. If the car had a mass of 2m, it would have skidded a distance of

(A) 0.5 d (B) d (C) 1.41 d (D) 2 d (E) 4 d

9. If the car had a speed of 2v, it would have skidded a distance of

(A) 0.5 d (B) d (C) 1.41 d (D) 2 d (E) 4 d

Questions 10 and 11:

A 5 kg block rests on a flat plane inclined at an angle of 30° to the horizon as shown in the diagram below.

10. What would be the acceleration of the block down the plane assuming the force of friction is negligible?
(A) 0.5 m/s2
(B) 0.87 m/s2
(C) 5 m/s2
(D) 8.7 m/s2
(E) 10 m/s2

11. If the block is placed on a second plane (where friction is significant) inclined at the same angle, it will begin
to accelerate at 2.0 m/s2 . What is the force of friction between the block and the second inclined plane?
(A) 10 N
(B) 15 N
(C) 25 N
(D) 43.3 N
(E) 50 N

12. A block of weight W is pulled along a horizontal surface at constant speed v by a force F, which acts at an angle of
 with the horizontal, as shown below. The normal force exerted on the block by the surface has a magnitude
v F
W
(A) greater than W
(B) greater than zero, but less than W
(C) equal to W
(D) zero
13. Two people are pulling on a rope. Each pulls with a force of 100 N. The tension in the rope is
(A) zero (B) 50 N (C) 100 N (D) 200 N

14. A block of mass m is accelerated across a rough surface by a force of magnitude F that is exerted at an angle
 with the horizontal, as shown below. The frictional force on the block exerted by the surface has magnitude f.
What is the acceleration of the block?
F

f m
(A) F/m
(B) (Fcos  )/m
(C) (F-f)/m
(D) (Fcos  - f)/m

15. The cart of mass 10. kg shown below moves across a rough level table with a constant speed. A 10. N force pulls
on the cart horizontally to the right. At the same time, a 30. N force at an angle of 60.° above the horizontal
pulls on the cart to the left. What is the coefficient of friction between the cart and the table?

(A) 0.05
(B) 0.07
(C) 0.15
(D) 0.19
(E) 0.20

Questions 16 and 17:

A car is parked on a flat, level road. Jack pushes on the car, but it doesn’t move. Poor Jack .

16. Which of the following best explains why the car doesn’t move when Jack pushes it?
(A) The force Jack applies to the car is so small that it is absorbed by the car.
(B) The force Jack applies to the car is balanced by the reaction force of the car pushing on him.
(C) The force Jack applies to the car is balanced by the force of static friction between the tires and the road.
(D) The force Jack applies to the car is balanced by the weight of the car.

17. Which of the following forces are “action-reaction” pairs?

(A) The force of Jack pushing on the car.
(B) The force of static friction between the tires and the road pushing on the car.
(C) The gravitational force of the earth pulling on the car.
(D) The force of the road pushing up on the car.
(E) The force of the car pushing down on the road.
(F) The force of static friction between the tires and the road pushing on the road.
(G) The force of the car pushing on Jack.
(H) The gravitational force of the car pulling on the earth.
Questions 18 and 19:
Two masses, 2.0 kg and 1.0 kg are connected by a light string, as shown below. A force of 24 N is used to pull the
masses up a rough 37° incline at a constant velocity of 0.80 m/s. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the
masses and the incline is 0.25. (Use sin 37°=0.60 and cos 37°=0.80)

18. What is the net force acting on the 2.0 kg mass?

(A) zero
(B) 6.0 N
(C) 18 N
(D) 24 N
(E) 48 N

19. What is the tension in the string connecting the string connecting the two masses?
(A) 2.0 N
(B) 4.0 N
(C) 6.0 N
(D) 8.0 N
(E) 24 N

20. Two masses, m1 and m2 are connected via a light string which is hung over a massless, frictionless pulley. Mass
m1 is on a 30° inclined frictionless surface and m2 is hanging vertically from the opposite end of the string, as
shown below. Which statement best describes the minimum value of m2 that will cause m1 to accelerate up the
incline?

(A) Mass m 1 will accelerate up the incline as long as the mass of m 2 is any value greater than zero.
(B) Mass m 1 will accelerate up the incline as long as the mass of m 2 is any value greater than half the mass of m 1 .
(C) Mass m 1 will accelerate up the incline as long as the mass of m 2 is any value greater than the mass of m 1 .
(D) Mass m 1 will accelerate up the incline as long as the mass of m 2 is any value greater than twice the mass of m 1 .

Answers
1. A 2. B 3. D 4. D 5. A 6. C & D 7. E 8. B 9. E 10. C 11. B 12. B 13. C
14. D 15. B 16. C 17. A & G, B & F, C & H, D & E 18. A 19. D 20. B