College Board AP® Physics 1: Algebra-Based

Section II: Free Response (Set B)

Wednesday 14 May 2025

Morning (Time: 1 hour 40 minutes) Total marks

Instructions
Try to complete this mock exam paper in one sitting, under exam conditions. Use all the time available and
check your answers to each question at the end before submitting.
Remember this is PRACTICE. Mistakes are fine and will help you improve in time for the real exam - just do
your best.
Show all your working
You may use a four-function scientific or graphing calculator

Materials
a pencil and a ruler
a scientific calculator
Table of information

Scan here to mark your mock exam

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1 (a) A car of mass m travels around a banked curve of radius r at a speed slower than the
ideal speed v for the given banking angle. The coefficient of static friction between
ideal
the tires and the road is to be determined.

Draw a free-body diagram for the car on the banked curve.

(2 marks)

(b) Starting from Newton's second law, derive an expression for the ideal banking angle
required for the car to stay on the curve without friction at the ideal speed.

(3 marks)

(c) The car is moving at speed v which is slower than the ideal speed.

Derive an expression for the minimum coefficient of static friction required to prevent
sliding.

(3 marks)

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(d) The speed of the car is increased beyond the ideal value.

Indicate whether the direction of the frictional force acts up the incline, down the
incline, or perpendicular to it.

⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽ up the incline, ⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽ down the incline, ⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽perpendicular to the

Justify your reasoning.

(2 marks)

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2 (a)

Figure 1

Two identical carts A and B, each of mass m , are moving along a frictionless horizontal
track. A force sensor is positioned to record the motion of the carts along the track, as
shown in Figure 1. The carts travel toward the force sensor and collide with it. Before the
collision, Cart A travels at speed v
A
and Cart B travels at speed v
B
= 2vA . The graphs
in Figure 2 show the forces exerted on the carts during the collisions as functions of
time.

Figure 2

i) Using the data from the graphs in Figure 2, determine the ratio of the change in Cart
A's momentum to the change in Cart B's momentum.

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 The dots in Figure 3 represent Cart A and B respectively. The arrow labeled JA
represents the impulse exerted on Cart A.

Figure 3

ii) On the dot in Figure 3 representing Cart B, draw an arrow to represent the impulse
exerted on Cart B.

The impulse must be represented by a distinct arrow starting on, and pointing away
from, the dot.

The length of the arrow should reflect the relative magnitude of the impulse exerted
on Cart A.

(3 marks)

(b) After the collision, Cart A rebounds with the same speed.

Derive an expression for the final speed of Cart B in terms of v . Begin your derivation
B
by writing a fundamental physics principle or an equation from the reference book.

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 (3 marks)

(c) On the axes provided in Figure 4, sketch a graph of the momentum of the carts as a
function of time.

Figure 4

(4 marks)

(d) A spring is attached to the force sensor and the experiment is repeated. The carts collide
with the spring, with both Cart A and Cart B having the same initial and final velocities as
in the first collision. In the original collision without the spring, the magnitude of the
average net force exerted on the carts is F 0 . In the collision with the spring, the
magnitude of the average net force exerted on the carts is F .
S

Indicate whether the magnitude of FS is greater than, less than, or equal to the
magnitude of F .
0

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⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽ FS > F0 ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽ FS = F0 ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽ FS < F0
Justify your reasoning.

(2 marks)

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3 (a)

Figure 1

A group of students are given a projectile launcher which consists of a spring with an
attached plate, as shown in Figure 1. When the spring is compressed, the plate can be
held in place by a pin at any of three positions A, B, or C.

Figure 2

Figure 2 shows a steel sphere placed against the plate, which is held in place by a pin at
position C. The sphere is launched upon release of the pin.

The students have access to the projectile launcher and equipment usually found in a
school laboratory.

The students are asked to take measurements to create a graph that could be used to
determine the spring constant of the spring.

Describe an experimental procedure the students could use to collect the data needed
to determine the spring constant of the spring. Include any steps necessary to reduce
experimental uncertainty. If needed, you may include a simple diagram of the setup with
your procedure.

(2 marks)

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(b) Describe how the data collected in part a) could be plotted to create a linear graph, and
how that graph would be analyzed to determine the spring constant k of the spring.

(2 marks)

(c) The students perform another experiment using the projectile launcher, where they
measure the range of spheres of different masses and their time of flight. The spring
constant of the spring is 6 N/m. The following table shows the horizontal range R of
each sphere and its time of flight t . The students create a graph with k ∆ x 2 plotted on
( )

the vertical axis.

Compression distance (m) Time of flight (s) Range (m)

(A) 0.02 1.02 0.108

(B) 0.04 0.98 0.215

(C) 0.06 1.05 0.343

Table 1

Indicate which measured or calculated quantity could be plotted on the horizontal axis
to yield a linear graph whose slope can be used to calculate an experimental value for
the mass of the new sphere. You may use the remaining columns in the table above, as
needed, to record any quantities (including units) that are not already in the table.

Vertical axis = k ( ∆x 2
)

Horizontal axis = ........

(1 mark)

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(d) i) On the grid in Figure 3, plot the appropriate quantities to determine the mass of the
sphere. Clearly scale and label all axes, including units, as appropriate.

Figure 3

ii) Draw a best fit line to the data graphed in part i).

(3 marks)

(e) Calculate an experimental value for the mass of the ball bearing using the best-fit line
that you drew in Figure 3 in part ii).

(2 marks)

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4 (a)

Figure 1

The left end of a rod of length d and rotational inertia I is attached to a frictionless
horizontal surface by a frictionless pivot, as shown in Figure 1. Point C marks the center
(midpoint) of the rod. The rod is initially at rest but is free to rotate around the pivot. A
disk of mass m slides towards the rod with velocity v perpendicular to the rod.
disk 0
Following the collision, the disk sticks to the rod a distance x from the pivot.

If the disk is much less massive than the rod, indicate whether the rod would gain the
largest angular speed if the disk were to hit the rod to the left of point C , at point C , or
to the right of point C.

⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽ To the left of C ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽ At C ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽ To the right of C

Justify your answer using qualitative reasoning beyond referencing equations.

(2 marks)

(b) Starting with conservation of angular momentum, derive an equation for ω , the angular
speed of the rod after the collision, in terms of d , m , I , x , and v . Begin your
disk 0

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 derivation by writing a fundamental physics principle or an equation from the reference
book.

(3 marks)

(c) The experiment is repeated with a second disk. Following the collision, the second disk
bounces backward instead of sticking to the rod. The angular speed of the rod after the
second collision is ω '.
'
Indicate whether ω is greater than, less than, or equal to ω .

⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽ ω ' > ω ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽ ω' = ω ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽⎽ ω' < ω

(3 marks)

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