AP PHYSICS 1 FIRST MIDTERM TEST

Front

What is centripetal force?

Back

Centripetal force is the net force that acts on an object moving in a circular path, directed towards the center of the circle. It is responsible for keeping the object in circular motion.

Front

Define gravitational force.

Back

Gravitational force is the attractive force between two masses. It is proportional to the product of the masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers, as described by Newton's law of universal gravitation.

Front

What is the formula for calculating acceleration due to gravity near the Earth's surface?

Back

The acceleration due to gravity (g) near the Earth's surface is approximately 9.81 m/s².

Front

Explain the concept of free fall.

Back

Free fall is the motion of an object under the influence of gravitational force only, with no other forces acting on it (like air resistance). In free fall, all objects accelerate at the same rate regardless of their mass.

Front

What is tangential velocity?

Back

Tangential velocity is the linear speed of an object moving along a circular path, measured at any point along the path. It is always tangent to the circle at that point.

Front

How does the displacement of an object in free fall relate to time?

Back

The displacement (s) of an object in free fall is proportional to the square of the time (t) it has been falling: s = 1/2 g t², where g is the acceleration due to gravity.

Front

What is the relationship between velocity and acceleration?

Back

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity over time. If an object's velocity is increasing, it has positive acceleration; if it is decreasing, it has negative acceleration (deceleration).

Front

Define centripetal acceleration.

Back

Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration directed towards the center of a circular path, which keeps an object moving in that path. It is calculated using the formula: a_c = v²/r, where v is the tangential speed and r is the radius of the circle.

Front

What is the significance of a velocity-time graph?

Back

A velocity-time graph shows how an object's velocity changes over time. The slope of the graph represents acceleration, while the area under the graph represents displacement.

Front

Explain the concept of net force.

Back

Net force is the vector sum of all the forces acting on an object. It determines the object's acceleration according to Newton's second law (F_net = m*a).