NAME: _____________________________________________

FORMATIVE: NEWTON’S 2ND LAW

PART 1: Show all solutions.

1. A trolley of mass 1.5 kg is pulled along a horizontal table by a force of 5.0N.

force 5.0N

The frictional force acting on the trolley is 0.50N.

The acceleration of the trolley is

A. 0.30 m s–2.

B. 0.33 m s–2.

C. 3.0 m s–2.

D. 3.3 m s–2.

2. A frictionless trolley of mass m moves down a slope with a constant acceleration a. A second
similar frictionless trolley has mass 2m. The acceleration of the second trolley as it moves down
the slope is

1
A. a.
2

B. a.

C. 2a.

D. 4a.

3. A block of mass M is held at rest on a horizontal table. A heavy chain is attached to the block
with part of the chain hanging over the table. The block and the chain can slide without friction.

block
table

chain

The block is released. Which one of the following graphs best represents the variation with time
t of the speed v of the block as it moves on the table?

1
 A. v B. v

0 0
0 t 0 t

C. v D. v

0 0
0 t 0 t

4. The diagram below shows five wooden blocks joined by inelastic strings. A constant force
accelerates the blocks to the right on a frictionless horizontal table.

W X Y Z accelerating
force

table

In which string is the tension the greatest?

A. W

B. X

C. Y

D. Z

5. A block on a frictionless horizontal table is attached by a light, inextensible string to an object P

of mass m that hangs vertically as shown below.

pulley
M

P
mass m

The pulley has zero friction and the acceleration of free fall is g. The acceleration of the block

2
 and object P is

A. g.

B.
m g.
M

C.
m g.
m+M

m+M
D. g.
m

6. A frictionless trolley of mass m moves down a slope with a constant acceleration a. A second
similar frictionless trolley has mass 2m. The acceleration of the second trolley as it moves down
the slope is

1
A. a.
2

B. a.

C. 2a.

D. 4a.

7. A light inextensible string has a mass attached to each end and passes over a frictionless pulley
as shown.

pulley

string

mass M

mass m

The masses are of magnitudes M and m, where m < M. The acceleration of free fall is g. The
downward acceleration of the mass M is

(M − m )g
A. .
(M + m )

B.
(M − m)g .
M

(M + m )g
C. .
(M − m )
Mg
D. .
(M + m )

3
8. A block of mass m is pulled along a horizontal, frictionless surface by a force of magnitude F.
The force makes an angle q with the vertical.

block

The magnitude of the acceleration of the block in the horizontal direction produced by the force
F is

F
A. .
m

F sin θ
B. .
m

F cos θ
C. .
m

F tan θ
D. .
m

9. Two blocks having different masses slide down a frictionless slope.

Which of the following correctly compares the accelerating force acting on each block and also
the accelerations of the blocks down the slope?

Accelerating force Acceleration

A. Equal Equal

B. Equal Different

C. Different Equal

D. Different Different

10. A small boat in still water is given an initial horizontal push to get it moving. The boat gradually
slows down. Which of the following statements is true for the forces acting on the boat as it
slows down?

A. There is a forward force that diminishes with time.

B. There is a backward force that diminishes with time.

C. There is a forward force and a backward force both of which diminish with time.

D. There is a forward force and a backward force that are always equal and opposite.

4
PART 2

1. This question is about a balloon used to carry scientific equipment.

The diagram below represents a balloon just before take-off. The balloon’s basket is attached to
the ground by two fixing ropes.

balloon

basket

fixing rope fixing rope

50 50
ground

3
There is a force F vertically upwards of 2.15 ´ 10 N on the balloon. The total mass of the
balloon and its basket is 1.95 ´ 102 kg.

(a) State the magnitude of the resultant force on the balloon when it is attached to the
ground.
(1)

(b) Calculate the tension in either of the fixing ropes.

(3)

(c) The fixing ropes are released and the balloon accelerates upwards. Calculate the
magnitude of this initial acceleration.
(2)

(d) The balloon reaches a terminal speed 10 seconds after take-off. The upward force F
remains constant. Describe how the magnitude of air friction on the balloon varies during
the first 10 seconds of its flight.
(2)
(Total 8 marks)

2. A 5.00 kg mass is placed on an incline making an angle of 30.0 degrees with the horizontal. A rope is
attached and positioned over a pulled at the top of the incline. A 6.00 kg mass is suspended from the free
end.

a. Draw the system and label the forces. (2)

b. Draw the FBD for each mass (1)
c. Determine the expression for a system without friction. Assume the friction in the pulley is
negligible. (2)
d. Determine the expression for a system with friction. Assume the friction in the pulley is negligible.
(3)

5
 e. Calculate the acceleration without friction. (1)
f. Calculate the acceleration with friction. µ= 0.2. (1)

(Total 10 marks)

3. Determine the acceleration of the following systems. (8)

4. From the information given in the diagram below, find the coefficient of friction between the 43 kg box
2
and the surface on which it is pulled. Note that the box is accelerating at 0.79 m/s . (3)

PART III.
1. Phoebe Physics pulls a wagon with a force of 80 N.
a. What is the net force if the force of friction between the wagon and the ground is 12 N?

b. If she uses 80 N to pull the wagon through a mud puddle, and the net force on the

wagon is 38 N, what friction force acts on the wagon?

2. How much force is required to keep a 780 N box moving at constant velocity across the floor if the
friction force between the box and the floor is 160 N?

3. A rocket weighs 2.0 x 107 N. Its engines exert 2.5 x 107 N of force at lift-off. What is the net force
applied to the rocket?

4. Two children having a disagreement pull on a sled in opposite directions. One pulls with a force of 200 N
east, the other with a force of 175 N west. A friction force of 10 N exists between the sled and the
surface. Determine the net force on the sled.

5. A heavy wagon is pulled along the sidewalk by a force of 12 N, with a 10 N force opposing the motion.
The force of gravity on the wagon is 20 N.
a. Draw a free body diagram showing all the forces acting on the wagon.
b. Determine the net force on the wagon.

6. A 400 N force pulls due north on a crate. What other force must act on the crate if:

6
 a. the net force on the crate is 386 N due south?

b. the net force on the crate is 152 N due north?

7. Hayley Davidson is riding her motorbike south along a flat, horizontal road. The total weight of Hayley
and her hog is 1800 N. The engine exerts a 600 N force
forward. The air resistance acting on Hayley and the bike is 200 N. The total friction between the tires
and the road is 100 N.

a. Draw a free body diagram for the system that includes Hayley and her motorbike.

b. Calculate the net force on the system.

8. A textbook sitting on a table weighs 3.6 N. If you push straight down on the book with a force of 8.4 N,
what is the normal force acting on the book?

2
9. In a competition, a small robot accelerates forward at 0.25 m/s as it pushes a wood block of mass 1.6
kg towards a basket. A friction force of 3.7 N exists between the block and floor.

a. What is the net force acting on the block?

b. What force is the robot applying to accelerate the block?

2
10. A hoist is used to lift a 780 kg car upward with an acceleration of 0.110 m/s .

a. What is the net force acting on the car?

b. What force was used to lift the car?

11. A 2.5 kg block has a force of sliding friction between it and a level surface of 3.5 N. This block is pulled
by an applied force of 14 N.

a. Find the coefficient of sliding friction between block and surface.

b. What is the unbalanced force as the block is moved?

c. What is the acceleration of the block?