Annotated Answers to the Multiple Choice Section of the 1984 AP Physics B Exam

l
g

1.

C. The formula for the period of a pendulum does not involve mass; Tpendulum = 2

2.

A. Conservation of momentum: m1 v 1 + m 2 v 2 = (m1 + m 2 )v / . Being careful about the signs, we have

2,000(10) + 3,000(5) = 20,000 15,000 = 5,000 = (2,000 + 3,000)v / ; v / = 1 m/sec.

3.

C. The area under the velocitytime graph is the displacement, the change in position xf x o . We are asked to find
the time at which the displacement is zero (i.e., when xf = x o .) That means, find the time when the area under the
curve adds up to zero (dont forget that area under the graph counts as negative.) Heres the diagram:
2

It is fairly obvious that the two areas are equal at a time between 1 and 2
seconds (to be precise, at 1.707)

1
0
1

4.

D. The kinetic and potential energies trade off; when one is large, the other is small and vice-versa. This rules out
both A and B. At the endpoints, the energy is entirely potential since v = 0 momentarily; (this contradicts E.), and
at the midpoint, the energy is entirely kinetic (since the stretch, x, equals zero there; which contradicts C.)

5.

C. Choice D is nearly true if the quantities are taken as vectors, but even then, it isnt quite right. The true vector
statement is T 1 + T 2 + mg = 0, or T 1 + T 2 = mg. The reason why T 2 > T 1 is because T2 is more nearly
vertical. (If T 2 were vertical and T 1 horizontal, then wed have T2 = mg and T1 = 0.) The tensions would be equal
only if the angles were equal.

6.

E. The normal force is always perpendicular to the surface, and the friction is always parallel to the surface.

7.

C. A tricky problem. The first thought is, f = k N = k mg cos . Unfortunately, they didnt give us the value of k .
They did tell us the value of a, though; a = 2 m/sec2 . We also have the (memorized!) inclined plane equation
a = g sin k g cos .
Multiplying this equation by m gives
ma = mg sin k mg cos = mg sin f.
But ma = 2*2 = 4 nt; mg sin = (2)(10) sin 30 = 10, or 4 = 10 f ; and f = 6 nt.

8.

B. Newtons Third Law. A. violates this law. C. is wrong because the friction pushes the person towards the center
(it is the only force that can provide the centripetal acceleration.) D. and E. are simply wrong; in E. we know that
the frictional force is proportional to the normal force, which is proportional to the mass.

9.

B. We can completely ignore the left hand column, Mass, because the mass of the satellite always cancels in orbit
calculations. Set the centripetal force, mv2 /R, equal to the gravitational force, GMm/R2 . Then
mv2 /R = GMm/R2 or v2 = GM/R.
Clearly, as R decreases, v increases, so choose the answer B.

10. E. The kinetic energy to start off is 1 /2 mv o 2 . At any time later, we know vx = v o (no change), and vy = at = gt.
Then v2 = v x 2 + v y 2 = v o 2 + a 2 t2 , and
K = 1 /2 m(v o 2 + a 2 t2 )
This is a parabola (since quadratic in time) which does not go through the origin (since vo 0).
11. E. F = ma = 3a; so a = F/3. The tension T is the net force on the 1 kg mass, so T = ma = 1*(F/3) = F/3.

12. E. As the mass on the spring is increased, the time of oscillation increases (since a larger mass is more reluctant to be
accelerated). The only answer with a time greater than 2 seconds is E. If you want to be exact, use the formula
Tspring = 2

m
k

Doubling the mass increases the time by 2 = 1.414; 2*1.414 = 2.828. (Calculators were allowed in 1984.)
13. B. A torque problem (the only one on the test, and one of perhaps four on the five multiple choice tests released since
1974.)
Take torques about the point P() as shown. The gravitational torque on the
x
2.5 m
plank is found by considering all of its mass to be concentrated at its center of
mass, that is, at the center of the plank (denoted *.) This torque tries to turn
* P
the plank counter-clockwise; (from * to the pivot P is 0.5 m)
500 nt

1000 nt

counter-clock = (0.5 m)(100 kg)(10 m/sec 2 ) sin 90 = 500 nt-m

The fool on the plank exerts a torque clockwise on the plank. Let his distance from P be x. Then
clock = (x m)(50 kg)(10 m/sec2 ) sin 90 = 500 x nt-m
If the plank is not to rotate, these must be equal, or x = 1 meter.
14. E. The point P is called the perihelion; the point Q is called the aphelion. Recall Keplers Third Law, that equal areas
are swept out in equal times. That means when r is large, v is small and vice versa. (In fact, Keplers Third Law is
nothing but the conservation of angular momentum; mvr sin = constant, where is the angle between the
velocity and position vectors.) Going from P to Q, the speed decreases, the angular momentum stays the same,
the total energy stays the same, and the kinetic energy decreases. It must be that if K decreases, U must increase.
Another, though trickier, way to see the same thing: Recall Ugrav = GMm/R. Your first thought might be,
Hmm... U is proportional to 1/R, the distance from the sun. Since R at Q is greater than R at P, the potential
energy must be smaller. But be careful! U is negative. Just as 7 is less than 2, so too GMm/(big) is larger
than GMn/(small). So U does increase as R increases, even though it depends on 1/R.
15. B. You should have converted 1 eV = 1.6 x 1019 J enough times by now. Also, a volt is a joule per coulomb, so a
charge (in coulombs, or a fraction of a coulomb) times a volt gives an energy (recall Work = qV.)
16. E. The charge moves in such a way as to minimize the potential energy. That is, charges want to maximize their
separation from each other. If they are free to move, as they are on a conductor, they move to the surface. (This is
true for static charges only; if charges move in a wire, to make a current, the charges are equally distributed over
the entire volume of the wire.)
17. E. First off, the charge Q has nowhere to go (once the battery is disconnected) so the charge remains fixed. Next,
recall that the electric field for a capacitor is given by E = 4k = 4kQ/A. This does not change as the plate
separation is increased. So the electric field stays the same. Finally, V = Ed; if E stays the same but d increases,
then V must likewise increase. Put another way, V is the work per charge to move a charge from one plate to the
other. The force stays the same since E stays the same, and F = qE. Then the work increases (Work = Fx = qEd)
and so V increases.
Another way to see the same thing: Recall Q = CV, and C = A/4kd. If d increases, C decreases, but Q stays the
same, so V must increase.
18. B. Just work out the net resistance: I is 2 , II is 4 , III is 1 and IV is 2 .
19. D. For a point charge, E = kq/R 2 = (9 x 109 )(5 x 10 8 )/(0.5)2 = 1.8 x 103 nt/coul. (Remember, in 1984, calculators
were allowed on the multiple choice part.)
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20. C. For a point charge, = kq/R = (9 x 10 9 )(5 x 10 8 )/(0.5)= 9.0 x 102 V.

21. A. Consider a short section of the wire, for example at the extreme right edge. To a first approximation a short
section looks like a straight line. We know that the magnetic force on a straight wire is given by F = Il B sin
with the direction given by the first right hand rule. On a short section at the extreme right of the circle, we find a
force to the right. Similarly treating the force on the extreme left hand edge of the circular wire gives a force to the
left, and on the extreme upper edge a force upward, and so on. That is, each section of the wire feels a push
outwards. This tends to make the wire expand in radius.
If the wire had not been in the plane of the paper originally, the pulls would have tended to turn the loop back
toward the page; but since the wire is in the plane of the paper, there is no rotation.
22. B.

You can go the full route. The net resistance is 6 (the 3 and 6 in parallel become a 2; and the resultant 2 and 4
are in series, which gives 6 .) The net current is 6V/6 = 1 A. The current splits up at point X; the 3 gets 2/3
of the current, and the 6 gets 1/3 of the current. That is, I3 = 4/3 A, and I 6 = 2/3 A. Then V3 = VXY = 2 V.
Easier: once you find out that Inet = 1 A, then use the Loop Law (battery; 4 resistor, 3 resistor) to say
6V 1A*4 VXY = 0; VXY = 2 V.

23. C. This is the definition of the volt. If the work needed to bring a coulomb at constant speed from one point to
another is one joule, then the potential difference between these two points is one joule per coulomb, which is one
volt.
24. A. Recall that F elec = qE. We want to find the least magnitude of the force; that is, as close to zero as possible. Is
there a spot where the electric force on a charge would be zero? Yes: at A. There, the push from each charge is
equal and opposite, and so the net force is zero. If the force is zero, the electric field is zero.
Some people no doubt thought about this in a different way: since E is proportional to 1/R2 , the least E should be
where R is the largest. This would lead them to choose point C. But there is still a push from both charges, in the
same direction, to the right. C is certainly the second best choice, but a small value is still larger than zero. If only
one charge, to the left of the y axis, had been present, C would have been the best choice.
25. A. Now we dont have to worry at all about direction (since electric potential is a scalar, not a vector.) By definition,
= kqi /R i where qi is the ith charge and Ri is the distance of the ith charge from the point of interest.
To maximize this, we need to minimize the distances. Clearly, the smallest distances from the charges are found
for point A.
[I think that the examiners were actually trying to teach the candidates something here: that electric potential and electric field are really
very different. In this situation, where the field is least, there the potential is greatest. For the benefit of the calculus students, it turns out that
E = d /dr. A function can have a value of zero where its derivative may be very large, and vice-versa.]

26. A. Think of each lamp as a resistor, R. Adding as many lamps in parallel as we like will not change the voltmeter
reading (if the battery is ideal, i.e., if it has no internal resistance), because the batterys job is to maintain a
constant voltage. On the other hand, if we add another resistor in parallel, we change the net resistance from R to
R/2 (add two resistors in parallel to obtain 1/Rnet = 1/R + 1/R = 2/R.) That will double the net current. The
ammeter is in position to record the net current, so its reading will increase (in fact, it should double.)
27. D. For a fixed voltage source, we have P = IV = V2 /R. To maximize the power output, use the least resistance, which
is given by the two resistors in parallel, D.
28. B. Resistors cannot store energy; we need a capacitor for that. The only candidates are B., C. and E. But the capacitors
in C. and E. will have their opposite sides connected (with a wire or a resistor), so charge will move from one side
to another after the battery is disconnected. Only in circuit B will charge have no way of moving from one side to
the other, so it will stay charged, and the energy will be stored indefinitely.
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29. C. Faradays Law and Lenz Law. The loop is losing Xs, so it wants to make up for the loss. That means the current
goes clockwise. The size of the current is going to be V/R = Blv/R.
30. B. Amusingly enough, the mass of the block cancels. We have Ustart = mgh, so half of this is turned into heat. That
is, Q = 1 /2 mgh. This raises the temperature of the block according to the old familiar equation Q = MCT;
Q = mCT = 1 /2 mgh, or T = 1 /2 gh/C = 1 /2 (10 m/sec 2 )(100 m)/(100 J/kg-K) = 5 K.
31. C. Maximum efficiency is a code phrase, meaning, Figure out what the Carnot efficiency would be. This is
efficiency = 1 (Tcold /Thot ) = 1 (600/1500) = 60%
32. B. The molecules have a range of speeds. It is true that there is an average speed, and that the temperature is
proportional to the average kinetic energy, but the atoms energies are spread out over a range from nearly zero to
quite large.
33. E. Unfortunately, the examiners use the extremely misleading symbol U for the change in internal energy of a gas,
whereas weve used E. For dilute monatomic ideal gases, there isnt any potential energy; the energy is entirely
kinetic. So if you were to choose a symbol other than E, youd be much better off using K than U.
With that bit of editorializing out of the way, heres the answer. We know E = Q W, or Q = E + W, and we
are told that E is positive. Work is given by the area under the PV curve, or what is the same thing for an
isobaric (constant pressure) process like XY, Work = PV. This is positive for XY, since V is positive.
That means that W is positive. Q = E + W = (positive) + (positive), so Q is also positive.
34. C. The choices are immediately narrowed to B. or C., because the process YZ is constant volume (isochoric), and
W = 0. Then E = Q. We are told Q > 0, so E > 0 also.
35. B. Doppler effect. The waves are bunching up on the right, and so the object is moving towards the right. Here are
the four possibilities:

no motion
of source

source

< v

wave

source

= v
wave

source

> v
wave

Evidently the answer is the second, that vwave > v source .

36. E. The relevant formula is: sin critical = n 2 /n1 . In this problem, critical = 30, so sin critical = 1 /2 , and as n2 =
nair = 1, it follows n1 = 2.
37. E. Recall for a circular mirror, R = 2f. The rule for a converging lens or mirror is that if do > 2f, the image is
inverted and smaller. But rather than memorize yet another rule, why not just draw the relevant diagram?

38. A. To use a magnifying glass, the object or print to be enlarged is placed on the far side of the lens, and you look
through the lens to see the enlarged image. Since the print is not upside down, it must be a virtual image.

Annotated Answers to the Multiple Choice Section of the 1984 AP Physics B Exam

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39. E. Youngs Patterns; d sin = j . For the first order maximum, j = 1, so we have
d = 1*(0.02 m)/sin 6 = 0.2 m.
m
so it seems at least reasonable that
k
the time for an oscillation should decrease as the tension increases (as k determines the tension in a spring.) Also,
the square root is suggestive that we should have Tstring proportional to 1/(tension). Since f = 1/T, we can hope
that the frequency of the vibrations is proportional to the square root of the tension. If the tension doubles, then f
should presumably increase by 2. (Anyone who plays a stringed instrument or a piano knows that as the key is
tightened, the pitch increases. So the only sensible choices would be A. or B.)

40. B. This requires an educated guess. Recall that for a spring, Tspring = 2

T
where T is the tension in the string, and is the mass per unit length of the string.

Then f = v/ is likewise proportional to the square root of the tension.]

[You werent supposed to know this, but vwave =

41. D. The energy lost by the atom is the energy of the light emitted; so choose the most energetic light of the answers
given: violet.
42. A. This is just the standard graph of the photoelectric effect.
43. E. Intensity does not affect the energy of the individual electrons; it only affects the number of emitted electrons:
more light means more electrons.
44. A. Maybe the easiest problem on the test. We just have to make sure that the top numbers add up on both sides of the
equation, and the bottom numbers add up on both sides of the equation. That is, we need the unknown top number
to equal 236 145 = 91, and the bottom number to equal 92 56 = 36.
45. D. The deuteron is the nucleus of Deuterium, also known as heavy hydrogen, 2 H1 . The rule is that the pieces that
make up a nucleus always weigh more separately than they do if bound in the nucleus. One has to put in a certain
amount of work, called binding energy, to pull any nucleus apart. The mass equivalent to this energy is given by
the famous formula E = mc2 . That is,
mass of individual pieces = mass of nucleus + (mass equivalent of binding energy) or
mass of nucleus = mass of individual pieces (mass equivalent of binding energy)
mdeuteron = mn + m p (mass equivalent of binding energy)
46. D. Very few students got this one right. First off, you need to know what the de Broglie wavelength is; de B = h/p
where h is Plancks constant and p is the objects momentum. For an electron, p = mv, so
de B = h/p = h/mv.
If the de Broglie wavelength is to be reduced by a factor of 2, it must be that the momentum increases by a factor
of 2. The mass of the electron doesnt change, so the speed must increase by a factor of 2. The kinetic energy thus
increases by a factor of 22 , which is 4.
How does the voltage affect the charges energy or momentum? If accelerated from rest, to attain a kinetic energy
of 1 /2 mv 2 requires an equal amount of energy in the form of work. The electrical form of work is qV. In this
case, q = e, the charge of an electron. That is, we need
eV = 1 /2 mv 2
To increase the energy by a factor of 4, we need to increase the voltage by the same factor, from 150 V to 600 V.
47.*

Relativity. No longer on the syllabus. (The answer is A., because moving meter sticks are measured to be shorter
by stationary people.)

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48.*

Relativity, again. C., because perpendicular lengths are measured the same by all observers.

49.*

Relativity, yet again. A., because moving clocks run slowly.

50. C. P 1 V1 /T1 = P 2 V2 /T2 ; in this case P1 V1 /T1 = P 2 (4V1 /2T1 ) and cancelling common factors we find
P 1 = 2P 2 , or P2 = 1 /2 P 1 .
51. D. F centrip = mv 2 /R; if the forces are the same before and after, we need mv1 2 /R 1 = mv 2 2 /R 2 = mv 2 2 /4R 1 ; and
cancelling common factors gives
v1 2 = v2 2 /4 or v2 = 2v1 .
52. C. We are told that the box moves with constant speed. This means that the net force is zero, and the push exactly
matches the friction. The power is
Work/time = Fx/t = F(x/t) = Fv = fv = (mg)v = (0.25)(40 kg)(10 m/sec2 )(0.5 m/sec) = 50 W.
53. E. Faradays Law. If we change the flux, we get an induced voltage (and thus an induced current.) The flux changes in
the first four situations because the strength of the magnetic field depends on the distance from the end of the
magnet. As the distance between the loop and the end of the magnet decreases, the field through the loop increases,
and so the flux increases. This is a change, of course, so we get a voltage induced in the loop. However, in the last
situation, there is no change of distance between the loop and the magnet. Then the flux does not change, and so
there is no induced voltage or current.
[Note that the only thing that matters is relative motion. It doesnt matter if we move the magnet or the loop or both, as long as there is
relative motion towards or away. This was first pointed out by the great Albert Einstein in 1905, and marks the genesis of his famous Theory
of Relativity. There is no relative motion in E.]

54. C. The formula for the capacitance of a parallelplate capacitor is C = A/4kd, where A is the area and d the
separation between the plates. If we double A and at the same time double d, there is no change in C.
55. A. (A mean question.) We know v = f, and f = 1/T. Then the distance x travelled is just vt = vT = v/f = .
A lot of people probably confused T with one second and so said Oh, about 340 meters, answer B. It is
also true that D. and E. are plausible, since the speed of sound is directly proportional to the square root of the
pressure, and inversely proportional to the square root of the air density.
[You certainly do not need to know this formula, but for completeness,
vsound =

where P is the air pressure, the density and the adiabatic index. Amusingly enough, the great Isaac Newton got this one wrong. He
assumed that the expansion and compression of sound was an isobaric process; in fact it is adiabatic. Newtons formula lacked the factor of
. If you put in reasonable guesses for (1.4), P (1 x 10 5 nt/m2 ) and (1.2 kg/m3 ), you get v sound = 341 m/sec at 20o C and 1 atm.]

56. D. The question is not well-worded, though it is not hard. Let m be the (common) mass of the two test objects, and
let the masses and radii of the two planets be M 1 , M 2 and R1 , R 2 respectively. Let one mass m be on one planet,
and let the other mass m be on the other planet. Then the parts of the questions are asking the following:
I.

The first mass falls with acceleration g1 = GM1 /R 1 2 , the second with g2 = GM2 /R 2 2 .
Does g 1 = g 2 ? No.

II. The first mass is balanced against some new mass m / on the first planet. The second mass is balanced
against some new mass m// on the second planet. Does m / = m // ? Yes.
III. The first mass is given an impulse p, and its velocity increases by v1 = p/m. The second mass is
given an identical impulse p, and its velocity increases by v2 = p/m. Does v1 = v2 ? Yes.
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57. B. The resistance is given by the fairly obscure formula R = l/A, where is the resistivity, l the length and A the
cross-sectional area. Given a variety of wires all made from the same material, The longer and thinner the wire, the
greater the resistivity. (C. has the least resistance.)
58. C. Accelerating charges, according to the work of James Clerk Maxwell, must radiate: they must glow with some
form of light (although it might not be visible light; it could be anything from radio waves to gamma waves.)
This means the electrons would lose energy. Theyd have to slow down; and if they were to slow down, they
would pulled into the nucleus. The atom would fall in on itself. This doesnt happen. We know today why it
doesnt happen (the orbits must be a whole number of de Broglie wavelengths) but at the time, it was a big
mystery. (To be honest, it is still a mystery: why is quantum theory true?)
59. E. You have to work this out slowly. According to Coulombs Law, the net force is proportional to the product of
the charges. Initially this is (2Q)*(Q), or 2Q2 , the magnitude of which is 2Q2 . Let the two spheres touch, and
the net charge will be 2Q + Q = Q. This charge will be shared equally (50-50) between the two identical spheres
(by symmetry.) That means that each sphere now has 1 /2 Q. When the spheres are removed to their original
position, the force will be proportional to (1 /2 Q)*(1 /2 Q) = 1 /4 Q2 . The denominator of Coulombs Law, R2 ,
is not important here since the charges are just as far apart in both situations. That is, the magnitude of the force
has gone from 2Q2 to 1 /4 Q2 , which is a factor of 8:1.
60. D. Charged particles in magnetic fields tend to move in circular or spiral paths. The spiral path would indicate a loss
of energy (see 58., above.) So the only choices are B. or D. Use the Right Hand Rule, and find that the force on a
positive charge would be B. But electrons are negative. Therefore, the answer is D.
61. A. Sliding friction is equal to k N. The normal force is usually just mg, but due to the brooms downward push of
T sin , the normal force increases to mg + T sin . That means f = k (mg + T sin ).
62. D. Recall Q = CV. Also, the capacitors are in parallel, so the Vs are equal. Then
Q1 /Q2 = (C 1 V)/(C2 V) = C1 /C 2 = 1.5/1 = 3/2.
63. D.

Each wire carries a magnetic field B = 2k/ I/R, where I is the current in the wire. Each current is acted on by the
other currents magnetic field according to the formula F = Il B. That is, we can say
F = I 1 l B2 = I2 l B1 = 2k / I1 I2 l /R.
Since the force is proportional to the product of the currents, it follows that D. is the right answer.

64. C. Easy. P = IV, so for a P of 10 W and a current I of 4 A, we have V = 10 W/4 A = 2.5 V.

65. C. Slightly tricky, but a reasonably simple kinematic. At t = 1 sec, the object has a position of 24 m, a velocity of
24 m/sec, and an acceleration of 6 m/sec2 . Then its position at any point is given by
x = x o + v o t + 1 /2 at2 = 24 + 24 t 3t2 .
Do we now put in t = 11? We do not. We have reset the clock to call 1 sec t = 0. So we put in t = 10 sec (!), and
x = 24 + 24*(10) 3(10)2 = 36 m.
66. A. The relevant formula is g = GM/R 2 . If M is doubled, g doubles; if R is doubled, g goes to one-fourth its original
value. The new g will be 2/4 or 1/2 the old g; and the new force will be one half the old force, since F = mg.
67. A.
a

In uniform circular motion, the acceleration is always directed towards the center. The
acceleration can be directed south only when the car is at the top of the circle. We are told that
when the acceleration is south, the velocity is east. The situation must be as shown: the motion
is clockwise. The velocity satisfies
v 2 /R = 3 m/sec2 = v 2 /300 m; v = 30 m/sec.

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68. C. Remember Q = MCT. In this case, Q = Pt (power times time.) That means
Pt = MCT or T = (P/MC) t
Where the graph is horizontal, the material is experiencing a phase transition. So that rules out A. Melting begins
at temperature T1 and boiling at temperature T2 . This rules out B. If the heat of fusion and vaporization were
equal, since energy is poured in at a constant rate, the lengths of the horizontal pieces at T 1 and T2 would be equal.
(Wed need equal time to give the sample equal amounts of energy to boil and to melt.) That rules out D. The
answer E. is false because the specific heat is inversely proportional to the slope of the T vs t graph; if the slope is
constant, then the specific heat is likewise constant. The answer is C. Note that the distance from To to T1 is
pretty much the same as the distance from T1 to T2 , but that the time needed to reach T2 is much greater than the
time to reach T1 ; the slope for the heating of the liquid is less than the slope for the heating of the solid. Then
C liquid > C solid.
69. D. The giveaway here is the negative focal length. That means the lens is a diverging lens, and the image has to be
virtual. Virtual images formed by a single lens or mirror are always upright. We need only to find the distance. But
this is easy: use the ol standby 1/f = 1/do + 1/d i . Plugging in gives
1/0.15 = 1/0.3 + 1/di or 1/d i = 3/0.3 = 1/0.1;
di = 0.1 or 0.1 m on the same side of the lens as the object.
70. B. The electrons are initially in the ground state. That means they have an energy of 14 eV. They can accept photons
only of 4 eV (to jump to the first excited state), 9 eV (to the second state), 11 eV (to the third), and so on. But the
photons we bombard the atoms with have energies in the range 7 to 10 eV. The only acceptable energy in that
range is 9 eV. Consequently, a bunch of electrons will jump to the second excited state.
Now that we have electrons in the second excited state, what will happen? Some will drop directly back to the
ground state, providing light of energy 9 eV. Some will drop in a two step process, to the first energy level
(giving off light of energy 5 eV) and then to the ground state (giving off light of energy 4 eV), or three colors in
all. The relevant diagrams are shown below.
0
1 eV
3 eV
5 eV

0
1 eV
3 eV
5 eV

10 eV
14 eV

10 eV

<9~~~
eV

Bombarding the atoms with light in the

range 7 10 eV.
Only the 9 eV light is absorbed.

~~~>
9 eV

~~~>
5 eV

~~~>
4 eV

14 eV

Falling from the second excited state to

the ground state.
Three spectral lines are observed.

Heres a breakdown of the 1984 Multiple Choice by topic:

Unit
Mechanics
Electricity & Magnetism
Heat & Thermodynamics
Optics, Sound & Waves
Nuclear & Quantum Physics
*Relativity

Problems on test
114, 51, 56, 61, 6567
1529, 5254, 57, 59, 60, 6264
3034, 50, 68
3540, 55, 69
4146, 58, 70
*47*49

Actual %
20/70 = 28.6%
24/70 = 34.3%
7/70 = 10%
8/70 = 11.4%
8/70 = 11.4%
3/70 = 4.3%

Target %
33%
25%
10%
16%
16%

Note that the target percentages of mechanics vs. electricity and magnetism were inverted; on the other hand, the 1984 Free
Response had two mechanics questions and only one electricity and magnetism question.
Annotated Answers to the Multiple Choice Section of the 1984 AP Physics B Exam

p.8

v.1.0 25 May 2000