Physics-MC/Inertia, Force and Motion/By Lee Siu Hin Page 1 of 7

4.
Inertia, Force and Motion
1.

Three blocks of equal mass are placed on a smooth horizontal surface as

shown in the figure above. A constant force F is applied to block A so that Y has a linear relationship with time as shown. Y may represent
the three blocks move towards the right with the same acceleration. The net (1990-4)
force acting on the block B is (1989-6) (1) the speed of a body starting from rest under a constant force.
(2) the distance travelled by a body at constant speed.
A. 0F (3) the acceleration of a body falling from rest.
1
B. F A. (1) only
3
B. (3) only
1
C. F C. (1) and (2) only
2 D. (2) and (3) only
2 E. (1), (2) and (3)
D. F
3
E. 1F 5.

1st statement 2nd statement

2. A car runs faster on a
frictionless road.
(1988-45)
3. When the two objects are
released from rest at the same
height, the one with greater
mass will take a shorter time
to reach the ground. (Assume
air resistance is negligible.)
(1994-42)
D The friction on the wheels of cars
is smaller when the road is
slippery. Two blocks of equal mass are placed on a smooth horizontal surface as
shown above. A constant force of 12 N is applied to block A so that the two
D A greater gravitational force will blocks move towards the right together. The force acting on A by B
be acting on the object with (1991-2)
greater mass. A. zero.
B. 6 N to the left.
C. 6 N to the right.
D. 12 N to the left.
E. 12 N to the right.
Physics-MC/Inertia, Force and Motion/By Lee Siu Hin Page 2 of 7
6. 7.

A force F is applied to a block of mass 1 kg as shown above. The

GREATEST value of F for the block to remain at rest is 11 N. What would
The diagram above shows the variation of the net force acting on an object be the motion of the block if F is not applied ? (1991-9)
which is initially at rest. Which of the following velocity-time graphs
correctly describes the motion of the object ? (1991-7) A. remaining at rest
Ans.: B B. sliding down with constant velocity
C. sliding down with an acceleration of 1 m s-2.
D. sliding down with an acceleration of 5 m s-2.
E. sliding down with an acceleration of 6 m s-2.

8. A man of weight W stands inside a lift which is moving upwards with a

constant speed. If the force exerted by the floor on the man is R, which of
the following statements is/are correct ? (1991-10)

(1) R is greater than W in magnitude.

(2) R and W are in opposite directions.
(3) R and W form an action and reaction pair according to Newton’s
third law.

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only
E. (1), (2) and (3)
Physics-MC/Inertia, Force and Motion/By Lee Siu Hin Page 3 of 7
9. 11. Which of the following pairs of forces F1 and F2 is/are action and reaction
pair(s) according to Newton’s third law of motion ? (1992-10)

Two identical blocks X and Y are connected by a light string passing over a
smooth pulley as shown above. The two blocks are released from rest. After
a while, the string breaks. Which of the following correctly describes the
motion of the blocks immediately after the string breaks ? (1992-8)

X Y

stops moving accelerates at 5 ms-2

moves with constant velocity accelerates at 5 ms-2
accelerates at 5 ms-2 moves with constant velocity
moves with constant velocity accelerates at 10 ms-2
decelerates at 5 ms-1 accelerates at 10 ms-2

10.

A. (2) only
B. (3) only
C. (1) and (2) only
D. (1) and (3) only
In the above diagram, blocks A and B are connected by a light inextensible E. (1), (2) and (3)
string and rest on a smooth horizontal table. The masses of A and B are 2 kg
and 3 kg respectively. Block A is pulled by a force of 2 N. Find the tension 1 st statement 2 nd statement
in the string S. (1992-9)
12. When an object rests on D When an object rests on the floor, its
A. 0.4 N the floor, its weight and the weight and the force acting on it by
B. 0.8 N force acting on it by the the floor are equal in magnitude and
C. 1.0 N floor form an action and opposite in direction.
D. 1.2 N reaction pair.
E. 2.0 N (1993-42)
Physics-MC/Inertia, Force and Motion/By Lee Siu Hin Page 4 of 7
13. 15.

A trolley is given a push and runs down a friction-compensated runway. The

motion of the trolley is recorded on the paper tape as shown above. Which
of the following changes can enable the trolley to produce a paper tape as
shown below ? (1994-2)

(1) Giving the trolley a harder initial push

Two blocks X and Y of weights 2 N and 8 N respectively are suspended by
(2) Increasing the angle of inclination of the runway
two light strings as shown above. A downward force of 4 N is applied to X.
(3) Increasing the frequency of the ticket-tape timer
Find the tensions T1 and T2 in the two strings. (1994-4)
A. (1) only
T1 T2
B. (3) only
C. (1) and (2) only
A. 2N 8N
D. (2) and (3) only
B. 4N 10 N
E. (1), (2) and (3)
C. 4N 14 N
D. 6N 12 N
14. A man of mass 50 kg is standing in a lift. If the lift is falling freely, which of
E. 6N 14 N
the following statements is/are true ? (1994-6)
16. Which of the following statements about mass and weight is incorrect ?
(1) The weight of the man is 0 N.
(1996-3)
(2) The force acting on the floor of the lift by the man is 500 N.
A. Mass is measured in kilograms and weight in newtons.
(3) The force acting on the man by the floor of the lift is 0 N.
B. Mass is a scalar while weight is a vector.
C. Mass is a measure of the inertia of an object and weight is a
A. (1) only
measure of the gravitational pull on it.
B. (3) only
D. The weight of an object at a particular place is proportional to its
C. (1) and (2) only
mass.
D. (2) and (3) only
E. Both the mass and weight of an object vary slightly at different
E. (1), (2) and (3)
places on the earth.
Physics-MC/Inertia, Force and Motion/By Lee Siu Hin Page 5 of 7
17. 19.

smooth horizontal surface

In the above diagram, the two blocks are connected by a light string S. They
move with uniform acceleration of 2 m s -2 under the action of a constant
force F. What will the accelerations of the blocks become if S suddenly
breaks? (1995-2)

2 kg block 4 kg block

A. 6 m s-2 0 m s-2
The above diagram shows a block resting on the ground.
B. 6 m s-2 2 m s-2
C. 2 m s-2 0 m s-2
Let W be the weight of the block,
D. 2 m s-2 2 m s-2 F be the gravitational force acting on the earth by the block, and
E. 0 m s-2 3 m s-2 R be the force acting on the block by the ground.
18. Which of the following statements concerning the motion of an object is/are Which of the following pairs of forces is/are action and reaction pair(s)
correct ? (1996-5) according to Newton’s third law of motion ? (1995-11)
(1) A constant unbalanced force is needed to keep an object moving (1) R and W
with uniform velocity. (2) W and F
(2) An increasing unbalanced force is needed to keep an object moving (3) F and R
with uniform acceleration.
(3) An object may remain at rest if there is no unbalanced force acting A. (1) only
on it. B. (2) only
C. (3) only
A. (2) only D. (1) and (2) only
B. (3) only E. (2) and (3) only
C. (1) and (2) only
D. (1) and (3) only
E. (1), (2) and (3)
Physics-MC/Inertia, Force and Motion/By Lee Siu Hin Page 6 of 7
20. 22.

The above diagram shows a man lifting a ball vertically upwards with
A coin and a feather are released from rest in vacuum as shown above. uniform acceleration.
Which of the following is/are correct deductions from this experiment ?
(1996-6) Let F1 be the force acting on the ball by the man,
(1) The masses of the coin and the feather are identical in vacuum. F2 be the force acting on the man by the ball,
(2) The coin and the feather fall with the same acceleration in vacuum. F3 be the gravitational force acting on the ball.
(3) The forces acting on the coin and the feather in vacuum are
identical. Which of the following correctly describes the relation between the
magnitudes of the forces ? (1996-10)
A. (1) only
B. (2) only A. F1 = F2 > F3
C. (1) and (3) only B. F1 = F3 > F2
D. (2) and (3) only C. F1 > F2 = F3
E. (1), (2) and (3) D. F1 > F2 > F3
E. F1 > (F2 + F3)
21. A girl in a lift uses a spring balance to measure the weight of an object. The
reading of the spring balance is 10 N when the lift is at rest. When the lift is 23. Which of the following phenomena can be explained by Newton’s first law
moving, the reading of the spring balance becomes 8 N. Which of the of motion ? (1998-9)
following describes the motion of the lift ? (1998-8)
(1) A passenger in a car tends to move forward when the car suddenly
A. moving upwards with a uniform velocity stops.
B. moving downwards with a uniform velocity (2) A coin and a feather fall with the same acceleration in a vacuum.
C. moving upwards with an acceleration (3) A gun recoils when it fires a bullet.
D. moving downwards with an acceleration
E. moving downwards with a deceleration A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only
E. (1), (2) and (3)
Physics-MC/Inertia, Force and Motion/By Lee Siu Hin Page 7 of 7
24. Which of the following pairs of forces is/are action and reaction pair(s)
according to Newton’s third law of motion ? (1997-9) 1 st statement 2 nd statement

(1) The weight of a man and The force acting on the An unbalanced force is Friction always opposes motion.
standing on a chair. man by the chair. needed to keep a body in
(2) The gravitational force and The gravitational force motion.
acting on the earth by the acting on the moon by the (1992-41)
moon. earth.
(3) The force exerted by a and The force exerted by the
swimmer on the water to water to push the
push the water backward. swimmer forward.

A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only
E. (1), (2) and (3)

25.

A broken-down car of mass 1000 kg is pulled by a tow-truck and moves at a

constant velocity 8 m s-1 along a horizontal road. It is known that the
frictional force acting on the car is 500 N. Find the tension in the cable
connecting the truck and the car. (1998-6)

A. 0N
B. 500 N
C. 8 000 N
D. 8 500 N
E. 10 500 N