Science Bowl PHYSICS
Colorado State
University Physics
Exam Question and
Answers Test Bank
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: For the hydrogen atom, which series describes electron transitions to
the N=1 orbit, the lowest energy electron orbit? Is it the:
w) Lyman series
Physics - 1
,Science Bowl PHYSICS
x) Balmer series
y) Paschen series
z) Pfund series
ANSWER: W -- LYMAN SERIES
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: Electric current may be expressed in which one of the following
units?
w) coulombs/volt
x) joules/coulomb
y) coulombs/second
z) ohms/second
ANSWER: Y -- COULOMBS/SECOND
PHYS-91; Short Answer: In the SI system of measure, what is the unit of capacitance?
ANSWER: FARAD
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: A Newton is equal to which of the following?
w) kilogram-meter per second
x) meter per second squared
y) kilogram-meter per second squared
z) kilogram per meter-second
ANSWER: Y -- KILOGRAM-METER PER SECOND SQUARED
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: For an object moving in uniform circular motion, the direction of the
instantaneous acceleration vector is:
w) tangent to the path of motion
x) equal to zero
y) directed radially outward
z) directed radially inward
ANSWER: Z -- DIRECTED RADIALLY INWARD
Physics - 2
,Science Bowl PHYSICS
PHYS-91; Short Answer: A boy is standing on an elevator which is traveling downward with a
constant velocity of 30 meters per second. The boy throws a ball vertically upward with a
velocity of 10 meters per second relative to the elevator. What is the velocity of the ball,
MAGNITUDE AND DIRECTION, relative to the elevator shaft the instant the boy releases the
ball?
ANSWER: 20 METERS PER SECOND DOWN
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: Work is equal to which of the following?
w) the cross product of force and displacement.
x) the product of force times time
y) force divided by time
z) the dot product of force and displacement
ANSWER: Z -- THE DOT PRODUCT OF FORCE AND DISPLACEMENT
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: The work done by a friction force is:
w) always positive
x) always negative
y) always zero
z) either positive or negative depending upon the situation.
ANSWER: X -- ALWAYS NEGATIVE
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: As defined in physics, work is:
w) a scalar quantity
x) always a positive quantity
y) a vector quantity
z) always zero
ANSWER: W -- A SCALAR QUANTITY
Physics - 3
, Science Bowl PHYSICS
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: A pendulum which is suspended from the ceiling of a railroad car is
observed to hang at an angle of 10 degrees to the right of vertical. Which of the following
answers could explain this phenomena?
w) The railroad car is at rest.
x) The railroad car is accelerating to the left.
y) The railroad car is moving with constant velocity to the right.
z) The railroad car is accelerating to the right.
ANSWER: X -- THE RAILROAD CAR IS ACCELERATING TO THE LEFT.
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: Two forces have magnitudes of 11 newtons and 5 newtons. The
magnitude of their sum could NOT be equal to which of the following values?
w) 16 newtons
x) 5 newtons
y) 9 newtons
z) 7 newtons
ANSWER: X -- 5 NEWTONS
PHYS-91; Short Answer: A ball leaves a girl's hand with an upward velocity of 6 meters per
second. What is the maximum height of the ball above the girl's hand?
ANSWER: 1.8 METERS
PHYS-91; Short Answer: A boy throws a ball vertically upward with a velocity of 6 meters per
second. How long does it take the ball to return to the boy's hand?
ANSWER: 1.22 SECONDS (accept: 1.2 seconds)
PHYS-91; Short Answer: A toy train moves in a circle of 8 meters radius with a speed of 4
meters per second. What is the magnitude of the acceleration of the train?
ANSWER: 2 METERS PER SECOND SQUARED
PHYS-91; Short Answer: A certain machine exerts a force of 200 newtons on a box whose mass
is 30 kilograms. The machine moves the box a distance of 20 meters along a horizontal floor.
What amount of work does the machine do on the box?
ANSWER: 4000 JOULES
Physics - 4
Colorado State
University Physics
Exam Question and
Answers Test Bank
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: For the hydrogen atom, which series describes electron transitions to
the N=1 orbit, the lowest energy electron orbit? Is it the:
w) Lyman series
Physics - 1
,Science Bowl PHYSICS
x) Balmer series
y) Paschen series
z) Pfund series
ANSWER: W -- LYMAN SERIES
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: Electric current may be expressed in which one of the following
units?
w) coulombs/volt
x) joules/coulomb
y) coulombs/second
z) ohms/second
ANSWER: Y -- COULOMBS/SECOND
PHYS-91; Short Answer: In the SI system of measure, what is the unit of capacitance?
ANSWER: FARAD
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: A Newton is equal to which of the following?
w) kilogram-meter per second
x) meter per second squared
y) kilogram-meter per second squared
z) kilogram per meter-second
ANSWER: Y -- KILOGRAM-METER PER SECOND SQUARED
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: For an object moving in uniform circular motion, the direction of the
instantaneous acceleration vector is:
w) tangent to the path of motion
x) equal to zero
y) directed radially outward
z) directed radially inward
ANSWER: Z -- DIRECTED RADIALLY INWARD
Physics - 2
,Science Bowl PHYSICS
PHYS-91; Short Answer: A boy is standing on an elevator which is traveling downward with a
constant velocity of 30 meters per second. The boy throws a ball vertically upward with a
velocity of 10 meters per second relative to the elevator. What is the velocity of the ball,
MAGNITUDE AND DIRECTION, relative to the elevator shaft the instant the boy releases the
ball?
ANSWER: 20 METERS PER SECOND DOWN
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: Work is equal to which of the following?
w) the cross product of force and displacement.
x) the product of force times time
y) force divided by time
z) the dot product of force and displacement
ANSWER: Z -- THE DOT PRODUCT OF FORCE AND DISPLACEMENT
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: The work done by a friction force is:
w) always positive
x) always negative
y) always zero
z) either positive or negative depending upon the situation.
ANSWER: X -- ALWAYS NEGATIVE
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: As defined in physics, work is:
w) a scalar quantity
x) always a positive quantity
y) a vector quantity
z) always zero
ANSWER: W -- A SCALAR QUANTITY
Physics - 3
, Science Bowl PHYSICS
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: A pendulum which is suspended from the ceiling of a railroad car is
observed to hang at an angle of 10 degrees to the right of vertical. Which of the following
answers could explain this phenomena?
w) The railroad car is at rest.
x) The railroad car is accelerating to the left.
y) The railroad car is moving with constant velocity to the right.
z) The railroad car is accelerating to the right.
ANSWER: X -- THE RAILROAD CAR IS ACCELERATING TO THE LEFT.
PHYS-91; Multiple Choice: Two forces have magnitudes of 11 newtons and 5 newtons. The
magnitude of their sum could NOT be equal to which of the following values?
w) 16 newtons
x) 5 newtons
y) 9 newtons
z) 7 newtons
ANSWER: X -- 5 NEWTONS
PHYS-91; Short Answer: A ball leaves a girl's hand with an upward velocity of 6 meters per
second. What is the maximum height of the ball above the girl's hand?
ANSWER: 1.8 METERS
PHYS-91; Short Answer: A boy throws a ball vertically upward with a velocity of 6 meters per
second. How long does it take the ball to return to the boy's hand?
ANSWER: 1.22 SECONDS (accept: 1.2 seconds)
PHYS-91; Short Answer: A toy train moves in a circle of 8 meters radius with a speed of 4
meters per second. What is the magnitude of the acceleration of the train?
ANSWER: 2 METERS PER SECOND SQUARED
PHYS-91; Short Answer: A certain machine exerts a force of 200 newtons on a box whose mass
is 30 kilograms. The machine moves the box a distance of 20 meters along a horizontal floor.
What amount of work does the machine do on the box?
ANSWER: 4000 JOULES
Physics - 4
