SAT Physics Practice Paper 36
1. Two objects have the same mass and are located near each other at a distance (r). If the mass of one
of the objects is doubled and the mass of the other object is tripled, what would be the change in
gravitational attraction between them?
A. Decrease by 1/6
B. Decrease by 2/3
C. Increase by 3/2
D. Increase by 5
E. Increase by 6
2. The critical angle for a beam of light passing from a diamond into the air is 24.4°. This means that any
light rays that strike the surface interface between the diamond and the air with an angle less than 24.4°
are
A. completely reflected.
B. partially reflected and partially refracted.
C. completely absorbed.
D. partially absorbed and partially transmitted.
E. completely transmitted.
3. A pendulum has a 1 second period of vibration. At what period in time would the string have to break
for the pendulum bob to fly away the maximum possible distance from, but not below, the rest position of
the pendulum bob? (The zero point for the pendulum at t = 0 is at the maximum displacement)
A. t = .125 sec
B. t = .25 sec
C. t = .375 sec
D. t = .5 sec
E. t = .625 sec
4. A 400N box is suspended motionless from a steel frame by two ropes, A and B, which hang straight up
and down. Which of the following statements about the tension in the two ropes is correct?
A. The tension in rope A is larger than in rope B.
B. The tension in rope B is larger than in rope A.
C. The tension in the two ropes is greater than 400N.
D. The tension in the two ropes is less than 400N.
, E. The tension in the two ropes is equal to 400N.
5. When a skydiver jumps from an airplane, he eventually reaches terminal velocity. At that time the force
of the air resistance is
A. equal to his mass.
B. equal to twice his mass.
C. equal to his weight.
D. equal to twice his weight.
E. equal to 1/2 his weight.
6. During an electrostatics experiment a student touches an electroscope with a negatively charged rod,
and the leaves of the electroscope separate. What will be the result when a second positively charged rod
is brought near, but does not touch, the electroscope?
A. The leaves will begin to flutter.
B. The leaves will separate further.
C. The leaves will move closer together.
D. The leaves will be unaffected.
E. None of the above will happen.
7. An object is placed inside the focal point of a concave mirror. Which of the following describes the
image?
A. Virtual, erect, and reduced
B. Virtual, erect, and magnified
C. Virtual, inverted, and reduced
D. Real, erect, and reduced
E. Real, inverted, and magnified
8. Two separate 10L containers each contain a different gas. One gas is at a temperature of 400K; the
other gas is at a temperature of 200K. When both gases are added to the same 10L container, which
statement is correct?
I. The hotter gas loses heat to the cooler gas.
II. The hotter gas increases in temperature when the two are squeezed together.
III. The cooler gas decreases in temperature when placed into the second container.
A. I only
B. II only
1. Two objects have the same mass and are located near each other at a distance (r). If the mass of one
of the objects is doubled and the mass of the other object is tripled, what would be the change in
gravitational attraction between them?
A. Decrease by 1/6
B. Decrease by 2/3
C. Increase by 3/2
D. Increase by 5
E. Increase by 6
2. The critical angle for a beam of light passing from a diamond into the air is 24.4°. This means that any
light rays that strike the surface interface between the diamond and the air with an angle less than 24.4°
are
A. completely reflected.
B. partially reflected and partially refracted.
C. completely absorbed.
D. partially absorbed and partially transmitted.
E. completely transmitted.
3. A pendulum has a 1 second period of vibration. At what period in time would the string have to break
for the pendulum bob to fly away the maximum possible distance from, but not below, the rest position of
the pendulum bob? (The zero point for the pendulum at t = 0 is at the maximum displacement)
A. t = .125 sec
B. t = .25 sec
C. t = .375 sec
D. t = .5 sec
E. t = .625 sec
4. A 400N box is suspended motionless from a steel frame by two ropes, A and B, which hang straight up
and down. Which of the following statements about the tension in the two ropes is correct?
A. The tension in rope A is larger than in rope B.
B. The tension in rope B is larger than in rope A.
C. The tension in the two ropes is greater than 400N.
D. The tension in the two ropes is less than 400N.
, E. The tension in the two ropes is equal to 400N.
5. When a skydiver jumps from an airplane, he eventually reaches terminal velocity. At that time the force
of the air resistance is
A. equal to his mass.
B. equal to twice his mass.
C. equal to his weight.
D. equal to twice his weight.
E. equal to 1/2 his weight.
6. During an electrostatics experiment a student touches an electroscope with a negatively charged rod,
and the leaves of the electroscope separate. What will be the result when a second positively charged rod
is brought near, but does not touch, the electroscope?
A. The leaves will begin to flutter.
B. The leaves will separate further.
C. The leaves will move closer together.
D. The leaves will be unaffected.
E. None of the above will happen.
7. An object is placed inside the focal point of a concave mirror. Which of the following describes the
image?
A. Virtual, erect, and reduced
B. Virtual, erect, and magnified
C. Virtual, inverted, and reduced
D. Real, erect, and reduced
E. Real, inverted, and magnified
8. Two separate 10L containers each contain a different gas. One gas is at a temperature of 400K; the
other gas is at a temperature of 200K. When both gases are added to the same 10L container, which
statement is correct?
I. The hotter gas loses heat to the cooler gas.
II. The hotter gas increases in temperature when the two are squeezed together.
III. The cooler gas decreases in temperature when placed into the second container.
A. I only
B. II only
