MCAT PHYSICS QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS.
An object is thrown with an initial speed of 7m/s directed 45𐩑 above the horizontal from
a cliff. After reaching the peak of its trajectory, it falls 20 m to the ground below. What is
the approximate ratio of the time it takes to hit the ground from the peak of the trajectory
to the time it takes from its release to the peak of the trajectory?
a. 0.5
b. 1
c. 2
d. 4 - Answers-D
Neglecting air resistance, what is the total velocity of a parachutist just before engaging
his parachute, 8 s after dropping from an airplane flying horizontally at 60 m/s?
a. 60 m/s
b. 80 m/s
c. 100 m/s
d. 140 m/s - Answers-C
A 100 g block is sitting at rest on a horizontal table. According to Newton's third law,
which of the following incidactes the correct action-reaction pair of the two forces?
a. The gravitational force exerted by the table on the block and the normal force exerted
by the block on the table
b. The gravitational force exerted by the block on Earth and the normal force exerted by
the table on the block
c. The weight of the block and the normal force exerted by the table on the block
d. The weight of the block and the gravitational force exerted by the block on the Earth -
Answers-D
A person is pulling a block of mass m with a force equal to its weight directed 30𐩑
above the horizontal plane across a rough surface, generating a friction f on the block. If
the person is now pushing downward on the block with the same force 30𐩑 below the
horizontal plane across the same rough surface, what is the friction on the block? (uk is
the coefficient of kinetic friction across the surface).
a. f
b. 1.5f
c. 2f
d. 3f - Answers-D
A 2 kg ball is sliding east (without friction) down a hill that makes an angle of 30𐩑 with
the horizontal. A child kicks the ball with a force of 10 N. what is the net acceleration of
the kicked ball?
a. (5sqrt(3))/2 m/s^2
b. 5sqrt(2) m/s^2
c. 5sqrt(3) m/s^2
, d. 10sqrt(2) m/s^2 - Answers-B
When spinning a coin on a flat surface, two equal forces with opposite directions are
applied to the opposite sides of a coin. Which of the following is true about the coin after
it leaves the hand? (Assume ideal frictionless motion)
a. The coin does not rotate because equal but opposite forces cancel each other out
b. The coin does not rotate because equal but opposite torques cancel each other out
c. The coin rotates and the rotational acceleration is zero
d. The coin rotates and the rotational acceleration is equal to the nonzero net torque
divided by the moment of inertia - Answers-C
In an amusement park ride, when the floor drops down and away, the passengers feel
pushed up against the wall. Which of the following best explains this phenomenon?
a. The passengers experience a centrifugal force due to the rotation of the ride
b. The passengers experience a centripetal force due to the circular configuration of the
ride
c. The passengers experience linear inertia that is opposed by the rotation of the ride
d. The passengers experience rotational inertia that is opposed by the rotation of the
ride - Answers-C
What is the tangential speed required to suspend a 50 kg man in an amusement park
ride with r = 4 m and coefficient of static friction = 0.50?
a. 7 m/s
b. 8 m/s
c. 9 m/s
d. 10 m/s - Answers-C
With its carriage full, an amusement park ride goes through the top of its swing. What is
the value of the normal force if its speed is 20 m/s? (Same numbers as in question 10)
a. 42 kN
b. 48 kN
c. 54 kN
d. 60 kN - Answers-A
How much work is needed to lift a box of mass 2 kg up a height of 3 m using a pulley
system with 75% efficiency?
a. 4 J
b. 8 J
c. 45 J
d. 80 J - Answers-D
An experiment is conducted where a cue ball (mass 0.25 kg) moves at 10 m/s toward
an adjacent numbered ball (mass 0.25 kg) at rest. In Trial 1, the collision is elastic. In
Trial 2, the collision is perfectly inelastic. What is the speed of the cue ball immediately
after the collision in Trial 1 and Trial 2 respectively?
a. 0 m/s and 5 m/s
ANSWERS.
An object is thrown with an initial speed of 7m/s directed 45𐩑 above the horizontal from
a cliff. After reaching the peak of its trajectory, it falls 20 m to the ground below. What is
the approximate ratio of the time it takes to hit the ground from the peak of the trajectory
to the time it takes from its release to the peak of the trajectory?
a. 0.5
b. 1
c. 2
d. 4 - Answers-D
Neglecting air resistance, what is the total velocity of a parachutist just before engaging
his parachute, 8 s after dropping from an airplane flying horizontally at 60 m/s?
a. 60 m/s
b. 80 m/s
c. 100 m/s
d. 140 m/s - Answers-C
A 100 g block is sitting at rest on a horizontal table. According to Newton's third law,
which of the following incidactes the correct action-reaction pair of the two forces?
a. The gravitational force exerted by the table on the block and the normal force exerted
by the block on the table
b. The gravitational force exerted by the block on Earth and the normal force exerted by
the table on the block
c. The weight of the block and the normal force exerted by the table on the block
d. The weight of the block and the gravitational force exerted by the block on the Earth -
Answers-D
A person is pulling a block of mass m with a force equal to its weight directed 30𐩑
above the horizontal plane across a rough surface, generating a friction f on the block. If
the person is now pushing downward on the block with the same force 30𐩑 below the
horizontal plane across the same rough surface, what is the friction on the block? (uk is
the coefficient of kinetic friction across the surface).
a. f
b. 1.5f
c. 2f
d. 3f - Answers-D
A 2 kg ball is sliding east (without friction) down a hill that makes an angle of 30𐩑 with
the horizontal. A child kicks the ball with a force of 10 N. what is the net acceleration of
the kicked ball?
a. (5sqrt(3))/2 m/s^2
b. 5sqrt(2) m/s^2
c. 5sqrt(3) m/s^2
, d. 10sqrt(2) m/s^2 - Answers-B
When spinning a coin on a flat surface, two equal forces with opposite directions are
applied to the opposite sides of a coin. Which of the following is true about the coin after
it leaves the hand? (Assume ideal frictionless motion)
a. The coin does not rotate because equal but opposite forces cancel each other out
b. The coin does not rotate because equal but opposite torques cancel each other out
c. The coin rotates and the rotational acceleration is zero
d. The coin rotates and the rotational acceleration is equal to the nonzero net torque
divided by the moment of inertia - Answers-C
In an amusement park ride, when the floor drops down and away, the passengers feel
pushed up against the wall. Which of the following best explains this phenomenon?
a. The passengers experience a centrifugal force due to the rotation of the ride
b. The passengers experience a centripetal force due to the circular configuration of the
ride
c. The passengers experience linear inertia that is opposed by the rotation of the ride
d. The passengers experience rotational inertia that is opposed by the rotation of the
ride - Answers-C
What is the tangential speed required to suspend a 50 kg man in an amusement park
ride with r = 4 m and coefficient of static friction = 0.50?
a. 7 m/s
b. 8 m/s
c. 9 m/s
d. 10 m/s - Answers-C
With its carriage full, an amusement park ride goes through the top of its swing. What is
the value of the normal force if its speed is 20 m/s? (Same numbers as in question 10)
a. 42 kN
b. 48 kN
c. 54 kN
d. 60 kN - Answers-A
How much work is needed to lift a box of mass 2 kg up a height of 3 m using a pulley
system with 75% efficiency?
a. 4 J
b. 8 J
c. 45 J
d. 80 J - Answers-D
An experiment is conducted where a cue ball (mass 0.25 kg) moves at 10 m/s toward
an adjacent numbered ball (mass 0.25 kg) at rest. In Trial 1, the collision is elastic. In
Trial 2, the collision is perfectly inelastic. What is the speed of the cue ball immediately
after the collision in Trial 1 and Trial 2 respectively?
a. 0 m/s and 5 m/s
