IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

How to use:
The following questions are taken from previous
IB exams. Each mark represents about 1.25 to
1.5 minutes of writing time. Your tests are
timed using this methodology. Use this as a
guideline to see how well you understand the
concepts.
You are not expected to be able to answer all the
questions until you have completed the unit.
You do not have to complete the problem set
(there are no marks for doing so) but at least
attempting it will give you a good insight into
how prepared you are for the test and
familiarize you with IB questioning styles.
A solution to the problem set will be available
toward the end of the unit.
The problems will only help you if you try them
without answers available for reference. Once
completed (or attempted) the solutions may
then be used to provide insight.
THESE questions will not appear on a test,
however similar questions may.
This problem set does not represent 100% of the
topics covered in the unit. Refer to your notes
and the IB syllabus to ensure you have studied
all applicable materials. The questions are
merely reflective of question styles.
Remember that IB marking is not percentage
marking in that if you were only able to answer
correctly half of these questions your mark

1
 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

would not be 50% (it would marked on a 1 to 7

scale and then transcribed into a percentage.
Typically if you can achieve 80% on a test it
warrants a 7 (about 97%) this is due to the
difficulty of the questions and marking
scheme.

2
 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

1. An athlete runs round a circular track at constant speed. Which one of the following graphs best
represents the variation with time t of the magnitude d of the displacement of the athlete from the starting
position during one lap of the track?

A. d B. d

0 0
0 t 0 t

C. d D. d

0 0
0 t 0 t
(1)

2. The variation with time t of the speed v of a car moving along a straight road is shown below.

S1 S2 S3

0
0 t

Which area, S1, S2 or S3, or combination of areas, represents the total distance moved by the car
during the time that its speed is reducing?

A. S1

B. S3

C. S1 + S3

D. S1 + S2 + S3
(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

3. Peter and Susan both stand on the edge of a vertical cliff.

V (P eter)

V (S u san )

S ea

Susan throws a stone vertically downwards and, at the same time, Peter throws a stone vertically
upwards. The speed V with which both stones are thrown is the same. Neglecting air resistance,
which one of the following statements is true?

A. The stone thrown by Susan will hit the sea with a greater speed than the stone thrown by
Peter.

B. Both stones will hit the sea with the same speed no matter what the height of the cliff.

C. In order to determine which stone hits the sea first, the height of the cliff must be known.

D. In order to determine which stone hits the sea first both the height of the cliff and the
mass of each stone must be known.
(1)

4. A stone is thrown horizontally from the top of a high cliff. Assuming air resistance is negligible,
what is the effect of gravitational force on the horizontal and on the vertical components of the
velocity of the stone?

Vertical component of velocity Horizontal component of velocity

A. increases to a constant value stays constant

B. increases continuously stays constant

C. increases to a constant value decreases to zero

D. increases continuously decreases to zero

4
 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

(1)

−1
5. A car is heading due East at a speed of 10 m s . A bird is flying due North at a speed of
−1
4 m s , as shown below.
N
W E
–1
4m s
S

C ar B ird
1 0 m s –1

Which one of the following vectors represents the velocity of the bird relative to a person in the
car?

A. B.

C. D.

(1)

6. The weight of a mass is measured on Earth using a spring balance and a lever balance, as shown
below.

sp rin g b alan ce lev er b alan ce

What change, if any, would occur in the measurements if they were repeated on the Moon’s
surface?

Spring balance Lever balance

A. same same

B. same decrease

C. decrease same

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

D. decrease decrease
(1)

7. Which one of the following objects is in equilibrium?

A. A stone trapped in the tread of a rotating tyre

B An air molecule as a sound wave passes through the air

C. A steel ball falling at constant speed through oil

D. An electron moving through a metal under the action of a potential difference

(1)

8. A mass is suspended from the roof of a lift (elevator) by means of a spring balance, as
illustrated below.

lift (elev ato r)

m ass

The lift (elevator) is moving upwards and the readings of the spring balance are noted as
follows.
Accelerating: Ra
Constant speed: Rc
Slowing down: Rs

Which one of the following is a correct relationship between the readings?

A. Ra > Rc

B. Ra = Rs

C. Rc = Rs

D. Rc < Rs
(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

9. A weight is suspended from a spring. The variation with weight of the length of the spring is
shown below.

16
len g th / cm

14

12

10
0 2 4 6 8
w eig h t / N

What is the value of the spring constant (force constant) of the spring?
–1 –1 –1 –1
A. 0.4 N cm B. 0.5 N cm C. 2.0 N cm D. 2.5 N cm
(1)

10. A small electrically charged sphere is suspended vertically from a thread. An oppositely
charged rod is brought close to the sphere such that the sphere is in equilibrium when displaced
from the vertical by an angle of 45°.

+ –

Which one of the following best represents the free body diagram for the sphere?
A. B.

C. D.

(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

11. An object on the end of a light flexible string rotates in a circle as shown below.

o b ject

The tension in the string is T when the string is at angle θ to the vertical. Which of the following
is true?

State Resultant force

A. not in equilibrium T

B. not in equilibrium T sinθ

C. in equilibrium T

D. in equilibrium T sinθ
(1)

12. A general expression for Newton’s second law of motion is

Δp
F = Δt

What condition is applied so that the law may be expressed in the form F = ma?

A. The mass m is constant.

B. The acceleration a is constant.

C. The force F is constant.

D. The direction of the force F is constant.

(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

13. An elevator (lift) is used to either raise or lower sacks of potatoes. In the diagram, a sack of
potatoes of mass 10 kg is resting on a scale that is resting on the floor of an accelerating
elevator. The scale reads 12 kg.

elev ato r
10 kg

scale

The best estimate for the acceleration of the elevator is

–2
A. 2.0 m s downwards.
–2
B. 2.0 m s upwards.
–2
C. 1.2 m s downwards.
–2
D. 1.2 m s upwards.
(1)

14. A ball of mass m, travelling in a direction at right angles to a vertical wall, strikes the wall with
a speed v1. It rebounds at right angles to the wall with a speed v2. The ball is in contact with the
wall for a time Δt. The magnitude of the force that the ball exerts on the wall is

mv1  v 2 
A. t .

B. m(v1 + v2)Δt.

mv1  v 2 
C. t .

D. m(v1 – v2)Δt.
(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

15. A truck collides head on with a less massive car moving in the opposite direction to the truck.
During the collision, the average force exerted by the truck on the car is FT and the average
force exerted by the car on the truck is FC. Which one of the following statements is correct?

A. FT will always be greater in magnitude than FC.

B. FT will always be equal in magnitude to FC.

C. FT will be greater in magnitude than FC only when the speed of the car is less than the
speed of the truck.

D. FT will be equal in magnitude to FC only when the speed of the truck is equal to the speed
of the car.
(1)

16. Two spheres X and Y are moving towards each other along the same straight line with momenta
of magnitude PX and PY respectively. The spheres collide and move off with momenta pX and
pY respectively, as illustrated below.

Px PY px pY

X Y X Y

B efo re co llisio n A fter co llisio n

Which one of the following is a correct statement of the law of conservation of momentum for
this collision?

A. PX + PY = pX + pY

B. PX – PY = pX + pY

C. PX – PY = pX – pY

D. PX + PY = pX – pY
(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

17. A ball of mass m falls from rest on to a horizontal plate and bounces off it. The magnitudes of
its velocity just before and just after the bounce are v1 and v2 respectively. The variation with
time t of the velocity v of the ball is shown below.

v
v1

0
0 t1 t2 t3 t

– v2

The magnitude of the net force on the ball is given by which one of the following?

mv1
A. t1

mv2
B. (t 3 – t 2 )

mv1  v 2 
C. t 2  t1 

mv1  v 2 
D. t 2  t1 
(1)

18. Joe is standing on the surface of a frozen pond and he throws a ball horizontally. Considering
Joe and the ball together, which one of the following correctly describes the change in the
magnitude of the momentum and the change in the kinetic energy of Joe and the ball
immediately after the ball is thrown?

Magnitude of momentum of Joe and ball Kinetic energy of Joe and ball
A. No change Increases

B. Increases Increases

C. No change No change

D. Increases No change
(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

19. Which of the following quantities are conserved in an inelastic collision between two bodies?

Total linear momentum of the bodies Total kinetic energy of the bodies

A. yes yes

B. yes no

C. no yes

D. no no
(1)

20. A particle P is moving in a circle with uniform speed. Which one of the following diagrams
correctly shows the direction of the acceleration a and velocity v of the particle at one instant of
time?

A. a B. a
v

P v P

C. D.

a P a P
v

(1)

21. The centripetal force that causes a car to go round a bend in the road is provided by

A. the force produced by the car engine acting on the wheels.

B. the friction between the tyres and the road.

C. the weight of the car.

D. the force exerted by the driver on the steering wheel.

(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

22. Two satellites of equal mass, S1 and S2, orbit the Earth. S1 is orbiting at a distance r from the
v
Earth’s centre at speed v. S orbits at a distance 2r from the Earth’s centre at speed 2 . The
2
ratio of the centripetal force on S1 to the centripetal force on S2 is

1 1
A. 8. B. 4. C. 4. D. 8.
(1)

23. Which one of the following graphs best represents the variation of the kinetic energy, KE, and
of the gravitational potential energy, GPE, of an orbiting satellite with its distance r from the
centre of the Earth?

A. B.
E n erg y E n erg y KE
KE

0 0
0 r 0 r
GPE GPE

C. D.
E n erg y E n erg y GPE
KE

0 0
0 r 0 r
KE
GPE

(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

24. A point mass is moving in a horizontal circle with a velocity of constant magnitude v. At one
particular time, the mass is at P. A short time later, the mass is at Q, as shown below.

P v

Which vector diagram correctly shows the change in velocity Δv of the mass during this time?

A. B.

v v
v v

v v

C. D.

v v v v

v v
(1)

25. Newton’s law of gravitation for the force F between two point objects of masses M and m,
separated by a distance d may be written as
2
Fd  Mm.

The expression may also be used for the force of attraction between the Sun and the Earth,
although they are not point masses. This is because

A. the gravitational constant G is not involved in the expression.

B. the force between the Sun and the Earth is very large.

C. the separation of the Sun and the Earth is much greater than their radii.

D. the mass of the Earth is much less than the mass of the Sun.
(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

26. Gravitational field strength at a point may be defined as

A. the force on a small mass placed at the point.

B. the force per unit mass on a small mass placed at the point.

C. the work done to move unit mass from infinity to the point.

D. the work done per unit mass to move a small mass from infinity to the point.
(1)

–3
27. The acceleration of free fall of a small sphere of mass 5.0 × 10 kg when close to the surface of
–2
Jupiter is 25 ms . The gravitational field strength at the surface of Jupiter is
–4 –1
A. 2.0 × 10 N kg .
–1 –1
B. 1.3 × 10 N kg .
–1
C. 25 N kg .
3 –1
D. 5.0 × 10 N kg .
(1)

28. Which one of the following graphs best shows the variation of the total energy E of a satellite
orbiting the Earth with distance r from the centre of the Earth? (The radius of the Earth is R.)

A. E B. E

0 0
0 r 0 r

r=R r=R

C. D.
E E

0 0
0 r 0 r

r=R r=R
(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

29. An isolated point object has mass M. A second small point object of mass m is placed a distance
x from the larger mass.

Which one of the following is a correct expression for the gravitational potential energy of the
mass m?

GM GMm GM GMm
   
A. x B. x C. x2 D. x2
(1)

30. The point of action of a constant force F is displaced a distance d. The angle between the force
and the direction of the displacement is θ, as shown below.

Which one of the following is the correct expression for the work done by the force?

A. Fd B. Fd sin θ C. Fd cos θ D. Fd tan θ

(1)

31. An engine takes in an amount E of thermal energy and, as a result, does an amount W of useful
work. An amount H of thermal energy is ejected. The law of conservation of energy and the
efficiency of the engine are given by which of the following?

Law of conservation of energy Efficiency

A. E=W+H W

W
B. E=W+H
E
W
C. E+H=W
H
W
D. E+H=W
E–H
(1)

3
32. A machine lifts an object of weight 1.5 × 10 N to a height of 10 m. The machine has an overall
efficiency of 20%. The work done by the machine in raising the object is
3 4 4 4
A. 3.0 × 10 J. B. 1.2 × 10 J . C. 1.8 × 10 J. D. 7.5 × 10 J.
(1)

16
 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

33. Which one of the following is a true statement about energy?

A. Energy is destroyed due to frictional forces.

B. Energy is a measure of the ability to do work.

C. More energy is available when there is a larger power.

D. Energy and power both measure the same quantity.

(1)

34. The diagram below shows the variation with displacement x of the force F acting on an object in
the direction of the displacement.

Q
S
P

0 W V T
0 x1 x2 x

Which area represents the work done by the force when the displacement changes from x1 to x2?

A. QRS B. WPRT C. WPQV D. VQRT

(1)

35. An amount Q of energy is supplied to a machine. The machine does useful work W and an
amount R of energy is wasted, as illustrated below.

en erg y su p p lied Q u sefu l w o rk W

m ach in e

w asted en erg y R

Which one of the following is a correct expression for the efficiency of the machine?

W R W R W R
A. Q B. Q C. Q D. Q
(1)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

36. This question is about projectile motion.

A marble is projected horizontally from the edge of a wall 1.8 m high with an initial speed V.

1 .8 m

g ro u n d

A series of flash photographs are taken of the marble. The photographs are combined into a
single photograph as shown below. The images of the marble are superimposed on a grid that
shows the horizontal distance x and vertical distance y travelled by the marble.

The time interval between each image of the marble is 0.10 s.

x/m
0 0 .5 0 1 .0 1 .5 2 .0
0

– 0 .5 0

y/m – 1 .0

– 1 .5

– 2 .0

(a) On the images of the marble at x = 0.50 m and x = 1.0 m, draw arrows to represent the
horizontal velocity VH and vertical velocity VV.
(2)

18
 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

(b) On the photograph, draw a suitable line to determine the horizontal distance d from the
base of the wall to the point where the marble hits the ground. Explain your reasoning.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(3)

(c) Use data from the photograph to calculate a value of the acceleration of free fall.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(3)
(Total 8 marks)

37. This question is about driving a metal bar into the ground and the engine used in the process.

Large metal bars can be driven into the ground using a heavy falling object.

o b ject m ass = 2 .0 × 1 0 3 k g

b ar m ass = 4 0 0 k g

19
 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

3
In the situation shown, the object has a mass 2.0 × 10 kg and the metal bar has a mass of 400
kg.
–1
The object strikes the bar at a speed of 6.0 m s It comes to rest on the bar without bouncing.
As a result of the collision, the bar is driven into the ground to a depth of 0.75 m.

(a) Determine the speed of the bar immediately after the object strikes it.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(4)

(b) Determine the average frictional force exerted by the ground on the bar.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(3)

(c) The object is raised by a diesel engine that has a useful power output of 7.2 kW.
–1
In order that the falling object strikes the bar at a speed of 6.0 m s , it must be raised to a
certain height above the bar. Assuming that there are no energy losses due to friction,
calculate how long it takes the engine to raise the object to this height.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(4)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

The diagram below shows the relation between the pressure and the volume of the air in the
diesel engine for one cycle of operation of the engine. During the cycle there are two adiabatic
processes, an isochoric process and an isobaric process.

p ressu re
th erm al en erg y

B C

A
v o lu m e

(d) Explain what is meant by

(i) an adiabatic process;

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) an isochoric process;

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(iii) an isobaric process.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(e) Identify, from the diagram, the following processes.

(i) Adiabatic processes

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

21
 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

(ii) Isochoric process

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(iii) Isobaric process

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

During the process B  C thermal energy is absorbed.

The diesel engine has a total power output of 8.4 kW and an efficiency of 40%. The cycle of
operation is repeated 40 times every second.

(f) State what quantity is represented on the diagram by the area ABCD.

.....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(g) Determine the value of the quantity that is represented by the area ABCD.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(h) Determine the thermal energy absorbed during the process B  C.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 22 marks)

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 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

38. This question is about a satellite orbiting the Earth.

7
A satellite S is in orbit round the Earth, a distance R = 4.2 × 10 m from the centre of the Earth.

E arth

R = 4 .2 × 1 0 7 m

(a) On the diagram above, for the satellite in the position shown, draw arrow(s) to represent
the force(s) acting on the satellite.
(1)

(b) Deduce that the velocity v of the satellite is given by the expression

GM
2
v = R

where M is the mass of the Earth.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(c) Hence deduce that the period of orbit T of the satellite is given by the following
expression.

4 2 R 3
T2 
GM
(3)

23
 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

(d) Use the following information to determine that the orbital period of the satellite is about
24 hours.

GM
2
RE −2
Acceleration due to gravity at the surface of the Earth g = = 10 ms , where M is
6
the mass of the Earth and RE is the radius of the Earth = 6.4 × 10 m.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(e) The satellite is moved into an orbit that is closer to the Earth. State what happens to its

(i) potential energy.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) kinetic energy.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 9 marks)

39. This question is about the kinematics of an elevator (lift).

(a) Explain the difference between the gravitational mass and the inertial mass of an object.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(3)

24
 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

An elevator (lift) starts from rest on the ground floor and comes to rest at a higher floor. Its
motion is controlled by an electric motor. A simplified graph of the variation of the elevator’s
velocity with time is shown below.

v elo city / m s –1
0 .8 0
0 .7 0
0 .6 0
0 .5 0
0 .4 0
0 .3 0
0 .2 0
0 .1 0
0 .0 0
0 .0 1 .0 2 .0 3 .0 4 .0 5 .0 6 .0 7 .0 8 .0 9 .0 1 0 .0 11 .0 1 2 .0
tim e / s

The elevator is supported by a cable. The diagram below is a free-body force diagram for when
the elevator is moving upwards during the first 0.50 s.

ten sio n

w eig h t

(b) In the space below, draw free-body force diagrams for the elevator during the following
time intervals.

(i) 0.50 to 11.50 s (ii) 11.50 to 12.00 s

(3)

25
 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

A person is standing on weighing scales in the elevator. Before the elevator rises, the reading on the
scales is W.

(c) On the axes below, sketch a graph to show how the reading on the scales varies during
the whole 12.00 s upward journey of the elevator. (Note that this is a sketch graph – you
do not need to add any values.)

read in g o n scales

0 .0 0
0 .0 1 .0 2 .0 3 .0 4 .0 5 .0 6 .0 7 .0 8 .0 9 .0 1 0 .0 11 .0 1 2 .0
tim e / s
(3)

(d) The elevator now returns to the ground floor where it comes to rest. Describe and explain
the energy changes that take place during the whole up and down journey.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(4)
(Total 13 marks)

26
 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

40. This question is about gravitation.

A space probe is launched from the equator in the direction of the north pole of the Earth.
During the launch, the energy E given to the space probe of mass m is

3GMm
E = 4Re

where G is the Gravitational constant and M and Re are, respectively, the mass and radius of the
Earth. Work done in overcoming frictional forces is not to be considered.

(a) (i) Explain what is meant by escape speed.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) Deduce that the space probe will not be able to travel into deep space.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(3)

The space probe is launched into a circular polar orbit of radius R.

(b) Derive expressions, in terms of G, M, Re, m and R, for

(i) the change in gravitational potential energy of the space probe as a result of
travelling from the Earth’s surface to its orbit.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) the kinetic energy of the space probe when in its orbit.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

27
 IB Physics Problem Set – Mechanics

(c) Using your answers in (b) and the total energy supplied to the space probe as given in (a),
determine the height of the orbit above the Earth’s surface.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(4)

A space probe in a low orbit round the Earth will experience friction due to the Earth’s
atmosphere.

(d) (i) Describe how friction with the air reduces the energy of the space probe.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) Suggest why the rate of loss of energy of the space probe depends on the density of
the air and also the speed of the space probe.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(iii) State what will happen to the height of the space probe above the Earth’s surface
and to its speed as air resistance gradually reduces the total energy of the space
probe.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 18 marks)

28