Xaverian High School
AP Physics 1 3/8/2024
Dr. Sheehan
Name: ______________________________________________
PART 1: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions. You may use any white space
for scratch work. (5 questions, 5 points, ~10 minutes)
The figure above shows a uniform beam of length L and mass M that hangs perfectly horizontally. The
beam is attached to a vertical wall to the left and is supported by a support cable to its right. A block of
mass M hangs from the right end of the beam. The wall exerts a force FW on the left end of the beam.
This force may be considered as two components, horizontal and vertical, denoted as F WH and FWV.
Assume the cable holding the beam and the mass have no mass.
1. Which expression accurately represents the net force on the beam?
a) Mg - Tsinθ
b) 2Mg - Tsinθ
c) Mg + Tsinθ
d) 2Mg + Tsinθ
2. Which expression accurately represents the net torque acting on the beam about its contact
point with the wall?
a) Tsinθ - MgL/2
b) Tsinθ - MgL
c) Tsinθ - 3MgL/2
d) Tsinθ - 2MgL
3. Which expression accurately represents the net torque acting on the beam about its contact
point with the support cable?
a) ML/2 - FWVL
b) ML/2 + FWVL
c) FWVL - ML/2
d) - FWVL - ML/2
1
Rod X is free to rotate about an axle located in its center. At time t = 0, the rod is at rest and a force of
magnitude F is exerted near the end of the rod at an angle, as shown in the figure on the left. As the
rod rotates, the force remains constant in magnitude and direction. At time t = 1 s, the rod is
perpendicular to the force.
4. When would rod X experience the greatest angular acceleration?
a) At time t = 0
b) At time t = 1 s
c) When the rod becomes horizontal
d) When the rod becomes parallel to the force
5. Which of the following graphs could show the rod’s angular speed as a function of time
between t = 0 and t = 1 s?
a) b)
c) d)
2
PART 2: Write your responses to the following questions in the space provided below the question.
(5 points + 2 extra credit, ~13 minutes)
AP Classroom: Bars Rotating on Table.
Two bars, bar 1 and bar 2, are at rest on a smooth horizontal table as shown in the top view above.
Each bar is connected to the table with a vertical pin. Bar 1 and bar 2 are made from the same
material and have the same physical dimensions, but bar 1 has three additional large holes drilled
through it. The two bars are each accelerated from rest by forces of equal magnitude F applied at their
right end. The forces remain perpendicular to the bars and the forces are exerted for an equal amount
of time t1.
a) Briefly explain using physics principles why the angular displacement for bar 1 is larger than
the angular displacement of bar 2.
3
b) On the axes below, sketch the angular velocity of each bar as a function of time. Label the
sketch for bar 1 “Bar 1” and the sketch for bar 2 “Bar 2”.
c) After the force has been applied to both bars for a time t 1, is the angular momentum of bar 1
larger than, smaller than, or the same as the angular momentum of bar 2?
_____ Larger _____ Smaller _____ The same
Justify your answer. HINT: What determines if an object’s linear momentum changes? What is
the angular parallel to that quantity?
