TUTORIAL SHEET 01

PHY 5221
Physics for Education
MODULE INSTRUCTOR: Dr Marubini T.E
SECOND SEMESTER 2025
Please note that these are practice problems, for more related problems
you are encouraged to use textbooks.

PART ONE: MECHANICS

Chapter 1 (Physics and Measurements)

1. Two spheres are cut from a certain uniform rock. One has radius 4.50
cm. The mass of the other is five times greater. Find its radius.
2. What mass of a material with density 𝜌 is required to make a hollow
spherical shell having inner radius 𝑟 and outer radius 𝑟 ?
3. Earth is approximately a sphere of radius 6.37 × 10 m. What are (a) its
circumference in kilometers, (b) its surface area in square kilometers,
and (c) its volume in cubic kilometers?
4. Which of the following equations is dimensionally correct?
a) 𝑣 = 𝑎𝑡
b) 𝑣 = 𝑎𝑡
c) 𝑣 = 𝑣 + 𝑎𝑥

d) 𝑦 = (2𝑚)cos (𝑘𝑥), where 𝑘 = 2𝑚

5. Kinetic energy K has dimensions kg ∙ m /s . It can be written in terms
of the momentum 𝑝 and mass m as
p
K=
2m
 a) Determine the proper units for momentum using dimensional
analysis.
b) The unit of force is the Newton (N), where 1 N = 1 kg ∙ m/s . What
are the units of momentum 𝑝 in terms of a newton and another
fundamental SI unit?
6. Prove that one solution of the equation 2.00𝑥 − 3.00𝑥 + 5.00𝑥 = 70.0
is 𝑥 = −2.22.

Chapter 2 (Motion in One Dimension)

1. Define the terms Position, Velocity and Speed.

2. Differentiate between Displacement and Distance.
3. If a car is traveling eastward, can its acceleration be westward? Explain.
4. If the velocity of a particle is zero, can the particle’s acceleration be zero?
Explain.
5. If the velocity of a particle is nonzero, can the particle’s acceleration be
zero? Explain.

6. While driving a car at 90 km/h, how far do you move while your eyes
shut for 0.50 s during a hard sneeze?

7. A car moves uphill at 40 km/h and then back downhill at 60 km/h.

What is the average speed for the round trip?

8. A particle moves according to the equation 𝑥 = 10𝑡 , where 𝑥 is in meters

and 𝑡 is in seconds.
a) Find the average velocity for the time interval from 2.00 to 3.00 s.
b) Find the average velocity for the time interval from 2.00 to 2.10 s.

9. The speed of a nerve impulse in the human body is about 100 m/s. If
you accidentally stub your toe in the dark, estimate the time it takes
the nerve impulse to travel to your brain.

10. At a certain time a particle had a speed of 18 m/s in the positive x

direction, and 2.4 s later its speed was 30 m/s in the opposite direction.
What is the average acceleration of the particle during this 2.4 s
interval?
Chapter 3 (Vectors)

1. Distinguish between Vector and Scalar quantities.

2. The polar coordinates of a point are 𝑟 = 5.50 𝑚 and 𝜃 = 240°. What
are the Cartesian coordinates of this point?
3. Your dog is running around the grass in your backyard. He
undergoes successive displacements 3.50 m south, 8.20 m northeast,
and 15.0 m west. What is the resultant displacement?

4. Consider the two vectors 𝐀⃗ = 3 ̂ − 2 ̂ and 𝐁⃗ = − ̂ − 4 ̂. Calculate

(a) 𝐀⃗ + 𝐁⃗

(b) 𝐀⃗ − 𝐁⃗

(c) 2𝐀⃗ − 𝐁⃗

(d) 𝐀⃗ + 𝐁⃗

(e) 𝐀⃗ − 𝐁⃗

(f) The direction of 𝐀⃗ + 𝐁⃗ and 𝐀⃗ − 𝐁⃗

(g) 𝐀⃗ ∙ 𝐁⃗ and 𝐀⃗ × 𝐁⃗

(h) (𝐀⃗ + 𝐁⃗) ∙ 𝐁⃗

(i) Find the components of 𝐀⃗ in the direction of 𝐁⃗.

5. If 𝐀⃗ = 3 ̂ − 2 ̂ + 6𝒌 and 𝐁⃗ = 2 ̂ − 4 ̂ + 𝒌, what is (𝐀⃗ × 𝐁⃗) ∙ (𝐀⃗ × 4𝐁⃗)?

6. Three vectors are given by 𝐀⃗ = 3 ̂ + 3 ̂ − 2𝒌, 𝐁⃗ = − ̂ − 4 ̂ + 2𝒌 and

𝐂⃗ = 2 ̂ + 2 ̂ + 1𝒌. Find.

(a) the unit vector perpendicular to the plane of 𝐀⃗ and (𝐁⃗ − 𝐂⃗).

(b) the scalar product of 𝐂⃗ and (𝐀⃗ + 𝐁⃗).

(c) the angle between 𝐂⃗ and (𝐀⃗ + 𝐁⃗).

(d) 𝐀⃗ ∙ (𝐁⃗ × 𝐂⃗)

(e) 𝐀⃗ ∙ (𝐁⃗ + 𝐂⃗)

 (f) 𝐀⃗ × (𝐁⃗ + 𝐂⃗)

(g) What is the component of 𝐀⃗ along the direction of 𝐁⃗?

(h) What is the component of 𝐀⃗ that is perpendicular to the

direction of 𝐁⃗ and in the plane of 𝐀⃗ and 𝐁⃗.
(i) Use the definition of scalar product to find the angle between
vectors 𝐀⃗ and 𝐁⃗.

7. If 𝐀⃗ − 𝐁⃗ = 2𝐂⃗, 𝐀⃗ + 𝐁⃗ = 4𝐂⃗ and 𝐂⃗ = 3 ̂ + 4 ,̂ then what are 𝐀⃗ and 𝐁⃗.

Chapter 4 (Motion in Two-Dimensions)

1. When the Sun is directly overhead, a hawk dives toward the ground with a
constant velocity of 5.00 m/s at 60.0° below the horizontal. Calculate the
speed of its shadow on the level ground.

2. The position vector for an electron is r⃗ = (5.0 m)ı̂ + (3.0 m)ȷ̂ + (2.0 m)k.
(a) Find the magnitude of r⃗.
(b) Sketch the vector on a right-handed coordinate system.

3. A particle initially located at the origin has an acceleration of 𝒂⃗ = 3.00𝚥̂ m/s2

and an initial velocity of v⃗ = 5.00𝚤̂ m/s. Find
(a) the vector position of the particle at any time t,
(b) the velocity of the particle at any time t,
(c) the coordinates of the particle at 𝑡 = 2.00 s and
(d) the speed of the particle at 𝑡 = 2.00 s.

4. A ball thrown horizontally at 12.2 m/s from the roof of a building lands 21.0
m from the base of the building. How high is the building?

5. A small ball rolls horizontally off the edge of a tabletop that is 1.20 m high.
It strikes the floor at a point 1.52 m horizontally from the table edge.
(a) How long is the ball in the air?
(b) What is its speed at the instant it leaves the table?

6. A ball rolls horizontally off the top of a stairway with a speed of 1.52 m/s.
The steps are 20.3 cm high and 20.3 cm wide. Which step does the ball hit
first?
7. A rifle that shoots bullets at 460 m/s is to be aimed at a target 45.7 m away.
If the center of the target is level with the rifle, how high above the target
must the rifle barrel be pointed so that the bullet hits dead center?

8. In the figure below, a stone is projected at a cliff of height h with an initial

speed of 42.0 m/s directed at angle 𝜃 = 60.0° above the horizontal. Find
(a) the height ℎ of the cliff,
(b) the speed of the stone just before impact at A, and
(c) the maximum height H reached above the ground.

Figure 1. Projectile motion

9. A projectile is fired horizontally from a gun that is 45.0 m above flat ground,
emerging from the gun with a speed of 250 m/s.
(a) How long does the projectile remain in the air?
(b) At what horizontal distance from the firing point does it strikes the
ground?
(c) What is the magnitude of the vertical component of its velocity as it
strikes the ground?

10. A firefighter, a distance d from a burning building, directs a stream of

water from a fire hose at angle 𝜃 above the horizontal. If the initial speed of
the stream is 𝑣 , at what height h does the water strike the building?

Figure 2. Projectile motion

Chapter 5 (The Laws of Motion)

1. Show your understanding of the following words/terms:

(a) Force
(b) Inertial frame of reference
(c) Mass
(d) Gravitational force and weight

2. State Newton’s First, Second and Third laws of motion respectively.

3. Under what conditions do we have the following analysis models:

(a) The particle in equilibrium.
(b) The particle under a net force.

4. The force exerted by the wind on the sails of a sailboat is 390 N

north. The water exerts a force of 180 N east. If the boat (including
its crew) has a mass of 270 kg, what are the magnitude and
direction of its acceleration?

5. A 3.00 kg object undergoes an acceleration given by 𝐚⃗ = (2.00 ̂ +

5.00 ̂) m/s2.
(a) Find the resultant force acting on the object.
(b) Find the magnitude of the resultant force.

6. A block slides down a frictionless plane having an inclination of 𝜃 =

15.0°. The block starts from rest at the top, and the length of the
incline is 2.00 m.
(a) Draw a free-body diagram of the block.
(b) Find the acceleration of the block.
(c) Find its speed when it reaches the bottom of the incline

7. A block of mass 𝑚 = 3.70 kg on a frictionless plane inclined at angle

𝜃 = 30.0° is connected by a cord over a massless frictionless pulley to
a second block of mass 𝑚 = 2.30 kg.
(a) Draw free body diagrams showing all forces acting on the
masses.
(b) What is the magnitude of the acceleration of each block?
(c) Find the tension in the cord.
 Figure 3. Masses connected with a cord over an inclined pulley

8. Two blocks of mass 3.50 kg and 8.00 kg are connected by a

massless string that passes over a frictionless pulley. The inclines
are frictionless.
(a) Find the magnitude of the acceleration of each block.
(b) Find the tension in the string.

Figure 4. Masses inclined on both sides connected with a cord over a pulley

9. A block of mass 𝑚 = 2.00 kg is released from rest at ℎ = 0.500 m

above the surface of a table at the top of a 𝜃 = 30.0° incline. The
frictionless incline is fixed on a table of height 𝐻 = 2.00 m.
(a) Determine the acceleration of the block as it slides down the
incline.
(b) What is the velocity of the block as it leaves the incline?
(c) How far from the table will the block hit the floor?
(d) What time interval elapses between when the block is
released and when it hits the floor?
(e) Does the mass of the block affect any of the above
calculations?
 Figure 5. A mass sliding down an incline

10. Three objects are connected on a table as shown. The

coefficient of kinetic friction between the block of mass 𝑚 and the
table is 0.350. the objects have masses of 𝑚 = 4.00 kg, 𝑚 = 1.00 kg
and 𝑚 = 2.00 kg and the pulleys are frictionless.
(a) Draw a free-body diagram of each object.
(b) Determine the acceleration of each object including its
direction.
(c) Determine the tension in the two cords.
(d) If the tabletop were smooth, would the tension increase,
decrease or remain the same? Explain.

Figure 6. Three masses on a table connected with a cord over frictionless pulleys

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