KALPOHIN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL - TAMALE
END-OF-FIRST SEMESTER EXAMINATION – MAY, 2024.
SUBJECT: PHYSICS FORM: SHS TWO (2) DURATION: 2 HOURS
SECTION B (THEORY)
[60 Marks]
Answer any THREE (3) questions in this section. All questions carry equal marks.
1. (a) (i) What is meant by equilibrium of forces?
(ii) State the principle of moments.
(iii) State the relationship between the position of centre of gravity of a body and
its stability. [6 marks]
(b) A body of mass 50 kg is placed on a rough horizontal floor. If the body is moved
at a constant speed by the application of a horizontal force of 250 𝑁, calculate the:
(i) force exerted by the floor on the body.
(ii) the coefficient of friction. [Acceleration of free fall, g = 9.8 𝑚𝑠 −2 ] [4 marks]
(c) A body of mass 5 kg is held in equilibrium by two inextensible strings inclined at
40° and 15° respectively to the downward vertical. Find, correct to 3 significant
figures, the tensions in the strings. [Take g = 10 𝑚𝑠 −2] [6 marks]
(d) (i) Define friction.
(ii) State two situations each for which friction is considered to be:
(α) desirable.
(β) undesirable. [4 marks]
2. (a) (i) What is the centre of gravity of a body?
(ii) Describe an experiment to determine the position of the centre of gravity of an
irregular lamina. [6 marks]
(b) Explain the following types of mechanical equilibrium:
(α) static equilibrium
(β) dynamic equilibrium [4 marks]
(c) One end of a string 1.0 𝑚 long is fixed to a point 𝑋 and the other end is fastened to
a body 𝑌 of mass 5.0 kg. The body is pulled aside by a horizontal force, 𝐹 until it is
0.5 𝑚 from the vertical through 𝑋. Calculate the horizontal force, 𝐹 and the tension in
𝑋𝑌. [Take g = 10 𝑚𝑠 −2]. [4 marks]
(d) (i) Differentiate between couple and torque.
(ii) A uniform beam of length 70 𝑐𝑚 long and weight 15 𝑁 is supported at its ends
by strings. A load of 6.5 𝑁 is suspended on the beam at 10 𝑐𝑚 from one end. Find the
tensions in the strings. [6 marks]
3. (a) (i) Explain the term net force.
(ii) Give three examples each of the following:
(α) contact forces
(β) field forces [5 marks]
(b) Two forces 7 𝑁 and 𝑅 𝑁 acting at a point are inclined 75° to each other. The
resultant force, F of the two forces has magnitude 2.5 times that of R. Find the values
of R and F. [5 marks]
(c) (i) What is weight?
(ii) Sketch the force diagram of a body at rest on a horizontal floor. [4 marks]
(d) 𝐴
𝐹2
𝐹1
S
The diagram above shows two forces 𝐹1 and 𝐹2 acting on an object, A of mass 10 kg
resting on a frictionless horizontal surface, S.
(i) State the condition under which the object will remain at rest.
(ii) If 𝐹1 and 𝐹2 are 15 𝑁 and 35 𝑁 respectively, calculate the work done when the
object moves through a distance of 5 𝑚.
(iii) Calculate the acceleration of the object. [6 marks]
4. (a) (i) State three effects of a force.
(ii) Give two ways of reducing friction.
(iii) State three laws of solid friction. [4 marks]
(b)
(i)A force P of 50 𝑁 and another force Q of an unknown magnitude act at 90° to each
other. They are balanced by a force of 130 𝑁. Calculate the magnitude of Q.
(ii) Two forces of magnitudes 8 𝑁 and 12 𝑁 are acting on a body at an angle of 120°
to each other. Find the magnitude of the resultant force on the body. [6 marks]
(c) A box of mass 4.0 kg is just about to slide down a plane inclined at 30° to the
horizontal. What force, parallel to the plane, will just move the box up the plane at a
constant speed? [5 marks]
(d) A uniform rod 1.0 𝑚 long weighing 100 𝑁 is supported horizontally on two knife
edges A and B placed at 10.0 𝑐𝑚 from its ends. What will be the reactions at the
supports when a 40 𝑁 weight is suspended 60 𝑐𝑚 of the rod? [5 marks]
SECTION A (OBJECTIVE TEST)
[40 Marks]
Answer all the questions in this section.
1. Frictional force of magnitude 40 𝑁 acts on an object of mass 5.0 kg moving at a
constant speed of 5.0 𝑚𝑠 −1. Determine the magnitude of the force applied to the
object in order to maintain its speed.
A. 25 𝑁 B. 30 𝑁 C. 40 𝑁 D. 60 𝑁
2. The tendency of a body to remain at rest or continue its state of uniform motion is
called________?
A. friction B. inertia C. tension D. resistance
3. A body is in static equilibrium when________.
A. it moves with a constant speed B. the internal forces on it are negligible
C. the resultant force on it is zero D. it moves with uniform acceleration
4. Two forces 12 𝑁 and 7 𝑁 act in opposite direction on a body of mass 15 kg.
Calculate the acceleration produced on the body.
A. 0.33 𝑚𝑠 −2 B. 0.63 𝑚𝑠 −2 C. 0.80 𝑚𝑠 −2 D. 1.27 𝑚𝑠 −2
5. An object slides down a plane inclined at an angle, 𝜃 to the horizontal. If g is the
acceleration due to gravity, the acceleration of the object, a is _________.
A. g cos θ B. g cot 𝜃 C. g tan 𝜃 D. g sin 𝜃
6. A force of 16.5 𝑁 is applied to move a body of mass 7.5 kg on a horizontal rough
table. If the acceleration of the body is 0.20 𝑚𝑠 −2, calculate the coefficient of friction
between the body and the table.
A. 0.16 B. 0.20 C. 0.21 D. 0.22
7. When a body is slightly tilted, its centre of gravity is found to have been raised. What
is the initial state of equilibrium of the body?___________ equilibrium.
A. Neutral B. Stable C. Dynamic D. Unstable
8. A half-metre rule AB is balanced horizontally on a knife edge placed 20 𝑐𝑚 from A
and with a mass of 30 kg at A. Calculate the mass of the rule.
A. 20 g B. 30 g C. 120 g D. 160 g
9. An object of mass, m is pulled up a plane inclined at angle 𝜃 to the horizontal. Given
that the coefficient of friction of the surface is 𝜇. Which of the following expressions
gives the total force acting down the plane?
A. m (g sin θ + 𝜇 cos 𝜃) B. m (sin 𝜃 + 𝜇g cos 𝜃)
C. mg (sin 𝜃 − 𝜇 cos 𝜃 ) D. mg (sin 𝜃 + 𝜇 cos 𝜃)
10. A 60 kg man stands on a weighing balance in an elevator. If the elevator accelerates
upward at 5 ms-2, determine the reading of the scale.
A. 300 N B. 600 N C. 800 N D. 900 N
11. The mass of an object is doubled while the force acting on it is halved. The resulting
acceleration of the object is ________
A. quartered. B. halved. C. doubled. D. quadrupled.
12. The gravitational pull on a body is a measure of the body’s ________
A. mass. B. velocity. C. weight. D. acceleration.
13. Equal and opposite forces which are parallel and act on the same body are referred to
as________?
A. torque B. couple C. momentum D. work done
14. Which of the following forces is not a contact force?
A. Push B. Tension C. Gravitational force D. Frictional force
15. Two strings each inclined at an angle of 30° to the horizontal are used to hold a
bucket of water weighing 20 𝑁. Calculate the tension in each string.
A. 10 𝑁 B. 20 𝑁 C. 10√3 𝑁 D. 20√3 𝑁
16. The frictional force that acts when there is a relative motion between two surfaces in
contact is called_______.
A. static friction B. dynamic friction C. limiting friction D. solid friction
17. The unit of moment of force is________.
A. Ns B. Js C. 𝑁𝑚−1 D. Nm
18. The resultant force in a couple is________.
A. zero B. infinite C. sum of the two forces D. the product of the two
forces
19. The diagram below shows three forces F1, F2 and F3 in equilibrium. Which of the
following equations is correct?
A. F3 = F1 + F2 B. F2 = F1 + F3 C. F1 = F2 - F3 D. F2 = F1 - F3
20. The product one of the forces in a couple and the distance between the two forces is
called__________.
A. force B. torque C. work D. momentum
21. When a body in neutral equilibrium is disturbed slightly its centre of gravity _______.
A. is raised B. is lowered C. remains at the same point D. is unknown
22. Which of the following instruments is constructed using the principle of moments of
forces?
A. Spring balance B. Vernier callipers C. Beam balance D. micrometer
screw gauge
23. The body P shown in the diagram below is in equilibrium. If the mass of the body is
10 kg, calculate the tension, T in the string inclined at 60° to the downward vertical.
[Take g =10 𝑚𝑠 −2]
A. 20 N B. 20√20 N C. 200√3 N D. 200 N
24. A force of 20 N applied parallel to the surface of a horizontal table, is just sufficient to
make a block of mass 4 kg move on the table. Calculate the coefficient of friction
between the block and the table. [g = 10ms-2]
A. 0.50 B. 0.40 C. 0.20 D. 0.10
25. The resultant of two forces acting on an object is maximum when the angle between
them is?
A. 0° B. 45° C. 90° D. 180°
26. which of the diagrams above shows the position at which a small ball-bearing is in
neutral equilibrium?
A. A B. B C. C D. D
27. Which of the conditions below must hold for a body acted upon by a system of three
coplanar forces equilibrium?
I. All the three forces must be concurrent.
II. The upward force is equal to the downward force.
III. The algebraic sum of the moment about any point must be zero.
A. I and II only B. I, II and III C. I and III D. II and III
28. A body of mass 0.5 kg is suspended by a string and pulled by a horizontal force of
12 𝑁 as shown in the diagram below. Calculate the tension, T in the String if the body
is in equilibrium. [Take g = 10ms-2]
A. 13.0 N B. 12.5 N C. 10.9 N D. 7.0 N
29. A uniform metre rule is balanced on a fulcrum placed at the 35 cm mark by
suspending a mass 120 g at the 10 cm mark. Calculate the mass of the metre rule.
A. 60 g B. 80 g C. 120 g D. 200 g
30. The easiest way to open a heavy door is by applying the force_______.
A. near the hinges B. at the top of the door
C. in the middle of the door D. at the edge of the door far from the hinges
31. Calculate the moment of a force 20 N acting 70 cm from the fulcrum inclined at 60֯.
A. 6 Nm B. 8 Nm C. 12 Nm D. 16 Nm
32. Two forces of magnitudes 3 N and 5 N act on a particle. If their resultant force is of
magnitude of 6 N, find the angle between the two forces.
A. 82.6° B. 68.2° C. 86.2 ° D. 28.6°
33. A weight of 1000 N is supported by two chains as shown in the figure below. What
will be the tension in chain-1 and chain-2 respectively?
A. 500N; 866N B. 500N; 433N C. 1000N; 866N D. 1000N; 433N
34. A 16 N force produced a moment of 64 Nm. The moment arm length is _______.
A. 8 m B. 4 m C. 2 m D. 1 m
35. A student carries a book in an outstretched hand. The force on the book by the student
is equal to the_________ of the book.
A. mass B. volume C. weight D. density
36. An object is moved from the earth to the moon. Which of the following quantities
remain constant?
A. Mass B. Weight C. Energy D. Acceleration
37. The unit of impulse of a force is _________?
A. 𝑁𝑠 −1 B. 𝐽𝑠 −1 C. 𝐽𝑠 D. 𝑁𝑠
38. The moment of a force is the product of the force and ________.
A. time B. velocity C. perpendicular distance D. acceleration
39. If no force acts on an object, the object maintains the state of rest or constant speed
in a straight line. The above is a statement of Newton’s_________.
A. 1st law of motion B. 2nd law of motion C. 3rd law of motion D. law of
universal gravitation
40. Two forces forming a couple are separated by a distance of 24 cm. If one of the forces
equals 50 N, what is the torque of the couple?
A. 6 Nm B. 8 Nm C. 10 Nm D. 12 Nm
Good Luck!
Prepared by: Muhazu Abdul-Kaharu
