Unit 1: Kinematics
Physics 1 · Unit 1 · Paper 1

Kinematics unit test

A test on this unit alone, marked as a percentage and a letter grade — for the test your class is actually sitting, rather than for May. Answer everything, then submit once: seeing the answer to question 3 before attempting question 4 makes the final percentage meaningless.

Paper 1Paper 2Paper 3
Each paper is built from this unit’s 44 terms and is the same for everyone, so a teacher can assign “Unit 1, Paper 1” and every student sits the identical test. Multiple choice is marked objectively; the written sections you mark yourself against the model answer and rubric.
Suggested time 34 min 31 points0/17 attempted
1

Scalar vs vector

2

Sign conventions

3

Kinematic equation without displacement

4

Velocity-time graph

5

Reference frame

6

Slope of a position-time graph

7

Instantaneous velocity

8

Slope of a velocity-time graph

9

Average velocity vs average speed

10

Projectile launched at an angle

11

Displacement vs distance

12

Symmetry of projectile flight

Short answer 1. Define or explain: Linearizing data

3 pts

Short answer 2. Define or explain: Average vs instantaneous velocity

3 pts

Short answer 3. Define or explain: Reading a curved position-time graph

3 pts

Short answer 4. Define or explain: Independence of projectile components

3 pts

Free response

7 pts

A student launches a ball horizontally from the edge of a table of height 1.20 m with speed v₀ and measures where it lands. She repeats the experiment for several launch speeds. (a) Derive an expression for the horizontal distance R in terms of v₀, h and g. (b) The student plots R against v₀ and obtains a straight line through the origin. Explain why the graph is linear, and state what the slope represents in terms of h and g. (c) A second student claims that launching from a greater height would change the slope of the R-versus-v₀ graph. State whether this claim is correct and justify your answer.

Derive an expression for the horizontal distance R in terms of v₀, h and g.

The student plots R against v₀ and obtains a straight line through the origin. Explain why the graph is linear, and state what the slope represents in terms of h and g.

A second student claims that launching from a greater height would change the slope of the R-versus-v₀ graph. State whether this claim is correct and justify your answer.