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Kinematics and Projectile Motion MCQs — Physics

79 multiple-choice questions on Kinematics and Projectile Motion from Physics, each with the correct answer and, where available, a teacher's explanation. Read through them to revise the chapter, then practise the same questions one by one to test yourself.

1. A car starts with velocity 0 m/s and accelerates at 2 m/s^2 for 5 s. The distance covered is:

  1. 12.5 m
  2. 26 m
  3. 50 m
  4. 25 m

Answer: D) 25 m

Explanation: s = ut + 12at^2 = 0(5) + 12(2)(5)^2 = 25 m. SLO P-11-B-04 · Application

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2. Air resistance on a moving ball depends mainly on:

  1. its speed, shape and cross-sectional area
  2. its colour
  3. its temperature only
  4. its mass only

Answer: A) its speed, shape and cross-sectional area

Explanation: Faster and larger objects experience more drag. SLO P-11-B-06 · Understanding

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3. Ignoring air resistance in projectile calculations usually gives:

  1. exactly correct answers
  2. an overestimate of range and height
  3. negative ranges
  4. an underestimate of range

Answer: B) an overestimate of range and height

Explanation: Real drag always reduces them. SLO P-11-B-06 · Understanding

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4. A falling object eventually stops accelerating when:

  1. its mass increases
  2. gravity disappears
  3. it reaches the ground
  4. air resistance equals its weight (terminal velocity)

Answer: D) air resistance equals its weight (terminal velocity)

Explanation: The net force becomes zero. SLO P-11-B-06 · Understanding

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5. With air resistance, the horizontal component of velocity:

  1. becomes vertical
  2. increases
  3. decreases during the flight
  4. stays constant

Answer: C) decreases during the flight

Explanation: Drag opposes the horizontal motion. SLO P-11-B-06 · Understanding

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6. During the downward part of the flight, the downward acceleration is:

  1. zero always
  2. less than g
  3. greater than g
  4. equal to g

Answer: B) less than g

Explanation: Drag now acts upward, against gravity. SLO P-11-B-06 · Understanding

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7. A stone is dropped from a height of 80 m (g = 9.8 m/s^2, no air resistance). It reaches the ground after:

  1. 5.71 s
  2. 8.08 s
  3. 2.02 s
  4. 4.04 s

Answer: D) 4.04 s

Explanation: h = 12gt^2 Rightarrow t = 2hg = 2(80)9.8 = 4.04 s. SLO P-11-B-04 · Application

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8. A ball is projected at 25 m/s at 53.13^circ (g = 9.8 m/s^2). Its horizontal range is:

  1. 122 m
  2. 30.6 m
  3. 63.8 m
  4. 61.2 m

Answer: D) 61.2 m

Explanation: R = u^2sin 2thetag = 61.2 m. SLO P-11-B-05 · Application

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9. Which equation does not contain time?

  1. s = ut + 12at^2
  2. v = u + at
  3. s = u + v2t
  4. v^2 = u^2 + 2as

Answer: D) v^2 = u^2 + 2as

Explanation: It was obtained by eliminating t. SLO P-11-B-03 · Understanding

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10. During the upward part of the flight, air resistance makes the vertical deceleration:

  1. less than g
  2. equal to g
  3. zero
  4. greater than g

Answer: D) greater than g

Explanation: Both gravity and drag act downward. SLO P-11-B-06 · Understanding

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11. A car moving at 72 km/h brakes uniformly to rest in 4 s. Its deceleration is:

  1. 20 m/s^2
  2. 5 m/s^2
  3. 18 m/s^2
  4. 2.5 m/s^2

Answer: B) 5 m/s^2

Explanation: 72 km/h = 20 m/s; a = 20/4 = 5 m/s^2. SLO P-11-B-04 · Application

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12. With air resistance, the maximum height reached is:

  1. lower than without air resistance
  2. higher
  3. doubled
  4. the same

Answer: A) lower than without air resistance

Explanation: Drag acts downward during the upward part, adding to gravity. SLO P-11-B-06 · Understanding

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13. A car starts with velocity 5 m/s and accelerates at 1.5 m/s^2 for 8 s. Its final velocity is:

  1. 17 m/s
  2. 34 m/s
  3. 8.5 m/s
  4. 25.5 m/s

Answer: A) 17 m/s

Explanation: v = u + at = 5 + (1.5)(8) = 17 m/s. SLO P-11-B-04 · Application

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14. Which projectile is least affected by air resistance?

  1. a table-tennis ball
  2. a sheet of paper
  3. a heavy, small, smooth metal ball
  4. a feather

Answer: C) a heavy, small, smooth metal ball

Explanation: High mass and small area give a small drag acceleration. SLO P-11-B-06 · Understanding

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15. A curved s–t graph getting steeper shows:

  1. constant velocity
  2. increasing velocity (acceleration)
  3. decreasing velocity
  4. a body at rest

Answer: B) increasing velocity (acceleration)

Explanation: The slope (velocity) is increasing. SLO P-11-B-03 · Understanding

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16. For uniform acceleration the average velocity is:

  1. u + v2
  2. uv
  3. v - u2
  4. u + vt

Answer: A) u + v2

Explanation: The velocity changes linearly, so the average is the mean of the end values. SLO P-11-B-03 · Understanding

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17. A ball rolls off a table 20 m high with horizontal speed 10 m/s (g = 9.8 m/s^2). It lands at a horizontal distance of:

  1. 28.6 m
  2. 10.1 m
  3. 20.2 m
  4. 40.4 m

Answer: C) 20.2 m

Explanation: Fall time t = 2h/g = 2.02 s; horizontal distance = vt = 20.2 m (horizontal velocity stays constant). SLO P-11-B-05 · Application

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18. Using s = ( u + v2 )t with v = u + at gives:

  1. s = ut + 12at^2
  2. s = 12ut^2
  3. s = ut + at^2
  4. s = vt + 12at^2

Answer: A) s = ut + 12at^2

Explanation: s = u + u + at2t = ut + 12at^2. SLO P-11-B-03 · Understanding

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19. A car starts with velocity 0 m/s and accelerates at 2 m/s^2 for 5 s. Its final velocity is:

  1. 15 m/s
  2. 20 m/s
  3. 10 m/s
  4. 5 m/s

Answer: C) 10 m/s

Explanation: v = u + at = 0 + (2)(5) = 10 m/s. SLO P-11-B-04 · Application

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20. A ball is projected at 50 m/s at 30^circ (g = 9.8 m/s^2). Its maximum height is:

  1. 95.7 m
  2. 15.9 m
  3. 63.8 m
  4. 31.9 m

Answer: D) 31.9 m

Explanation: H = u^2sin^2theta2g = 31.9 m. SLO P-11-B-05 · Application

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21. A shot-putter on Earth throws at about 40^circ rather than 45^circ partly because:

  1. the shot is too light
  2. gravity is weaker at 40^circ
  3. 45^circ is illegal
  4. air resistance and the release height favour a lower angle

Answer: D) air resistance and the release height favour a lower angle

Explanation: Both effects reduce the best angle below 45^circ. SLO P-11-B-06 · Understanding

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22. A ball is thrown straight up at 29.4 m/s. It returns to the thrower's hand after (g = 9.8 m/s^2):

  1. 7 s
  2. 3 s
  3. 12 s
  4. 6 s

Answer: D) 6 s

Explanation: Time up = u/g = 3 s; total time = 2u/g = 6 s. SLO P-11-B-04 · Application

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23. A stone is dropped from 45 m (g = 9.8 m/s^2). Its speed on reaching the ground is:

  1. 59.4 m/s
  2. 21 m/s
  3. 29.7 m/s
  4. 14.8 m/s

Answer: C) 29.7 m/s

Explanation: v = 2gh = 2(9.8)(45) = 29.7 m/s. SLO P-11-B-04 · Application

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24. A car starts with velocity 20 m/s and accelerates at -2 m/s^2 for 6 s. Its final velocity is:

  1. 4 m/s
  2. 12 m/s
  3. 8 m/s
  4. 16 m/s

Answer: C) 8 m/s

Explanation: v = u + at = 20 + (-2)(6) = 8 m/s. SLO P-11-B-04 · Application

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25. The path of a projectile without air resistance is:

  1. a straight line
  2. a hyperbola
  3. a parabola
  4. a circle

Answer: C) a parabola

Explanation: y = xtantheta - gx^22u^2cos^2theta is quadratic in x. SLO P-11-B-05 · Application

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