MCAS Physics Exams
MCAS 2016 Session 1
Four sleds are pulled up a hill. The table below shows the weight of each sled and its change in
height after being pulled up the hill.
Which pair of sleds have the same change in potential energy?
A. sleds W and Y
B. sleds W and Z
C. sleds X and Y
D. sleds X and Z
The circuit shown below has a variable resistor connected to a 6.0 V battery.
The value of the current at several settings of the variable resistor is recorded in the table below.
What amount of current flows through the battery when the variable resistor is set for 4-ohms?
A. 1.5 A
B. 1.0 A
C. 0.75 A
D. 0.50 A
Which of the following wave characteristics is the same for any electromagnetic wave traveling through empty space?
A. frequency
B. period
C. speed
D. wavelength
A 1 kg sample of liquid water and a 1 kg sample of ice are placed on a table. Which of the following statements best compares these two samples?
A. The liquid water has a larger volume than the ice.
B. The liquid water has a greater weight than the ice.
C. The liquid water has more thermal energy than the ice.
D. The liquid water has more gravitational potential energy than the ice.
Which of the following best compares average speed with average velocity?
A. Average speed is always less than average velocity.
B. Average speed has units of mph and average velocity has units of m/s.
C. Average speed is a vector quantity, but average velocity is a scalar quantity.
D. Average speed has only magnitude, but average velocity has both magnitude and direction.
Two U.S. quarters, initially at the same temperature, are heated with a flame. One of the quarters was made before 1965 and is composed of silver. The other quarter was made after 1965 and is composed mostly of copper.
What information is needed to determine which quarter will heat up faster?
A. the specific heats of the metals and the mass of each coin
B. the initial temperature of the coins and the mass of each coin
C. the temperature of the flame and the specific heats of the metals
D. the initial temperature of the coins and the temperature of the flame
Two particles with the same positive charge are 100 cm apart. What happens to the electric force between the two particles when the charge on each particle doubles?
A. The electric force becomes attractive.
B. The magnitude of the electric force decreases.
C. The attractive electric force becomes two times as strong.
D. The repulsive electric force becomes four times as strong.
The diagram below represents a wave pattern made by an object moving in water, as seen from above the surface of the water.
Based on the wave pattern shown, in which direction is the object moving?
A. north
B. east
C. south
D. west
A student creates a circuit with a variable voltage supply and a 2-ohm resistor. The student varies the voltage and measures the current. The graph below shows the student’s results.
What was the greatest power supplied by the battery?
A. 2 W
B. 4 W
C. 8 W
D. 16 W
The free-body force diagram below represents four forces acting on an object.
What is the net force on the object?
A. 0 N
B. 2 N to the right
C. 6 N along the vertical axis
D. 18 N in all directions
The table below describes ball X and ball Y.
Which of the following best compares the momentum of the two balls?
A. Both balls have the same momentum because they have the same mass.
B. Both balls have the same momentum because they have the same inertia.
C. Ball Y has greater momentum than ball X because ball Y has no velocity.
D. Ball X has greater momentum than ball Y because ball X has greater velocity.
What is the momentum of a 50 kg object traveling with a constant velocity of 20 m/s?
A. 2.5 kg • m/s
B. 1,000 kg • m/s
C. 10,000 kg • m/s
D. 20,000 kg • m/s
The graph below represents an object’s motion over four time intervals:
During which time interval does the object move with constant, positive velocity?
A. interval W
B. interval X
C. interval Y
D. interval Z
Two solid blocks with different masses are placed 1.0 m apart on a horizontal surface. Which of the following will occur if the two blocks are moved farther apart?
A. The gravitational force between the blocks will decrease.
B. The gravitational force between the blocks will remain the same.
C. The gravitational force of the more massive block will increase.
D. The gravitational force of the less massive block will increase.
A fan enables a computer’s processor to run for long periods of time without overheating. Which of the following forms of heat energy transfer does this example best represent?
A. condensation
B. convection
C. evaporation
D. radiation
Which of the following is a function of a resistor in a circuit?
A. to disconnect the wires
B. to decrease the temperature
C. to limit the amount of current
D. to increase the amount of voltage
A small steel rod is placed in 5 L of water. The initial temperature of the steel rod is 120°C, and the initial temperature of the water is 10°C. When does heat stop flowing between the steel rod and the water?
A. when the steel rod reaches 65°C
B. when the water reaches its boiling point
C. when the steel rod reaches 10°C and the water reaches 120°C
D. when the steel rod and the water reach the same temperature
The planet Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos. What is the direction of the force that keeps Phobos orbiting Mars?
A. toward the Sun
B. toward Deimos
C. toward the center of Mars
D. toward the north pole of Mars
A circuit has a light bulb connected to a constant voltage source. Which of the following changes must increase the power in the circuit?
A. using a light bulb that is more efficient
B. using a light bulb that draws more current
C. using a light bulb that is rated to last longer
D. using a light bulb that has a larger resistance
Which of the following describes properties that distinguish red light from violet light?
A. Red light has a longer wavelength and a lower frequency.
B. Red light has a longer wavelength and a higher frequency.
C. Red light has a shorter wavelength and a lower frequency.
D. Red light has a shorter wavelength and a higher frequency.
The diagram below shows a child on a swing. The child is swinging back and forth between points X and Z, through point Y. Points X and Z are at the same height.
Which of the following statements best describes the kinetic energy and the gravitational potential energy of the child?
A. The child has no potential energy and no kinetic energy at position X and position Y.
B. The child has the same kinetic energy and potential energy at position X and position Y.
C. The child has more potential energy and less kinetic energy at position X than at position Y.
D. The child has more kinetic energy and less potential energy at position X than at position Y.
Open-Response Questions
BE SURE TO ANSWER AND LABEL ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION.
Show all your work (diagrams, tables, or computations) in your Student Answer Booklet.
If you do the work in your head, explain in writing how you did the work.
Refer to the following information for the next four questions.
The graph below shows the relationship between distance and time for a sound wave moving
through a liquid.
a. Calculate the speed of the sound wave. Show your calculations and include units in your answer.
b. On your graph:
Label the line you copied “liquid.”
Draw a line labeled “gas” to represent how this sound wave would travel through a typical gas.
Draw a line labeled “solid” to represent how this sound wave would travel through a typical solid.
c. Explain your reasoning for the placement of the new lines (gas, solid) you drew in part (b).
d. Identify one property or characteristic of a sound wave that remains the same when it moves from a liquid into a gas or a solid.
Refer to the following information for the next three questions.
Four charged objects, labeled W, X, Y, and Z, are arranged in a straight line, as shown below.
a. Identify the two objects that have the greatest magnitude of electric force between them.
b. Identify the two objects that have the greatest attractive force between them. Explain why these two charges have an attractive force.
c. Identify the two objects that have the smallest magnitude of electric force between them. Explain your answer.
MCAS Physics Exams
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