Physics I: 501 Practice Problems For Dummies (+ Free Online Practice)

by Unknown

• ISBN13: 9781119883715
• ISBN10: 1119883717
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2022-06-08
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Overcome your study inertia and polish your knowledge of physics

Physics I: 501 Practice Problems For Dummies gives you 501 opportunities to practice solving problems from all the major topics covered you Physics I class—in the book and online! Get extra help with tricky subjects, solidify what you’ve already learned, and get in-depth walk-throughs for every problem with this useful book. These practice problems and detailed answer explanations will help you succeed in this tough-but-required class, no matter what your skill level. Thanks to Dummies, you have a resource to help you put key concepts into practice.

• Work through practice problems on all Physics I topics covered in school classes
• Step through detailed solutions to build your understanding
• Access practice questions online to study anywhere, any time
• Improve your grade and up your study game with practice, practice, practice

The material presented in Physics I: 501 Practice Problems For Dummies is an excellent resource for students, as well as parents and tutors looking to help supplement Physics I instruction.

Physics I: 501 Practice Problems For Dummies (9781119883715) was previously published as Physics I Practice Problems For Dummies (9781118853153). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product.

Author Biography

The Experts at Dummies are smart, friendly people who make learning easy by taking a not-so-serious approach to serious stuff.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

What You’ll Find 1

How This Workbook Is Organized 1

Part 1: The Questions 2

Part 2: The Answers 2

Beyond the Book 2

Where to Go for Additional Help 3

Part 1: The Questions 5

Chapter 1: Reviewing Math Fundamentals and Physics Measurements 7

The Problems You’ll Work On 7

What to Watch Out For 7

Equipping Yourself with Basic Algebra 8

Tackling a Little Trigonometry 8

Converting between Units 8

Practicing Scientific Notation 9

Understanding Unit Prefixes 9

Spotting the Number of Significant Digits 9

Rounding to the Correct Number of Digits 10

Chapter 2: Moving along with Kinematics 11

The Problems You’ll Work On 11

What to Watch Out For 11

Determining Displacement Using Positions in One Dimension 12

Getting Displacement in Two Dimensions with Axes 12

Traveling with Average Speed and at Instantaneous Speed 13

Distinguishing between Average Speed and Average Velocity 13

Speeding Up and Down with Acceleration 14

Finding Displacement with Acceleration and Time 14

Finding Displacement with Acceleration and Velocities 15

Finding Acceleration with Displacement and Time 15

Finding Acceleration with Velocities and Displacement 16

Finding Velocities with Acceleration and Displacement 16

Chapter 3: Moving in a Two-Dimensional World 17

The Problems You’ll Work On 17

What to Watch Out For 17

Getting to Know Vectors 18

Adding and Subtracting Vectors 18

Adding Vectors and Subtracting Vectors on the Grid 18

Breaking Vectors into Components 19

Reassembling a Vector from Its Components 19

Describing Displacement, Velocity, and Acceleration in Two Dimensions 20

Moving under the Influence of Gravity: Projectile Launched Horizontally 21

Moving under the Influence of Gravity: Projectile Launched at an Angle 22

Chapter 4: Pushing and Pulling: The Forces around You 23

The Problems You’ll Work On 23

What to Watch Out For 23

Resisting Motion with Newton’s First Law 24

Forcing a Massive Object to Accelerate 24

Drawing Free-Body Diagrams 24

Adding Forces Together to Obtain the Net Force 25

Moving a Distance with the Net Force 26

Finding the Needed Force to Speed Up 26

Pairing Up Equal and Opposite Forces 27

Overcoming Friction by Pulling Hard 27

Pulling in a Different Direction with Pulleys 28

Balancing the Forces to Find Equilibrium 29

Chapter 5: Slipping and Sliding: Motion and Forces 31

The Problems You’ll Work On 31

What to Watch Out For 31

Finding the Gravity along a Slope 32

Moving Fast with Gravity down a Slippery Slope 32

Getting Unstuck with the Coefficient of Friction 33

Starting Motion with Static Friction 33

Keeping on Moving with Kinetic Friction 34

Pushing and Pulling on a Non-Slippery Slope 34

Covering the Distance on a Non-Slippery Slope 35

Shooting Objects Straight Up to the Maximum Height 36

Taking the Time to Go Up and Down 36

Shooting at an Angle: Separating the Motion in Components 37

Reaching Far with a Projectile 38

Chapter 6: Describing Rotational Motion 39

The Problems You’ll Work On 39

What to Watch Out For 39

Keeping a Constant Speed around a Circle 40

Measuring Angles in Radians 40

Traveling in a Circle with Angular Velocity 40

Speeding Up and Down around a Circle with Angular Acceleration 41

Accelerating toward the Center with Centripetal Acceleration 42

Providing the Centripetal Force Based on Mass, Velocity, and Radius 42

Chapter 7: Rotating Around in Different Loops 45

The Problems You’ll Work On 45

What to Watch Out For 45

Turning on a Flat Road with a Little Help from Friction 46

Making a Banked Turn in Debt to Normal Force 46

Applying the Law of Universal Gravitation to the Stars 47

Accelerating with Gravity Near a Planet’s Surface 48

Finding the Speed of the Satellites in Circular Orbits 48

Taking the Time to Travel around Celestial Bodies 49

Moving Fast to Avoid Falling Off in a Vertical Loop 50

Chapter 8: Going with the Flow: Fluids 51

The Problems You’ll Work On 51

What to Watch Out For 51

Getting Denser with More Mass Packed Together 52

Comparing Densities Using Specific Gravity 52

Applying Pressure with a Force 52

Working under Pressure: Calculating the Pressure at a Depth 52

Passing on Pressure with Pascal’s Principle 53

Floating with Archimedes’ Principle 53

Distinguishing Different Types of Flow 54

Flowing Faster with a Smaller Pipe 54

Relating Pressure and Speed with Bernoulli’s Equation 55

Putting It All Together with Pipes 55

Chapter 9: Getting Some Work Done 57

The Problems You’ll Work On 57

What to Watch Out For 57

Applying Force in the Direction of Movement 58

Applying Force at an Angle 58

Applying Force in the Opposite Direction of Motion 59

Finding the Kinetic Energy of a Moving Object 59

Turning Work into Kinetic Energy 60

Banking on Potential Energy by Working against Gravity 61

Cashing Out Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy 62

Maintaining the Total Mechanical Energy 62

Gaining Power by Doing More Work Faster 63

Powering Up with Speed 64

Chapter 10: Picking Up Some Momentum with Impulse 65

The Problems You’ll Work On 65

What to Watch Out For 65

Applying Force for a Period of Time: Impulse 66

Gathering Momentum in All Directions 66

Supplying Impulse to Change Momentum 67

Finding Force from Impulse and Momentum 67

Conserving Momentum during Collisions 67

Sticking Together: Finding the Velocity in Inelastic Collisions 68

Finding the Initial Velocity of Collisions 69

Colliding Elastically along a Line 70

Colliding Pool Balls: Elastic Collisions in Two Dimensions 71

Chapter 11: Rolling Around with Rotational Kinetics and Dynamics 73

The Problems You’ll Work On 73

What to Watch Out For 73

Linking Linear and Tangential Motion with Radius 74

Finding Centripetal Acceleration 74

Figuring Out Angular Velocity and Acceleration 74

Twisting Around with Torque 75

Lifting Some Weights: An Exercise in Rotational Equilibrium 76

Hanging Signs up and Keeping the Torques Balanced 76

Leaning against the Wall with Help from Friction 78

Converting Tangential Acceleration to Angular Acceleration in Newton’s Second Law 79

Looking into Mass Distribution to Find Moments of Inertia 80

Relating Torque, Angular Acceleration, and Moments of Inertia 80

Putting a Spin on Work 81

Rolling with Rotational Kinetic Energy 82

Finding Rotational Kinetic Energy on a Ramp 83

Conserving Angular Momentum 84

Chapter 12: Bouncing with a Spring: Simple Harmonic Motion 87

The Problems You’ll Work On 87

What to Watch Out For 87

Compressing and Stretching Springs: The Spring’s Restoring Force 88

Getting around the Equilibrium 88

Riding the Sine Wave of Simple Harmonic Motion 88

Finding Period and Frequency 89

Linking Position, Velocity, and Acceleration 89

Finding the Period of a Mass on a Spring 90

Taking Energy into Account in Simple Harmonic Motion 90

Swinging with Pendulums 91

Chapter 13: Heating Up with Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer 93

The Problems You’ll Work On 93

What to Watch Out For 93

Measuring Temperature in Different Ways 94

Getting to the Coldest Zone 94

Expanding with the Heat: Getting Longer 94

Expanding with the Heat: Taking Up More Space 95

Changing the Temperature with Energy Flow 95

Gaining or Losing Energy to Change into a New Phase 96

Rising with the Hot Fluid in Convection 97

Getting in Touch with Thermal Conduction 97

Working with Thermal Conductivity 97

Radiating with Black Bodies 98

Chapter 14: Living in an Ideal World with the Ideal Gas Law 99

The Problems You’ll Work On 99

What to Watch Out For 99

Finding Number of Molecules in Moles with Avogadro’s Number 100

Working with Boyle’s Law When Temperature Is Constant 100

Working with Charles’s Law When Pressure Is Constant 100

Relating Pressure, Volume, and Temperature with the Ideal Gas Law 101

Calculating the Kinetic Energy of the Ideal Gas Molecules 101

Chapter 15: Experiencing the Laws of Thermodynamics 103

The Problems You’ll Work On 103

What to Watch Out For 103

Conserving Energy Using the First Law: Heat and Work 104

Staying at Constant Pressure in Isobaric Processes 104

Staying at Constant Temperature in Isothermal Processes 105

Staying at Constant Volume in Isochoric Processes 105

Staying at Constant Heat in Adiabatic Processes 106

Putting Heat to Work with Heat Engines 106

Evaluating Efficiency of Heat Engines 107

Going against the Flow with Heat Pumps 107

Part 2: The Answers 109                  

Chapter 16: Answers 111

Index 413