Ranking Task Exercises in Physics Student Edition

by O'Kuma, T L; Maloney, D P; Hieggelke, C J

• ISBN13: 9780131448513
• ISBN10: 013144851X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-10-28
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

This book features Ranking Task exercises - an innovative type of conceptual exercise that challenges readers to make comparative judgments about a set of variations on a particular physical situation. Two-hundred-and-eighteen exercises encourage readers to formulate their own ideas about the behavior of a physical system, correct any misconceptions they may have, and build a better conceptual foundation of physics.Covering as many topic domains in physics as possible, the book contains Kinematics Ranking Tasks, Force Ranking Tasks, Projectile and Other Two-Dimensional Motion Ranking Tasks, Work-Energy Ranking Tasks, Impulse-Momentum Ranking Tasks, Rotation Ranking Tasks, SHM and Properties of Matter Ranking Tasks, Heat and Thermodynamics Ranking Tasks, Electrostatics Ranking Tasks, DC Circuit Ranking Tasks, Magnetism and Electromagnetism Ranking Tasks, and Wave and Optics Ranking Tasks.For anyone who wants a better conceptual understanding of the many areas of physics.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Acknowledgments	xiii
Ranking Task Sample I	xv
Ranking Task Sample II	xvi
Kinematics Ranking Tasks
Ball Motion Diagrams - Velocity I	1	(1)
Ball Motion Diagrams - Acceleration I	2	(1)
Ball Motion Diagrams - Velocity II	3	(1)
Ball Motion Diagrams - Acceleration II	4	(1)
Objects in Different Situations - Accelerations	5	(1)
Vertical Model Rockets - Maximum Height	6	(1)
Vertical Arrows - Maximum Height	7	(1)
Position Time Graphs - Displacement	8	(1)
Cars - Change of Velocity	9	(1)
Position Time Graphs - Average Speed	10	(1)
Motion Diagrams - Displacement	11	(1)
Motion Diagrams - Average Velocity	12	(1)
People on Trains - Speed Relative to Ground	13	(1)
Force Ranking Tasks
Carts Moving Along Horizontal Surface - String Tension	14	(1)
Carts Moving Along Horizontal Surface - Acceleration	15	(1)
Carts Moving Along Horizontal Surface - Slowing Down	16	(1)
Two-Dimensional Forces on a Treasure Chest - Final Speed	17	(1)
Two-Dimensional Forces on a Treasure Chest - Acceleration	18	(1)
Arrows - Acceleration	19	(1)
Rocks Thrown Upward - Net Force	20	(1)
Rocks Thrown Downward - Net Force	21	(1)
Rocks Thrown Downward - Acceleration	22	(1)
Model Rockets Moving Upward - Net Force	23	(1)
Blocks Attached to Fixed Objects - Rope Tension	24	(1)
Ball Motion Diagram - Net Force	25	(1)
Force Acceleration Graphs - Mass	26	(1)
Two Different Blocks and a Pulley - Tension	27	(1)
Ropes Pulling Boxes - Acceleration	28	(1)
Ropes Pulling Boxes - Rope Tension	29	(1)
Two Different Blocks and a Pulley - Net Force	30	(1)
Moving Car and Boat Trailer - Force Difference	31	(1)
Accelerating Car and Boat Trailer - Force Difference	32	(1)
Car and Boat Trailer on an Incline - Force Difference	33	(1)
Forces on Objects on Smooth Surfaces - Velocity Change	34	(1)
Forces on Objects on Smooth Surfaces - Speed Change	35	(1)
Forces on Objects on Rough Surfaces - Velocity Change	36	(1)
Forces on Objects on Rough Surfaces - Speed Change	37	(1)
Person in an Elevator Moving Upward - Scale Weight	38	(1)
Person in an Elevator Moving Downward - Scale Weight	39	(1)
Two Blocks at Rest - Force Difference	40	(1)
Two Moving Blocks - Force Difference	41	(1)
Two Accelerating Blocks - Force Difference	42	(1)
Horizontal Arrows at Different Distances - Force	43	(1)
Horizontal Arrows at Different Times - Force	44	(1)
Horizontal Arrows at Different Distances and Times - Force	45	(1)
Projectile and Other Two - Dimensional Motion Ranking Tasks
Water Over a Waterfall - Time to Reach Ground	46	(1)
Rifle Shots - Time to Hit Ground	47	(1)
Toy Trucks Rolling Off Tables - Time in Air	48	(1)
Arrows - Maximum Heights	49	(1)
Rock Throw - Maximum Heights	50	(1)
Model Rockets Fired at an Angle - Horizontal Speed at Top	51	(1)
Cannon Shots - Acceleration at the Top	52	(1)
Carts on Incline - Height After Leaving Incline	53	(1)
Projectile - Horizontal Distance	54	(1)
Projectile - Time in Air	55	(1)
Work - Energy Ranking Tasks
Boxcars and Ropes - Stopping Force in Same Distance	56	(1)
Cars and Barriers - Stopping Force in Same Distance I	57	(1)
Cars and Barriers - Stopping Distance with the Same Force	58	(1)
Cars - Work Done in Change of Velocity	59	(1)
Bouncing Cart - Change in Kinetic Energy	60	(1)
Bouncing Cart - Work Done by the Barrier	61	(1)
Bouncing Cart - Work Done on the Barrier	62	(1)
Model Rockets - Kinetic Energy	63	(1)
Sliding Masses on Incline - Kinetic Energy	64	(1)
Sliding Masses on Incline - Change in Potential Energy	65	(1)
Cars - Change in Kinetic Energy During a Change of Velocity	66	(1)
Ball Motion Diagram - Kinetic Energy	67	(1)
Equal Forces on Boxes - Work Done on Box	68	(1)
Equal Force on Boxes - Work Done on Hand	69	(1)
Velocity Time Graph - Work Done on Box	70	(1)
Pendulums - Maximum Speed of the Bob	71	(1)
Force Pushing Box - Change in Kinetic Energy	72	(1)
Pushing Box with Friction - Change in Kinetic Energy	73	(1)
Impulse - Momentum Ranking Tasks
Cars and Barriers - Stopping Time with the Same Force	74	(1)
Exploding Shells - Final Location of Center of Mass	75	(1)
Bouncing Cart - Change in Momentum I	76	(1)
Bouncing Cart - Change in Momentum II	77	(1)
Bouncing Cart - Change in Momentum III	78	(1)
Force Pushing Box - Change in Momentum	79	(1)
Force Pushing Box - Final Momentum	80	(1)
Cars - Impulse During a Change of Velocity	81	(1)
Cars - Change in Momentum During a Change of Velocity	82	(1)
Rotation Ranking Tasks
Four L's Rotating About an Axis (side view) - Moment of Inertia	83	(1)
Five T's Rotating About an Axis (top view) - Moment of Inertia	84	(1)
Four T's Rotating About an Axis (side view) - Moment of Inertia	85	(1)
Five T's Rotating About an Axis (top view) - Net Gravitational Torque	86	(1)
Five T's Rotating About an Axis (top view) - Angular Acceleration	87	(1)
Blocks on Rotating Turntables - Horizontal Force	88	(1)
Hanging Weights and Fixed Disks - Torque	89	(1)
Horizontal Uniform Rods - Angular Acceleration	90	(1)
Horizontal Uniform Rods - Change in Angular Momentum	91	(1)
Rotating Systems of Point Masses - Difficult to Rotate	92	(1)
Rotating Systems of Point Masses - Center of Mass	93	(1)
Statics - Difficult to Hold I	94	(1)
Statics - Difficult to Hold II	95	(1)
SHM and Properties of Matter Ranking Tasks
Springs and Masses - Period of Oscillating Mass	96	(1)
SHM Equations - Period, Maximum Velocity and Acceleration	97	(1)
Blocks Suspended in Liquids - Buoyant Force	98	(1)
Blocks Suspended in Liquids - Volume of Liquid Displaced	99	(1)
Blocks Suspended in Liquids - Mass of Liquid Displaced	100	(1)
Blocks Suspended in Liquids at Different Depths - Buoyant Force	101	(1)
Floating Blocks with Different Loads - Buoyant Force	102	(1)
Blocks Suspended in Water - String Tension	103	(1)
Blocks Suspended in Liquids - Buoyant Force II	104	(1)
Blocks Floating in Liquids - Buoyant Force	105	(1)
Blocks at the Bottom of Liquids - Buoyant Force	106	(1)
Cylinders of Water - Pressure on the Plug I	107	(1)
Cylinders of Liquids - Pressure on the Plug II	108	(1)
Heat and Thermodynamics Ranking Tasks
Various Thermodynamic Processes - Work Done by Gas	109	(1)
Gas Cylinders - Pressure	110	(1)
Pressure vs. Volume Graph - Temperature at Different Points I	111	(1)
Pressure vs. Volume Graph - Temperature at Different Points II	112	(1)
Pressure, Temperature, and Molecules - Internal Energy	113	(1)
Pressure, Volume, and Molecules - Temperature	114	(1)
Internal Energy, Volume, and Molecules - Temperature	115	(1)
Internal Energy, Volume, and Molecules - Pressure	116	(1)
Temperature, Pressure, and Molecules - Internal Energy	117	(1)
Piston Containers - Pressure	118	(1)
Piston Containers - Mass	119	(1)
Variety of Piston Containers - Pressure	120	(1)
Variety of Piston Containers - Number of Moles	121	(1)
Electrostatics Ranking Tasks
Two Electric Charges - Electric Force	122	(1)
Two Electric Charges - Electric Potential	123	(1)
Three Electric Charges - Electric Potential Energy	124	(1)
Three Linear Electric Charges - Electric Force	125	(1)
Two Nonlinear Electric Charges - Electric Force	126	(1)
Charged Conducting Spheres - Electric Field at the Center	127	(1)
Charged Conducting Spheres - Electric Potential at the Center	128	(1)
Charged Conducting Spheres - Electric Field at Various Points	129	(1)
Charged Conducting Spheres - Electric Potential at Various Points	130	(1)
Charges Outside a Conducting Sphere - Force on Enclosed Charge	131	(1)
Point Charges Outside Conducting Spheres - Electric Field Within	132	(1)
Point Charges near Uncharged Conductors - Attractive Force	133	(1)
Induced Charges - Near a Charged Rod	134	(1)
Pairs of Charges - Attractive and Repulsive Force	135	(1)
Suspended Charges - Angle	136	(1)
Uniform Electric Field - Electric Force on Charge at Rest I	137	(1)
Uniform Electric Field - Electric Force on Charge at Rest II	138	(1)
Uniform Electric Field/Potential Lines - Force on Charge at Rest III	139	(1)
Uniform Electric Field - Electric Force on Various Charges at Rest	140	(1)
Two Electric Charges - Electric Field Along Line	141	(1)
Electron Within a Charged Capacitor - Force on the Electron	142	(1)
Transfer of Charge in Conductors - Left Conductor	143	(1)
Transfer of Charge in Conductors - Right Conductor	144	(1)
Non-Uniform Electric Field - Electric Potential	145	(1)
Non-Uniform Electric Field - Electric Field Strength	146	(1)
Uniform Electric Field - Potential Difference	147	(1)
Uniform Electric Field - Strength of the Electric Field I	148	(1)
Uniform Electric Field - Strength of the Electric Field II	149	(1)
Uniform Electric Field/Potential Lines - Strength of the Electric Field	150	(1)
Uniform Electric Field - Electric Potential at Different Points II	151	(1)
Uniform Electric Field - Change in Potential Energy of a Positive Charge	152	(1)
Uniform Electric Field - Change in Potential Energy of a Negative Charge	153	(1)
Electron Within a Charged Capacitor - Electric Potential Energy	154	(1)
DC Circuit Ranking Tasks
Basic Circuits with Identical Capacitors - Charge on a Capacitor	155	(1)
Simple Capacitor Circuits - Charge on a Capacitor	156	(1)
Simple Capacitor Circuits - Charge on Capacitors	157	(1)
Basic Circuits with Identical Capacitors - Voltage Across a Capacitor	158	(1)
Circuits with Resistors and Capacitors - Current	159	(1)
Current Carrying Wires with Different Lengths - Net Charge	160	(1)
Batteries and Bulbs - Bulb Brightness	161	(1)
Simple Resistor Circuits - Resistance	162	(1)
Simple Resistor Circuits - Current I	163	(1)
Simple Resistor Circuits - Voltage	164	(1)
Simple Resistor Circuits - Current II	165	(1)
Simple Circuits - Bulb Brightness	166	(1)
Simple Circuits - Ammeter Reading	167	(1)
Simple Circuits - Potential Difference I	168	(1)
Simple Circuits - Potential Difference II	169	(1)
Simple Circuits - Equivalent Resistor	170	(1)
Current Carrying Wires with Different Resistances - Net Charge	171	(1)
Simple Resistor Circuits - Voltage Drop	172	(1)
Parallel Circuits - Voltmeter Readings Across Open Switches I	173	(1)
Parallel Circuits - Voltmeter Readings Across Open Switches II	174	(1)
Circuit with Two Open and Closed Switches - Ammeter Readings	175	(1)
Circuit with Two Open and Closed Switches - Voltmeter Readings	176	(1)
Circuit with Three Open and Closed Switches - Voltmeter Readings I	177	(1)
Circuit with Three Open and Closed Switches - Voltmeter Readings II	178	(1)
Circuit with Three Open and Closed Switches - Ammeter Readings	179	(1)
Magnetism and Electromagnetism Ranking Tasks
Moving Charges in Uniform Magnetic Field - Acceleration	180	(1)
Moving Charges in Uniform Magnetic Field - Change in Kinetic Energy	181	(1)
Currents at Corners of Squares - Magnetic Field at Center	182	(1)
Magnetic Fields by Currents at Corners of Squares - Magnetic Field at Center	183	(1)
Bars Moving in Magnetic Fields - Force on Electrons	184	(1)
Charged Particle and a Uniform Magnetic Field - Acceleration	185	(1)
Charged Particle and a Uniform Magnetic Field - Force	186	(1)
Charged Particles in Uniform Magnetic Fields - Work Done	187	(1)
Charged Particles in Uniform Magnetic Fields - Magnetic Field	188	(1)
Charges Near Magnets - Magnetic Force	189	(1)
Pairs of Long Current Carrying Wires - Magnetic Field	190	(1)
Pairs of Equal Current Electromagnets - Force	191	(1)
Pairs of Equal Current Electromagnets - Magnetic Field Between	192	(1)
Unequal Current Electromagnets - Magnetic Field at Ends	193	(1)
Electromagnets with Unequal Currents - Magnetic Field Between	194	(1)
Graph of Current vs. Time - Induced Current	195	(1)
Wave and Optics Ranking Tasks
Wave Forms with Same Frequency - Wave Speed	196	(1)
Wave Pulses - Leading Edge Time to Travel	197	(1)
Wave Forms with Same Wavelength - Wave Speed	198	(1)
Wave Forms with Same Wavelength - Wave Energy	199	(1)
Wave Equations - Frequency, Wave Velocity, and Wavelength	200	(1)
Pairs of Transverse Waves - Superposition	201	(1)
Two In-Phase Wave Sources - Intensity at a Point I	202	(1)
Two Out of Phase Wave Sources - Intensity at a Point	203	(1)
Two In-Phase Wave Sources - Intensity at a Point II	204	(1)
Standing Waves - Frequency	205	(1)
Standing Waves - Wavelength	206	(1)
Standing Waves Systems - Wave Speed	207	(1)
Person in Plane Mirror - Fraction Visible	208	(1)
Lenses and Mirrors - Focal Length in Water	209	(1)
Lenses and Mirrors - Image Distance	210	(1)
Lenses and Mirrors - Object to Image Distance	211	(1)
Lenses - Object to Image Distance	212	(1)
Lenses with Baffles - Image Fraction	213	(1)
Lens, Object, and Shade - Image Brightness	214	(1)
Cracked or Broken Lenses - Image Size	215	(1)
Cracked or Broken Lenses - Image Brightness	216	(1)
Two Lenses - Image Distance to Second Lens	217	(1)
Thin Films - Phase Changes	218

Excerpts

This workbook is designed to be a resource for students to deepen their understanding of physic. Students need to get beyond the "memorize and recall" approach and this workbook will be useful for that purpose. The tasks in this manual ask the user to apply the ideas that are being learned in a new way. Using the ideas in different ways will get the user to think about those ideas in more breadth and depth, leading to a stronger understanding. The tasks in this manual grew out of investigations into students thinking about physics as they were learning the subject. These tasks are likely to be quite different from the tasks you have encountered in other math and science courses. They are different in several ways. First, comparing several similar situations to each other, rather than finding a particular value associated with a situation, is likely to be new. This novelty may make doing ranking tasks uncomfortable since you may feel insecure about how to determine such comparisons. Practice will make this reaction fade. A second way these tasks differ from more familiar ones is that a number of these tasks will contain irrelevant information. Since you are probably used to problems where all information provided needs to be used, the job of having to determine whether, and what, information may be irrelevant may be challenging until you get used to it. But you should be aware that problems in real life very often require determining what information is needed and what information can be ignored. Since that is the case it is worthwhile to have some practice with such problems in academic settings also. Another difference is that these tasks ask you to determine and write a ranking, then explain the reasoning/work behind your ranking sequence, and finally indicate a confidence level for your work. It is important to explicitly write out your explanations, even when you are doing the items for yourself, because you will often find that your thinking will change and improve when you try to explain what you did and why you did it. A fourth difference is that there are groups of related tasks throughout the workbook. The tasks in these groupings can be related in a number of ways. For example, the situations in two tasks may be exactly the same, but the basis for the ranking may be different. Thinking about the similarities and differences among tasks in such groupings can provide very useful insights into the physics of the situations. This workbook is designed to be useful for students in all introductory-level physics courses, so some of the tasks included may involve ideas, and/or mathematics, specific to other courses. Please do not be concerned if some of the tasks seem not related to your course or background. Since the format for the ranking tasks in this workbook is most likely unfamiliar to you, you would be well advised to spend a little time getting used to the format itself before trying to deal with these tasks. To aid in the familiarization process we have 15rovided several example tasks showing how to complete the tasks correctly. We do strongly encourage you to read and study these introductory materials so that you feel comfortable with the structure and response process for ranking tasks before you start these physics ranking tasks. When you approach a ranking task you should not try to think of some equation that uses the quantities given and then plug the values in to find the "answers." As mentioned above, many of the ranking tasks contain irrelevant information, in some cases all of the numerical values provided are irrelevant. So if you automatically take a "plug and chug" approach to the ranking tasks you will find that you are often going to be doing calculations for nothing. The best way to tackle a ranking task is to think about how you expect the object/system in the physical situation to behave. Then use the given information to determine the specific comparisons among the given variations.