Excursions in Physics

Homework, Chapter 2: Inertia

Ch 2, Newton's First Law of Motion -- Inertia; Ex 1, 9, 10, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

Exercises (Discussion Questions)

Ex 2.1

Typical or possible multiple-choice questions over this material:

1. Kinematics is a description of motion. Motion was first well understood

a) by Aristotle and the ancient Greeks

b) by Ptolemy in Egypt

c) by Galileo in Italy

d) not until the beginning of the twentieth century

2. To measure the time needed to investigate motion,

a) Aristotle used the pendulum clock which had just been invented

b) Ptolemy used a sundial

c) Galileo invented his own water clocks

d) Newton invented the pendulum clock

3. If you roll a ball across the floor is slows down. Aristotle would have described this as simply

a) due to an unbalanced force on the ball.

b) the nature of the ball to come to rest.

c) the effect of a spinning Earth.

d) due to the roughness of the floor.

4. Galileo may or may not have actually used the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But Galileo did demonstrate that

a) heavier bodies fall slower that lighter ones.

b) heavier bodies fall faster than lighter ones.

c) all bodies fall at the same rate.

d) lighter bodies bounce higher than heavier ones.

 

5. The NET FORCE on an object is

a) the largest force.

b) the horizontal force.

c) the sum of all the forces acting on an object.

d) the smallest force.

 

Answers to the multiple-guess questions:

1. Kinematics is a description of motion. Motion was first well understood

a) by Aristotle and the ancient Greeks

b) by Ptolemy in Egypt

c) by Galileo in Italy

d) not until the beginning of the twentieth century

2. To measure the time needed to investigate motion,

a) Aristotle used the pendulum clock which had just been invented

b) Ptolemy used a sundial

c) Galileo invented his own water clocks

d) Newton invented the pendulum clock

 

3. If you roll a ball across the floor is slows down. Aristotle would have described this as simply

a) due to an unbalanced force on the ball.

b) the nature of the ball to come to rest.

c) the effect of a spinning Earth.

d) due to the roughness of the floor.

4. Galileo may or may not have actually used the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But Galileo did demonstrate that

a) heavier bodies fall slower that lighter ones.

b) heavier bodies fall faster than lighter ones.

c) all bodies fall at the same rate.

d) lighter bodies bounce higher than heavier ones.

 

5. The NET FORCE on an object is

a) the largest force.

b) the horizontal force.

c) the sum of all the forces acting on an object.

d) the smallest force.