College Board · AP Physics 1
AP Physics 1: Kinematics — Practice Questions & Answers
Describe motion in one and two dimensions using displacement, velocity, acceleration, graphs, kinematic equations, free fall, and projectiles.
434 practice questions available for this unit — here are 10 with full answers and explanations.
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Practice questions with answers
1
Multiple choice · Easy
Which of the following quantities is a scalar (has magnitude but no direction)?
- Speed
- Velocity
- Displacement
- Acceleration
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WhySpeed is a scalar because it describes only how fast an object moves, with no direction. Velocity, displacement, and acceleration are vectors.
2
Multiple choice · Easy
An object moves in a straight line from x = 2 m to x = 9 m. What is its displacement?
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WhyDisplacement is final position minus initial position: 9 m - 2 m = 7 m in the positive direction.
3
Multiple choice · Easy
On a position vs time graph for an object moving in a straight line, what does the slope of the line represent?
- Velocity
- Acceleration
- Total distance
- Displacement
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WhyThe slope of a position vs time graph is the change in position over change in time, which is velocity.
4
Multiple choice · Easy
A ball is dropped from rest near Earth's surface. Ignoring air resistance, what is the approximate magnitude of its acceleration?
- 9.8 m/s^2
- 0 m/s^2
- 4.9 m/s^2
- 19.6 m/s^2
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WhyIn free fall near Earth, the acceleration due to gravity is about 9.8 m/s^2 (often rounded to 10 m/s^2) directed downward, independent of mass.
5
Fill in the blank · Easy
A car travels at a constant velocity of 20 m/s for 5 s. The distance it covers is m.
Answer:
100
WhyAt constant velocity, distance = velocity x time = 20 m/s x 5 s = 100 m.
6
Multiple choice · Easy
On a velocity vs time graph, an object moving with constant positive acceleration appears as which of the following?
- A straight line with a positive slope
- A horizontal straight line
- A curve that bends upward
- A vertical straight line
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WhyConstant acceleration means velocity changes at a steady rate, producing a straight line with constant nonzero slope on a velocity vs time graph.
7
Multiple choice · Medium
A car accelerates uniformly from rest to 24 m/s in 6 s. What is its acceleration?
- 4 m/s^2
- 6 m/s^2
- 144 m/s^2
- 0.25 m/s^2
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WhyUsing a = (v - v0)/t = (24 m/s - 0)/6 s = 4 m/s^2.
8
Multiple choice · Medium
A stone is thrown straight up with an initial speed of 15 m/s. Using g = 10 m/s^2, how long does it take to reach its highest point?
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WhyAt the top, velocity is 0. Using v = v0 - g t, 0 = 15 - 10 t, so t = 1.5 s.
9
Multiple choice · Medium
A runner jogs 300 m east, then 100 m west, taking 80 s total. What is the magnitude of the runner's average velocity?
- 2.5 m/s
- 5.0 m/s
- 4.0 m/s
- 0.4 m/s
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WhyDisplacement = 300 m - 100 m = 200 m east. Average velocity = displacement/time = 200 m / 80 s = 2.5 m/s.
10
Fill in the blank · Medium
A car moving at 30 m/s brakes to a stop with a constant acceleration of -5 m/s^2. The car takes s to stop.
Answer:
6
WhyUsing v = v0 + a t: 0 = 30 + (-5) t, so t = 30/5 = 6 s.
Key terms in Kinematics
Kinematics: The branch of mechanics that describes how objects move without considering the forces that cause the motion.
Mechanics: The area of physics concerned with the motion of objects and the forces acting on them.
Scalar: A quantity that is fully described by a magnitude alone, with no associated direction.
Vector: A quantity that requires both a magnitude and a direction to be fully described.
Magnitude: The numerical size or amount of a quantity, independent of any direction.
Direction: The orientation along which a vector quantity points in space.
Position: The location of an object relative to a chosen origin or reference point.
Reference frame: A coordinate system from which positions and motions are measured by an observer.
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