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PS Physics
Study Guide – End of Course Exam
Scientific Processes
1. Where on the graph would I put the independent variable?
2. Where on the graph would I put the dependent variable?
3. List and describe the 5 steps of the scientific method.
4. What is a hypothesis?
5. What are 2 things that all good hypotheses have to have/be?
6. What is a variable?
7. What is the control of an experiment?
Forces and Motion
8. What is the standard (SI) unit for speed? _________ Acceleration? __________
9. Give three possible units of distance, time and speed.
10. What is the difference between distance and displacement?
11. Calculate the speed of a car that travels 72 miles in 9 hours?
12. What does the slope of a position vs. time graph tell us?
13. What does the slope of a velocity vs. time graph tell us?
14. What is the difference between position and distance?
15. What is the difference between speed and velocity?
16. What is meant by positive, negative, and 0 acceleration?
17. I was driving down the street at 60 m/s. I saw a police officer and immediately slowed to 30 m/s.
This all took 3 s. What was my acceleration?
Answer the following about the graph at the right:
___Speed is decreasing
___Speed is increasing
___Speed is staying the same
18. Using the position- time graph at the right, calculate
the speed of the object from 1 minute to 3 minutes.
B
A
C
20. Answer the following about the graph at the right:
___Positive acceleration
___Negative acceleration
___No acceleration
Velocity (m/s)
19. On a position vs. time graph, explain what a steep slope means?
B
A
C
21. List the ways you can change the acceleration of an object.
22. Describe how changing the angle of a ramp affects the acceleration of an object.
23. Give an example of one-dimensional, two-dimensional, periodic motion and circular motion.
24. What is inertia and how is it related to a passenger on a roller coaster?
25. Explain Newton’s Second Law in terms of force, mass and acceleration.
26. What is the acceleration of a 30 kg object being pushed with a force of 60 N?
27. How much force is required to move a 100 kg object at an acceleration of 3 m/s2.
28. What is the difference between weight and mass?
29. Explain Newton's Third Law in terms of action and reaction forces.
30. Explain how the 3rd Law of Motion explains rocket flight.
31. What is net force?
32. My brother took my Wii-mote and I want it back. If I am pulling it left with a force of 10 N and
he’s pulling it right with a force of 8 N, what is the net force on the Wii-mote and am I going to
get it back?
33. What is the law of universal gravitation?
34. What two factors in the universal law of gravitation are most important in determining the force of
gravity between two objects?
35. What is centripetal force and where might you find an example?
36. What is the difference between rotation and revolution and on earth, which of these would be the
fastest?
Work and Energy
37. What is work?
38. What must an object do in order for work to be occurring?
39. What is energy?
40. What are the units of energy?
41. What is potential energy?
42. What is kinetic energy?
43. What kind of energy does a ball rolling across the floor have?
44. Or a ball being held up in the air?
45. Or a ball thrown from the quarterback to their wide receiver?
46. Describe the change between potential and kinetic energy when a person jumps on a trampoline.
47. Describe the energy transformations that occur in the following:
a. Turning on a lamp.
b. Burning a piece of paper
c. Eating an apple
48. Describe the law of conservation of energy.
49. Explain why all mechanical systems require an outside energy source to maintain their motion.
Electricity
50. In the space provided, draw the circuit symbols for each of the following
a. Light bulb
b. Switch
c. Ground
d. Battery
e. Wire
f. Resistor
51. What is the difference between an open circuit and a closed circuit?
52. Using the correct electrical symbols draw a picture of a closed circuit that contains two light bulbs,
a switch, and a battery.
53. Describe how opposite and like charges react to each other.
54. Explain voltage, current and resistance and describe the role of each in an electrical circuit.
55. What are the units for voltage, current and resistance?
56. What is the difference between direct and alternating current?
57. What is Coulomb’s Law?
Waves
58. Draw a transverse wave and label all the parts (amplitude, wavelength, crest, trough).
59. What is needed for ALL waves to continue moving?
60. Describe the period of a wave.
61. Describe the motion of a water wave.
62. What is the relationship between the frequency and wavelength of a wave?
63. How does a transverse wave travel and how does a longitudinal wave travel?
64. What is the difference between an electromagnetic wave and a mechanical wave?
65. Sound waves are an example of what type of wave?
66. Describe the following ways that light can interact with the environment:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Reflection
Refraction
Diffraction
Interference (two types)
Scattering
Absorption
67. What happens to the energy in a wave as it travels away from its source?
68. What is the difference between ultrasonic and infrasonic?
69. List the forms of electromagnetic energy from largest wavelength to smallest and give two
examples of each.
70. How are fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs different?
71. What are the three primary colors of light?
72. What are the three primary colors of pigments?
73. Why do we see color?
74. What is a ray diagram?
75. Draw and label a typical ray diagram that shows light reflecting off a mirror.
76. What is the speed of sound? The speed of light?
77. What is the law of reflection?
Vocabulary: The following is the vocabulary for the entire semester. It would be very helpful to
understand these words.
steps of the scientific method
units of time and distance
independent variable
slope
one-dimensional motion
velocity
speed
metric system
position vs. time graph
acceleration
two-dimensional motion
v=d/t
average speed
dependent variable
speed vs. time graph
displacement
circular motion
a=change in speed/change in time
Newton’s three laws of motion
F=ma
Acceleration due to gravity (9.8m/s2)
orbital motion (ball attached to string)
gravitational force
weight vs. mass
action/reaction forces
law of universal gravitation
revolution
net force
gravity
rotation
centripetal
Friction
Potential energy
Work (units)
External energy source
energy transformation
kinetic energy
forms of energy
energy conservation
law of conservation of energy
internal energy source
Circuit
Closed circuit
Static charges
Resistance (units)
Efficiency
complete circuit
short circuit
electrostatic charges
current (units)
open circuit
electric charges
voltage (units)
DC / AC current
Amplitude
Period
Medium
Sound waves
Ultrasound
wavelength
crest
transverse
light waves
interference (dead spots)
frequency
trough
longitudinal (compressional)
oscillate
propagate
Reflection
Scattering
Angle of incidence
Reflected ray
Transparent
absorption
Electromagnetic spectrum
angle of reflection
normal
primary colors of light
refraction
ray diagram
incident ray
medium