General Physics I - PHY 130

Exam #2 - Study Guide

Structure of the Exam

Part I (40 pts): 10 multiple-choice questions. Part II (60 pts): 4 open-ended problems: two on energy, and
two on forces (including uniform circular motion). One of the force problems will involve an incline.

In order to receive full credit for your solution to a dynamics (force) problem, you must ...
 Use free-body diagrams to analyze forces. Show the coordinate system in use and each individual
force acting on the object of interest.
 State all equation(s) and key relationships used to solve the problem.
 Clearly show the steps to reach your boxed numerical answer.

This exam will assess the following concepts in Ch 5-8:

1. Student has a conceptual understanding of Newton’s 1st law and law of inertia.
2. Student has a functional understanding of Newton’s 2nd law.
3. Student has a functional understanding of vector nature of Newton’s 2nd law.
4. Student is able to calculate the net force (vector sum) when multiple forces are involved. Specifically,
when tail-to-head rule fails, student is able to calculate the net force by means of component method.
5. Student has a functional understanding of Newton’s 3rd law.
6. Student has a physical understanding of the following forces: gravity, normal force, static friction,
kinetic friction and tension.
7. What is gravitational force? What is Newton’s law of universal gravitation? How is Newton’s 3rd law
involved in Newton’s law of universal gravitation?
8. What is the definition of weight? What is the SI unit of weight? What is the direction of weight?
9. What is the direction of acceleration due to gravity? Does the magnitude of acceleration due to
gravity depend on an object’s mass or location? What is the magnitude of acceleration due to gravity
when being near the earth’s surface and how is it derived?
10. Student understands the distinction between mass and weight.
11. What is the definition of normal force? Is the direction of normal force always vertically upward? If
not, give an example. Is the magnitude of normal force always equal to that of an object’s weight? If
not, give an example.
12. What is the definition of apparent weight? Is apparent weight the normal force the scale exerts on the
object? If not, what force is it? Give an example when apparent weight is equal to, greater than, or
less than true weight. What is an object’s motion like when its apparent weight becomes zero?
13. What is the definition of static friction? What is the direction of station friction? Is the magnitude of
static friction always equal to 𝜇𝑠 𝐹𝑁 ? If not, give an example.
14. What is the definition of kinetic friction? What is the direction of kinetic friction? Is the magnitude of
static friction always equal to 𝜇𝑘 𝐹𝑁 ?
15. Student is able to distinguish between static friction and kinetic friction.
16. Student is able to determine the direction of static friction and kinetic friction in different situations.
17. What is the definition of tension? Direction?
18. What is the definition of spring force? Direction?
19. What are the direction of centripetal acceleration and centripetal force? What is the relation between
centripetal force and the net force in uniform circular motion? Is centripetal force a new type of
force? What its relation to other forces (friction, tension, etc.)?
20. Student is able to apply Newton’s 2nd law to geometries that involve multiple forces in a two-
dimensional plane.
 21. Student is able to identify forces acting on an object and represent them in a free-body diagram.
22. Student is able to decompose forces into components along a regular and titled coordinate system.
23. Is work a scalar or a vector? What’s the SI unit of work? Under what circumstances does a force do
positive, zero and negative work? Give one example for each case.
24. Student has a functional understanding of kinetic energy (K). Is K a scalar or a vector? What’s the SI
unit of K? Could K be zero? Could K be negative? If the direction of velocity of a moving object is
reversed, does its K change?
25. Does work done by gravity depend on the actual path? Under what circumstances does gravity do
positive, zero and negative work? Give one example for each case.
26. Is potential energy a scalar or a vector? What’s the SI unit of potential energy?
27. How is work done by gravity related to U (change in potential energy)? If gravity does positive
(negative) work, does U increase, decrease or remain the same?
28. What’s the difference between conservative and non-conservative forces? Give one example for
conservative forces. Give two examples for nonconservative forces.
29. Student has a functional understanding of conservation of mechanical energy. If nonconservative
forces are present, is it possible that the total mechanical energy is still conserved? Give one example.
30. Student has a functional understanding of work-energy theorem and is able to distinguish between the
three different forms of work-energy theorem.

Problem Solving Strategies for Dynamics (Force) Problems

1. Select the object(s) and identify forces. When multiple objects are involved, treat each object
separately according to the following steps. Be sure to include only forces that act on the object. Do
not include forces that the object exerts on its environment.
2. Set up x- and y-axis appropriately. Draw a free-body diagram for each object chosen above. Place all
the force vectors at the origin and break down any one that makes an angle with respect to the axis.
3. Apply Newton’s 2nd law of motion: add up the x-components and y-components of the forces,
respectively.
 Fx  max
F y  may
4. Analyze ax and ay.
5. Solve the two equations obtained in Step 3 for the desired unknown quantities, remembering that two
equations can yield answers for only two unknowns at most.