CHALLENGING

PHYSICS QUESTIONS
LIM SIEW ENG & LENA LUI
RAFFLES INSTITUTION

8th Physics IPSG Sharing 2016

CHALLENGING PHYSICS QUESTIONS

Rationale
To provide an enrichment activity for students who wish to
learn slightly beyond the A-Level syllabus.

Types of challenging questions

do not require additional knowledge outside of H2 A-Level
syllabus
Require beyond H2 knowledge

Where to find them?

Books
Online
Past Olympiad question papers
Create your own

Challenging Physics Question

OUTLINE OF EXAMPLES
1. Relative velocity (Kinematics) refer to Q1
2. Extension of Projectile Motion (Kinematics) the
safety parabola and finding maximum range for a
projectile launched from a cliff edge.
refer to Q2, Q 3.

3. Differential equations in Physics can be applied

in Kinematics, Dynamics, Oscillations, Radioactivity etc.

Challenging Physics Question

OUTLINE OF EXAMPLES
4. Extension of a topic e.g:
5. (i) Gravitational field (H2 requires knowledge of
Newtons Law of Gravitation but not Keplers
Laws of planetary motion) refer to Q5;
6. (ii) Electromagnetism (crossed E and B fields,
but velocity vector is parallel to the E field
instead of being perpendicular to it refer to
+V
Q6.
E

x B

a
C
Crossed-field Photomultiplier

Challenging Physics Question

OUTLINE OF EXAMPLES
5. Real world context
6. E.g. what is the shape of a hanging chain?

7. Resembles a parabola, but is a catenary.

Challenging Physics Question

Example Questions

Q1 : RELATIVE VELOCITY
A car of width b is moving with constant
velocity V close to the edge of a straight
road. If a cat steps on to the road at a point
distance d in front of the car, what is the
least uniform velocity at which it must be
able to walk in order to cross the road in
safety?
b

Example Questions

Q2 : SAFETY PARABOLA
If a projectile is fired from a point O with an
initial velocity u but at an arbitrary
direction, determine the safe area in which
one cannot be hit by the projectile
regardless of the angle that the initial
velocity makes with the horizontal plane.

Q3 (MAX RANGE FOR OFF THE

CLIFF THROWS)
A ship battled against its enemy stationed at a fort
which was at a height above the guns on the ship.
If the guns in both the ship and the fort had the
same muzzle velocity of , where is a constant;
and if and were the greatest (horizontal) ranges at
which the fort and ship respectively can engage,
prove that .

Q4 DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS IN
PHYSICS
A particle of mass m is released from
rest at a point, height h above horizontal
ground. The particle moves in a medium
which exerts a resistance of
magnitude , where v is the speed of the
particle and k is a positive constant. The
coefficient of restitution between the
particle and the ground is . Show that,
after one bounce on the ground the
particle reaches a maximum height H,
where H is given by .

Q5 EXTENSION OF A TOPIC
(GRAVITATION)
Keplers First Law states that all planets move
inelliptical orbitswith the Sun at onefocus.
Show that the path of a planet moving around the
Sun is an ellipse.

Q6 EXTENSION OF TOPIC (E, B

FIELDS) SPHO 2009
The figure below shows the principle of operation of
a crossed-field photomultiplier. A sealed and
evacuated enclosure contains two parallel plates
called dynodes. These plates provide the electric
field. An external permanent magnet superimposes
a magnetic field . A photon ejects a low energy
photoelectron.
+V

x B

a
C
Crossed-field Photomultiplier

Q6 EXTENSION OF TOPIC (E, B

FIELDS) SPHO 2009
The electron accelerates upwards under the electric
field but it is deflected to the negative dynode by
the magnetic field. On impact with the dynode it
ejects a few secondary electrons and the process
repeats itself until eventually the electrons impinge
on a collector C.
+V

x B

a
C
Crossed-field Photomultiplier

Q6 EXTENSION OF TOPIC (E, B

FIELDS) SPHO 2009
(i)
write down differential equations to describe the
horizontal and vertical velocity of the electrons as a
function of x and y,
(ii) solve the differential equations for and
(this trajectory is a cycloid).
(iii) find the maximum value of y, and
(iv) determine the value of .
+V

x B

a
C
Crossed-field Photomultiplier

Q7 REAL WORLD CONTEXT

Derive the equation of the Catenary.

http://www.carondelet.pvt.k12.ca.us/Family/Math/03210/page5.htm

Q7 SOLUTION
To derive the equation of a catenary:

T
T0

P
x

THANK YOU!

Questions?