Zambia Air Services Training Institute

Engineering School-AMES

Diploma in Aeronautical Electronics Engineering

Code 87.2: Physics

Assignment 1

Topics Covered: Physical Quantities and SI units, Mechanics,

Oscillations and Waves, Heat &Thermodynamics, Work Power &
Energy, Energy and the Environment, Nuclear Physics

Student Name: _________________________________________

Examination Number: ___________________________________

Lecturer: ________________________________________________

Date: __________________________________________________________________
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SECTION A [40X1 = 40 marks]

Answer ALL questions. Select ONE answer from (A) to (D) and indicate it on the
Answer Sheet Provided.

1. An astronomer observes a very small moon orbiting a planet and measures

the moon’s minimum and maximum distances from the planet’s centre and the
moon’s maximum orbital speed. Which of the following CANNOT be calculated
from these measurements?
(A) Mass of the moon
(B) Mass of the planet
(C) Minimum speed of the moon
(D) Semi-major axis of the orbit.

2. When the velocity of a body is doubled, its:

(A) Kinetic energy is doubled
(B) Momentum is doubled
(C) Potential energy is doubled
(D) Acceleration is doubled.

3. A particle of mass 200 grams executes simple harmonic motion. The restoring
force is provided by a spring of force constant 80 N/m. The time period of
oscillation is :
(A) 0.02 s
(B) 0.15 s
(C) 0.31 s
(D) 0.05. s

4. The specific heat of which ONE of the following common substances listed
below is highest?
(A) Lead
(B) Mercury
(C) Water
(D) Alcohol.
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5. The maximum possible efficiency of an engine that absorbs heat at 327 oC

and exhausts heat at 127oC is:
(A) 0.67
(B) 0.61
(C) 0.50
(D) 0.33.

6. de Broglie waves can be regarded as waves of :

(A) probability
(B) momentum
(C) energy
(D) electric charge.

7. Which one of Newton’s laws says that the change of momentum per unit time
is proportional to the impressed force, and takes place in the direction of the
straight line along which the force acts?
(A) First law
(B) Second law.
(C) Third law
(D) Universal law of gravitation.

8. Waves whose crests are 30 m apart reach an anchored boat once every 3.0s.
The wave velocity is:
(A) 900 m/s
(B) 10 m/s
(C) 5 m/s
(D) 0.1 m/s.
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9. Which of the following forces is NOT among the forces acting on aeroplane
when it is in dynamic equilibrium?
(A) Weight
(B) Drag
(C) Tension
(D) Lift.

10. A source of light emits a train of waves lasting 0.04 𝜇𝑠. The light has a
wavelength of 600 nm. How many complete waves are sent out?
(A) 2.0𝑥10
(B) 4.5𝑥10
(C) 2.0𝑥10
(D) 4.5𝑥10 .

11. Newton’s third law tells us that:

(A) Weight and normal contact force are always equal and opposite
(B) Actions usually have a reaction
(C) Moving with constant velocity is the same as being at rest
(D) Forces always arise in pairs.

12. Consider the accompanying diagram of several circular waves at

various times and locations. The diagram illustrates:

(A) interference
(B) diffraction
(C) doppler effect
(D) polarization.
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13. Electromagnetic waves transport:

(A) Energy
(B) Wavelength
(C) Frequency
(D) Charge.

14. The three materials that are affected by pollution are:

(A) Water, trees and rivers
(B) Rivers, land and trees
(C) Air, trees and rivers
(D) Water, air and land.

15. An airplane of mass 1.2 x104 kg tows a glider of mass 0.6 x104 kg. The
airplane propellers provide a net forward thrust of 3.6x10 4 N. What is the
glider's acceleration?
(A) 2.0 m/s2
(B) 3.0 m/s2
(C) 6.0 m/s2
(D) 9.8 m/s2.

16. The quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water
O
by 1 C is termed as:
(A) Specific heat
(B) Heat capacity
(C) One Calorie
(D) Sensible heat.
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17. An 80-dB sound relative to a 30-dB sound is more intense by a factor of:
(A) 5
(B) 105
(C) 50
(D) 500.

18. A certain force gives a 2 kg object an acceleration of 0.5 m/s 2. What

acceleration would the same force give a 10 kg object?
(A) 0.1 m/s2
(B) 0.2 m/s2
(C) 0.5 m/s2
(D) 1.0 m/s2.

19. The damping phenomena that relates to the structure and is important for
the safe operation of all turbomachines is:
(A) Material damping
(B) Aerodynamic damping
(C) Friction damping
(D) Viscous/Visco-elastic damping.

20. The critical angle of incidence for light going from crown glass (n = 1.52)
to water (n = 1.33) is:
(A) 42 C
(B) 48 C
(C) 90 C
(D) 61 C.
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21. When a person stands on a scale in an elevator at rest, the scale reads
800 N. When the elevator is allowed to fall freely with acceleration of gravity,
the scale reads ONE of the following:
(A) 1600 N
(B) 0 N
(C) 800 N
(D) 400N.

22. Plastics are a nuisance to the environments because they are:

(A) easily disposed off
(B) easy to burn
(C) non-biodegradable
(D) Biodegradable.

23. Which damping phenomena may lead to aircraft wing flutter?

(A) Negative damping
(B) Positive damping
(C) Neutral damping
(D) Resonant damping.

24. Within the material of a conductor:

(A) There is no static electric field
(B) No electrons are free to move about
(C) All electrons are free to move about
(D) The electrons are polarized.
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25. The velocity of light of light of diamond is 1.24𝑥10 m/s. The index of
reflection of diamond is:
(A) 1.24
(B) 3.72
(C) 2.31
(D) 2.42

26. Which one of the following CANNOT be polarised?

(A) Sound waves
(B) Radio waves
(C) X-rays
(D) White light.

27. Which of the following is an ADVANTAGE of renewable energies?

(A) increase employment only in large scale industries
(B) lower overall environmental impact as compared to conventional sources
(C) does not influence the security of energy supply
(D) allow for a sustainable energy supply.

28. Light enters a glass plate at an angle of incidence of 25 0. If the index of

reflection of glass is 1.6, the angle of refraction is:

(A) 430
(B) 150
(C) 400
(D) 160.
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29. When ∑ 𝐹 = 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ∑ 𝜏 = 0 then the system is:

(A) Accelerating
(B) at rest
(C) moving uniform velocity
(D) in equilibrium.

30. An object is dropped from a height. Once it is moving, which of the

following statements is true, at least at one point?
(A) Its velocity is more than its acceleration.
(B) Its velocity is never equal to its acceleration.
(C) Its velocity is less than its acceleration.
(D) Its velocity is the same as its acceleration.

31. The total energy of a particle executing S.H.M is proportional to:

(A) The displacement from equilibrium position
(B) The frequency of oscillation
(C) The cube of the amplitude of oscillation
(D) The square of the amplitude of oscillation.

32. Which of the following physical quantities is NOT an SI base quantity?

(A) Luminous Intensity
(B) Mass
(C) Time
(D) Area.

33. In indirect steam heating,_________ heat is utilised for heating

application:
(A) Sensible
(B) Latent
(C) Specific
(D) Combustion.
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34. A rifle is aimed horizontally toward the center of a target 100 m away. If
the bullet strikes 10 cm below the center, what was the velocity of the bullet?
(Ignore air friction.)

(A) 300 m/s

(B) 333 m/s
(C) 700 m/s
(D) 500 m/s.

35. A particle is dropped from height ℎ. Assuming there is no air resistance,

its velocity at 𝑥 meters before landing is given by:
(A) 𝑣 = 2g𝑥

(B) 𝑣 = 2gh

(C) 𝑣 = 2g(𝑥 − ℎ)

(D) 𝑣 = 2g(h − 𝑥) .

36. When two sound waves are superimposed beats are produced when they
have different:
(A) phases and amplitudes
(B) velocities
(C) phases
(D) Frequencies.

37. A displacement of 35 𝑚 is made in the 𝑥 − 𝑦 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑒 at an angle of 240 .

Compute its 𝑥 − 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡.
(A) -35.0 m
(B) -17.5 m
(C) -30.3 m
(D) -26.5 m.
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38. The output piston of a hydraulic press cannot exceed the input piston’s:
(A) work
(B) velocity
(C) force
(D) displacement.

39. In solar power technology, a device basically consisting of an absorber

insulator and a glazing layer is called:
(A) tower – system
(B) a solar collector
(C) a solar cell
(D) a photovoltaic cell.

40. The voltage of a certain a.c. supply is represented by 𝑣 = 𝑣 sin 120πt

where t is in seconds. The period of this a.c. supply is:
(A) 3 ms
(B) 8 ms
(C) 20 ms
(D) 17 ms.
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SECTION B [6X10 = 60 marks]

There are EIGHT questions in this section. Attempt any SIX questions. Each carry TEN
marks.

QUESTION 1
a) Write the following in terms of a unit with an appropriate prefix:
i. 5.2𝑥10 N/C
ii. 8.3𝑥10 V/mm. (1+1 marks)

b) A Boeing 747 jet lands with a speed of 160 m/s and runs for 32 𝑠 before coming
to a stop.
Calculate:
i. its acceleration (3 marks)
ii. the average velocity in km/h (2 marks)
iii. the minimum length of the runway. (3 marks)
[Total: 10 marks]

QUESTION 2
a) Distinguish between renewable energy sources and non-renewable energy
sources. (4 marks)

b) Name ONE typical example of a:

i. Renewable energy source
ii. Non-renewable energy source. (1+1 mark)

c) A block of mass m starting from rest is allowed to slide down a hill of height h
and length L. If the average 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 is 𝑓, show that the speed V of

the mass when it reaches the bottom is V = (mgh − 𝑓 L). (4 marks)

[Total: 10 marks]
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QUESTION 3
a) A ball is thrown horizontally, with a velocity of 8 m/s, from the top of a building.
The ball falls to the ground 12 m away from the building.
Calculate:
i. The height of the building
ii. The speed with which it hits the ground. (4+4 mark)

b) Let the range of a projectile having initial speed 𝑉 and the angle of launch θ
be given by R = sin2θ . Compute R . (2 marks)

[Ignore air resistance and take 𝐠 to be 9.8 m/s , 𝑉 = 340 𝑚/𝑠]

[Total: 10 marks]

QUESTION 4
a) Define the following terms:
i. Adiabatic process
ii. Isothermal process. (2+2 marks)

b) A Carnot engine operates between a hot reservoir at 80 0C and a cold reservoir

at -150C. The engine takes in 900 J of heat per cycle from the hot reservoir. How
much work does the engine deliver? (6 marks)
[Total: 10 marks]

QUESTION 5
a) State the TWO conditions necessary for simple harmonic motion to be fulfilled.
(2 marks)
b) Calculate the velocity of a transverse wave in a metal wire of mass 2.5 g and
length 2.0 m if it is maintained under a tension of 80 N. (4 marks)

c) A police car packed by road side sounds a siren which has a frequency
of 1 kHz.
i. Compute the frequency 𝑓 you hear if you are driving directly
towards the police car at 34 m/s. (3 marks)

ii. State what name is given to the observation in c) i.? (1 mark)

[Speed of sound in air 𝑉 = 343m/s]

[Total: 10 marks]
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QUESTION 6
a) A bullet of mass 2g moving at 300 m/s penetrates 10 cm into a sandbag.
Compute the average retarding force 𝐅. (4 marks)

b) A ray of light enters a glass form air at an angle of 60° to the horizontal surface
of the prism. The refractive index of glass is 𝑛 = 1.5
Calculate:
i. The angle of refraction
ii. The critical angle for glass. (3+3marks)
[Total: 10 marks]

QUESTION 7
a) State the TWO conditions necessary for equilibrium to be established.
(2 marks)

b) Let F=K P where F has dimensions LT, K has dimensions L T , and P has
dimensions L T .
Compute the values of the exponents’ n and m. (5 marks)

c) Determine the magnitude of the 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 𝜏 exerted on a wheel of diameter

𝑑 = 0.75 𝑚 by a tangential force F = 480 N on its rim. (3 marks)
[Total: 10 marks]

QUESTION 8
a) Let 𝐴 = 𝐴 𝑒 be the decay equation for a radioactive isotope. Show that its
half-life is given by 𝑇 = . (4 marks)
b) When the monochromatic light with a frequency of 8.0 𝑥 10 Hz irradiates a
photocathode, photoelectrons are ejected with a maximum speed
of 6.25 𝑥 10 m/s.
Compute:
i. the photoelectric work function of the surface (3 marks)
ii. the threshold frequency of the surface. (3 marks)
[Speed of light c = 3.0 𝑥 10 m/s and Planck’s constant h = 6.626 x 10 Js ,
electronic mass 𝑚 = 9.11 𝑥 10 kg]
[Total: 10 marks]
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