what is the kinetic energy of a 500 kg wagon moving at 10 ms

HESI A2

HESI A2 Physics Practice Test

1. What is the kinetic energy of a 500-kg wagon moving at 10 m/s?

A. 50 J
B. 250 J
C. 2.5 × 10^4 J
D. 5.0 × 10^5 J

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The formula for calculating kinetic energy is KE = 0.5 × mass × velocity². Given the mass of the wagon is 500 kg and the velocity is 10 m/s, we can substitute these values into the formula: KE = 0.5 × 500 kg × (10 m/s)² = 0.5 × 500 kg × 100 m²/s² = 25,000 J or 2.5 × 10⁴ J. Therefore, the kinetic energy of the 500-kg wagon moving at 10 m/s is 2.5 × 10⁴ J. Choice A (50 J) is incorrect because it is too low; Choice B (250 J) is incorrect as it does not match the correct calculation; Choice D (5.0 × 10^5 J) is incorrect as it is too high. The correct answer is C (2.5 × 10^4 J).

2. What is the electric field inside a hollow conductor with a net charge?

A. Remains constant
B. Decreases
C. Zero
D. Becomes unpredictable

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Zero. According to Gauss’s Law, the electric field inside a hollow conductor (a conductor with no charge inside but a net charge on its surface) is zero. The charges reside on the outer surface of the conductor, causing the electric field inside to cancel out. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because the electric field inside a hollow conductor with a net charge is not constant, does not decrease, and does not become unpredictable; it is zero due to the distribution of charges on its surface.

3. Marilyn is driving to a wedding. She drives 4 miles south before realizing that she left the gift at home. She makes a U-turn, returns home to pick up the gift, and sets out again driving south. This time, she drives 1 mile out of her way to pick up a friend. From there, they continue 5 miles more to the wedding. Which of these statements is true about Marilyn’s trip?

A. The displacement of her trip is 6 miles, and the distance traveled is 6 miles.
B. The displacement of her trip is 14 miles, and the distance traveled is 14 miles.
C. The displacement of her trip is 8 miles, and the distance traveled is 14 miles.
D. The displacement of her trip is 6 miles, and the distance traveled is 14 miles.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: Marilyn’s displacement is calculated based on her final position relative to the starting point. She drives 1 mile to pick up her friend, then 5 miles more to the wedding, totaling 6 miles after returning to her home. So, the correct displacement is 8 miles south from her starting point (4 miles to the gift + 4 miles return + 1 mile to the friend + 5 miles to the wedding). The total distance traveled is 14 miles (adding all the distances). Choice A is incorrect because it miscalculates the displacement. Choice B is incorrect as it overestimates both the displacement and distance traveled. Choice D is incorrect as it underestimates the displacement.

4. A key parameter in fluid selection is specific gravity (SG). For a submerged object in a reference fluid (often water), SG = ρ_object / ρ_reference. An object with SG > 1 will:

A. Experience a net buoyant force acting upwards
B. Experience a net buoyant force acting downwards
C. Remain neutrally buoyant
D. Require knowledge of the object's volume for buoyancy determination

Correct answer: A

Rationale: When the specific gravity (SG) of an object is greater than 1, it indicates that the object is denser than the reference fluid, which is often water. According to Archimedes' principle, an object with SG > 1 will experience a net buoyant force acting upwards when submerged in the fluid. This is because the buoyant force is greater than the weight of the object, causing it to float. Therefore, the correct answer is A: 'Experience a net buoyant force acting upwards.' Objects with SG < 1 would sink as they are less dense than the fluid, while objects with SG = 1 would be neutrally buoyant, neither sinking nor floating.

5. When a gas is compressed isothermally, we can say that:

A. The gas performs work on the surroundings, and its internal energy increases.
B. The gas performs work on the surroundings, and its internal energy decreases.
C. The surroundings perform work on the gas, and its internal energy increases.
D. The surroundings perform work on the gas, and its internal energy decreases.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: When a gas is compressed isothermally, the surroundings perform work on the gas. In this process, since the temperature remains constant (isothermal), the internal energy of the gas does not change. Therefore, the correct answer is that the surroundings perform work on the gas, and its internal energy decreases. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because they incorrectly describe the direction of work and the change in internal energy during an isothermal compression.