when a small object floats on the surface of a liquid the surface tension creates a

HESI A2

HESI A2 Physics Quizlet

1. When a small object floats on the surface of a liquid, the surface tension creates a:

A. Buoyant force acting upwards
B. Pressure difference causing sinking
C. Drag force opposing motion
D. Restoring force towards equilibrium

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Surface tension creates a restoring force that holds the object on the surface. The liquid's surface behaves like a stretched membrane, and when disturbed, it tends to return the object to its original position, creating a restoring force. The other choices are incorrect: A buoyant force acts on objects submerged in a fluid, not floating on the surface; pressure differences usually affect sinking objects, not floating ones; drag force is a resistance force that opposes motion, not related to surface tension.

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. A concave mirror with a focal length of 2 cm forms a real image of an object at an image distance of 6 cm. What is the object's distance from the mirror?

A. 3 cm
B. 6 cm
C. 12 cm
D. 30 cm

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The mirror formula, 1/f = 1/do + 1/di, can be used to solve for the object distance. Given that the focal length (f) is 2 cm and the image distance (di) is 6 cm, we can substitute these values into the formula to find the object distance. Plugging in f = 2 cm and di = 6 cm into the formula gives us 1/2 = 1/do + 1/6. Solving for do, we get do = 6 cm. Therefore, the object's distance from the mirror is 6 cm. Choice A (3 cm), Choice C (12 cm), and Choice D (30 cm) are incorrect distances as the correct object distance is determined to be 6 cm.

4. Two objects attract each other with a gravitational force of 12 units. If you double the distance between the objects, what is the new force of attraction between the two?

A. 3 units
B. 6 units
C. 24 units
D. 48 units

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The gravitational force between two objects is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. If the distance is doubled, the force will be reduced to 1/4 of the original force. Therefore, the new force of attraction between the two objects will be 12 units / 4 = 3 units. Choice A is correct because doubling the distance reduces the force to 1/4 of the original value. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they do not consider the inverse square relationship between distance and gravitational force.

5. The strength of a magnetic field is measured in units of:

A. Amperes
B. Tesla
C. Volts
D. Coulombs

Correct answer: B

Rationale: The Tesla (T) is the unit of measurement for the strength of a magnetic field. One Tesla is defined as one weber per square meter. Amperes (choice A) measure electric current, Volts (choice C) measure electric potential, and Coulombs (choice D) measure electric charge, making them incorrect choices for measuring the strength of a magnetic field.