Circular and Rotational Motion Quiz

Circular and Rotational Motion: ten questions on turning motion and forces. Includes calculations; answers explained.

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For High school students and adults reviewing the topic.

About 12 minutes. 10 questions.

How does it work?

Choose one answer or enter a number in the stated unit, then check it.
Read the explanation before continuing.
Round only the final answer to the precision requested.

What will you get?

See your score and review the reasoning behind each answer.

Question 1An object travels at 9 m/s around a circle of radius 27 m. Find centripetal acceleration in m/s², rounded to two decimals.

Enter a number in m/s².

Answers within 0.005 m/s² of the expected value are accepted.

Question 2A 1.5 kg object moves at 8 m/s on a 4 m radius. Find the net inward force in N, rounded to two decimals.

Enter a number in N.

Answers within 0.005 N of the expected value are accepted.

Question 3A point travels at 5 m/s on a 3 m radius. Using π = 3.141592653589793, find the period in s, rounded to two decimals.

Enter a number in s.

Answers within 0.005 s of the expected value are accepted.

Question 4A wheel’s rim moves at 3.6 m/s and lies 0.45 m from the axis. Find angular speed in rad/s, rounded to two decimals.

Enter a number in rad/s.

Answers within 0.005 rad/s of the expected value are accepted.

Question 5A rotor has angular speed 15 rad/s. Use π = 3.141592653589793 and 60 seconds per minute. Find its speed in rpm, rounded to two decimals.

Enter a number in rpm.

Answers within 0.005 rpm of the expected value are accepted.

Question 6A puck travels around a circle at constant speed. What direction does its acceleration have?

Along the forward tangent to the pathToward the center of the circular pathAway from the center of the circular pathOpposite the forward tangent to the path

Question 7A string breaks while a small object is circling on a frictionless horizontal surface. What is its immediate path in an inertial frame?

A straight path directed toward the old centerA straight path directed radially away from the centerA straight path along the instantaneous tangentA curved path maintaining the former circular radius

Question 8A wrench is pushed so the force’s line of action passes through the bolt axis. What turning effect does this force have?

Large torque because the force acts near the boltMaximum torque because the wrench remains a rigid objectCentripetal torque because the force points toward the axisZero torque because the perpendicular lever arm vanishes

Question 9Mass on a rotating assembly is moved farther from its axis while total mass stays fixed. What happens to its rotational inertia?

It increases because mass lies farther from the axisIt decreases because the same mass occupies more spaceIt stays fixed because total mass has not changedIt becomes zero because outward motion cancels the spin

Question 10A rotating wheel has points at different distances from its fixed axis. Which description fits rigid rotation?

Shared tangential speed with different angular speedsEqual path lengths for points at different radiiA fixed direction of velocity throughout each revolutionShared angular speed with different tangential speeds

Answer every question to see and share your score.

Read the topic guide