Questions from Modern Physics


Q: If you squat down (such as when you examine the books

If you squat down (such as when you examine the books on a bottom shelf) and then suddenly get up, you may temporarily feel light-headed. What do Newton’s laws of motion have to say about why this hap...

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Q: “It’s not the fall that hurts you; it’s the sudden

“It’s not the fall that hurts you; it’s the sudden stop at the bottom.” Translate this saying into the language of Newton’s laws of motion.

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Q: In a head-on auto collision, passengers who are not

In a head-on auto collision, passengers who are not wearing seat belts may be thrown through the windshield. Use Newton’s laws of motion to explain why this happens.

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Q: When a string barely strong enough lifts a heavy weight, it

When a string barely strong enough lifts a heavy weight, it can lift the weight by a steady pull; but if you jerk the string, it will break. Explain in terms of Newton’s laws of motion.

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Q: A person can dive into water from a height of 10 m

A person can dive into water from a height of 10 m without injury, but a person who jumps off the roof of a 10-m-tall building and lands on a concrete street is likely to be seriously injured. Why is...

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Q: Suppose you are in a rocket with no windows, traveling in

Suppose you are in a rocket with no windows, traveling in deep space far from other objects. Without looking outside the rocket or making any contact with the outside world, explain how you could dete...

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Q: Why are cars designed to crumple in front and back for safety

Why are cars designed to crumple in front and back for safety? Why not for side collisions and rollovers?

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Q: True or false? You exert a push P on an object

True or false? You exert a push P on an object and it pushes back on you with a force F. If the object is moving at constant velocity, then F is equal to P, but if the object is being accelerated, the...

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Q: A large truck and a small compact car have a head-

A large truck and a small compact car have a head-on collision. During the collision, the truck exerts a force

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Q: When you fly in an airplane at night in smooth air,

When you fly in an airplane at night in smooth air, you have no sensation of motion, even though the plane may be moving at 800 km/h (500 mi/h). Why?

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