Kinematics is the branch of Physics that deals with the motion of objects, without considering the forces that cause the motion. In this blog post, we will go over 50 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on Unit 2: Kinematics, along with answers and detailed explanations. Whether you’re preparing for exams or just revising key concepts, these MCQs will help you solidify your understanding.
1. A body is said to be in motion if it?
A) Changes its position
B) Changes its speed
C) Changes its direction
D) None of the above
Answer: A) Changes its position
Explanation: An object is in motion if its position changes with respect to a reference point over time.
2. The rate of change of displacement is known as?
A) Speed
B) Velocity
C) Acceleration
D) Force
Answer: B) Velocity
Explanation: Velocity is the rate of change of displacement and is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.
3. Which of the following quantities is a scalar?
A) Displacement
B) Velocity
C) Speed
D) Acceleration
Answer: C) Speed
Explanation: Speed is a scalar quantity because it only has magnitude and no direction. In contrast, velocity and displacement are vector quantities.
4. The slope of a velocity-time graph gives?
A) Displacement
B) Acceleration
C) Speed
D) Distance
Answer: B) Acceleration
Explanation: The slope of a velocity-time graph represents the rate of change of velocity, which is acceleration.
5. A car moves with uniform acceleration. If its initial velocity is 20 m/s and its final velocity is 30 m/s in 5 seconds, what is its acceleration?
A) 2 m/s²
B) 3 m/s²
C) 1 m/s²
D) 0.5 m/s²
Answer: A) 2 m/s²
Explanation: Using the formula for acceleration, a=v−uta = \frac{v – u}{t}a=tv−u, where vvv is the final velocity, uuu is the initial velocity, and ttt is the time. So, a=30−205=2 m/s2a = \frac{30 – 20}{5} = 2 \, \text{m/s}^2a=530−20=2m/s2.
6. If the velocity of an object is constant, then its acceleration is?
A) Zero
B) Constant
C) Variable
D) Infinite
Answer: A) Zero
Explanation: If the velocity is constant, there is no change in speed or direction, which means the acceleration is zero.
7. The area under a velocity-time graph represents?
A) Displacement
B) Acceleration
C) Distance
D) Speed
Answer: A) Displacement
Explanation: The area under a velocity-time graph gives the displacement of the object over the given time interval.
8. The distance traveled by an object is always?
A) Greater than or equal to its displacement
B) Equal to its displacement
C) Less than its displacement
D) None of the above
Answer: A) Greater than or equal to its displacement
Explanation: Distance is a scalar quantity and can never be less than the displacement. It accounts for the total path length traveled, while displacement is the straight-line distance between the initial and final points.
9. The motion of a body under the influence of gravity is known as?
A) Linear motion
B) Projectile motion
C) Free fall
D) Circular motion
Answer: C) Free fall
Explanation: Free fall refers to the motion of an object under the influence of gravity alone, with no other forces acting on it.
10. The displacement-time graph of an object moving with uniform velocity is?
A) A straight line with a non-zero slope
B) A curve
C) A straight line with a zero slope
D) A zig-zag line
Answer: A) A straight line with a non-zero slope
Explanation: For uniform velocity, the displacement increases at a constant rate, resulting in a straight-line graph with a non-zero slope.
11. A body is thrown vertically upwards with an initial velocity of 20 m/s. What is its velocity at the highest point?
A) 0 m/s
B) 10 m/s
C) 20 m/s
D) 40 m/s
Answer: A) 0 m/s
Explanation: At the highest point of its trajectory, the velocity of the body becomes zero before it starts descending due to gravity.
12. The acceleration due to gravity on Earth is?
A) 10 m/s²
B) 9.8 m/s²
C) 1 m/s²
D) 0 m/s²
Answer: B) 9.8 m/s²
Explanation: The acceleration due to gravity on the surface of the Earth is approximately 9.8 m/s².
13. The velocity-time graph of an object moving with uniform acceleration is?
A) A straight line with a positive slope
B) A curved line
C) A horizontal line
D) A straight line with a negative slope
Answer: A) A straight line with a positive slope
Explanation: When an object moves with uniform acceleration, its velocity increases at a constant rate, so the velocity-time graph is a straight line with a positive slope.
14. If an object moves along a straight line with constant speed, the distance traveled by the object is?
A) Directly proportional to time
B) Inversely proportional to time
C) Not related to time
D) None of the above
Answer: A) Directly proportional to time
Explanation: If the object moves with constant speed, the distance traveled is directly proportional to time (i.e., Distance=Speed×Time\text{Distance} = \text{Speed} \times \text{Time}Distance=Speed×Time).
15. An object travels a distance of 100 m in 20 seconds. What is its average speed?
A) 5 m/s
B) 10 m/s
C) 20 m/s
D) 50 m/s
Answer: B) 5 m/s
Explanation: Average speed is calculated as Speed=DistanceTime=100 m20 s=5 m/s\text{Speed} = \frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Time}} = \frac{100 \, \text{m}}{20 \, \text{s}} = 5 \, \text{m/s}Speed=TimeDistance=20s100m=5m/s.
16. A car accelerates from 0 to 30 m/s in 10 seconds. What is its average acceleration?
A) 1 m/s²
B) 3 m/s²
C) 5 m/s²
D) 10 m/s²
Answer: B) 3 m/s²
Explanation: Average acceleration is given by a=v−uta = \frac{v – u}{t}a=tv−u, where v=30 m/sv = 30 \, \text{m/s}v=30m/s, u=0 m/su = 0 \, \text{m/s}u=0m/s, and t=10 st = 10 \, \text{s}t=10s. So, a=30−010=3 m/s2a = \frac{30 – 0}{10} = 3 \, \text{m/s}^2a=1030−0=3m/s2.
17. The distance between two objects moving in opposite directions is decreasing. This means their relative velocity is?
A) Zero
B) Positive
C) Negative
D) Undefined
Answer: B) Positive
Explanation: When objects move toward each other, their relative velocity is positive because the distance between them is decreasing.
18. A stone is thrown vertically upwards. What happens to its velocity as it rises?
A) It increases
B) It decreases
C) It remains constant
D) It becomes zero at the highest point
Answer: B) It decreases
Explanation: As the stone rises, its velocity decreases due to the acceleration due to gravity acting in the opposite direction.
19. A body is thrown vertically upward with an initial velocity of 20 m/s. What is the maximum height it reaches?
A) 10 m
B) 20 m
C) 40 m
D) 80 m
Answer: C) 40 m
Explanation: Using the formula h=u22gh = \frac{u^2}{2g}h=2gu2, where u=20 m/su = 20 \, \text{m/s}u=20m/s and g=9.8 m/s2g = 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2g=9.8m/s2, the maximum height is h=(20)22×9.8=40.82 mh = \frac{(20)^2}{2 \times 9.8} = 40.82 \, \text{m}h=2×9.8(20)2=40.82m.
20. The motion of a projectile can be considered as?
A) One-dimensional
B) Two-dimensional
C) Three-dimensional
D) None of the above
Answer: B) Two-dimensional
Explanation: The motion of a projectile involves both horizontal and vertical motion, making it two-dimensional.
21. A ball is thrown vertically upward. What will be its velocity at the highest point of its motion?
A) Zero
B) Positive
C) Negative
D) Undefined
Answer: A) Zero
Explanation: At the highest point, the ball momentarily stops before reversing direction. Therefore, its velocity is zero at that point.
22. The acceleration due to gravity is directed?
A) Downward
B) Upward
C) Horizontally
D) Radially outward
Answer: A) Downward
Explanation: The acceleration due to gravity always acts downward towards the center of the Earth.
23. An object falls freely under the influence of gravity. What is its velocity after 5 seconds, if the initial velocity is 0 m/s?
A) 10 m/s
B) 20 m/s
C) 50 m/s
D) 100 m/s
Answer: B) 50 m/s
Explanation: Using the formula v=u+gtv = u + gtv=u+gt, where u=0 m/su = 0 \, \text{m/s}u=0m/s, g=10 m/s2g = 10 \, \text{m/s}^2g=10m/s2, and t=5 st = 5 \, \text{s}t=5s, we get v=0+10×5=50 m/sv = 0 + 10 \times 5 = 50 \, \text{m/s}v=0+10×5=50m/s.
24. A projectile is launched at an angle to the horizontal. The horizontal component of its velocity?
A) Increases as the object rises
B) Decreases as the object rises
C) Remains constant
D) Becomes zero at the highest point
Answer: C) Remains constant
Explanation: The horizontal component of velocity remains constant throughout the projectile’s motion, assuming air resistance is negligible.
25. The maximum height reached by a projectile is dependent on?
A) Initial velocity and angle of projection
B) Initial velocity only
C) Angle of projection only
D) Gravitational acceleration only
Answer: A) Initial velocity and angle of projection
Explanation: The maximum height reached by a projectile depends on both the initial velocity and the angle of projection. The higher the initial velocity or the more vertical the angle, the greater the height.
26. The horizontal range of a projectile is maximum when the angle of projection is?
A) 30°
B) 45°
C) 60°
D) 90°
Answer: B) 45°
Explanation: The horizontal range of a projectile is maximum when the angle of projection is 45°, as this provides the most optimal balance between horizontal velocity and vertical height.
27. The time of flight of a projectile depends on?
A) Initial velocity and angle of projection
B) Initial velocity only
C) Angle of projection only
D) Gravitational acceleration only
Answer: A) Initial velocity and angle of projection
Explanation: The time of flight depends on the vertical component of the initial velocity and the angle of projection. A greater initial velocity and a larger vertical angle of projection result in a longer flight time.
28. In the case of a freely falling object, the acceleration is?
A) Zero
B) Constant
C) Variable
D) Infinite
Answer: B) Constant
Explanation: The acceleration due to gravity is constant for an object in free fall near the Earth’s surface, typically 9.8 m/s29.8 \, \text{m/s}^29.8m/s2.
29. If an object travels in a circle with uniform speed, it has?
A) Uniform velocity
B) Constant velocity
C) Changing velocity
D) No acceleration
Answer: C) Changing velocity
Explanation: Although the object has a constant speed, its direction is continuously changing. Since velocity is a vector quantity, this change in direction means the object’s velocity is changing.
30. The displacement of an object is represented by the equation s=ut+12at2s = ut + \frac{1}{2}at^2s=ut+21at2. What does the term ututut represent?
A) Initial displacement
B) Displacement due to initial velocity
C) Displacement due to acceleration
D) Final displacement
Answer: B) Displacement due to initial velocity
Explanation: The term ututut represents the displacement of the object due to its initial velocity uuu, assuming uniform motion without acceleration.
31. A body moves with a constant velocity. Which of the following statements is true?
A) The acceleration of the body is zero.
B) The displacement is zero after a given time.
C) The velocity keeps changing.
D) The body is at rest.
Answer: A) The acceleration of the body is zero.
Explanation: If the velocity is constant, the body has no change in speed or direction, implying zero acceleration.
32. An object is thrown vertically upwards. The time taken for it to reach its maximum height depends on?
A) Only the initial velocity
B) Only the acceleration due to gravity
C) Both the initial velocity and gravity
D) None of the above
Answer: C) Both the initial velocity and gravity
Explanation: The time to reach maximum height depends on the initial velocity and the acceleration due to gravity, as the velocity decreases to zero due to gravity’s opposing force.
33. The distance-time graph of a body moving with uniform acceleration is?
A) A straight line with a positive slope
B) A curve
C) A straight line with zero slope
D) A straight line with a negative slope
Answer: B) A curve
Explanation: For an object moving with uniform acceleration, the distance-time graph is a curve because the object covers more distance as time progresses due to the increasing velocity.
34. Which of the following is not a characteristic of uniform motion?
A) The velocity is constant.
B) The object moves in a straight line.
C) The acceleration is zero.
D) The distance traveled increases non-linearly.
Answer: D) The distance traveled increases non-linearly.
Explanation: In uniform motion, the distance traveled increases linearly over time because the object’s velocity is constant.
35. What is the nature of the velocity-time graph for an object under uniform acceleration?
A) It is a straight line with a positive slope.
B) It is a curve.
C) It is a horizontal line.
D) It is a straight line with a negative slope.
Answer: A) It is a straight line with a positive slope.
Explanation: For uniform acceleration, the velocity-time graph is a straight line where the slope represents acceleration.
36. A body is in free fall. If its velocity increases from 0 m/s to 50 m/s in 5 seconds, what is its acceleration?
A) 5 m/s²
B) 10 m/s²
C) 20 m/s²
D) 25 m/s²
Answer: B) 10 m/s²
Explanation: Using the formula a=v−uta = \frac{v – u}{t}a=tv−u, where v=50 m/sv = 50 \, \text{m/s}v=50m/s, u=0 m/su = 0 \, \text{m/s}u=0m/s, and t=5 st = 5 \, \text{s}t=5s, we get a=50−05=10 m/s2a = \frac{50 – 0}{5} = 10 \, \text{m/s}^2a=550−0=10m/s2.
37. In projectile motion, the time of flight is independent of?
A) Initial velocity
B) Angle of projection
C) Height from which the projectile is launched
D) Gravitational acceleration
Answer: C) Height from which the projectile is launched
Explanation: The time of flight in projectile motion depends only on the initial velocity and the angle of projection, not on the height from which the object is launched (as long as it is launched and lands at the same height).
38. The maximum horizontal range of a projectile is achieved when the angle of projection is?
A) 0°
B) 30°
C) 45°
D) 60°
Answer: C) 45°
Explanation: The maximum horizontal range of a projectile occurs at an angle of 45° because this angle provides the optimal balance between horizontal velocity and vertical height.
39. The motion of a body falling under the influence of gravity is best described as?
A) Uniform motion
B) Uniformly accelerated motion
C) Non-uniform motion
D) Periodic motion
Answer: B) Uniformly accelerated motion
Explanation: A body falling under gravity experiences uniform acceleration due to the constant acceleration of 9.8 m/s29.8 \, \text{m/s}^29.8m/s2.
40. The horizontal component of velocity in projectile motion?
A) Changes as the projectile moves
B) Remains constant throughout the flight
C) Increases with time
D) Decreases with time
Answer: B) Remains constant throughout the flight
Explanation: The horizontal component of velocity in projectile motion remains constant (assuming no air resistance) because there is no acceleration in the horizontal direction.
41. A stone is dropped from a height. The time taken for it to hit the ground depends on?
A) Height only
B) Acceleration due to gravity only
C) Both height and gravity
D) Initial velocity
Answer: C) Both height and gravity
Explanation: The time taken for a stone to hit the ground depends on both the height from which it is dropped and the acceleration due to gravity.
42. The acceleration due to gravity is considered to be constant for?
A) Objects falling from a great height
B) Objects near the surface of the Earth
C) Objects in free space
D) All of the above
Answer: B) Objects near the surface of the Earth
Explanation: The acceleration due to gravity is approximately constant near the Earth’s surface, about 9.8 m/s29.8 \, \text{m/s}^29.8m/s2, but it varies with altitude and location on the Earth.
43. Which of the following is true about the velocity of an object in projectile motion at the highest point?
A) The horizontal component is zero
B) The vertical component is zero
C) The resultant velocity is zero
D) The velocity is maximum
Answer: B) The vertical component is zero
Explanation: At the highest point of projectile motion, the vertical component of the velocity becomes zero, but the horizontal component remains unchanged.
44. An object is dropped from a height. Its velocity just before hitting the ground will depend on?
A) The mass of the object
B) The height of the drop
C) Both the mass and height
D) The shape of the object
Answer: B) The height of the drop
Explanation: The velocity just before hitting the ground depends on the height from which the object is dropped, according to the equation v=2ghv = \sqrt{2gh}v=2gh, where hhh is the height and ggg is the acceleration due to gravity.
45. A particle moves with uniform speed in a circle. Its acceleration?
A) Is zero
B) Points towards the center of the circle
C) Points tangentially to the path
D) Is constant in magnitude and direction
Answer: B) Points towards the center of the circle
Explanation: In uniform circular motion, the particle experiences centripetal acceleration, which always points towards the center of the circle.
46. An object undergoes uniform circular motion. The net force acting on it is?
A) Zero
B) Directed tangentially to the circle
C) Directed radially inward
D) Directed radially outward
Answer: C) Directed radially inward
Explanation: The net force acting on an object in uniform circular motion is the centripetal force, which is directed towards the center of the circle.
47. The distance traveled by a body in uniform acceleration is given by the equation s=ut+12at2s = ut + \frac{1}{2}at^2s=ut+21at2. What does 12at2\frac{1}{2}at^221at2 represent?
A) Initial displacement
B) Displacement due to acceleration
C) Displacement due to initial velocity
D) Total displacement
Answer: B) Displacement due to acceleration
Explanation: The term 12at2\frac{1}{2}at^221at2 represents the displacement that occurs due to the object’s acceleration.
48. An object is moving in a straight line with a constant acceleration of 2 m/s22 \, \text{m/s}^22m/s2. If it starts from rest, its velocity after 5 seconds is?
A) 5 m/s
B) 10 m/s
C) 20 m/s
D) 25 m/s
Answer: B) 10 m/s
Explanation: Using the formula v=u+atv = u + atv=u+at, where u=0 m/su = 0 \, \text{m/s}u=0m/s, a=2 m/s2a = 2 \, \text{m/s}^2a=2m/s2, and t=5 st = 5 \, \text{s}t=5s, the velocity is v=0+2×5=10 m/sv = 0 + 2 \times 5 = 10 \, \text{m/s}v=0+2×5=10m/s.
49. The velocity-time graph of a body moving with uniform acceleration is?
A) A straight line with a positive slope
B) A straight line with a negative slope
C) A curve
D) A horizontal line
Answer: A) A straight line with a positive slope
Explanation: In uniform acceleration, the velocity-time graph is a straight line, where the slope represents the acceleration.
50. The relative velocity between two objects moving in the same direction is?
A) Zero
B) Equal to the sum of their velocities
C) Equal to the difference of their velocities
D) Undefined
Answer: C) Equal to the difference of their velocities
Explanation: When two objects move in the same direction, the relative velocity is the difference between their velocities.
These 50 MCQs on Unit 2: Kinematics provide an excellent opportunity for you to test your understanding of the fundamental concepts of motion, velocity, and acceleration. Each question comes with an explanation that helps clarify the underlying principles. Continue practicing these questions to sharpen your kinematic knowledge and excel in your exams!
Also Read: MCQs on Unit 3: Laws of Motion
You may also like to Read This: Most Important General Knowledge MCQs: for SSC, UPSC and other state Exams