5 Physics practice set for Student-Pilot

5 Physics practice set for Student-Pilot

1. Q: A 2,000 kg aircraft flies in a level turn of radius 500 m at speed 100 m/s. What centripetal force is required?

A: 4.0×10⁴ N.
Why: Fc=mv2/r=2000×1002/500=40,000N.

2. Q: State Newton’s three laws of motion in one sentence each.

A: (1) Inertia: an object stays at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by net force. (2) F=ma: net force equals mass times acceleration. (3) Action–reaction: every force has an equal and opposite reaction force.
Why: These are basic principles governing motion and aircraft dynamics.

3. Q: A ball thrown straight up with speed 20 m/s. Neglect air resistance: how high does it rise? (use 

g=9.81m/s2)
A: ≈ 20.4 m.
Why: h=v02/(2g)=202/(2×9.81)≈20.39 m.

4. Q: A gas at 1.0 atm occupies 2.0 L. If volume is compressed to 1.0 L at constant temperature, what is pressure?

A: 2.0 atm (Boyle’s law: P1V1=P2V2).

5. Q: Explain briefly why an airplane wing produces lift (two-sentence answer).

A: Flow over the wing produces pressure differences (lower pressure above wing, higher below) due to flow speed/streamline shaping (Bernoulli) and air turning (circulation); net upward force = lift.