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PHY 111 MIDTERM ACTUAL EXAM PREP 2026
ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES ALREADY A
GRADED WITH EXPERT FEEDBACK |NEW AND
REVISED
1. A medical student measures the heart rate of a patient and
records 72 beats per minute. How many significant figures does this
measurement contain?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
Rationale: The number 72 contains two significant figures (7 and 2).
Zeros are not involved, so the count is straightforward.
2. The SI unit of force is the newton (N). Which of the following
fundamental units is equivalent to one newton?
A. kg·m/s
B. kg·m/s²
C. kg·m²/s²
D. kg·s/m²
Rationale: From Newton's second law, F = ma, the unit of force is
mass (kg) times acceleration (m/s²), giving kg·m/s².
3. A patient's blood pressure is recorded as 120/80 mmHg. If this
pressure is converted to pascals (Pa), which conversion factor is
correct?
A. 1 mmHg = 133.322 Pa
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B. 1 mmHg = 101,325 Pa
C. 1 mmHg = 133.322 Pa
D. 1 mmHg = 760 Pa
Rationale: Standard atmospheric pressure is 760 mmHg = 101,325 Pa,
so 1 mmHg = 133.322 Pa.
4. A vector representing a force of 50 N directed 30° north of east
has an eastward component of approximately:
A. 25 N
B. 43.3 N
C. 50 N
D. 86.6 N
Rationale: The eastward component is F cos θ = 50 N × cos(30°) = 50
× 0.866 = 43.3 N.
5. A nurse pushes a medication cart with a force of 40 N at an angle
of 60° above the horizontal. What is the vertical component of this
force?
A. 20 N
B. 34.6 N
C. 40 N
D. 69.3 N
Rationale: The vertical component is F sin θ = 40 N × sin(60°) = 40 ×
0.866 = 34.6 N.
6. A car accelerates from rest to 25 m/s in 5.0 seconds. What is its
average acceleration?
A. 2.5 m/s²
B. 5.0 m/s²
C. 25 m/s²
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D. 125 m/s²
Rationale: Average acceleration = (change in velocity)/(time) = (25
m/s - 0)/(5.0 s) = 5.0 m/s².
7. A patient in a hospital bed is moved 3.0 m north, then 4.0 m east,
then 2.0 m south. What is the magnitude of the patient's
displacement?
A. 4.1 m
B. 5.0 m
C. 9.0 m
D. 11.0 m
Rationale: Net north displacement = 3.0 m - 2.0 m = 1.0 m; east
displacement = 4.0 m. Displacement magnitude = √(1.0² + 4.0²) = √17
≈ 4.1 m.
8. A ball is thrown straight upward with an initial velocity of 20 m/s.
Neglecting air resistance, what is the maximum height reached?
A. 10.2 m
B. 20.4 m
C. 40.8 m
D. 81.6 m
Rationale: Using v² = u² + 2as, with v = 0 at max height, 0 = (20)² + 2(-
9.8)h → h = 400/19.6 = 20.4 m.
9. A projectile is launched horizontally from a height of 45 m with
an initial speed of 30 m/s. How long does it take to hit the ground?
A. 1.5 s
B. 3.0 s
C. 4.5 s
D. 9.0 s
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Rationale: Time to fall is determined by vertical motion: h = ½gt² →
45 = ½(9.8)t² → t² = 9.18 → t ≈ 3.0 s.
10. A medical imaging device moves a patient table at a constant
velocity of 0.5 m/s for 8 seconds. What distance does the table
travel?
A. 0.5 m
B. 2.0 m
C. 4.0 m
D. 8.0 m
Rationale: Distance = velocity × time = 0.5 m/s × 8 s = 4.0 m.
11. A 70 kg patient is standing on a bathroom scale in an elevator
that is accelerating upward at 2.0 m/s². What is the reading on the
scale?
A. 70 kg
B. 77 kg
C. 84 kg
D. 91 kg
Rationale: Apparent weight = m(g + a) = 70(9.8 + 2.0) = 826 N; scale
reading in kg = 826/9.8 ≈ 84 kg.
12. A 2.0 kg book rests on a horizontal table. The normal force
exerted by the table on the book is:
A. 0 N
B. 2.0 N
C. 9.8 N
D. 19.6 N
Rationale: Normal force equals weight for an object at rest on a
horizontal surface: N = mg = 2.0 × 9.8 = 19.6 N.
PHY 111 MIDTERM ACTUAL EXAM PREP 2026
ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES ALREADY A
GRADED WITH EXPERT FEEDBACK |NEW AND
REVISED
1. A medical student measures the heart rate of a patient and
records 72 beats per minute. How many significant figures does this
measurement contain?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
Rationale: The number 72 contains two significant figures (7 and 2).
Zeros are not involved, so the count is straightforward.
2. The SI unit of force is the newton (N). Which of the following
fundamental units is equivalent to one newton?
A. kg·m/s
B. kg·m/s²
C. kg·m²/s²
D. kg·s/m²
Rationale: From Newton's second law, F = ma, the unit of force is
mass (kg) times acceleration (m/s²), giving kg·m/s².
3. A patient's blood pressure is recorded as 120/80 mmHg. If this
pressure is converted to pascals (Pa), which conversion factor is
correct?
A. 1 mmHg = 133.322 Pa
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B. 1 mmHg = 101,325 Pa
C. 1 mmHg = 133.322 Pa
D. 1 mmHg = 760 Pa
Rationale: Standard atmospheric pressure is 760 mmHg = 101,325 Pa,
so 1 mmHg = 133.322 Pa.
4. A vector representing a force of 50 N directed 30° north of east
has an eastward component of approximately:
A. 25 N
B. 43.3 N
C. 50 N
D. 86.6 N
Rationale: The eastward component is F cos θ = 50 N × cos(30°) = 50
× 0.866 = 43.3 N.
5. A nurse pushes a medication cart with a force of 40 N at an angle
of 60° above the horizontal. What is the vertical component of this
force?
A. 20 N
B. 34.6 N
C. 40 N
D. 69.3 N
Rationale: The vertical component is F sin θ = 40 N × sin(60°) = 40 ×
0.866 = 34.6 N.
6. A car accelerates from rest to 25 m/s in 5.0 seconds. What is its
average acceleration?
A. 2.5 m/s²
B. 5.0 m/s²
C. 25 m/s²
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D. 125 m/s²
Rationale: Average acceleration = (change in velocity)/(time) = (25
m/s - 0)/(5.0 s) = 5.0 m/s².
7. A patient in a hospital bed is moved 3.0 m north, then 4.0 m east,
then 2.0 m south. What is the magnitude of the patient's
displacement?
A. 4.1 m
B. 5.0 m
C. 9.0 m
D. 11.0 m
Rationale: Net north displacement = 3.0 m - 2.0 m = 1.0 m; east
displacement = 4.0 m. Displacement magnitude = √(1.0² + 4.0²) = √17
≈ 4.1 m.
8. A ball is thrown straight upward with an initial velocity of 20 m/s.
Neglecting air resistance, what is the maximum height reached?
A. 10.2 m
B. 20.4 m
C. 40.8 m
D. 81.6 m
Rationale: Using v² = u² + 2as, with v = 0 at max height, 0 = (20)² + 2(-
9.8)h → h = 400/19.6 = 20.4 m.
9. A projectile is launched horizontally from a height of 45 m with
an initial speed of 30 m/s. How long does it take to hit the ground?
A. 1.5 s
B. 3.0 s
C. 4.5 s
D. 9.0 s
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Rationale: Time to fall is determined by vertical motion: h = ½gt² →
45 = ½(9.8)t² → t² = 9.18 → t ≈ 3.0 s.
10. A medical imaging device moves a patient table at a constant
velocity of 0.5 m/s for 8 seconds. What distance does the table
travel?
A. 0.5 m
B. 2.0 m
C. 4.0 m
D. 8.0 m
Rationale: Distance = velocity × time = 0.5 m/s × 8 s = 4.0 m.
11. A 70 kg patient is standing on a bathroom scale in an elevator
that is accelerating upward at 2.0 m/s². What is the reading on the
scale?
A. 70 kg
B. 77 kg
C. 84 kg
D. 91 kg
Rationale: Apparent weight = m(g + a) = 70(9.8 + 2.0) = 826 N; scale
reading in kg = 826/9.8 ≈ 84 kg.
12. A 2.0 kg book rests on a horizontal table. The normal force
exerted by the table on the book is:
A. 0 N
B. 2.0 N
C. 9.8 N
D. 19.6 N
Rationale: Normal force equals weight for an object at rest on a
horizontal surface: N = mg = 2.0 × 9.8 = 19.6 N.
