PHYSICS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS
2026 CERTIFICATION EVALUATION TEST PAPER
QUESTIONS SOLUTIONS GRADED A PLUS
◉ If a car is traveling eastward and slowing down, what is the
direction of the force on the car that causes it to slow down?
eastward
westward
neither of these
Answer: If the car is slowing down, a force must be pulling in the
direction opposite to its velocity.
◉ Which of the following is true?
If a car is traveling eastward, its acceleration is eastward.
If a car is slowing down, its acceleration must be negative.
A particle with constant acceleration can never stop and stay
stopped.
Answer: C
,If a particle with constant acceleration stops and its acceleration
remains constant, it must begin to move again in the opposite
direction. If it did not, the acceleration would change from its
original constant value to zero. Choice (1) is not correct because the
direction of acceleration is not specified by the direction of the
velocity. Choice (2) is also not correct by counterexample - a car
moving in the -x direction and slowing down has a positive
acceleration.
◉ A ball is thrown upward. While the ball is in free fall, its
acceleration
increases
decreases
increases and then decreases
decreases and then increases
remains constant
Answer: E
For the entire time interval that the ball is in free fall, the
acceleration is that due to gravity.
◉ After a ball is thrown upward and is in the air, its speed
,increases
decreases
increases and then decreases
decreases and then increases
remains the same
Answer: D.
While the ball is rising, it is slowing down. After reaching the highest
point, the ball begins to fall and its speed increases.
◉ Which values represent the ball's vertical velocity and
acceleration at points A, C, and E in the figure below?
Vy = 0, ay = -9.80 m/s2
Vy = 0, ay = 9.80 m/s2
Vy = 0, ay = 0
Vy = -9.80 m/s2, ay = 0
Answer: A.
, Points A,C, and E all represent maximums on the graph. At these
points, the ball is momentarily at rest (Vy = 0), but still accelerating
at -g (ay = -9.80m/s2)
◉ Which of the following are vector quantities?
your age, speed, mass
acceleration, velocity
the direction you are going
your speed
Answer: B.
For these quantities, the direction is necessary to specify the
quantity completely. Choices A, C, and D are all scalar or directional.
Acceleration and velocity are both values that have both direction
and magnitude.
◉ The magnitudes of two vectors A and B are A = 12 units and B = 8
units. Which of the following pairs of numbers represents the largest
and smallest possible values for the magnitude of the resultant
vector R = A + B?
14.4 units, 4 units
12 units, 8 units
2026 CERTIFICATION EVALUATION TEST PAPER
QUESTIONS SOLUTIONS GRADED A PLUS
◉ If a car is traveling eastward and slowing down, what is the
direction of the force on the car that causes it to slow down?
eastward
westward
neither of these
Answer: If the car is slowing down, a force must be pulling in the
direction opposite to its velocity.
◉ Which of the following is true?
If a car is traveling eastward, its acceleration is eastward.
If a car is slowing down, its acceleration must be negative.
A particle with constant acceleration can never stop and stay
stopped.
Answer: C
,If a particle with constant acceleration stops and its acceleration
remains constant, it must begin to move again in the opposite
direction. If it did not, the acceleration would change from its
original constant value to zero. Choice (1) is not correct because the
direction of acceleration is not specified by the direction of the
velocity. Choice (2) is also not correct by counterexample - a car
moving in the -x direction and slowing down has a positive
acceleration.
◉ A ball is thrown upward. While the ball is in free fall, its
acceleration
increases
decreases
increases and then decreases
decreases and then increases
remains constant
Answer: E
For the entire time interval that the ball is in free fall, the
acceleration is that due to gravity.
◉ After a ball is thrown upward and is in the air, its speed
,increases
decreases
increases and then decreases
decreases and then increases
remains the same
Answer: D.
While the ball is rising, it is slowing down. After reaching the highest
point, the ball begins to fall and its speed increases.
◉ Which values represent the ball's vertical velocity and
acceleration at points A, C, and E in the figure below?
Vy = 0, ay = -9.80 m/s2
Vy = 0, ay = 9.80 m/s2
Vy = 0, ay = 0
Vy = -9.80 m/s2, ay = 0
Answer: A.
, Points A,C, and E all represent maximums on the graph. At these
points, the ball is momentarily at rest (Vy = 0), but still accelerating
at -g (ay = -9.80m/s2)
◉ Which of the following are vector quantities?
your age, speed, mass
acceleration, velocity
the direction you are going
your speed
Answer: B.
For these quantities, the direction is necessary to specify the
quantity completely. Choices A, C, and D are all scalar or directional.
Acceleration and velocity are both values that have both direction
and magnitude.
◉ The magnitudes of two vectors A and B are A = 12 units and B = 8
units. Which of the following pairs of numbers represents the largest
and smallest possible values for the magnitude of the resultant
vector R = A + B?
14.4 units, 4 units
12 units, 8 units
