Kalyan’s Physics Challenge

1. An empty office chair is at rest on a floor. Consider the following forces: which of the following
force(s) is (are) acting on the office chair?

I – A downward force of gravity

II – An upward force exerted by floor
III – a net downward force exerted by the air

a) I only b) I and II c) I, II and III d) none

Sol. I - Gravitational force (weight) always acts on a body in downward direction.

II - As weight of the object acts on the floor, it gives normal reaction in upward
direction

2. A magnet is placed between two coils AB and CD as shown. It is being moved in the direction as
shown by the arrow. Which of the following statements is correct?

a) looking from end A, current in the coil AB will be anticlockwise and looking from end D,
the direction of current in coil CD will be anticlockwise.
b) looking from end A, current in the coil AB will be clockwise and looking from end D, the
direction of current in coil CD will be clockwise.
c) looking from end A, current in the coil AB will be clockwise and looking from end D, the
direction of current in coil CD will be anticlockwise.
d) looking from end A, current in the coil AB will be anticlockwise and looking from end D, the
direction of current in coil CD will be clockwise.

Sol. According to Lenz’s law, induced current will flow in a direction so as to oppose change in flux.
The north pole of magnet is moving away from B, so B should be south pole
The south pole of magnet is moving towards C, so C should be south pole.

3. A common hydrometer has a uniform scale and its stem is graduated downwards from 0 to 20.
While floating in water, it reads 0 and while floating in a liquid of density 1.40 gm/cc, it reads 20.
Then the density of the liquid in which it will read 10 is

a) 2.8 g/cc b) 1.17 g/cc c) 0.85 g/cc d) 0.7 g/cc

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Sol. Law of floatation:

Downward force of gravity = upward buoyancy force
Let the area of cross section of the stem: A
Let the volume of the body: v
For water: mg = Vin w g  m = (v +A x 20) x 1
For liquid: mg = Vin 1 g  m = (v + A x 0) x 1.4
For second liquid: mg = Vin 2 g  m = (v + A x 10) 2
From first two equations:
v + 20 A = 1.4 v  0.4 v = 20 A  v = 50 A
From last two equations:
1.4 v = (v + 10 A) 2  70 A = 60 A 2  2 = 1.17 gm/cc

4. As shown in adjacent figure, two plane mirrors M1 and M2 are inclined to each other at an angle 700
(angle M1OM2). Incident ray AB makes an angle of incidence  on M1. This ray after reflection at
B on M1 and further at C on M2, travels along the direction CD such that path CD is parallel to M1.
Then angle  is

a) 450 b) 500 c) 550 d) 600

Sol. Given: angle COB: 700

Angle at C = 700 (corresponding angles)
Angle of reflection at c on M2 = 200 and Angle of incidence at c on M2 = 200
Angle BCO = 700 and Angle CBO = 400
Angle of incidence:  = 90 – 40 = 500

5. The equivalent resistance of two resistances in series is S. These resistances are now joined in
parallel, the equivalent resistance is P. If S = nP. Then the minimum possible value of n is

a) 5 b) 4 c) 3 d) 2

Sol. Let the two resistors be R1 and R2 / Series combination: S = R1 + R2

Parallel combination: P = R1R2 / (R1 + R2) / Given: S = nP
𝑅
For minimum value of n: R1 = R2 / 2R = n 2  n = 4

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6. The takeoff speed of a plane is 288 km/hr. The aircraft attains this speed in 50 sec. Neglecting the
effect of the wind direction and friction, what should be the minimum length of the runway for this
aircraft to take off?

a) 2400 m b) 2200 m c) 2000 m d) 1800 m

Sol. Initial speed of the aircraft: u = 0 m/s

Final (take off) speed of the aircraft: v = 288 km/hr = 80 m/s
Time taken to attain final speed: t = 50 sec
Acceleration of the aircraft: v = u + at  80 = 0 + a (50)  a = 8/5 m/s2
Length of the runway = distance covered by the aircraft before attaining takeoff speed:
1 1 1 8
s = ut + 2 at2 = 0 + 2 at2 = 2 x 5 x 2500 = 2000 m

7. In bringing an  particle towards another  particle, the electrostatic potential energy of the system

a) increases b) decreases c) remains same d) becomes zero

Sol.  Particle is nothing but helium nucleus He24 . It carries two units +ve charge and four units
mass. when one  particle is brought towards another, they repel each other (two similar
charges repel each other)
In order to bring these particles close to each other, the external agent has to do work in
overcoming the force of repulsion between them.
The work done the external agent is stored in the system as electrostatic potential energy.
Thus, the electro-static potential energy of the system increases.

8. A large truck collides head on with a small compact car. During the collision

a) the truck exerts a greater force on the car than the car exerts on the truck
b) the car exerts a greater force on the truck than the truck exerts on the car
c) the truck exerts a force on the car but the car does not exert any force on the truck
d) the truck exerts the same force on the car as the car exerts on the truck

Sol. During a collision, a large force acts for a short period of time (impulse force)
Conservation of linear momentum is valid in all type of collisions. The total momentum of the
system remains constant before and after the collision.
According to Newton’s third law, the action-reaction pair is equal in magnitude and opposite in
direction.
So, the force exerted by the truck on the car is equal to the force exerted by the car on the truck.

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9. A liquid whose density doesn’t change during the motion is

flowing steadily through a pipe of varying cross-sectional area as
shown in figure. If a1, a2 are cross sectional areas and v1, v2 are
velocities at L and H respectively, then the correct relation
between a1, a2 and v1, v2 is

a) a12 v2 = a22 v1 b) a1v12 = a2v22 c) a1v2 = a2v1 d) a1v1 = a2v2

Sol. Given that the liquid is incompressible. The mass of liquid entering the tube in unit time is
Same as the liquid leaving the tube in the same time.
𝑑𝑚 𝑑𝑀 𝑑(𝑟𝑉1 ) 𝑑(𝑟𝑉2 ) 𝑑(𝑎1 𝑙1 ) 𝑑(𝑎2 𝑙2 ) 𝑑𝑙1 𝑑𝑙2
Conservation of mass : 𝑑𝑡
= 𝑑𝑡
 𝑑𝑡
= 𝑑𝑡
 𝑑𝑡
= 𝑑𝑡
 𝑎1 𝑑𝑡
= 𝑎2 𝑑𝑡

𝒂𝟏 v1 = 𝒂𝟐 v2

10. A concave mirror of radius of curvature 1 m is placed at the bottom of water tank. The mirror
forms an image of the sun when it is directly overhead. If the depth of water in the tank is 80 cm,
then the distance of the image formed is
(refractive index of water is 1.33)

a) on the surface of water b) 110 cm above mirror

c) 50 cm above mirror d) image cannot be formed

Sol. As the sun is directly overhead, we can take the light rays to be coming from infinity (object
distance) along principal axis of the concave mirror.
As the light rays are entering along the principal axis, they do not undergo any deviation
(refraction).
1 1 1 1 1 1 𝑅
Mirror formula: + =  + =  𝑣 = 𝑓 = = 50 cm
𝑣 𝑢 𝑓 𝑣 ∞ 𝑓 2

11. Two wave pulses I and II have same wavelength. They are travelling in the directions as shown by
the single headed arrow. The resultant sketch of the two wave pulses at some instant of time when
P coincides with R is

a) b) c) d)

Sol. The two waves are travelling in opposite directions.

The resultant amplitude: a’ = (a12 + a22 + 2 a1a2 cos )1/2
The phase difference between the two waves:  = 1800
a1 = a / a2 = 2a  a’ = a

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12. What is the current flowing from N to K in the adjacent

circuit?

a) 3 A b) 2 A
c) 1 A d) 0.5 A

Sol. The points A and D are at same potential / The points B and C are at same potential
The points J and N are at the same potential / The points K and M are at the same potential
30 60
Effective resistance of the circuit: R = 3
+ 10 + 3
= 10 + 10 + 20 = 40 
𝑉 120
Total current in the circuit: I = 𝑅 = 40
=3A

Current from N to K (through 60 ) resistance: current will divide in the inverse ratio of
resistances for parallel combination. As the three resistors are equal, the current (3 A) will divide
equally among them. So, the current from N to K is 1 A

13. The ability of the eye to focus both near and distant objects, by adjusting its focal length, is called

a) myopia b) presbyopia c) accommodation of eye d) Tyndall effect

Sol. The image formed by the eye lens fall on the retina (screen) which is fixed in position. That is the
distance between lens and the screen is fixed in this case.
In order to focus objects at different distances on the retina, the eye lens has to adjust its focal
length. This function is performed by ciliary muscles in the eye.
This ability of eye lens to change its focal length according to distance of the object is known as
power of accommodation.

14. A boy throws a steel ball straight up. Consider the motion of the ball only after it has left the boy’s
hand but before it touches the ground and assume that forces exerted by the air are negligible. For
these conditions, the force(s) acting on the ball is (are) :
a) a downward force of gravity along with a steadily decreasing upward force
b) a steadily decreasing upward force from the moment it leaves the boy’s hand until it reaches the
highest point; on the way down there is a steadily increasing downward force of gravity as the
object gets closer to the earth
c) constant downward force of gravity along with an upward force that steadily decreases until the
ball reaches its highest point; on the way down there is only a constant downward force of gravity
d) constant downward force of gravity only

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Sol. The gravitational force (weight = mg) is constant in magnitude and acts always in downward
direction on any object irrespective of the direction of motion of the object.
So, the gravitational force is constant and downward during upward and downward motion of the
steel ball.

15. For the same angle of incidence, the angle of refraction in three different media A, B, C are 150, 250
and 350 respectively. Then which statement is correct? (A is refractive index of A)

a) A is maximum and velocity of light is maximum in medium A

b) A is maximum and velocity of light is minimum in medium A
c) A is minimum and velocity of light is maximum in medium A
d) A is minimum and velocity of light is minimum in medium A

Sol. The angle of refraction is increasing from A to C.

𝟏 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝟏
Snell’s Law: 1 sin 1 = 2 sin 2  sin 2 = 𝟐
As numerator is same for all the three media, angle of refraction is inversely proportional to 2 .
Since the angle of refraction is minimum for medium A, its refractive index is maximum.
𝑐
Refractive index can be written as:  = so  is inversely proportional to speed of light. So the
𝑣
speed of light in medium A is minimum.

16. A copper disc of radius ao has a hole of radius bo at the centre, at 00 C. The disc is now heated and
maintained at 200 0C. The new radii of disc and hole are at and bt respectively. For the heated disc
it can be concluded that

a) ao < at / bo < bt and density of the disc increases

b) ao < at / bo > bt and density of the disc decreases
c) ao < at / bo < bt and density of the disc decreases
d) ao < at / bo > bt and density of the disc increases

Sol. As heat energy is provided to the disc during heating, its volume increases thus decreasing the
density as mass remains constant. During expansion, the particles move radially outward.
So, both inner and outer radii of the disc increase.

17. An electron and  particle enter a region of uniform magnetic field of induction B with equal
velocities. The direction of B is perpendicular and into the plane of the paper. Then qualitatively
identify the direction of paths of electron and the  particle

a) I for  particle, II for electron b) I for electron, II for  particle

c) I for electron, III for  particle d) I for  particle, III for electron

Sol. The direction of B is perpendicular and into the plane of the paper.
Force on a charged particle due to magnetic field: 𝑭 ̅=q(𝒗 ̅x𝑩 ̅)
To know the direction of force we can apply Fleming’s Left Hand Rule:
put the first three fingers of left hand in mutually perpendicular directions:
Forefinger: field / central finger: +ve charge / thumb: force on the charge

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18. In rural areas, an indigenous way of keeping kitchen materials cool is to put them in a box and
wrap the box with wet blanket, the blanket is kept wet as tap is allowed to drip into its corner.
Choose the correct statement.

a) this method works because the water from the tap is cold. If one uses room temperature water, it
will not work
b) method will work only if the box is a bad conductor of heat. If one uses tin box, it will not work
c) method doesn’t work
d) this method works because the latent heat necessary for evaporation of water in the
blanket is taken from the box so the box and its content remain cool

Sol. Evaporation of water requires heat energy. The heat energy supplied to a liquid during evaporation
is known as latent heat of evaporation.
In the case of box wrapped in wet cloth, the latent heat is taken from the box and its contents. So
the wet cloth continuously absorbs heat from the box and its contents thus keeping it cool.

19. The positions of two blocks at successive 0.2 sec time intervals are represented by numbered
squares in the figure below. The blocks are moving towards right. The accelerations of the blocks
are related as follows.

a) acceleration of a is greater than acceleration of b

b) acceleration of a equals acceleration of b. Both are greater than zero
c) acceleration of b is greater than acceleration of a
d) acceleration of a equals acceleration of b. both accelerations are zero

Sol. Block a is covering 4 units distance in the given time (0.2 sec). So it is moving with uniform
velocity : 4/0.2 = 20 units (acceleration is zero)
Block b is covering 6 units distance in the given time (0.2 sec). So it is moving with uniform
velocity : 6/0.2 = 30 units (acceleration is zero)

20. If x, v and t represent displacement (in m), velocity ( in m/s) and time (in sec) respectively for
certain particle, then which pair of the following figures can be correlated to each other ?

a) b)

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c) d)

Sol. Slope of displacement – time graph is velocity. v = 𝑑𝑥

𝑑𝑡

The given displacement – time graph is a straight line. Slope of straight line is constant.
Slope of the first segment is greater than that of the second segment.
So the velocity of first segment is greater than that of the second segment.
Both the segments have positive slope. So, I and III can be correlated to each other.

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