Lesson 3.02h

3.02h Motion under gravity and projectiles Quiz: OCR Maths, Unit 17

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.02h, Motion under gravity and projectiles: 20 multiple choice questions for the OCR Maths (H240), Unit 17: Kinematics, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. When a particle moves under gravity alone in a vertical plane, which vector gives its acceleration with j vertical and upward?

    • a = 0
    • a = g j
    • a = -g j
    • a = -g i

  2. In standard projectile motion without air resistance, what is the horizontal acceleration?

    • -9.8 m s^-2
    • Zero
    • 9.8 m s^-2
    • Variable

  3. What is the vertical velocity of a projectile at its maximum height?

    • Maximum velocity
    • 9.8 m s^-1
    • Initial velocity
    • Zero

  4. A projectile is launched from and lands on a horizontal plane, with launch speed u at angle theta above the horizontal. Which expression gives the time of flight T?

    • T = 2u sin(theta)/g
    • T = u cos(theta)/g
    • T = u^2 sin(2 theta)/g
    • T = 2u cos(theta)/g

  5. Which expression gives the range R of a projectile on a horizontal plane, launched from the plane with speed u at angle theta?

    • R = 2u sin(theta)/g
    • R = u^2 sin(2 theta)/g
    • R = u^2 sin(theta)/(2g)
    • R = u^2 cos(2 theta)/g

  6. Which launch angle gives the greatest range on a horizontal plane for a given launch speed, ignoring resistance?

    • 60 degrees
    • 30 degrees
    • 45 degrees
    • 90 degrees

  7. A projectile is launched at 20 m s^-1 at 30 degrees above the horizontal, with g = 9.8 m s^-2 and no air resistance. What is its range on the horizontal plane to 1 decimal place?

    • 17.7 m
    • 35.3 m
    • 70.7 m
    • 40.8 m

  8. A projectile is launched at 20 m s^-1 at 30 degrees above the horizontal on level ground, with g = 9.8 m s^-2. What is its greatest height above the launch point, to 2 decimal places?

    • 2.55 m
    • 5.10 m
    • 10.20 m
    • 20.41 m

  9. A projectile is launched at 20 m s^-1 at 30 degrees above the horizontal on level ground. What is its total time of flight, to 2 decimal places?

    • 2.04 s
    • 3.46 s
    • 4.08 s
    • 1.02 s

  10. The projectile is launched at 20 m s^-1 at 30 degrees above the horizontal. What is its horizontal velocity throughout the flight, to 1 decimal place?

    • 17.3 m s^-1
    • 10.0 m s^-1
    • 8.7 m s^-1
    • 20.0 m s^-1

  11. A ball is thrown horizontally at 5 m s^-1 from a point 20 m above horizontal ground, with g = 9.8 m s^-2. How far horizontally does it travel before reaching the ground, to 1 decimal place?

    • 20.4 m
    • 10.1 m
    • 98.0 m
    • 5.0 m

  12. A ball is projected vertically upward at 15 m s^-1 from ground level, with g = 9.8 m s^-2. What is the greatest height reached, to 2 decimal places?

    • 11.48 m
    • 7.65 m
    • 1.53 m
    • 22.96 m

  13. A ball is projected vertically upward at 10 m s^-1. What is its velocity, including direction, after 1.5 s, taking upward as positive?

    • -4.7 m s^-1
    • 24.7 m s^-1
    • 4.7 m s^-1
    • 0.2 m s^-1

  14. A projectile has initial velocity 12i + 16j m s^-1 with g = 9.8 m s^-2 acting in the negative j direction. What is its speed at t = 1 s, to 1 decimal place?

    • 28.0 m s^-1
    • 6.2 m s^-1
    • 13.5 m s^-1
    • 20.0 m s^-1

  15. A projectile is launched from the origin with velocity u = (u cos(theta)) i + (u sin(theta)) j and gravity acts downwards. Which equation gives its trajectory in cartesian form?

    • y = x tan(theta) + g x^2/(2 u^2 cos^2(theta))
    • y = u x sin(theta) - g t/2
    • y = x cot(theta) - g x^2/(2 u^2)
    • y = x tan(theta) - g x^2/(2 u^2 cos^2(theta))

  16. A projectile is launched at 20 m s^-1 with g = 9.8 m s^-2 and no air resistance. Two angles give a range of 40 m. Which pair of angles is correct, to 1 decimal place?

    • 30.0 degrees and 60.0 degrees
    • 39.2 degrees and 50.8 degrees
    • 45.0 degrees and 90.0 degrees
    • 22.5 degrees and 67.5 degrees

  17. A projectile is launched at 20 m s^-1 at 30 degrees above the horizontal on level ground. What is its horizontal distance from the launch point when it is at its greatest height, to 1 decimal place?

    • 17.7 m
    • 5.10 m
    • 10.2 m
    • 35.3 m

  18. Ignoring air resistance in a projectile model usually causes the predicted range to be what?

    • Overestimated
    • Underestimated
    • Unchanged
    • Zero

  19. A ball is thrown horizontally at 6 m s^-1 from the top of a cliff 45 m high, with g = 9.8 m s^-2. How far horizontally from the base of the cliff does it land, to 1 decimal place?

    • 9.2 m
    • 4.5 m
    • 27.6 m
    • 18.2 m

  20. A projectile has initial velocity u and angle theta and the model neglects air resistance. Which expression gives the magnitude of its velocity at time t?

    • u - g t
    • sqrt((u cos(theta))^2 + (u sin(theta) - g t)^2)
    • u cos(theta) + u sin(theta) - g t
    • sqrt(u^2 + g^2 t^2)

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