Rotational and Circular Motion

Rotational and Circular Motion MDCAT MCQs with answers

80 past paper MCQs from Physics unit 4, Rotational and Circular Motion, across 3 topics. They are arranged topic by topic; bigger topics show a sample here and link to their full set and to study notes. Tap “Show answer” for the correct option and a short solution.

Practise as a quiz

Angular Displacement

1.The number of revolutions in $3\pi$ radians is: (MDCAT 2022)

  1. $1/60$
  2. $3/2$
  3. 3
  4. 6
Show answer

Correct answer: (b) $3/2$

One revolution is $2\pi$ radians, so $3\pi/2\pi=1.5$ revolutions.

2.One degree is equal to: (MDCAT 2023)

  1. $\pi/90$ radians
  2. $\pi/180$ radians
  3. $\pi/270$ radians
  4. $\pi/360$ radians
Show answer

Correct answer: (b) $\pi/180$ radians

A half turn is $\pi$ radians and $180^\circ$, so $1^\circ=\pi/180$ radians.

3.One radian is analogous to: (MDCAT 2023)

  1. $57.3^\circ$
  2. $57.3$ radians
  3. $1^\circ$
  4. $180^\circ$
Show answer

Correct answer: (a) $57.3^\circ$

$1\ \mathrm{rad}=180^\circ/\pi=57.3^\circ$.

All 29 Angular Displacement MCQs → Angular Displacement notes →

Angular Velocity

4.If a wheel turns at $3.0\ \mathrm{rad\,s^{-1}}$, the time it takes to complete one revolution is about: (MDCAT 2022)

  1. 0.67 s
  2. 10 s
  3. 1.3 s
  4. 2.1 s
Show answer

Correct answer: (d) 2.1 s

$T=2\pi/\omega=6.28/3.0\approx2.1$ s.

5.An aircraft makes a turn in a horizontal circle of radius 100 m. It is travelling with a velocity of $250\ \mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}$. The angular velocity of the aircraft will be: (MDCAT 2024)

  1. $1.5\ \mathrm{rad\,s^{-1}}$
  2. $2.5\ \mathrm{rad\,s^{-1}}$
  3. $3\ \mathrm{rad\,s^{-1}}$
  4. $3.5\ \mathrm{rad\,s^{-1}}$
Show answer

Correct answer: (b) $2.5\ \mathrm{rad\,s^{-1}}$

$\omega=v/r=250/100=2.5\ \mathrm{rad\,s^{-1}}$.

6.The angular speed of the minute hand of a mechanical watch is: (UHS MDCAT 2017)

  1. $\pi/30\,\mathrm{rad\,s^{-1}}$
  2. $\pi\,\mathrm{rad\,min^{-1}}$
  3. $\pi/2\,\mathrm{rad\,min^{-1}}$
  4. none of the above
Show answer

Correct answer: (d) none of the above

The minute hand turns $2\pi$ in 60 minutes, so $\omega=\pi/30\,\mathrm{rad\,min^{-1}}$, which is $\pi/1800\,\mathrm{rad\,s^{-1}}$ and is not among the options.

All 25 Angular Velocity MCQs → Angular Velocity notes →

Relation Between Angular and Linear Quantities

7.A fighter plane is moving in a vertical circle of radius $r$. Its minimum velocity at the highest point of the circle will be: (MDCAT 2022)

  1. $\sqrt{3gr}$
  2. $\sqrt{2gr}$
  3. $\sqrt{gr}$
  4. $\sqrt{gr/2}$
Show answer

Correct answer: (c) $\sqrt{gr}$

At the least speed the weight alone supplies the centripetal force, so $mg=mv^2/r$ and $v=\sqrt{gr}$.

8.If a particle is moving with uniform circular motion, then: (MDCAT 2023)

  1. velocity and acceleration are antiparallel
  2. velocity and acceleration are parallel
  3. velocity and acceleration are perpendicular to each other
  4. the acceleration is zero
Show answer

Correct answer: (c) velocity and acceleration are perpendicular to each other

The speed does not change, so the acceleration is wholly centripetal and at right angles to the velocity.

9.On which car is a centripetal force acting? (MDCAT 2023)

  1. a car moving on a straight horizontal road
  2. a car moving at constant speed around a bend
  3. a car moving uphill at a constant velocity
  4. a car that is stationary
Show answer

Correct answer: (b) a car moving at constant speed around a bend

Only the car going round a bend has a curved path, and the force towards the centre of that curve is the centripetal force.

All 26 Relation Between Angular and Linear Quantities MCQs → Relation Between Angular and Linear Quantities notes →

More MDCAT Physics units