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Science practice

Physics - Motion Questions with Answers

Motion questions cover distance and displacement, speed and velocity, acceleration, the three equations of motion, free fall and Newton's laws, as taught in NCERT classes 9 and 10. RRB Group D, ALP, NTPC and SSC papers usually ask for a unit conversion, a direct use of v = u + at or a statement-based question on Newton's laws. Tip: convert every quantity to SI units first, because a wrong unit is the most common reason for a wrong option.

Formulas and key facts

  • Speed = distance / time; velocity = displacement / time
  • Average speed = total distance / total time
  • Acceleration a = (v - u) / t, unit m/s²
  • First equation of motion: v = u + at
  • Second equation of motion: s = ut + ½at²
  • Third equation of motion: v² = u² + 2as
  • 1 km/h = 5/18 m/s; 1 m/s = 18/5 km/h
  • Momentum p = m × v, unit kg m/s
  • Newton's second law: F = ma, unit newton (N)
  • Weight W = m × g, with g = 9.8 m/s² near Earth's surface
  • Free fall from rest: v = gt and h = ½gt²
  • Uniform circular motion has constant speed but changing velocity

Worked examples

Q1. Convert the speed of a train, 72 km/h, into m/s.

  1. Use 1 km/h = 5/18 m/s.
  2. Speed = 72 × 5/18 m/s.
  3. 72 ÷ 18 = 4, and 4 × 5 = 20.

Answer: 20 m/s

Q2. A car starts from rest and moves with a uniform acceleration of 2 m/s² for 10 s. Find the distance covered.

  1. Initial velocity u = 0, a = 2 m/s², t = 10 s.
  2. Use s = ut + ½at².
  3. s = 0 + ½ × 2 × 10² = 1 × 100.
  4. Check: final speed v = 0 + 2 × 10 = 20 m/s, and average speed 10 m/s × 10 s = 100 m.

Answer: 100 m

Q3. A ball is thrown vertically upward with a speed of 19.6 m/s. Taking g = 9.8 m/s², find the maximum height reached and the total time of flight.

  1. At the top, v = 0. Use v² = u² - 2gH.
  2. 0 = (19.6)² - 2 × 9.8 × H, so H = 384.16 / 19.6 = 19.6 m.
  3. Time to rise: t = u/g = 19.6 / 9.8 = 2 s.
  4. Time to fall back is also 2 s, so total time = 4 s.

Answer: Maximum height 19.6 m; total time of flight 4 s

Shortcuts that save time

  • Do the km/h to m/s conversion before reading the options. Options often include the unconverted number, and picking it costs you negative marks.
  • For anything starting from rest, remember s = ½at² and v = at. Distances in equal successive seconds from rest are in the ratio 1 : 3 : 5, which lets you eliminate wrong options without a full calculation.
  • Do not confuse speed and velocity or distance and displacement. If the object returns to its start, displacement is zero but distance is not; skip the question if unsure rather than guess.

Where this appears

RRB Group DGeneral Science section
RRB ALPGeneral Science section
RRB NTPCGeneral Awareness section
SSC CGLGeneral Awareness section

Physics - Motion

Practice Set
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Which of the following best describes the path of a light ray as it enters and then exits a glass slab from air? (Not found 11/03/2026 12:45 PM - 2:15 PM)

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Physics - Motion questions with answers

10 sample questions from this topic with the correct option and the solution.

  1. Q1. The correct relation of speed, distance and time is ________.

    1. S = T/D
    2. S = D/T
    3. S = D × T
    4. S = D - T

    Answer: (B) S = D/T

    Solution
    Speed is the distance covered per unit time. Hence speed = distance / time, i.e. S = D/T.

  2. Q2. Uma swims in a 60 m long pool. She covers 120 m in one minute by swimming from one end to the other and back along the same straight path. The average velocity of Uma is:

    1. 0 m/s
    2. 2 m/s
    3. 1 m/s
    4. 3 m/s

    Answer: (A) 0 m/s

  3. Q3. The motion of an athlete running along a circular path with constant speed is an example of accelerated motion because ___________.

    1. The mass of the athlete is constant
    2. The athlete's speed is increasing
    3. A constant external force is applied
    4. The direction of motion changes continuously

    Answer: (D) The direction of motion changes continuously

    Solution
    Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, and velocity includes both speed and direction. On a circular path the athlete's speed stays constant, but the direction of motion changes continuously, so the velocity changes at every instant. Hence the motion is accelerated.

  4. Q4. Two bodies A and B are travelling in uniform motion, the slope of the distance- time graph of body A is greater than the slope of the distance - time graph of body B. Which of the following statements is correct?

    1. The speed of body A is equal to the speed of body B.
    2. The speed of body A is greater than speed of body B.
    3. The speed of body A is less than the speed of body B.
    4. The acceleration of body A is greater than the acceleration of body B.

    Answer: (B) The speed of body A is greater than speed of body B.

  5. Q5. Unbalanced forces acting on an object always cause _________.

    1. Increase in mass
    2. Object to remain at rest
    3. No change in motion
    4. Change in motion

    Answer: (D) Change in motion

    Solution
    By Newton's first law, an object stays at rest or in uniform motion unless a net unbalanced force acts on it. An unbalanced force produces acceleration (F = ma), which means the speed or direction of motion changes. So unbalanced forces always cause a change in motion; they do not change mass.

  6. Q6. Two objects of different masses are dropped from the same height in vacuum. Which one will reach first?

    1. Both reach the ground at the same time.
    2. Both reach at different times, depending on shape and size.
    3. The heavier one reaches first.
    4. The lighter one reaches first.

    Answer: (A) Both reach the ground at the same time.

    Solution
    In vacuum there is no air resistance, so the only force acting on a falling object is gravity. All objects then fall with the same acceleration due to gravity (g), regardless of mass. Hence both objects dropped from the same height reach the ground at the same time.

  7. Q7. The centre of curvature of a concave mirror lies ______ the mirror, whereas it lies ______ the mirror for a convex. mirror.

    1. behind, in front of
    2. in front of, in front
    3. in front of, behind
    4. behind, behind

    Answer: (C) in front of, behind

  8. Q8. The average distance measured by a molecule without collision is called -

    1. Mean Free Path
    2. Path Length
    3. Mean free velocity
    4. Mean free speed

    Answer: (A) Mean Free Path

  9. Q9. The frequency of a sound wave is 200 Hz and its wavelength is 2 m. What is the speed of the sound wave?

    1. 400 m/s
    2. 200 m/s
    3. 80 m/s
    4. 100 m/s

    Answer: (A) 400 m/s

  10. Q10. The distance covered by an object in unit time is called ________.

    1. Speed
    2. Distance
    3. Displacement
    4. Acceleration

    Answer: (A) Speed