Newtonian systems MCQs With Answer provide B. Pharm students a focused way to master core principles of classical mechanics relevant to pharmaceutical sciences, biomechanics, and laboratory instrumentation. This concise guide covers Newton’s laws, force balance, motion equations, friction, circular dynamics, momentum, energy conservation, simple harmonic motion and damping — all tailored for pharmacy undergraduates. Each question emphasizes problem-solving skills, real-world applications such as fluid flow and dosimetry, and clear conceptual understanding needed for experiments and device handling. Practice with these multiple-choice questions improves analytical thinking and exam readiness. Now let’s test your knowledge with 50 MCQs on this topic.
Q1. What is the mathematical form of Newton’s second law for a constant mass system?
- F = ma
- F = mv
- F = m + a
- F = m/a
Correct Answer: F = ma
Q2. Which quantity is conserved in a closed system with no external forces?
- Linear momentum
- Kinetic energy always
- Mechanical energy always
- Angular acceleration
Correct Answer: Linear momentum
Q3. In a free body diagram for an object at rest on a horizontal table, what two forces are equal in magnitude?
- Normal force and weight
- Friction and applied force
- Tension and weight
- Buoyant force and friction
Correct Answer: Normal force and weight
Q4. Which statement best describes an inertial frame of reference?
- It moves at constant velocity and Newton’s laws hold without fictitious forces
- It accelerates and contains fictitious forces
- It rotates and requires Coriolis correction
- It is fixed to the Earth’s surface in all problems
Correct Answer: It moves at constant velocity and Newton’s laws hold without fictitious forces
Q5. For an object sliding with kinetic friction µk on a horizontal surface, the frictional force is given by:
- Ff = µk N
- Ff = µk mg sinθ
- Ff = µs N
- Ff = N/µk
Correct Answer: Ff = µk N
Q6. Which condition must be satisfied for static equilibrium of a rigid body?
- Sum of forces and sum of moments equal zero
- Sum of forces zero but sum of moments non-zero
- Only sum of moments must be zero
- Acceleration must be constant
Correct Answer: Sum of forces and sum of moments equal zero
Q7. The centripetal force required for uniform circular motion of mass m with speed v and radius r is:
- Fc = mv^2 / r
- Fc = mvr
- Fc = mr^2 / v
- Fc = mg
Correct Answer: Fc = mv^2 / r
Q8. Impulse is defined as:
- Change in momentum
- Force times displacement
- Kinetic energy divided by time
- Mass times acceleration
Correct Answer: Change in momentum
Q9. A perfectly elastic head-on collision between two equal masses results in:
- Exchange of velocities
- Both masses stick together
- Velocities both become zero
- One mass reverses while the other stops with half speed
Correct Answer: Exchange of velocities
Q10. For a mass-spring system undergoing simple harmonic motion, the angular frequency omega is:
- ω = sqrt(k/m)
- ω = k/m
- ω = 2π sqrt(k/m)
- ω = sqrt(m/k)
Correct Answer: ω = sqrt(k/m)
Q11. The period T of a simple pendulum of length L for small oscillations is approximately:
- T = 2π sqrt(L/g)
- T = 2π sqrt(g/L)
- T = π sqrt(L/g)
- T = L/g
Correct Answer: T = 2π sqrt(L/g)
Q12. Which type of friction prevents motion up to a threshold force?
- Static friction
- Kinetic friction
- Rolling friction
- Fluid friction
Correct Answer: Static friction
Q13. Which quantity determines resistance to change in linear motion?
- Mass
- Force
- Acceleration
- Velocity
Correct Answer: Mass
Q14. In rotational motion, torque τ is defined as:
- τ = r × F (cross product of position vector and force)
- τ = F × v
- τ = m r^2
- τ = F / r
Correct Answer: τ = r × F (cross product of position vector and force)
Q15. The center of mass of a system is the point where:
- Total mass can be considered to be concentrated for translational motion
- All forces act equally
- Rotation does not occur
- Potential energy is zero
Correct Answer: Total mass can be considered to be concentrated for translational motion
Q16. Work done by a conservative force depends on:
- The initial and final positions only
- The path taken
- Time taken
- The velocity profile
Correct Answer: The initial and final positions only
Q17. For a damped harmonic oscillator, which parameter describes exponential decay of amplitude?
- Damping coefficient
- Natural frequency
- Spring constant
- Mass only
Correct Answer: Damping coefficient
Q18. Which is true for an inelastic collision?
- Kinetic energy is not conserved but momentum is conserved
- Both kinetic energy and momentum are conserved
- Neither kinetic energy nor momentum are conserved
- Kinetic energy is conserved but momentum is not
Correct Answer: Kinetic energy is not conserved but momentum is conserved
Q19. In the context of Newtonian systems, which law explains the reaction force experienced when you push on a surface?
- Newton’s third law
- Newton’s first law
- Newton’s second law
- Law of universal gravitation
Correct Answer: Newton’s third law
Q20. Which expression gives kinetic energy of a particle of mass m and speed v?
- KE = 1/2 mv^2
- KE = mv
- KE = mgh
- KE = mv^2
Correct Answer: KE = 1/2 mv^2
Q21. When analyzing motion on an inclined plane, the component of gravitational force parallel to the plane is:
- mg sinθ
- mg cosθ
- mg tanθ
- mg/ sinθ
Correct Answer: mg sinθ
Q22. Which physical principle allows replacement of distributed mass by a point mass at the center of mass for translational motion?
- Equivalence of center of mass for translation
- Conservation of angular momentum
- Work-energy theorem
- Hooke’s law
Correct Answer: Equivalence of center of mass for translation
Q23. The impulse-momentum theorem relates impulse J to change in momentum as:
- J = Δp
- J = F Δx
- J = 1/2 m v^2
- J = p / t
Correct Answer: J = Δp
Q24. For small oscillations, the restoring force in a spring follows which law?
- Hooke’s law: F = -kx
- Newton’s law: F = ma
- Friction law: F = µN
- Gravitational law: F = Gm1m2/r^2
Correct Answer: Hooke’s law: F = -kx
Q25. Which factor does NOT affect the period of an ideal simple pendulum (small angle)?
- Mass of the bob
- Length of the pendulum
- Local gravitational acceleration
- Amplitude if very small
Correct Answer: Mass of the bob
Q26. In the absence of external torque, which quantity is conserved?
- Angular momentum
- Linear acceleration
- Rotational friction
- Angular displacement
Correct Answer: Angular momentum
Q27. A particle subjected to a net force of zero must have:
- Zero acceleration
- Zero velocity always
- Zero mass
- Constant nonzero acceleration
Correct Answer: Zero acceleration
Q28. For rolling without slipping, the velocity of the contact point relative to the surface is:
- Zero
- Equal to v of center of mass
- Twice the v of center of mass
- Infinite
Correct Answer: Zero
Q29. Which of the following is a non-conservative force?
- Frictional force
- Gravitational force
- Electrostatic force
- Spring force (ideal)
Correct Answer: Frictional force
Q30. The work-energy theorem states that net work done equals:
- Change in kinetic energy
- Change in potential energy
- Total mechanical energy
- Zero for all processes
Correct Answer: Change in kinetic energy
Q31. When a drug vial drops and shatters, which Newtonian concept helps analyze the impact forces on glass?
- Impulse and momentum
- Hooke’s law only
- Angular momentum conservation
- Static equilibrium
Correct Answer: Impulse and momentum
Q32. Resonance in driven oscillations occurs when the driving frequency equals:
- The natural frequency of the system
- Zero frequency
- The damping coefficient
- The driving amplitude
Correct Answer: The natural frequency of the system
Q33. Which expression gives the linear momentum p of a particle?
- p = mv
- p = 1/2 mv^2
- p = m + v
- p = F Δt
Correct Answer: p = mv
Q34. In a two-body gravitational problem under Newtonian mechanics, the mutual force is:
- Equal in magnitude and opposite in direction on each body
- Different on each body dependent on mass
- Directed away from each other
- Not related to distance
Correct Answer: Equal in magnitude and opposite in direction on each body
Q35. Which of the following affects the magnitude of kinetic friction between two surfaces?
- Normal force and surface properties
- Contact area only
- Sliding speed only
- Mass of a distant third object
Correct Answer: Normal force and surface properties
Q36. For small oscillations of a mass-spring system, total energy oscillates between:
- Kinetic and potential energy in the spring
- Thermal and chemical energy
- Gravitational and electrical energy
- Mass and charge
Correct Answer: Kinetic and potential energy in the spring
Q37. A body moving in a straight line with constant speed has which of the following?
- Zero net force acting on it
- Non-zero net force causing motion
- Constant acceleration
- Changing mass
Correct Answer: Zero net force acting on it
Q38. The effective weight of a person in an elevator accelerating upward with acceleration a is:
- mg + ma
- mg – ma
- mg
- m(a – g)
Correct Answer: mg + ma
Q39. In damped oscillation, critical damping occurs when damping eliminates oscillation and return to equilibrium as quickly as possible without overshoot. This corresponds to which condition?
- Damping constant equals critical value where ζ = 1
- Damping is zero
- Driving force equals zero
- Damping is infinite
Correct Answer: Damping constant equals critical value where ζ = 1
Q40. The derivative of momentum p with respect to time gives:
- Net force
- Velocity
- Impulse
- Acceleration squared
Correct Answer: Net force
Q41. A block of mass m slides down a frictionless ramp of height h. Its speed at the bottom is given by:
- v = sqrt(2gh)
- v = gh
- v = sqrt(gh/2)
- v = 2gh
Correct Answer: v = sqrt(2gh)
Q42. Which describes the phase relationship between displacement and velocity in simple harmonic motion?
- Velocity is 90 degrees out of phase with displacement
- They are in phase
- They are 180 degrees out of phase
- Phase depends on mass only
Correct Answer: Velocity is 90 degrees out of phase with displacement
Q43. Which method is most appropriate to analyze forces on a rotating rigid body about a fixed axis?
- Use torque and moment of inertia
- Use linear spring equations only
- Ignore angular quantities and use mass alone
- Apply fluid dynamics equations only
Correct Answer: Use torque and moment of inertia
Q44. For a damped driven oscillator at steady state, amplitude peaks near:
- The resonance frequency reduced by damping
- Zero frequency
- Twice the natural frequency always
- The damping coefficient only
Correct Answer: The resonance frequency reduced by damping
Q45. Which describes Newton’s first law (law of inertia)?
- A body remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by a net external force
- For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction
- Force equals mass times acceleration
- Energy is conserved in closed systems
Correct Answer: A body remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by a net external force
Q46. When modeling blood flow as Newtonian fluid in large vessels, which assumption is typically made?
- Viscosity is constant and shear stress proportional to shear rate
- Viscosity varies nonlinearly with shear but is ignored
- Fluid is inviscid and compressible
- Flow is always laminar and time-independent in all vessels
Correct Answer: Viscosity is constant and shear stress proportional to shear rate
Q47. A mass m attached to two springs in series has an effective spring constant keff equal to:
- keff = (k1 k2) / (k1 + k2)
- keff = k1 + k2
- keff = k1 – k2
- keff = k1 k2
Correct Answer: keff = (k1 k2) / (k1 + k2)
Q48. Which parameter increases when kinetic energy of a system increases while mass remains constant?
- Speed
- Mass
- Potential energy necessarily
- Coefficient of friction
Correct Answer: Speed
Q49. In a drug delivery centrifuge, which Newtonian principle explains radial outward forces on particles?
- Centripetal force requirement for circular motion
- Hooke’s law for springs
- Static equilibrium of forces
- Conservation of charge
Correct Answer: Centripetal force requirement for circular motion
Q50. When analyzing small oscillations about stable equilibrium, the potential energy can be approximated by:
- A quadratic function leading to simple harmonic motion
- A linear function proportional to displacement
- An exponential growth with time
- A constant independent of displacement
Correct Answer: A quadratic function leading to simple harmonic motion

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