NYSED High School Regents Physics

Part A
Answer all questions in this part.

Directions (1–35): For each statement or question, choose the word or expression that, of those given, best completes the statement or answers the question. Some questions may require the use of the 2006 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Physics.

Required

1

Which quantity is a vector?

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1

What is the magnitude of the eastward component of the velocity of an airplane flying at 612 per hour in a direction 40.0^\circ?

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1

A car, initially traveling at 25 meters per second, is uniformly brought to rest as the brakes are applied over a distance of 40. meters. The magnitude of the average acceleration of the car while braking is

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1

A brick starts from rest and falls freely from the top of a building to the ground. As the brick falls, its acceleration

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1

Which object has the greatest inertia?

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1

An unbalanced force is always necessary to

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1

Space probes launched from Earth send information back to Earth from space in the form of

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1

A ball is thrown from level ground at an angle of 55^\circ above the horizontal and lands on level ground. Neglecting friction, if the ball is thrown again at the same angle but with a larger initial speed, the ball will travel

Required

1

A photon collides with an electron, as represented in the diagram below.

After the collision, the electron recoils and the photon is scattered in another direction with a longer wavelength than the incident photon. The increase in photon wavelength results because, during the collision, the photon

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1

What is the weight of a 60.0-kilogram student on the surface of Earth?

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1

A 120-newton box is pulled by a 48-newton horizontal force across a horizontal surface at constant velocity. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the box and the horizontal surface is

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1

Box A has a mass of 10. kilograms and is at rest on a shelf that is 1.5 meters above the floor. Box B has a mass of 20. kilograms and is at rest on a shelf that is 3.0 meters above the floor. Compared to box A, box B has a gravitational potential energy relative to the floor that is

Required

1

A 0.10-kilogram yo-yo is whirled at the end of a length of string in a horizontal circular path of radius 0.80 meter at a speed of 6.0 meters per second. The magnitude of the centripetal acceleration of the yo-yo is

Required

1

A 4.0-kilogram mass is initially at rest on a horizontal, frictionless surface. A constant 2.0-newton force to the east is applied to the mass for a 5.0-second interval. As a result of this action, the mass acquires a

Required

1

A motor lifts a 1.2 x 104-newton elevator 9.0 meters in 15 seconds. The minimum power output of the motor is

Required

1

A train blows its horn, which emits a uniform sound as the train approaches a stationary observer. The observer hears a sound that has a

Required

1

A wood block is pulled at constant velocity across a horizontal wood floor. Which type of energy increases in this block-floor system as the block moves?

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1

A total energy of 5.0 joules is used to move an electron from position A to position B in a uniform electric field. What is the potential difference between positions A and B?

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1

A 0.14-kilogram lacrosse ball, traveling west at 17 meters per second, is brought to rest with a 0.21-kilogram lacrosse stick. If the force applied by the lacrosse stick on the ball is 220 newtons east, the force applied by the ball on the stick is

Required

1

Four wires are tested for electrical conductivity. All the wires have the same length and the same cross-sectional area, but are made of different metals. Which wire has the highest conductivity at 20^\circC?

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The angle of incidence for a ray of light striking a plane mirror is 20^\circ. What is the angle between the incident ray and the reflected ray?

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As shown in the diagram below, mass M slides across a level, frictionless surface with speed vi. The mass strikes a spring at position A, causing the spring to compress. When the mass is at position B, it is moving at a slower speed, vf.

Which statement best describes the energy conversion as the mass moves from position A to position B?

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The diagram below shows a magnetic compass placed between unlike magnetic poles.

The north pole of the compass needle will point toward

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Which circuit diagram contains a lamp that will not have current passing through it until switch S is closed?

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1

The diagram below represents an electric circuit.

The equivalent resistance of the circuit is

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1

An object is thrown vertically upward with an initial velocity of 9.81 \, \text{meters per second}. What is the maximum height reached by the object? [Neglect friction.]

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1

Which type of photon has the least amount of energy?

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1

A 7.5\text{-kilogram} object moving at 20. \text{ meters per second} strikes a 60.\text{ -kilogram} object initially at rest on a horizontal, frictionless surface. The two objects stick together and move off at a speed of

Required

1

How is the electrostatic force between two positive charges affected as the charges are brought closer together?

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1

What is one difference between magnetic forces and gravitational forces?

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1

A sound wave passes through an opening in a brick wall as represented in the diagram below.

An observer standing behind the wall is able to hear the sound. This spreading out of the sound wave as it passes through the opening is an example of

Required

1

A sound wave is emitted by a vibrating tuning fork. What is transferred as the sound wave travels to a student’s ear?

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1

An electric current passing through a copper wire at constant temperature would result in

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1

The velocity of an object in uniform circular motion has a

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1

Tuning fork A starts to vibrate at 320 hertz when it is held near tuning fork B, already vibrating at 320 hertz. Which phenomenon is exemplified by the action of tuning fork A?

Part B–1 
Answer all questions in this part. 

Directions (36–50): For each statement or question, choose the word or expression that, of those given, best completes the statement or answers the question. Some questions may require the use of the 2006 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Physics.

Required

1

A light ray with a frequency of 5.09 \times 10^{14} hertz has a wavelength of 2.44 \times 10^{-7} meter in diamond. The wavelength of this light ray in sodium chloride is:

Required

1

The diagram below shows resistors R_1, R_2, and R_3 connected to a 12-volt source.

The current flowing through resistor R_3 is:

Required

1

A charge of 25 coulombs moves past a point in a circuit in 2.5 seconds. What is the current at that point in the circuit?

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1

Which statement describes an object with constant kinetic energy?

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1

Which phrase describes a box in equilibrium?

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Quarks may combine to produce a meson of charge

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1

The diagram below shows waves A and B as they travel through a region in the same medium.

Which wave best represents the superposition of waves A and B?

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The diagrams below show the direction of wave travel and the direction of medium particle vibration for different waves. Which diagram best represents the characteristics of a sound wave?

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In a sample of gas, many excited hydrogen atoms are in the n = 4 energy level. What is the maximum number of different photon energies that can be emitted by these atoms as they return to the ground state?

Base your answers to questions 45 and 46 on the information below and on your knowledge of physics.

     Two students did an experiment to measure the acceleration of a freely falling object. One student dropped an object from rest. The other student measured the distance fallen by the object and the corresponding time of fall. The data for the dropped object are shown below.

distance fallen by object = 2.4 meters
time of fall = 0.71 second

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Based on the data for the dropped object, the experimental value calculated for the object's acceleration is

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1

The ideal value for the acceleration differs from the one obtained experimentally by the students. What is one possible cause of this discrepancy?

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1

Which graph represents the motion of an object falling freely from rest near the surface of the Moon?

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1

The diagrams below represent the initial velocities, v_i, of four identical projectiles launched from level ground at various angles above the horizontal. Which projectile will have the longest time of flight? [Neglect friction.]

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1

Four forces act on a crate on a level floor, as shown in the diagram below.

At the instant shown, the crate is:

Required

1

The graph below represents the relationship between the potential energy stored in a spring, PE_s, and the elongation of the spring, x.

The value of the spring constant is:

Part B–2 
Answer all questions in this part. 

Directions (51–59): Some questions may require the use of the 2006 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Physics.

Required

2

Planet Nede has a mass of 6.50 \times 10^{23} kilograms and a radius of 2.96 \times 10^{6} meters. The magnitude of the gravitational force of attraction exerted on a 5.00-kilogram object by planet Nede is 7.15 newtons when the object is located at a position 5.50 \times 10^{6} meters from the center of Nede. Calculate the gravitational field strength of planet Nede at the position of the object. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

Required

2

As shown in the diagram below, a toy car, initially traveling at 1.0 meter per second, uniformly accelerates to a speed of 4.0 meters per second as it travels down a 5.0-meter-long slope.

Calculate the time required for the toy car to travel the 5.0 meters from the top of the slope to the bottom. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

Required

2

Calculate the resistance of an incandescent lightbulb that operates at 20. watts of power when connected to a 12-volt battery. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

Base your answers to questions 54 through 55 on the information and graph below and on your knowledge of physics.

The motion of a car traveling along a straight road is represented in the graph below.

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1

Determine the average speed of the car from t = 0 to t = 8.0 seconds.

Required

2

Calculate the magnitude of the acceleration of the car from t = 0 to t = 8.0 seconds. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

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1

A light ray is traveling through a transparent medium at a speed of 1.75 \times 10^8 meters per second. Determine the absolute index of refraction of this medium for this light ray.

Required

1

As shown in the diagram below, a ray of light traveling through medium X is incident upon the surface of medium Y. The absolute index of refraction of medium Y is greater than the absolute index of refraction of medium X.

On the diagram, use a ray that could represent the path of the light in medium Y.

Required

2

A tungsten wire has a cross-sectional area of 5.03 \times 10^{-7} meter squared and has a resistance of 1.21 \times 10^{-2} ohm when operated at 20°C. Calculate the length of this wire. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

Required

2

As shown in the diagram below, a block is hanging motionless from a vertical spring, having caused the spring to elongate from its unstretched length of 0.200 meter to a length of 0.500 meter. The spring has a spring constant of 250. newtons per meter.

Calculate the magnitude of the force exerted by the block on the spring. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

Part C 

Answer all questions in this part. 

Directions (66–85): Some questions may require the use of the 2006 Edition Reference Tables for Physical Setting/Physics.

Base your answers to questions 60 through 62 on the information and data table below and on your knowledge of physics.

In an experiment, a resistor is connected to a source of varying potential difference. A voltmeter and an ammeter are included in the circuit so that the current can be measured at different potential difference settings. The data table below shows the potential differences and currents measured.

Required

2

Directions: Using the information in the data table, construct a graph on the grid following the directions below.

a. Plot the data points for current versus potential difference.
b. Draw the line of best fit.

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2

Calculate the slope of the line. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

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1

Determine the resistance of the resistor.

Base your answers to questions 63 through 66 on the information and diagram below and on your knowledge of physics.

An alpha particle with a charge of +2 elementary charges is moving toward two oppositely charged parallel plates, as shown in the diagram below. The magnitude of the electric field strength between the plates is 5.0 \times 10^4 newtons per coulomb.

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1

Determine the magnitude of the charge of an alpha particle in coulombs.

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1

On the diagram, draw at least three field lines to show the direction of the electric field in the space between the charged plates.

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1

What is the direction of the electrostatic force exerted on the alpha particle as it passes between the plates?

Required

2

Calculate the magnitude of the electrostatic force exerted on the alpha particle by the electric field as the alpha particle passes through the electric field.
[Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

Base your answers to questions 67 through 69 on the information below and on your knowledge of physics.

     Two students investigate transverse waves using a long, stretched spring. One student holds one end of the spring stationary, while the other student produces 12 waves every 4.0 seconds. The waves have a uniform amplitude of 0.20 meter and the distance between two adjacent crests is 0.40 meter.

Required

2

On the diagram, draw at least one complete wave produced in the spring.

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1

Determine the frequency of the waves.

Required

2

Calculate the speed of the waves. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

Base your answers to questions 70 through 73 on the information below and on your knowledge of physics.

      Alpha particles are stable decay products of many nuclear disintegrations. An alpha particle consists of two protons and two neutrons and has a mass of 6.644 \times 10^{-27} kilogram. When the individual masses of two protons and two neutrons are added, the sum is 6.695 \times 10^{-27} kilogram. The difference between the mass of an alpha particle and the total mass of its four individual component particles is called the mass defect.

Required

1

Determine the mass defect in kilograms when two protons and two neutrons combine to form an alpha particle.

Required

2

Calculate the total amount of energy in joules that would result from the complete conversion of this mass defect to energy. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

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1

Determine the total amount of energy that would result from the complete conversion of this mass defect to energy in megaelectronvolts (MeV).

Required

1

Part A

Which quantity is a vector?

What is the magnitude of the eastward component of the velocity of an airplane flying at 612 per hour in a direction 40.0^\circ?

A car, initially traveling at 25 meters per second, is uniformly brought to rest as the brakes are applied over a distance of 40. meters. The magnitude of the average acceleration of the car while braking is

A brick starts from rest and falls freely from the top of a building to the ground. As the brick falls, its acceleration

Which object has the greatest inertia?

An unbalanced force is always necessary to

Space probes launched from Earth send information back to Earth from space in the form of

A ball is thrown from level ground at an angle of 55^\circ above the horizontal and lands on level ground. Neglecting friction, if the ball is thrown again at the same angle but with a larger initial speed, the ball will travel

A photon collides with an electron, as represented in the diagram below. After the collision, the electron recoils and the photon is scattered in another direction with a longer wavelength than the incident photon. The increase in photon wavelength results because, during the collision, the photon

What is the weight of a 60.0-kilogram student on the surface of Earth?

A 120-newton box is pulled by a 48-newton horizontal force across a horizontal surface at constant velocity. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the box and the horizontal surface is

Box A has a mass of 10. kilograms and is at rest on a shelf that is 1.5 meters above the floor. Box B has a mass of 20. kilograms and is at rest on a shelf that is 3.0 meters above the floor. Compared to box A, box B has a gravitational potential energy relative to the floor that is

A 0.10-kilogram yo-yo is whirled at the end of a length of string in a horizontal circular path of radius 0.80 meter at a speed of 6.0 meters per second. The magnitude of the centripetal acceleration of the yo-yo is

A 4.0-kilogram mass is initially at rest on a horizontal, frictionless surface. A constant 2.0-newton force to the east is applied to the mass for a 5.0-second interval. As a result of this action, the mass acquires a

A motor lifts a 1.2 x 104-newton elevator 9.0 meters in 15 seconds. The minimum power output of the motor is

A train blows its horn, which emits a uniform sound as the train approaches a stationary observer. The observer hears a sound that has a

A wood block is pulled at constant velocity across a horizontal wood floor. Which type of energy increases in this block-floor system as the block moves?

A total energy of 5.0 joules is used to move an electron from position A to position B in a uniform electric field. What is the potential difference between positions A and B?

A 0.14-kilogram lacrosse ball, traveling west at 17 meters per second, is brought to rest with a 0.21-kilogram lacrosse stick. If the force applied by the lacrosse stick on the ball is 220 newtons east, the force applied by the ball on the stick is

Four wires are tested for electrical conductivity. All the wires have the same length and the same cross-sectional area, but are made of different metals. Which wire has the highest conductivity at 20^\circC?

The angle of incidence for a ray of light striking a plane mirror is 20^\circ. What is the angle between the incident ray and the reflected ray?

The diagram below shows a magnetic compass placed between unlike magnetic poles.The north pole of the compass needle will point toward

Which circuit diagram contains a lamp that will not have current passing through it until switch S is closed?

The diagram below represents an electric circuit. The equivalent resistance of the circuit is

An object is thrown vertically upward with an initial velocity of 9.81 \, \text{meters per second}. What is the maximum height reached by the object? [Neglect friction.]

Which type of photon has the least amount of energy?

A 7.5\text{-kilogram} object moving at 20. \text{ meters per second} strikes a 60.\text{ -kilogram} object initially at rest on a horizontal, frictionless surface. The two objects stick together and move off at a speed of

How is the electrostatic force between two positive charges affected as the charges are brought closer together?

What is one difference between magnetic forces and gravitational forces?

A sound wave passes through an opening in a brick wall as represented in the diagram below.An observer standing behind the wall is able to hear the sound. This spreading out of the sound wave as it passes through the opening is an example of

A sound wave is emitted by a vibrating tuning fork. What is transferred as the sound wave travels to a student’s ear?

An electric current passing through a copper wire at constant temperature would result in

The velocity of an object in uniform circular motion has a

Tuning fork A starts to vibrate at 320 hertz when it is held near tuning fork B, already vibrating at 320 hertz. Which phenomenon is exemplified by the action of tuning fork A?

Part B–1

A light ray with a frequency of 5.09 \times 10^{14} hertz has a wavelength of 2.44 \times 10^{-7} meter in diamond. The wavelength of this light ray in sodium chloride is:

The diagram below shows resistors R_1, R_2, and R_3 connected to a 12-volt source. The current flowing through resistor R_3 is:

A charge of 25 coulombs moves past a point in a circuit in 2.5 seconds. What is the current at that point in the circuit?

Which statement describes an object with constant kinetic energy?

Which phrase describes a box in equilibrium?

Quarks may combine to produce a meson of charge

The diagram below shows waves A and B as they travel through a region in the same medium. Which wave best represents the superposition of waves A and B?

The diagrams below show the direction of wave travel and the direction of medium particle vibration for different waves. Which diagram best represents the characteristics of a sound wave?

In a sample of gas, many excited hydrogen atoms are in the n = 4 energy level. What is the maximum number of different photon energies that can be emitted by these atoms as they return to the ground state?

Based on the data for the dropped object, the experimental value calculated for the object's acceleration is

The ideal value for the acceleration differs from the one obtained experimentally by the students. What is one possible cause of this discrepancy?

Which graph represents the motion of an object falling freely from rest near the surface of the Moon?

The diagrams below represent the initial velocities, v_i, of four identical projectiles launched from level ground at various angles above the horizontal. Which projectile will have the longest time of flight? [Neglect friction.]

Four forces act on a crate on a level floor, as shown in the diagram below.At the instant shown, the crate is:

The graph below represents the relationship between the potential energy stored in a spring, PE_s, and the elongation of the spring, x.The value of the spring constant is:

Part B–2

Calculate the resistance of an incandescent lightbulb that operates at 20. watts of power when connected to a 12-volt battery. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

Determine the average speed of the car from t = 0 to t = 8.0 seconds.

Calculate the magnitude of the acceleration of the car from t = 0 to t = 8.0 seconds. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

A light ray is traveling through a transparent medium at a speed of 1.75 \times 10^8 meters per second. Determine the absolute index of refraction of this medium for this light ray.

A tungsten wire has a cross-sectional area of 5.03 \times 10^{-7} meter squared and has a resistance of 1.21 \times 10^{-2} ohm when operated at 20°C. Calculate the length of this wire. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

Part C

Directions: Using the information in the data table, construct a graph on the grid following the directions below.a. Plot the data points for current versus potential difference.b. Draw the line of best fit.

Calculate the slope of the line. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

Determine the resistance of the resistor.

Determine the magnitude of the charge of an alpha particle in coulombs.

On the diagram, draw at least three field lines to show the direction of the electric field in the space between the charged plates.

What is the direction of the electrostatic force exerted on the alpha particle as it passes between the plates?

Calculate the magnitude of the electrostatic force exerted on the alpha particle by the electric field as the alpha particle passes through the electric field. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

On the diagram, draw at least one complete wave produced in the spring.

Determine the frequency of the waves.

Calculate the speed of the waves. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

Determine the mass defect in kilograms when two protons and two neutrons combine to form an alpha particle.

Calculate the total amount of energy in joules that would result from the complete conversion of this mass defect to energy. [Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]

Determine the total amount of energy that would result from the complete conversion of this mass defect to energy in megaelectronvolts (MeV).

What fundamental interaction is primarily responsible for holding protons and neutrons together in an alpha particle?

A photon collides with an electron, as represented in the diagram below.

After the collision, the electron recoils and the photon is scattered in another direction with a longer wavelength than the incident photon. The increase in photon wavelength results because, during the collision, the photon

The diagram below shows a magnetic compass placed between unlike magnetic poles.

The north pole of the compass needle will point toward

The diagram below represents an electric circuit.

The equivalent resistance of the circuit is

A sound wave passes through an opening in a brick wall as represented in the diagram below.

An observer standing behind the wall is able to hear the sound. This spreading out of the sound wave as it passes through the opening is an example of

The diagram below shows resistors R_1, R_2, and R_3 connected to a 12-volt source.

The current flowing through resistor R_3 is:

The diagram below shows waves A and B as they travel through a region in the same medium.

Which wave best represents the superposition of waves A and B?

Four forces act on a crate on a level floor, as shown in the diagram below.

At the instant shown, the crate is:

The graph below represents the relationship between the potential energy stored in a spring, PE_s, and the elongation of the spring, x.

The value of the spring constant is:

Directions: Using the information in the data table, construct a graph on the grid following the directions below.

a. Plot the data points for current versus potential difference.
b. Draw the line of best fit.

Calculate the magnitude of the electrostatic force exerted on the alpha particle by the electric field as the alpha particle passes through the electric field.
[Show all work, including the equation and substitution with units.]