A 5 kg book rests on a table. According to Newton's third law, which of the following correctly describes the reaction force to the gravitational force Earth exerts on the book? (Use g = 10 m/s²)

The table pushes up on the book with 50 N

The book pulls Earth upward with 50 N

The table pushes down on the floor with 50 N

The book pushes down on the table with 50 N

A satellite orbits Earth at a constant speed in a circular orbit. Which of the following best explains why the satellite does not fly off into space or fall straight down to Earth?

The satellite has escaped Earth's gravitational field, so no net force acts on it.

Earth's gravity continuously pulls the satellite toward Earth, and the satellite's tangential velocity keeps curving its path into a stable orbit.

The satellite's engines continuously fire to balance the pull of gravity.

Gravity and air resistance exactly cancel each other at orbital altitude.

HESI Physics Practice Questions — Free Sampler (2026)

PreNursePrep has 47 Physics questions for the HESI A2, each written to the current blueprint and each with a rationale explaining why the right answer is right. The free sampler gives you 40 of them, timed and scored like the real exam, with no card and no sign-up.

47 Physics questions in the bank
30 on the real exam · 50 minutes
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3 sample Physics questions

Drawn from the live HESI A2 bank. Answers and rationales open in the practice player.

Question 1Newton's laws, friction, projectile and circular motion
A 5 kg book rests on a table. According to Newton's third law, which of the following correctly describes the reaction force to the gravitational force Earth exerts on the book? (Use g = 10 m/s²)
- AThe table pushes up on the book with 50 N
- BThe book pulls Earth upward with 50 N
- CThe table pushes down on the floor with 50 N
- DThe book pushes down on the table with 50 N
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Question 2Work, energy, power, momentum
A student pushes a box 5 meters across a flat floor by applying a horizontal force of 20 newtons. How much work does the student do on the box?
- A4 joules
- B25 joules
- C100 joules
- D200 joules
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Question 3Fluids, density, buoyancy; gravitation and rotation
A satellite orbits Earth at a constant speed in a circular orbit. Which of the following best explains why the satellite does not fly off into space or fall straight down to Earth?
- AThe satellite has escaped Earth's gravitational field, so no net force acts on it.
- BEarth's gravity continuously pulls the satellite toward Earth, and the satellite's tangential velocity keeps curving its path into a stable orbit.
- CThe satellite's engines continuously fire to balance the pull of gravity.
- DGravity and air resistance exactly cancel each other at orbital altitude.
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