Understanding time and motion is essential in science as it helps us measure changes around us. This chapter explains ancient and modern methods of measuring time, the working of pendulums, and the concept of speed and motion. Solve these MCQs to test your knowledge of key concepts like uniform motion, speedometers, odometers, and distance-time graphs.

In this Class 7 Science MCQ, learners get access to MCQs, fill-in-the-blanks, and true and false questions with solutions.
MCQ Questions for Class 7 Science Chapter 8 Measurement of Time and Motion with Answers
Question 1: Which device was used in ancient times to measure time during the day?
a) Pendulum clock
b) Sand clock
c) Sundial
d) Water clock
Answer:
c) Sundial — A sundial was used in ancient times to measure time using the shadow of the Sun.
Question 2: What was used to measure time at night in ancient times?
a) Sundial
b) Water clock
c) Mechanical clock
d) Pendulum clock
Answer:
b) Water clock — Water clocks were commonly used to measure time during the night.
Question 3: Who discovered the pendulum’s property of constant swing?
a) Isaac Newton
b) Galileo Galilei
c) Albert Einstein
d) James Watt
Answer:
b) Galileo Galilei — Galileo discovered that pendulums swing at a constant time interval.
Question 4: The time taken by a pendulum to complete one oscillation is called?
a) Duration
b) Period
c) Cycle
d) Frequency
Answer:
b) Period — The time for one complete oscillation of a pendulum is called its period.
Question 5: Which factor affects the time period of a simple pendulum?
a) Mass of the bob
b) Length of the string
c) Amplitude of swing
d) Shape of bob
Answer:
b) Length of the string — The pendulum’s time period depends on its length.
Question 6: Which unit is used to measure speed?
a) m²/s
b) m/s
c) m/s²
d) km
Answer:
b) m/s — Speed is measured in metres per second (m/s).
Question 7: Speed is defined as?
a) Distance × Time
b) Distance ÷ Time
c) Time ÷ Distance
d) Distance + Time
Answer:
b) Distance ÷ Time — Speed is the distance travelled per unit time.
Question 8: Which type of speed is measured over the total journey?
a) Uniform speed
b) Non-uniform speed
c) Average speed
d) Instantaneous speed
Answer:
c) Average speed — Average speed is calculated over the entire journey.
Question 9: Which device is used in vehicles to measure speed?
a) Thermometer
b) Speedometer
c) Stopwatch
d) Odometer
Answer:
b) Speedometer — A speedometer shows the speed of a vehicle.
Question 10: The device that records distance travelled by a vehicle is called?
a) Barometer
b) Stopwatch
c) Odometer
d) Ammeter
Answer:
c) Odometer — An odometer measures the distance travelled.
Question 11: Uniform motion occurs when?
a) Speed increases
b) Speed decreases
c) Distance is equal in equal intervals of time
d) Direction changes
Answer:
c) Distance is equal in equal intervals of time — This defines uniform motion.
Question 12: Non-uniform motion occurs when?
a) Speed is constant
b) Distance is unequal in equal intervals of time
c) No motion occurs
d) Direction remains the same
Answer:
b) Distance is unequal in equal intervals of time — This defines non-uniform motion.
Question 13: Which instrument is used to measure short time intervals accurately?
a) Stopwatch
b) Thermometer
c) Odometer
d) Speedometer
Answer:
a) Stopwatch — A stopwatch measures short time intervals precisely.
Question 14: The slope of a distance-time graph gives?
a) Distance
b) Speed
c) Time
d) Acceleration
Answer:
b) Speed — The slope of a distance-time graph represents speed.
Question 15: A horizontal line in a distance-time graph indicates?
a) Motion at constant speed
b) Acceleration
c) No motion
d) Variable speed
Answer:
c) No motion — A horizontal line indicates the object is at rest.
Question 16: Which type of graph is used to study motion of objects?
a) Distance-time graph
b) Heat-time graph
c) Force-distance graph
d) Work-energy graph
Answer:
a) Distance-time graph — Distance-time graphs are used to study motion.
Question 17: Who invented the pendulum clock?
a) Newton
b) Galileo
c) Huygens
d) Einstein
Answer:
c) Huygens — Christiaan Huygens invented the pendulum clock.
Question 18: In which unit is speed commonly expressed for vehicles?
a) m/s
b) km/h
c) cm/s
d) m/min
Answer:
b) km/h — Vehicle speed is usually expressed in kilometres per hour.
Question 19: Which factor does not affect the period of a pendulum?
a) Length
b) Mass of bob
c) Acceleration due to gravity
d) Shape of bob
Answer:
b) Mass of bob — The time period is independent of the bob’s mass.
Question 20: What happens to the time period if the length of a pendulum is increased?
a) Decreases
b) Increases
c) Remains same
d) First decreases then increases
Answer:
b) Increases — A longer pendulum takes more time for one oscillation.
Question 21: Motion of a pendulum is an example of?
a) Rectilinear motion
b) Oscillatory motion
c) Circular motion
d) Random motion
Answer:
b) Oscillatory motion — A pendulum exhibits oscillatory motion.
Question 22: The fastest mode of transport is?
a) Roadways
b) Railways
c) Airways
d) Waterways
Answer:
c) Airways — Airways are the fastest mode of transport.
Question 23: The motion of the Earth around the Sun is?
a) Oscillatory motion
b) Rectilinear motion
c) Rotational motion
d) Circular motion
Answer:
d) Circular motion — Earth revolves around the Sun in circular motion.
Question 24: Which of the following is not a unit of speed?
a) km/h
b) m/s
c) cm/min
d) Newton
Answer:
d) Newton — Newton is a unit of force, not speed.
Question 25: The unit of distance in SI is?
a) Metre
b) Kilogram
c) Second
d) Litre
Answer:
a) Metre — Distance is measured in metres in SI units.
Question 26: The SI unit of time is?
a) Minute
b) Hour
c) Second
d) Millisecond
Answer:
c) Second — The SI unit of time is second.
Question 27: The unit of speed in SI system is?
a) km/h
b) cm/s
c) m/s
d) km/min
Answer:
c) m/s — Speed is measured in metres per second in SI units.
Question 28: Which instrument is used to measure pulse rate?
a) Speedometer
b) Stopwatch
c) Pendulum
d) Watch
Answer:
b) Stopwatch — Pulse rate is measured using a stopwatch for time.
Question 29: A bus travels 100 km in 2 hours. Its average speed is?
a) 25 km/h
b) 50 km/h
c) 75 km/h
d) 100 km/h
Answer:
b) 50 km/h — Speed = Distance ÷ Time = 100 ÷ 2 = 50 km/h.
Question 30: An object is said to be in motion when?
a) It is at rest
b) It changes its position with time
c) It vibrates
d) It rotates on its axis
Answer:
b) It changes its position with time — Motion is defined as change in position with time.
Question 31: What type of motion does the hands of a clock show?
a) Linear motion
b) Circular motion
c) Oscillatory motion
d) Random motion
Answer:
b) Circular motion — The hands of a clock move in circular motion.
Question 32: Which of the following is an example of uniform motion?
a) A car moving in traffic
b) A stone rolling on rough ground
c) A train moving at constant speed
d) A boy walking in a park
Answer:
c) A train moving at constant speed — This is an example of uniform motion.
Question 33: A moving car with changing speed shows?
a) Uniform motion
b) Non-uniform motion
c) Rest
d) Oscillatory motion
Answer:
b) Non-uniform motion — A car with changing speed has non-uniform motion.
Question 34: Distance-time graphs for uniform motion are?
a) Curved
b) Straight line
c) Zig-zag
d) Horizontal
Answer:
b) Straight line — Uniform motion gives a straight line on distance-time graphs.
Question 35: Distance-time graphs for non-uniform motion are?
a) Curved
b) Straight line
c) Horizontal line
d) Vertical line
Answer:
a) Curved — Non-uniform motion produces a curved line on distance-time graphs.
Fill in the Blanks Questions for Class 7 Science Chapter 8 Measurement of Time and Motion MCQ
1. The device used in ancient times to measure time during the day was the ___.
Answer:
Sundial
2. The device used in ancient times to measure time at night was the ___.
Answer:
Water clock
3. The scientist who discovered that the time period of a pendulum is constant was ___.
Answer:
Galileo Galilei
4. The time taken by a pendulum to complete one oscillation is called its ___.
Answer:
Period
5. The time period of a pendulum depends on its ___.
Answer:
Length
6. The instrument used to measure short time intervals is a ___.
Answer:
Stopwatch
7. The instrument in vehicles that shows speed is the ___.
Answer:
Speedometer
8. The device in vehicles that records the distance travelled is the ___.
Answer:
Odometer
9. Speed is defined as distance travelled per unit ___.
Answer:
Time
10. The SI unit of speed is ___.
Answer:
Metres per second (m/s)
11. Motion in which an object covers equal distances in equal intervals of time is called ___ motion.
Answer:
Uniform
12. Motion in which an object covers unequal distances in equal intervals of time is called ___ motion.
Answer:
Non-uniform
13. The slope of a distance-time graph gives the ___ of the object.
Answer:
Speed
14. A horizontal line in a distance-time graph shows that the object is at ___.
Answer:
Rest
15. The pendulum clock was invented by ___.
Answer:
Christiaan Huygens
True or False type Questions for Class 7 Science Chapter 8 “Measurement of Time and Motion”
1. Ancient people used repeating natural events such as sunrise, sunset, phases of the Moon, and changing seasons to keep track of time.
Answer:
True
2. A sundial can measure time accurately both during the day and at night.
Answer:
False
3. In one type of water clock, water flows out from a vessel marked with time intervals.
Answer:
True
4. In a floating bowl-type water clock, the bowl sinks immediately as soon as it is placed on water.
Answer:
False
5. Candle clocks measured time with the help of markings that showed how much of the candle had burned.
Answer:
True
6. The time taken by a simple pendulum to complete one oscillation is called its frequency.
Answer:
False
7. A pendulum can complete one oscillation by moving from one extreme position to the other and then returning to the first extreme position.
Answer:
True
8. The time period of a simple pendulum depends on the mass of its bob but not on the length of the string.
Answer:
False
9. All pendulums of the same length have the same time period at a given place.
Answer:
True
10. The SI unit of time is minute, written with the symbol min.
Answer:
False
11. Writing 10 sec or 2 hrs is the correct way to write SI symbols for time units.
Answer:
False
12. An object that covers more distance than another in the same time is moving faster.
Answer:
True
13. Speed is calculated by dividing total time taken by total distance covered.
Answer:
False
14. An object moving along a straight line with constant speed is said to be in uniform linear motion.
Answer:
True
15. In non-uniform linear motion, an object covers equal distances in equal intervals of time.
Answer:
False
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