Imp instructions:

Only attempt these questions when all the homework given till now is complete.Problems 9-12 may be a
bit more challenging. Average time required for these questions could be from 15-30 mins

1. With what force T must a person pull the rope to keep the board in balance if the person’s mass
is m = 61.3 kg. Ignore the masses of the board, block and rope. Calculate free fall acceleration g = 9.8m/s2 .

Ans :150 N
2. What is the horizontal force F acting on a small block B (fig.), if the section of the thread BC is
vertical, when a weight of mass m is suspended from the block, and the section of the thread AB forms
with horizontal AC angle α = 60◦ ?

√
Ans :F = mg(2 + 3)
3. A rope is hung on two √ nails driven into the wall at points A and B (see the figure). Horizontal
distance between nails b = 3m ≈ 1.73m, height difference between nails, a = 1m, the length of the rope
is a + b. On a rope at a distance a from point A, a load is suspended that does not touch the wall. Find the
ratio β of the tension forces on the rope to the left and to the right of the load. Take free fall acceleration
equal to g = 10m/s2 . The rope is assumed to be weightless and inextensible.

1
 √
Ans :β = 1/ 3

4. Two identical balls are suspended on weightless inextensible threads as shown in Fig. Tension forces
of the upper and middle threads T1 And T2 known. Find the tension in the lower thread T3 if it is
horizontal.

q
4 T22 − T21 /3


Ans :T3 =

5. On a slippery cone with an angle at the top 2α put on the mass chain m(see fig.). Find the tension
in the chain. Acceleration of gravity g.

mg
Ans :T = 2πtgα

6. Two identical cylinders (Fig.) are suspended on inextensible threads of the same length. Between
them is placed a cylinder of the same diameter, but twice as much weight. The system is in equilibrium.
Determine Angle β if the angle between the threads is2 α. There is no friction.

Ans :tg β = 2 tg α

Sol:

2
The forces acting on the cylinders are shown in the figure: T - thread tension, N - pressure force between
the cylinders. For the middle cylinder, the equilibrium condition can be written as follows:

2mg = 2 N cos β. (1)

For any of the extreme cylinders

mg + N cos β = T cos α, (2)

N sin β = T sin α. (3)
Substituting (1) into (2) and dividing (3) by (2), we get
tg β = 2 tg α.

Note that in the presence of friction, the continuation of the threads may not pass through the centers of
the side cylinders, and the solution of the problem becomes more complicated.
7. Two weights of masses 1 and 1.5 kg, connected by a thread of length 1 = 30cm, lie on a cylindrical
smooth surface (Fig.). The angle between the vertical and the radius drawn to a load of 1 kg is 60°.
Determine the radius of the cylindrical surface.

1 1
Ans :R = α+β
= m

α+arccos m1 sin α
2

Sol:

3
 →
− →
−
Three forces act on each of the bodies (Fig.): force, gravity F T = mg, normal reaction force N and
→
−
thread tension T For each of the bodies, we write the equilibrium condition:
→
− →
−
N 1 + m1 →
−g + T 1 = 0, (1)
→
− →
−
N +m →
2
−g + T = 0, (2)
2 2

Since the system is in equilibrium T1 = T2 . Projecting equations (1) and (2) onto the direction of the
thread, we get: T1  = m1 g sinα and T2 = m2 g sin β. Hence m1 g sin α = m2 g sin β, whence sin β =
m1
m2
sin α, β = arccos mm12 sinα . For the central angle (α + β) based on an arc of length 1 , we can write:

1 = R(α + β)
where R is the radius of the circle, and (α+β) is measured in the radial measure (α = 60◦ ; β = 35◦ , α + β = 95◦ = 0.
Then
1 1
R= =   = 0.18m
α+β m1
α + arccos m2 sin α
8. Three homogeneous cylinders of radius r = 5 cm and weight P = 400kg each with a gap of d = 2 cm
between the lower cylinders. With what force F (in newtons) do they press on the vertical walls of the
tray if the friction is negligible?

Ans :150 N
9. The truck is loaded with identical smooth logs. It drove into a ditch and stands, tilting on one side,
and the bottom of the body forms an angle θ with the horizontal .The unloading of the body is completed.
If we remove the log shown by the dotted line in the figure, then the last three logs will roll out at the
slightest decrease in the angle θ. Find the angle θ.

Ans :θ = 30◦
Sol:

4
We number the logs as shown in the figure. Let log 2 start moving downwards with a small decrease in the
angle θ, pushing log 3 up along the body. It is clear that at the end of the movement, log 2 will take the
position of log 3, and log 3 will take the position shown in the figure by the dotted line. Since at the initial
location the logs were in equilibrium, the change in the potential energy of the logs during the considered
displacements should be zero. This is only possible if the center of log 2 in the first case and the center
of log 3 in the second case are at the same height. Let us denote the indicated heights by y1 and y2,
respectively. The calculation of y2 does not cause any difficulties. It can be seen directly from the figure
that y2 = R cos θ + 5R sin θ, where R is the radius of the log. To calculate y1 , note that y1 = O2 A + O1 B.
From the right triangle O1 O2 A we find O2 A = 2R sin (60◦ + θ) since √ O1 O2 O◦3 is an equilateral triangle
√
with side 2R and ̸ O3 O1 A = θ. Triangle OO O1 B implies O1 B = 2R sin (45 + θ) since OO1 = 2R is
nothing but the hypotenuse of an isosceles right triangle OCO1 whose leg length is R . Thus,
√ √
y1 = 2R sin (60◦ + θ) + 2R sin 45 circ + θ = 2R sin θ + ( 3 + 1)R cos θ


√
Finally, equating y1 and y2 , we get R cos θ + 5R sin θ = 2R sin θ + ( 3 + 1)R cos θ, from where
1
tg θ = √ and θ = 30◦
3
10. On a thread thrown over two blocks, three weights are suspended, the masses of which are equal
to m1 , m2 and M (fig.). The blocks are at the same height from the suspension points. Find the ratio
between the masses of the loads, in which the whole system will be in a state of equilibrium. Are these
conditions always feasible? Ignore friction.

Ans :m1 + m2 > M, M + m1 > m2 , M + m2 > m1

Sol: Consider the equilibrium of node to which M is connected. In this case, three forces act on it: T1 =
m1 g, T2 = m2 g, T3 = Mg. To balance the knot, three forces T1 , T2 , T3 must form a triangle. Since the
sum of the lengths of two sides in a triangle is not less than the third, we obtain the relation between the
masses m1 , m2 , M, which ensures the equilibrium of node A : m1 + m2 > M, M + m1 > m2 , M + m2 > m1
11. A weightless rope is thrown over a slippery round log of radius R, whose axis is horizontal, with
a weight and a thin homogeneous rigid rod attached to its ends (see figure). In the position of stable
equilibrium, the rod makes an angle α = 30◦ with the horizon, the distance from the √ end of the rod to
which the rope is attached to the point of contact between the rod and the log is R/ 2. Find the ratio of
the masses of the weight and the rod.

5
 Ans : M
m
= 3
2

Sol:

Let’s denote the axis of the log with the letter O, the point of contact between the rod and the log - A,
the end of the rod hanging over the log - B, the point of contact between the log and the rope holding
the rod with the letter C (see Fig.). Triangles OAB and OSV are equal as rectangular, having a common
hypotenuse and equal legs. Therefore ̸ OBA = ̸ OBC = φ.
Since the rope holding the rod is weightless and there is no friction, its tension force is constant along
its entire length and equals Mg, where M is the mass of the load. Since the log is slippery, in order for
the rod to be in balance, it is necessary that the projection of the total
force on the direction along the
rod be equal to zero: mg sin α = Mg cos(π − 2φ) = Mg sin2 φ − cos2 φ Here m is the mass of the rod.
√ √
Since AB = R/ 2, then from the triangle OAB we find: tg φ = OA AB
= 2. Further, using the known
trigonometric relations, we obtain:
M sin α sin α (tg2 φ + 1) 3
= 2 = 2
= .
m 2
sin φ − cos φ tg φ − 1 2
12. Two identical smooth half-cylinders, the total mass of which is m, are suspended on an inextensible
weightless thread as shown in the figure. What is the tension force of the thread and the pressure force of
one half-cylinder on the other?

mg
T=
2 sin α
Ans :
mg(1 + cos α)
N=
2 sin α
Sol:

6
Each half-cylinder is affected by the force of gravity, the tension force of the thread and the pressure force
from the side of the second half-cylinder. Let us write down the equilibrium condition for a half-cylinder:
in projections on the horizontal axis
T + T cos α = N
in projections on the vertical axis - T sin α = mg
2
.(2) Solving equations (1) and (2) together, we find the
thread tension force T and the pressure force N of one half-cylinder on the other:
mg
T=
2 sin α
mg(1 + cos α)
N=
2 sin α