Questions

Q1.

A particle P of weight 40 N lies at rest in equilibrium on a fixed rough horizontal surface. A force of
magnitude 20 N is applied to P. The force acts at angle θ to the horizontal, as shown in Figure 2. The
coefficient of friction between P and the surface is μ.

Given that the particle remains at rest, show that

(Total for question = 6 marks)

Q2.

Two forces, F1 and F2, act on a particle A.

F1 = (2i – 3j) N and F2 = (pi + qj) N, where p and q are constants.

Given that the resultant of F1 and F2 is parallel to (i + 2j),

(a) show that 2p – q + 7 = 0

(5)
Given that q = 11 and that the mass of A is 2 kg, and that F1 and F2 are the only forces acting on A,

(b) find the magnitude of the acceleration of A.

(5)

(Total for question = 10 marks)

Q3.

A particle of weight W is attached at C to two light inextensible strings AC and BC. The other ends of the
strings are attached to fixed points A and B on a horizontal ceiling. The particle hangs in equilibrium with
the strings in a vertical plane and with AC and BC inclined to the horizontal at 30° and 45° respectively, as
shown in Figure 1.

Find, in terms of W,

(i) the tension in AC,

(ii) the tension in BC.

(Total for question = 7 marks)

Q4.

Figure 1

A particle P of weight 5 N is attached to one end of a light string. The other end of the string is attached to
a fixed point O. A force of magnitude F newtons is applied to P. The line of action of the force is inclined
to the horizontal at 30° and lies in the same vertical plane as the string. The particle P is in equilibrium
with the string making an angle of 40° with the downward vertical, as shown in Figure 1.

Find

(i) the tension in the string,

(ii) the value of F.

(7)

(Total for question = 7 marks)

Q5.

A washing line ABCD is fixed at the points A and D. There are two heavy items of clothing hanging on the
washing line, one fixed at B and the other fixed at C. The washing line is modelled as a light inextensible
string, the item at B is modelled as a particle of mass 3 kg and the item at C is modelled as a particle of

mass M kg. The section AB makes an angle α with the horizontal, where , the section BC is

horizontal and the section CD makes an angle β with the horizontal, where , as shown in
Figure 2. The system is in equilibrium.

(a) Find the tension in AB.

(4)
(b) Find the tension in BC.
(3)
(c) Find the value of M.
(5)

(Total for question = 12 marks)

Q6.

Figure 3

Two forces, P and Q, act on a particle. The force P has magnitude 8 N and the force Q has magnitude 5
N. The angle between the directions of P and Q is 50°, as shown in Figure 3. The resultant of P and Q is
the force R.

(a) Find, to 3 significant figures, the magnitude of R.

(4)
(b) Find, to the nearest degree, the size of the angle between the direction of P and the direction of R.
(4)

(Total for question = 8 marks)

Q7.

Figure 4

Two particles, P and Q, with masses 2m and m respectively, are attached to the ends of a light
inextensible string. The string passes over a small smooth pulley which is fixed at the edge of a rough
horizontal table. Particle Q is held at rest on the table and particle P is on the surface of a smooth inclined
plane. The top of the plane coincides with the edge of the table. The plane is inclined to the horizontal at

an angle α, where tan , as shown in Figure 4. The string lies in a vertical plane containing the pulley

and a line of greatest slope of the plane. The coefficient of friction between Q and the table is . Particle
Q is released from rest with the string taut and P begins to slide down the plane.

(a) By writing down an equation of motion for each particle,

(i) find the initial acceleration of the system,
(ii) find the tension in the string.
(10)
Suppose now that the coefficient of friction between Q and the table is μ and when Q is released it
remains at rest.

(b) Find the smallest possible value of μ.

(4)

(Total for question = 14 marks)

Q8.

A package of mass 6 kg is held at rest at a fixed point A on a rough plane. The plane is inclined at 30° to
the horizontal. The package is released from rest and slides down a line of greatest slope of the plane.

The coefficient of friction between the package and the plane is . The package is modelled as a
particle.

(a) Find the magnitude of the acceleration of the package.

(6)
As it slides down the slope the package passes through the point B, where AB = 10 m.

(b) Find the speed of the package as it passes through B.

(2)

(Total for question = 8 marks)

Q9.

A particle P of mass 2 kg is attached to one end of a light inextensible string. A particle Q of mass 5 kg is
attached to the other end of the string. The string passes over a small smooth light pulley. The pulley is
fixed at a point on the intersection of a rough horizontal table and a fixed smooth inclined plane. The
string lies along the table and also lies in a vertical plane which contains a line of greatest slope of the

inclined plane. This plane is inclined to the horizontal at an angle α, where tan α = . Particle P is at rest
on the table, a distance d metres from the pulley. Particle Q is on the inclined plane with the string taut, as

shown in Figure 3. The coefficient of friction between P and the table is .

The system is released from rest and P slides along the table towards the pulley.

Assuming that P has not reached the pulley and that Q remains on the inclined plane,

(a) write down an equation of motion for P,

(2)

(b) write down an equation of motion for Q,

(2)

(c) (i) find the acceleration of P,

(ii) find the tension in the string.

(5)

When P has moved a distance 0.5 m from its initial position, the string breaks. Given that P comes to rest
just as it reaches the pulley,

(d) find the value of d.

(7)
 (Total for question = 16 marks)

Q10.

A block A of mass 9 kg is released from rest from a point P which is a height h metres above horizontal
soft ground. The block falls and strikes another block B of mass 1.5 kg which is on the ground vertically
below P. The speed of A immediately before it strikes B is 7 m s–1. The blocks are modelled as particles.

(a) Find the value of h.

(2)
Immediately after the impact the blocks move downwards together with the same speed and both come to
rest after sinking a vertical distance of 12 cm into the ground. Assuming that the resistance offered by the
ground has constant magnitude R newtons,

(b) find the value of R.

(8)

(Total for question = 10 marks)

Q11.

Figure 5

Two particles P and Q have masses 3kg and m kg respectively (m > 3). The particles are connected by a
light inextensible string which passes over a smooth light fixed pulley. The system is held at rest with the
string taut and the hanging parts of the string vertical. The particle Q is at a height of 10.5 m above the
horizontal ground, as shown in Figure 5. The system is released from rest and Q moves downwards. In
the subsequent motion P does not reach the pulley. After the system is released, the tension in the string
is 33.6 N.

(a) Show that the magnitude of the acceleration of P is 1.4 m s–2.

(3)
(b) Find the value of m.
(3)
The system is released from rest at time t = 0. At time T1 seconds after release, Q strikes the ground and
does not rebound. The string goes slack and P continues to move upward

(c) Find the value of T1

(3)
At time T2 seconds after release, P comes to instantaneous rest.

(d) Find the value of T2

(3)
At time T3 seconds after release (T3 > T1) the string becomes taut again.

(e) Sketch a velocity-time graph for the motion of P in the interval 0 ≤ t ≤ T3

(2)

(Total for question = 14 marks)

Q12.

Figure 3

A particle P of mass 4 kg is held at rest at the point A on a rough plane which is inclined at 30° to the
horizontal. The point B lies on the line of greatest slope of the plane that passes through A. The point B is
5 m down the plane from A, as shown in Figure 3. The coefficient of friction between the plane and P is
0.3

The particle is released from rest at A and slides down the plane.

(a) Find the speed of P at the instant it reaches B.

(7)

Figure 4

The particle is now returned to A and is held in equilibrium by a horizontal force of magnitude H newtons,
as shown in Figure 4. The line of action of the force lies in the vertical plane containing the line of greatest
slope of the plane through A. The particle is on the point of moving up the plane.

(b) Find the value of H.

(7)

(Total for question = 14 marks)

Q13.

A truck of mass 2400 kg is pulling a trailer of mass M kg along a straight horizontal road. The tow bar,
connecting the truck to the trailer, is horizontal and parallel to the direction of motion. The tow bar is
modelled as being light and inextensible. The resistance forces acting on the truck and the trailer are
constant and of magnitude 400 N and 200 N respectively. The acceleration of the truck is 0.5 m s−2 and
the tension in the tow bar is 600 N.

(a) Find the magnitude of the driving force of the truck.

(3)

(b) Find the value of M.

(3)

(c) Explain how you have used the fact that the tow bar is inextensible in your calculations.
(1)

(Total for question = 7 marks)

Q14.

A boy is pulling a sledge of mass 8 kg in a straight line at a constant speed across rough horizontal
ground by means of a rope. The rope is inclined at 30° to the ground, as shown in Figure 1. The

coefficient of friction between the sledge and the ground is . By modelling the sledge as a particle and
the rope as a light inextensible string, find the tension in the rope.
(8)

(Total for question = 8 marks)

Q15.

Figure 3

A particle P of mass 4 kg is attached to one end of a light inextensible string. A particle Q of mass m kg is
attached to the other end of the string. The string passes over a small smooth pulley which is fixed at a
point on the intersection of two fixed inclined planes. The string lies in a vertical plane that contains a line
of greatest slope of each of the two inclined planes. The first plane is inclined to the horizontal at an angle

α, where tan α = and the second plane is inclined to the horizontal at an angle β, where tan β = .
Particle P is on the first plane and particle Q is on the second plane with the string taut, as shown in
Figure 3.

The first plane is rough and the coefficient of friction between P and the plane is . The second plane is
smooth. The system is in limiting equilibrium.

Given that P is on the point of slipping down the first plane,

(a) find the value of m,

(10)
(b) find the magnitude of the force exerted on the pulley by the string,
(4)
(c) find the direction of the force exerted on the pulley by the string.
(1)

(Total for question = 15 marks)

Q16.

A car pulls a trailer along a straight horizontal road using a light inextensible towbar. The mass of the car
is M kg, the mass of the trailer is 600 kg and the towbar is horizontal and parallel to the direction of
motion. There is a resistance to motion of magnitude 200 N acting on the car and a resistance to motion
of magnitude 100 N acting on the trailer. The driver of the car spots a hazard ahead. Instantly he reduces
the force produced by the engine of the car to zero and applies the brakes of the car. The brakes produce
a braking force on the car of magnitude 6500 N and the car and the trailer have a constant deceleration of
magnitude 4 m s−2.

Given that the resistances to motion on the car and trailer are unchanged and that the car comes to rest
after travelling 40.5 m from the point where the brakes were applied, find

(a) the thrust in the towbar while the car is braking,

(3)
(b) the value of M,
(3)
(c) the time it takes for the car to stop after the brakes are applied.
(3)

(Total for question = 9 marks)

Q17.

A rough plane is inclined at an angle α to the horizontal, where . A particle of mass 2 kg is

−1
projected with speed 6 m s from a point O on the plane, up a line of greatest slope of the plane. The
coefficient of friction between the particle and the plane is 0.25

(a) Find the magnitude of the frictional force acting on the particle as it moves up the plane.
(3)
The particle comes to instantaneous rest at the point A.

(b) Find the distance OA.

(5)
The particle now moves down the plane from A.

(c) Find the speed of P as it passes through O.

(5)

(Total for question = 13 marks)

Q18.

[In this question i and j are horizontal unit vectors due east and due north respectively.]

A particle P moves with constant acceleration (−2i + 3j) m s−2. At time t seconds, the velocity of P is v m
s−1. When t = 0, v = 10i + 4j.

(a) Find the direction of motion of P when t = 6, giving your answer as a bearing to the nearest degree.
(5)
(b) Find the value of t when P is moving north-east.
(4)

(Total for question = 9 marks)

Q19.

Figure 1

Two forces P and Q act on a particle at a point O. Force P has magnitude 6 N and force Q has magnitude
7 N. The angle between the line of action of P and the line of action of Q is 120°, as shown in Figure 1.

The resultant of P and Q is R.

Find

(i) the magnitude of R,

(ii) the angle between the line of action of R and the line of action of P.
(8)

(Total for question = 8 marks)

Q20.

One end of a light inextensible string is attached to a block A of mass 3 kg. Block A is held at rest on a
smooth fixed plane. The plane is inclined at 40° to the horizontal ground. The string lies along a line of
greatest slope of the plane and passes over a small smooth pulley which is fixed at the top of the plane.
The other end of the string is attached to a block B of mass 5 kg. Block B hangs freely at rest below the
pulley, as shown in Figure 4. The system is released from rest with the string taut.

By modelling the two blocks as particles,

(a) find the tension in the string as B descends.

(6)
After falling for 1.5 s, block B hits the ground and is immediately brought to rest. In its subsequent motion,
A does not reach the pulley.

(b) Find the speed of B at the instant it hits the ground.

(3)
(c) Find the total distance moved up the plane by A before it comes to instantaneous rest.
(5)

(Total for question = 14 marks)