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WORKSHEET 3

Moments of a Force | Circular Motion | Work Energy and Power

1. A 2.00m tall basketball player is standing on the floor 10.0m from
the basket, as in Figure below. If he shoots the ball at a 40.0◦ angle
with the horizontal, at what initial speed must he throw the basket-
ball so that it goes through the hoop without striking the backboard?
The height of the basket is 3.05m.

4. A tennis ball of mass 57.0 g is held just above a basketball of mass

590 g. With their centers vertically aligned, both balls are released
from rest at the same time, to fall through a distance of 1.20 m, as
shown in the diagram below.

2. A woman at an airport is towing her 20.0-kg suitcase at constant

speed by pulling on a strap at an angle θ above the horizontal di-
agram below . She pulls on the strap with a 35.0-N force, and the
friction force on the suitcase is 20.0 N. Draw a free-body diagram
of the suitcase. (a) What angle does the strap make with the hori-
zontal? (b) What 3.00 kg normal force does the ground exert on the
suitcase?
(a) Find the magnitude of the downward velocity with which the
basketball reaches the ground.
(b) Assume that an elastic collision with the ground instanta-
neously reverses the velocity of the basketball while the tennis
ball is still moving down. Next, the two balls meet in an elas-
tic collision.
3. The coefficient of static friction between the 3.00kg crate and the (c) To what height does the tennis ball rebound?
35.0◦ incline is 0.300. What minimum force F must be applied
to the crate perpendicular to the incline to prevent the crate from 5. A 12.0-g bullet is fired horizontally into a 100g wooden block ini-
sliding down the incline? tially at rest on a horizontal surface. After impact, the block slides
2

7.5 m before coming to rest. If the coefficient of kinetic friction be- (a) determine the speed of each object when the two passes each
tween block and surface is 0.650, what was the speed of the bullet other.
immediately before impact? (b) determine the speed of each object at the moment the 5.00kg
object hits the floor.
6. A bullet of mass m and speed v passes completely through a pen- (c) how much higher does the 3.00kg object travel after the
dalum bob of mass M as shown in the figure below. The bullet 5.00kg hits the floor?
v
emerges with a speed of . The pendalum bob is suspended by
2 8. Two blocks A and B (with mass 50kg and 100kg, respectively), are
a stiff rod of length l and negligible mass. What is the minimum
value of v such that the bob will barely swing through a complete connected by a string, as shown in the diagram. The pulley is fric-
vertical circle? tionless and of negligible mass. The coefficient of friction between
the block A and the incline B is µk = 0.25. Determine the change in
the kinectic energy of block A as it moves from C to D, a distance
of 20m up the incline if the system starts from rest.

7. Two objects are connected by a light string passing over a light, fric-
tionless pulley, see diagram below. The 5.00kg object is released
from rest at a point 4.00m above the floor.
9. An 8.00g bullet is fired into a 250g block that is initially at rest at
the edge of a table of height 1.00m see diagram below. The bullet
remains in the block, and after the impact the block lands 2.00m
from the bottom of the table. Determine the initial speed of the
bullet.
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10. A cannon is rigidly attached to a carriage, which can move along (a) the surface is smooth,
horizontal rails, but is connected to a post by a large spring, initially
(b) the coefficient of friction is 0.5?
unstretched and with force constant 2.00 × 104 N/m, as in diagram
below. The cannon fires a 200kg projectile at a velocity of 125ms−1
directed 45.0° above the horizontal. 15. A mass of 10kg slides down a slope of 30◦ from rest. The coef-
ficient of friction is 0.5. If the length of the slope is 5m, find the
velocity of the mass at the foot of the slope.

16. The diagram below shows a smooth track in the shape of a quarter
circle AB, with center O and radius 0.8m. OB is vertical and B is
2m above the ground level. A particle is released from rest at A.

(a) If the mass of the cannon and its carriage is 5000kg, find the
recoil speed of the cannon.
(b) Determine the maximum extension of the spring.
(c) Find the maximum force the spring exerts on the car riage.
(d) Consider the system consisting of the cannon, the carriage,
and the shell. Is the momentum of this system conserved dur-
ing the firing? Why or why not?
Calculate:
11. A block is pulled horizontally through 4m at a steady speed by a
force of 20N, inclined at an angle of 60◦ to the line of motion. Find (a) its speed at B
the work done
(b) how far horizontally from B it will strike the ground
12. A mass of 20kg is pulled across a rough horizontal floor (coefficient
of friction 0.4) though 2m at a steady speed by a horizontal force. CIRCULAR MOTION
Find the work done.
13. A ball of mass 250g is projected up a smooth plane inclined at an 17. An air puck of mass 0.25kg is tied to a string and allowed to re-
angle θ to the horizontal where sinθ = 701
, with a velocity of 5ms−1 volve in a circle of radius 1.0m on a frictionless horizontal table.
. How far will it travel before coming to rest? The other end of the string passes through a hole in the center of
the table, and a mass of 1.0kg is tied to it (see diagram). The sus-
14. A particle of mass 1.5kg is projected up an incline of 17 with an pended mass remains in equilibrium while the puck on the tabletop
initial speed of 1ms−1 . How far will it travel up the incline if: revolves
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19. A 0.50kg ball that is tied to the end of a 1.5m light cord is revolved
in a horizontal plane, with the cord making a 30◦ angle with the
vertical. (See diagram below)

(a) what is the tension in the string

(b) what is the horizontal force acting on the puck
(a) Determine the ball’s speed.
(c) what is the speed of the puck (b) If, instead, the ball is revolved so that its speed is 4.0ms−1 ,
what angle does the cord make with the vertical?
18. In a popular amusement park ride, a rotating cylinder of radius
(c) If the cord can withstand a maximum tension of 9.8N, what is
3.00m is set in rotation at an angular speed of 5.00 rad s−1 , as in the
the highest speed at which the ball can move?
diagram below. The floor then drops away, leaving the riders sus-
pended against the wall in a vertical position. What minimum coef-
ficient of friction between a rider’s clothing and the wall is needed 20. A model airplane of mass 0.750kg flies in a horizontal circle at the
to keep the rider from slipping? (Hint: Recall that the magnitude end of a 60.0m control wire, with a speed of 35.0ms−1 . Compute
of the maximum force of static friction is equal to µN, where N is the tension in the wire if it makes a constant angle of 20.0◦ with
the normal force — in this case, the force causing the centripetal the horizontal. The forces exerted on the airplane are the pull of
acceleration.) the wire, its own weight, and aerodynamic lift, which acts at 20◦
inward from the vertical as shown in the diagram
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21. A boy on a bicycle pedals around a circle of 22m radius at a speed

of 10ms−1 . The combined mass of the boy and the bicycle is 80kg.

23. A plane flying at constant speed is banked at an angle θ in order to

fly in a horizontal circle of radius r. The aerodynamic lift force acts
generally upward at right angles to the plane’s wings and fuselage.

(a) Obtain the equation for the required banking angle θ in terms
(a) what is the centripetal force exerted by the pavement on the of v, r and g
bicycle
(b) what is the required angle for v = 60ms−1 and r = 1.0km
(b) what is the upward force exherted by the pavement on the bi- 24. A car goes around a curve of radius 48m. If the road is banked
cycle at an angle of 15◦ with the horizontal, at what maximum speed in
kilometers per hour may the car travel if there is to be no tendency
to skid even on very slippery pavement?
MOMENTS OF A FORCE

22. A small ball is fastened to a string 24cm long and suspended from a 25. A person is bending forward to lift a load “with his back” rather
fixed point P to make a conical pendulum, as shown in the diagram than “with his knees” can be injured by large forces exherted on the
below. The ball describes a horizontal circle about a center verti- muscles and vertebrae. If a person is bending forward to lift a 200N
cally under point P, and the string makes an angle of 15◦ with the object. The spine and upper body are represented as a uniform hor-
vertical. Find the speed of the ball izontal rod of weight 350N, pivoted at the base of the spine. The
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erector spinalis muscle, attached at a point two-thirds of the way up man body. It is attached to the mandible (lower jawbone) as shown
the spine, maintains the position of the back. The angle between the in diagram below. The jawbone is pivoted about a socket just in
spine and this muscle is 12.0◦ . Find the tension in the back muscle front of the auditory canal. The forces acting on the jawbone are
at the compressional force in the spine. equivalent to those acting on the curved bar in diagram F is the
force exerted by the food being chewed against the jawbone, T is
the force of tension in the masseter, and R is the force exerted by
the socket on the mandible. Find T and R for a person who bites
down on a piece of steak with a force of 50.0N.

26. When a person stands on tiptoe (a strenuous position), the position

of the foot is as shown in the diagram. The total gravitational force
on the body, F , is supported by the force N exerted by the floor on
28. A hungry 700N bear walks out on a beam in an attempt to retrieve
the toes of one foot. A mechanical model of the situation is shown
some “goodies” hanging at the end (diagram below). The beam is
in diagram below, where T is the force exherted by the Achilles
uniform, weighs 200 N, and is 6.00 m long; the goodies weigh 80.0
tendon on the foot and R is the force exerted by the tibia on arm the
N.
foot. Find the values of T , R, and θ when F = 700N

27. The chewing muscle, the masseter, is one of the strongest in the hu-
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(a) Draw a free-body dia- gram of the beam.

(b) When the bear is at x = 1.00m, find the tension in the wire and
the components of the reaction force at the hinge.
(c) If the wire can withstand a maximum tension of 900N, what
is the maximum distance the bear can walk before the wire
breaks

29. A 20.0kg floodlight in a park is supported at the end of a horizontal

beam of negligible mass that is hinged to a pole, see diagram. A
cable at an angle of 30.0◦ with the beam helps to support the light.
31. µs = 0.50 determine the minimum distance x from point A at which
an additional weight w (the same as the weight of the rod) can be
hung without causing the rod to slip at point A.

Find

32. The large quadriceps muscle in the upper leg terminates at its lower
(a) the tension in the cable and end in a tendon attached to the upper end of the tibia (see diagram).
(b) the horizontal and vertical forces exerted on the beam by the The forces on the lower leg when the leg is extended are modeled as
pole. in (b) of the diagram, where T is the force of tension in the tendon,
is the w force of gravity acting on the lower leg, and F is the force
of gravity acting on the foot. Find T when the tendon is at an angle
30. A 1200N uniform boom is supported by a cable perpendicular to of 25.0◦ with the tibia, assuming that w = 30.0N, F = 12.5N, and
the boom as in diagram below. The boom is hinged at the bottom, the leg is extended at an angle θ of 40.0◦ with the vertical. Assume
and a 2000N weight hangs from its top. Find the tension in the sup- that the center of gravity of the lower leg is at its center and that
porting cable and the components of the reaction force exerted on the tendon attaches to the lower leg at a point one-fifth of the way
the boom by the hinge down the leg
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(a) by taking moments about B, or otherwise, calculate the mag-

nitude of force,F.
(b) explain why this force does not cause any turning effect about
B
(c) calculate this tension, T , in the string

34. A body of mass, m, starts from rest and moves a distance, S, when
a constant force, F, acts on it. Show that the kinetic energy, Ek ,
1
gained by the body is given by Ek = mv2 , where v is given by
2
velocity

(a) A truck of mass 1500kg, travels at a steady speed of 72kmh−1 .

Calculate the force exherted by the engine if the power output
is 80kW
(b) what is the total drag force acting on the truck?
PAST PAPERS (c) The truck is now travelling with constant acceleration of
33. A ball of weight 0.4N, with a string tied to it, is suspended from a 3.0ms−2 . Assuming the total drag force is the same as that
point B. The ball is pulled aside by a horizontal force, F, as shown stated in (b) above, calculate the total force now exherted by
in the diagram so that the string makes an angle θ with the vertical. the engine.

35. (a) State Newton’s Laws of motion.

(b) A barrel of mass 20kg is being pulled up a smooth plane, in-
clined at 30◦ to the horizontal, by means of a rope which is
parallel to the surface of the plane.
i. show, on a diagram, the force(s) acting on the barrel
ii. If the tension in the rope is 240N, what is the acceleration
of the barrel?
iii. what is the reaction force between the barrel and the
plane?

36. (a) Discuss why the following materials are used in the construc-
tion of a solar panel for a domestic hot water supply, see dia-
The ball remains at rest in this position gram below:
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i. Copper pipes and collector plate

ii. black paint
iii. A glass cover
iv. styrofoam
i. use the data given in table 1 to calculate the mass of the
(b) In the Caribbean most solar water heaters do not have a pump ball
to circulate the water. Describe how the water circulates in ii. what conclusion can you draw from the given data in ta-
these systems with no pump. ble 1 ?

38. (a) Explain what is meant by energy and distinguish between po-
(c) A solar panel receives radiation with an average intensity of
tential energy and kinetic energy
800W m−2 and it is 60% efficient in transfering this energy to
the water. What area of the panel would be needed for it to be (b) i. what do you understand by the conservation of energy?
equivalent to a 900W heater? Illustrate your answer by making reference to the energy
changes when a body falls to the ground
ii. Hence derive an expression for the velocity of the body
37. (a) A ball is attached to a length of string and whirled in a hori- as it hits the ground
zontal circle. Describe BRIEFLY how you would (c) A car of mass 1.5 × 103 kg increases its speed from 10ms−1 to
30ms−1 while it is moving 400m up a hill which is inclined
i. vary the radius of the circle it describes 1
at an angle α to the horizontal, where sinα = . A constant
10
ii. find the period of rotation frictional force of 200N resist the car’s motion. From energy
consideration, calculate the:
iii. apply a constant force
i. work done by the engine
(b) table 1 below shows a typical set of results ii. driving force of the engine
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iii. power developed by the engine at 30ms−1 (d) how might random errors be reduced in this case?

39. The apparatus shown in the diagram can be used to determine the (e) indentify ONE source of a systematic error in this experiment
acceleration due to gravity
40. An oscillating system has a period, T , which is related to the length,
l, of the suspension by the equation T = al n , where a and n are con-
stants.
the table below shows the time periods obtained as the length was
changed
l/mm 231 292 411 515 859
T /s 0.94 1.06 1.27 1.42 1.86

(a) plot a suitable graph to find the value of n

(b) use your value of n to find a
(c) suggest an accurate means to determine the time period, T .

41. (a) Derive the equation for circular motion, a = rω 2 , where a is

the centripetal acceleration, ω is the angular velocity and r is
As the electromagnet is turned off, the electric timer starts and the the radius of the circle.
ball drops. When the ball hits the metal plate the timer stops. The
ball falls through a distance of 65.0cm before hiting the metal plate. (b) State Newton’s law of universal gravitation
The ball was dropped four times and the times were recorded as (c) The Moon orbits the Earth in a circle of radius 400km. Con-
follows: sidering only these two objects, state what force or forces act
time of fall: 0.361s, 0.383s, 0.374s, 0.365s on the Moon and explain how Newton’s third law of motion
applies to the system.
(a) determine the average of these results and write down the (d) Find the time for ONE complete revolutionn of the Moon
value of the time that should be used in calculations. Include about the Earth
an estimate of the uncertainty in this value.
(e) The diagram shows a small 50g mass moving on the end of a
(b) Find the value for the acceleration due to gravity from this string in a horizontal circle of radius 0.20m. The string is at
experiment. an angle of 38.3◦ with support. The time for one revolution is
(c) distinguish between “systematic” and “random errors” 0.8s
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How is the force on the ball different when its value is:
i. +4N?
i. Calculate the angular velocity, ω, and centripetal accel- ii. −4N?
eration of the mass. iii. Find the work done on the box during the first 5m of
movement
ii. Find the centripetal force acting on the mass and the ten-
iv. find the kinetic energy of the box after it has moved 8m
sion in the string
(f) calculate the speed at which any object will reach the ground
after being released from rest from a height of 11000m. (air
42. (a) what is: resistance may be neglected in this calculation)
(g) An aeroplane of mass 170 × 103 kg cruises at 900kmh−1 . The
i. kinetic energy? maximum permitted landing speed is 180kmh−1
ii. potential energy? (h) determine the kinetic energy that must be “lost” before land-
ing.
(b) A body of mass m starts from rest and acquires a velocity,
43. (a) Explain using Newton’s laws how the propeller of a light aero-
v. Show that the kinetic energy of mass, m, is given by
1 plane like the one shown below is able to provide forward trust
Ek = mv2
2
(c) what energy change takes place when a ball bearing is falling
at its terminal velocity?

(d) what causes this energy change to take place?

(e) The graph below shows the variation of the net force, F, act-
ing on a box as it moves a distance, x, along the ground in a (b) The forward thrust caused by the propeller of an aeroplane is
straight line. 18000N and the air flowing through it leaves with a velocity
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of 250ms−1 . What mass of air must pass through the propeller

EACH second?

(c) In order to turn, an aeroplane must “bank” as shown in the dia-

gram below, so that the lift force is no longer vertical. (assume
that aeroplane remain in level flight and travels at a constant
speed.)

(b) the diagram above depicts a wooden plank, weight 200N,

leaning against a smooth wall. The foot of the plank is 3m
from the wall and the top of the ladder is 6m from the ground.

i. Draw a diagram like the one above with arrows to show

the direction of the external forces acting on the aero-
plane as it turns. On a second, similar diagram the direc-
tion of the RESULTANT force acting on the plane.
ii. calculate the radius of the circular path for a plane of
mass 3000kg with a horizontal speed of 120km per hour
if the resultant force acting is 16000N
iii. Find the size of the lift force on the plane and the banking
angle θ . find:

(d) Each passenger on the light aeroplane must also experience a i. the upward push, R, of the ground on the plank.
resultant unbalance force to move in a circular path. With the ii. the magnitude of the normal force, P, exherted by the
aid of a diagram state how this force is provided. wall on top of the plank
iii. the magnitude and direction of the resultant of R and F,
the friction force at the ground.
44. (a) An extended object (e.g. a uniform wooden plank) is acted
upon by several forces. State TWO conditions for the object
45. (a) A body of mass m is accelerated from rest to a speed v
to remain in equilibrium. Using these two conditions, write
by the application of a constant force. Derive the equation
TWO equations relating the forces and distances for the situ- 1
ation shown below: Ek = mv2 for the kinetic energy of the body.
2
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(b) A satellite is launched from the ground and placed in an orbit (a) Explain why there must be an acceleration experienced by the
with a height of 900km. Why does the equation 4E = mgh mass although it is moving at contant speed
NOT apply to this situation? (b) write an expression for the magnitude of the acceleration and
(c) The car on a roller coaster (see diagram below) is travelling at state the direction of this acceleration
12ms−1 at the top of a hill but a short time later when it reaches (c) Explain why the work done by the centripetal force on the
the bottom of the hill, 35m below, it is travelling much faster. mass is zero
(d) the diagram below shows a pendulum with string of length
0.5m and mass 1kg being whirled at constant speed in a hori-
zontal circle. The mass is 1.5m above the ground.

assuming frictional losses are negligible, write an equation to

represent the energy transformation occuring and use it to find
the speed of the car at the bottom of the hill.
(d) On a construction site a wrinch is used to raise a paint filled
drum, weight 1200N, through a height of 35m. It takes 24s to
lift the drum.
i. what is the gain in potential energy of the load?
ii. find the power output of the winch motor (e) draw a free body diagram showing the forces acting on the
mass
iii. the winch has an efficiency of 70%. How much electrical
power is required by the winch’s motor? calculate:
iv. while the paint drum in (b) is stationary at a height of i. the tension in the string
35m the cable breaks. ii. the speed of the mass
v. sketch graphs to show the variation with time of the (f) During the motion the string suddenly breaks
drum’s displacement and velocity i. describe the subsequent motion of the mass
vi. find the time taken by the drum to reach the ground. ii. calculate the time it takes for the mass to hit the ground
after the string breaks
46. A body of mass, m, is moving in a circle of radius, r, with constant
speed v. 47. (a) what are the conditions for a body to undergo:
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i. parabolic motion 50. (a) Define the term “energy” and distinguish between “kinetic en-
ii. circular motion ergy” and “gravitational potential energy”

(b) explain what is meant by a “geostationary satellite”. show that (b) show that the kinetic energy, Ek , of a body of mass, m, moving
the radius of the orbit of a geostationary satellite is indepen- with speed, v, is given by the expression
1
dent of its mass Ek = mv2
2
48. (a) A small mass of 0.60kg is rotated at the end of a string in a (c) the diagram below shows a gymnast of mass 75.0kg swinging
horizontal circle of radius 1.20m. The string will break if the from rest at a point P on a light rope to a point Q. The circular
tension exceeds 60N. What is the GREATEST frequency of arc through his center of mass has a radius of 10.0m.
the revolution that is possible?
(b) The same mass of 0.60kg is now rotated at the end of another
string at a contant speed, v, in a vertical circle of radius 1.20m.
The minimum tension in the string is 2.1N
i. state and explain where the tension in the string is MAX-
IMUM and MINIMUM.
ii. Find the speed of the mass

49. (a) State Newton’s Law of gravitation

(b) Explain why an astronaut in a satellite orbiting the earth may
be described as wieghtless
(c) TV signals are broadcast in the Carribbean by means of satel- calculate:
lites in geostationary orbits i. the gymnast’s speed at Q
i. explain the meaning of the term “geostationary orbit” ii. the angular velocity of the gymnast at Q
ii. what is the angular velocity (in radians per second) of a iii. draw a free body diagram to show the forces acting on
geostationary orbit? the gymnast at Q
iii. calculate the radius of the orbit of a geostationary satellite iv. calculate the tension in the rope as the string passes Q