3.2 Newtons Second Law Very Hard

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3.2 Newton's Second Law

Question Paper
Course Edexcel A Level Maths

Section 3. Forces & Newton's Laws
Topic 3.2 Newton's Second Law
Difficulty Very Hard
Time allowed: 80
Score: /65
Percentage: /100
Page 1 of 10
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Question 1a
You have bought a new rope and need to know the maximum safe tension that the rope can withstand without breaking. The
manufacturer tells you only that “operating at its maximum safe tension this rope could be used to complete the Extreme
Well Challenge, with a 30 metre deep well and a 10 kilogram bucket of water, in 4.20 seconds”.
In the Extreme Well Challenge, a bucket of water with a mass of m kg must be raised out of a well that is h m deep. The bucket
is raised by means of a light rope that remains vertical at all times. The bucket begins at rest at the bottom of the well, and for
the first x m of the ascent it must accelerate at a constant rate of a m s−2 . After that the rope must be allowed to go slack so
that gravity is the only force operating on the bucket. The distance x must be chosen so that the velocity of the bucket
becomes momentarily zero just as it reaches the top of the well.
The time taken to complete the challenge is measured from the moment the bucket begins accelerating upwards from the
bottom of the well, until the moment that the bucket’s velocity becomes momentarily zero at the top of the well.
Show that the time T required to complete an Extreme Well Challenge for a well h metres deep is
2h ( a + g )
T=
ag
where T is measured in seconds, a is the constant acceleration of the bucket during the first part of its ascent, and g is the
acceleration due to gravity.
[7 marks]
Page 2 of 10
Question 1b
Hence determine the maximum safe tension that your new rope can withstand without breaking, giving your answer in
newtons correct to 3 significant figures.
[4 marks]
Question 2
In the mystical kingdom of Newtonia, a unicorn is using its horn to push a large stone of power across the icy ground towards
the spot known as the Point of Destiny. The mass of the stone is 4600 kg, and the ground is perfectly level. As the stone
moves across the ground it experiences a constant resistance to movement of 3200 N. The unicorn’s horn, which may be
modelled as a light rod, is held horizontal at all times. While the unicorn’s magic would allow it to push with almost any
required force, the maximum thrust which the unicorn’s horn may withstand without shattering is 100 kN.
When the stone is exactly 100 metres away from the Point of Destiny and is being pushed at a speed of 1.8 metres per
second, an evil wizard appears and begins to cast a spell of doom. The spell will take exactly 3 seconds for the wizard to cast.
Given that the acceleration of the stone must remain constant over the entire 100 metre distance, and that the unicorn’s
horn must not be allowed to shatter, determine whether or not the unicorn can get the stone to the Point of Destiny before
the wizard completes his spell. Be sure to show complete mathematical workings to support your answer.
[5 marks]
Page 3 of 10
Question 3
A large rock with a mass of 230 kg is tied to a buoy by a light inextensible rope and is then thrown into the water. The rock is
heavy enough so that as it sinks vertically downwards it pulls the buoy through the water behind it. As the rock sinks through
the water, it experiences a resistance to its motion that may be modelled as a constant upwards force of 150 N. The buoy has
a mass of 10 kg, and the combination of its buoyancy and the water resistance to its movement may be modelled by a
constant upwards force of P N.
Given that the tension in the rope as the rock sinks is 655 N, determine the value of P.
[5 marks]
Page 4 of 10
Question 4
A train locomotive of mass 10 000 kg is used to pull carriages along a section of horizontal track. The connection between
the locomotive and the first carriage, and the connections between the different carriages, may all be modelled as light rods
parallel to the direction of motion along the track. The locomotive’s engine is able to provide a maximum driving force of 20
000 N, and the resistance to motion of the locomotive is modelled as a constant force of 3000 N. The carriages all have the
same mass, and the resistance to motion of a single carriage is modelled as a constant force of 1000 N.
A guard in the rearmost carriage of the train has been measuring the tension in the connecting rod between that carriage and
the one in front of it. He has noticed that with the train moving forward and the locomotive providing maximum driving force
in the forward direction, the tension measured when there are three carriages attached to the locomotive is 437.8 N greater
than the tension measured when there are four carriages attached to the locomotive.
Use this information to find the mass of a single train carriage, giving your answer correct to 4 significant figures.
[8 marks]
Page 5 of 10
Question 5a
A small lift car with an empty mass of 250 kg is being raised vertically by means of a light inextensible cable attached to its
top. Inside the lift car is a horizontal wooden tabletop B with mass 3 kg, which has been connected to the floor of the lift car
by a light vertical rod. On top of B is a light wire frame from which hangs a metal sphere A of mass 50 g, supported by a light
inextensible string attached to the top of the frame. This situation is depicted in the diagram below:
Starting from rest, the lift car is accelerated upwards with a constant acceleration of magnitude a.
Given that the thrust in the rod connecting B to the floor of the lift car is 35.38 N, find:
the tension in the string connecting A to the wire frame
[4 marks]
Question 5b
the tension in the lift cable
[2 marks]
Page 6 of 10
Question 5c
the distance that the lift car ascends in its first 3 seconds of motion.
[3 marks]
Question 6a
Two particles A and B have masses of mA kg and 12 kg respectively. The particles are connected by a light inextensible string
that passes over a smooth light fixed pulley as shown in the diagram below:
The particles are released from rest with the string taut and one of the particles begins to accelerate downwards at a rate of
1 . 4 m s−2 .
Find the possible values of mA.

[6 marks]
Page 7 of 10
Question 6b
Given that the tension in the string is 134.4 N, find the precise value of mA.
[2 marks]
Question 7a
A block B of mass mB kg rests on a rough horizontal table. It is connected by a light inextensible string to a metal sphere A of
mass mA kg. The string passes over a smooth light fixed pulley at the edge of the table so that A is hanging vertically
downwards as shown in the diagram below:
The string between B and the pulley is horizontal, and the frictional resistance between B and the table is modelled as a
constant force of magnitude F f N .
The system is released from rest with the string taut.

Given that sphere A begins to descend after the system is released, show that as A descends the tension in the string T is
given by
mA
T= ( mB g + F f )
mA + mB
where g is the acceleration due to gravity.

[5 marks]
Page 8 of 10
Question 7b
Given that the sphere A remains motionless after the system is released, find an expression for Ff in terms of mA and the
acceleration due to gravity g.
[3 marks]
Question 8
A particle is acted upon by two forces, F1 and F2, given in vector form as
F1 = (1 . 7i − 0 . 7j) N and F2 = − (0 . 2i + 0 . 1j) N
Given that the particle experiences an acceleration of magnitude 0 . 85 m s−2 under the combined action of the two forces,
find the mass of the particle.
[4 marks]
Page 9 of 10
Question 9
A particle of mass 110 g starts from rest and is acted upon by three forces, F1, F2 and F3, given in vector form as
⎛⎜ 1 ⎞⎟ ⎛⎜ a ⎞⎟ ⎛⎜ −3 ⎞⎟
F1 = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ N F2 = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ N F3 = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ N
⎝3 ⎠ ⎝ −5 ⎠ ⎝ b ⎠
4
where a and b are constants with a = b . Initially the particle is located at the origin.
11
Given that the position vector of the particle is ( − 55i − 132j) m at time t seconds, where t > 0 , find the values of a,b and
t.
[7 marks]
Page 10 of 10

3.2 Newtons Second Law Very Hard

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3.2 Newton's Second Law

Course Edexcel A Level Maths

Find the possible values of mA.

The system is released from rest with the string taut.

where g is the acceleration due to gravity.

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