OCR MEI M1 (Mechanics 1) 2012 January

1 Fig. 1 shows two blocks of masses 3 kg and 5 kg connected by a light string which passes over a smooth, fixed pulley. Initially the blocks are held at rest but then they are released. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} Find the acceleration of the blocks when they start to move, and the tension in the string.

2 Fig. 2 shows a small object, P , of weight 20 N , suspended by two light strings. The strings are tied to points A and B on a sloping ceiling which is at an angle of \(60 ^ { \circ }\) to the upward vertical. The string AP is at \(60 ^ { \circ }\) to the downward vertical and the string BP makes an angle of \(30 ^ { \circ }\) with the ceiling. The object is in equilibrium. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure}

1. Show that \(\angle \mathrm { APB } = 90 ^ { \circ }\).
2. Draw a labelled triangle of forces to represent the three forces acting on P .
3. Hence, or otherwise, find the tensions in the two strings.

3 Two girls, Marie and Nina, are members of an Olympic hockey team. They are doing fitness training. Marie runs along a straight line at a constant speed of \(6 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\). Nina is stationary at a point O on the line until Marie passes her. Nina immediately runs after Marie until she catches up with her. The time, \(t \mathrm {~s}\), is measured from the moment when Nina starts running. So when \(t = 0\), both girls are at O .
Nina's acceleration, \(a \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 2 }\), is given by $$\begin{array} { l l } a = 4 - t & \text { for } 0 \leqslant t \leqslant 4 ,
a = 0 & \text { for } t > 4 . \end{array}$$

1. Show that Nina's speed, \(v \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\), is given by $$\begin{array} { l l } v = 4 t - \frac { 1 } { 2 } t ^ { 2 } & \text { for } 0 \leqslant t \leqslant 4 ,
   v = 8 & \text { for } t > 4 . \end{array}$$
2. Find an expression for the distance Nina has run at time \(t\), for \(0 \leqslant t \leqslant 4\). Find how far Nina has run when \(t = 4\) and when \(t = 5 \frac { 1 } { 3 }\).
3. Show that Nina catches up with Marie when \(t = 5 \frac { 1 } { 3 }\).

4 A projectile P travels in a vertical plane over level ground. Its position vector \(\mathbf { r }\) at time \(t\) seconds after projection is modelled by $$\mathbf { r } = \binom { x } { y } = \binom { 0 } { 5 } + \binom { 30 } { 40 } t - \binom { 0 } { 5 } t ^ { 2 } ,$$ where distances are in metres and the origin is a point on the level ground.

1. Write down
   (A) the height from which P is projected,
   (B) the value of \(g\) in this model.
2. Find the displacement of P from \(t = 3\) to \(t = 5\).
3. Show that the equation of the trajectory is $$y = 5 + \frac { 4 } { 3 } x - \frac { x ^ { 2 } } { 180 } .$$

5 The vectors \(\mathbf { p }\) and \(\mathbf { q }\) are given by $$\mathbf { p } = 8 \mathbf { i } + \mathbf { j } \text { and } \mathbf { q } = 4 \mathbf { i } - 7 \mathbf { j } .$$

1. Show that \(\mathbf { p }\) and \(\mathbf { q }\) are equal in magnitude.
2. Show that \(\mathbf { p } + \mathbf { q }\) is parallel to \(2 \mathbf { i } - \mathbf { j }\).
3. Draw \(\mathbf { p } + \mathbf { q }\) and \(\mathbf { p } - \mathbf { q }\) on the grid. Write down the angle between these two vectors.

6 Robin is driving a car of mass 800 kg along a straight horizontal road at a speed of \(40 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\).
Robin applies the brakes and the car decelerates uniformly; it comes to rest after travelling a distance of 125 m .

1. Show that the resistance force on the car when the brakes are applied is 5120 N .
2. Find the time the car takes to come to rest. For the rest of this question, assume that when Robin applies the brakes there is a constant resistance force of 5120 N on the car. The car returns to its speed of \(40 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\) and the road remains straight and horizontal.
   Robin sees a red light 155 m ahead, takes a short time to react and then applies the brakes.
   The car comes to rest before it reaches the red light.
3. Show that Robin's reaction time is less than 0.75 s . The 'stopping distance' is the total distance travelled while a driver reacts and then applies the brakes to bring the car to rest. For the rest of this question, assume that Robin is still driving the car described above and has a reaction time of 0.675 s . (This is the figure used in calculating the stopping distances given in the Highway Code.)
4. Calculate the stopping distance when Robin is driving at \(20 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\) on a horizontal road. The car then travels down a hill which has a slope of \(5 ^ { \circ }\) to the horizontal.
5. Find the stopping distance when Robin is driving at \(20 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\) down this hill.
6. By what percentage is the stopping distance increased by the fact that the car is going down the hill? Give your answer to the nearest \(1 \%\).