Edexcel M1 2009 June — Question 6

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM1 (Mechanics 1)
Year2009
SessionJune
TopicPulley systems

6. A car of mass 800 kg pulls a trailer of mass 200 kg along a straight horizontal road using a light towbar which is parallel to the road. The horizontal resistances to motion of the car and the trailer have magnitudes 400 N and 200 N respectively. The engine of the car produces a constant horizontal driving force on the car of magnitude 1200 N . Find
  1. the acceleration of the car and trailer,
  2. the magnitude of the tension in the towbar. The car is moving along the road when the driver sees a hazard ahead. He reduces the force produced by the engine to zero and applies the brakes. The brakes produce a force on the car of magnitude \(F\) newtons and the car and trailer decelerate. Given that the resistances to motion are unchanged and the magnitude of the thrust in the towbar is 100 N ,
  3. find the value of \(F\).