Edexcel M2 2022 October — Question 6

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM2 (Mechanics 2)
Year2022
SessionOctober
TopicCentre of Mass 1

6. \begin{figure}[h]
\includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{1732eb73-8c16-4a45-8d3b-a88e659e47ea-16_588_871_219_539} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Figure 2}
\end{figure} The uniform lamina \(P Q R S T U V\) shown in Figure 2 is formed from two identical rectangles, \(P Q U V\) and \(Q R S T U\).
The rectangles have sides \(P Q = R S = 2 a\) and \(P V = Q R = k a\).
  1. Show that the centre of mass of the lamina is \(\left( \frac { 6 + k } { 4 } \right) a\) from \(P V\) The lamina is freely suspended from \(P\) and hangs in equilibrium with \(P R\) at an angle of \(\alpha\) to the downward vertical. Given that \(\tan \alpha = \frac { 7 } { 15 }\)
  2. find the value of \(k\).