Edexcel M3 2014 January — Question 7

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM3 (Mechanics 3)
Year2014
SessionJanuary
TopicSimple Harmonic Motion

7. \begin{figure}[h]
\includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{2c0bb9ea-31a6-42f1-9e2e-d792eee8fd10-11_517_254_278_845} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Figure 4}
\end{figure} A smooth hollow narrow tube of length \(l\) has one open end and one closed end. The tube is fixed in a vertical position with the closed end at the bottom. A light elastic spring has natural length \(l\) and modulus of elasticity \(8 m g\). The spring is inside the tube and has one end attached to a fixed point \(O\) on the closed end of the tube. The other end of the spring is attached to a particle \(P\) of mass \(m\). The particle rests in equilibrium at a distance \(e\) below the top of the tube, as shown in Figure 4.
  1. Find \(e\) in terms of \(l\). The particle \(P\) is now held inside the tube at a distance \(\frac { 1 } { 2 } l\) below the top of the tube and released from rest at time \(t = 0\)
  2. Prove that \(P\) moves with simple harmonic motion of period \(2 \pi \sqrt { \left( \frac { l } { 8 g } \right) }\). The particle \(P\) passes through the open top of the tube with speed \(u\).
  3. Find \(u\) in terms of \(g\) and \(l\).
  4. Find the time taken for \(P\) to first attain a speed of \(\sqrt { \left( \frac { 9 g l } { 32 } \right) }\).