Edexcel M3 2017 January — Question 4

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM3 (Mechanics 3)
Year2017
SessionJanuary
TopicCircular Motion 1

4. \begin{figure}[h]
\includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{85d8fc7d-8863-419e-8eef-8751a6fb6315-05_654_515_267_712} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Figure 3}
\end{figure} A light inextensible string has its ends attached to two fixed points \(A\) and \(B\). The point \(A\) is vertically above \(B\) and \(A B = 7 a\). A particle \(P\) of mass \(m\) is fixed to the string and moves with constant angular speed \(\omega\) in a horizontal circle of radius \(4 a\). The centre of the circle is \(C\), where \(C\) lies on \(A B\) and \(A C = 3 a\), as shown in Figure 3. Both parts of the string are taut.
  1. Show that the tension in \(A P\) is \(\frac { 5 } { 7 } m \left( 4 a \omega ^ { 2 } + g \right)\).
  2. Find the tension in \(B P\).
  3. Deduce that \(\omega \geqslant \sqrt { \frac { g } { k a } }\), stating the value of \(k\).