Edexcel M3 2009 January — Question 5

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM3 (Mechanics 3)
Year2009
SessionJanuary
TopicWork, energy and Power 2

5. \begin{figure}[h]
\includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{8374fa0f-cb28-497f-8696-877d7d0762f1-07_311_716_249_612} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Figure 2}
\end{figure} One end \(A\) of a light elastic string, of natural length \(a\) and modulus of elasticity \(6 m g\), is fixed at a point on a smooth plane inclined at \(30 ^ { \circ }\) to the horizontal. A small ball \(B\) of mass \(m\) is attached to the other end of the string. Initially \(B\) is held at rest with the string lying along a line of greatest slope of the plane, with \(B\) below \(A\) and \(A B = a\). The ball is released and comes to instantaneous rest at a point \(C\) on the plane, as shown in Figure 2. Find
  1. the length \(A C\),
  2. the greatest speed attained by \(B\) as it moves from its initial position to \(C\).