Edexcel M3 2004 June — Question 2

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM3 (Mechanics 3)
Year2004
SessionJune
TopicWork, energy and Power 2

2. \begin{figure}[h]
\captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Figure 1} \includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{b9e9b91c-7e6d-4b84-9f0e-180b626887c2-2_460_549_651_792}
\end{figure} Two light elastic strings each have natural length \(a\) and modulus of elasticity \(\lambda\). A particle \(P\) of mass \(m\) is attached to one end of each string. The other ends of the strings are attached to points \(A\) and \(B\), where \(A B\) is horizontal and \(A B = 2 a\). The particle is held at the mid-point of \(A B\) and released from rest. It comes to rest for the first time in the subsequent motion when \(P A\) and \(P B\) make angles \(\alpha\) with \(A B\), where \(\tan \alpha = \frac { 4 } { 3 }\), as shown in Fig. 1. Find \(\lambda\) in terms of \(m\) and \(g\).