Edexcel M3 2013 June — Question 7

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM3 (Mechanics 3)
Year2013
SessionJune
TopicCircular Motion 2

7. \begin{figure}[h]
\includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{f6ab162c-8473-4464-ad62-87a359d85ab3-12_499_833_262_664} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Figure 6}
\end{figure} A particle \(P\) of mass \(5 m\) is attached to one end of a light inextensible string of length \(a\). The other end of the string is attached to a fixed point \(O\). The particle is held at the point \(A\), where \(O A = a\) and \(O A\) is horizontal, as shown in Figure 6. The particle is projected vertically downwards with speed \(\sqrt { } \left( \frac { 9 a g } { 5 } \right)\). When the string makes an angle \(\theta\) with the downward vertical through \(O\) and the string is still taut, the tension in the string is \(T\).
  1. Show that \(T = 3 m g ( 5 \cos \theta + 3 )\). At the instant when the particle reaches the point \(B\) the string becomes slack.
  2. Find the speed of \(P\) at \(B\). At time \(t = 0 , P\) is at \(B\). At time \(t\), before the string becomes taut once more, the coordinates of \(P\) are \(( x , y )\) referred to horizontal and vertical axes with origin \(O\). The \(x\)-axis is directed along \(O A\) produced and the \(y\)-axis is vertically upward.
  3. Find
    1. \(x\) in terms of \(t , a\) and \(g\),
    2. \(y\) in terms of \(t , a\) and \(g\).