| Exam Board | AQA |
|---|---|
| Module | M1 (Mechanics 1) |
| Year | 2012 |
| Session | January |
| Marks | 7 |
| Paper | Download PDF ↗ |
| Topic | Newton's laws and connected particles |
| Type | Car towing trailer, horizontal |
| Difficulty | Moderate -0.3 This is a standard two-body connected particles problem requiring application of Newton's second law to the system and individual bodies. The setup is straightforward with clearly stated values, requiring routine F=ma calculations with no geometric complications or novel insights—slightly easier than average due to its textbook nature, but not trivial as it requires systematic treatment of two connected bodies. |
| Spec | 3.03c Newton's second law: F=ma one dimension3.03d Newton's second law: 2D vectors3.03k Connected particles: pulleys and equilibrium |
5 A car, of mass 1200 kg , tows a caravan, of mass 1000 kg , along a straight horizontal road. The caravan is attached to the car by a horizontal towbar. A resistance force of magnitude $R$ newtons acts on the car and a resistance force of magnitude $2 R$ newtons acts on the caravan. The car and caravan accelerate at a constant $1.6 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 2 }$ when a driving force of magnitude 4720 newtons acts on the car.
\begin{enumerate}[label=(\alph*)]
\item Find $R$.
\item Find the tension in the towbar.
\end{enumerate}
\hfill \mbox{\textit{AQA M1 2012 Q5 [7]}}