AQA M2 2006 January — Question 8

Exam BoardAQA
ModuleM2 (Mechanics 2)
Year2006
SessionJanuary
TopicWork, energy and Power 2

8 A particle, of mass 10 kg , is attached to one end of a light elastic string of natural length 0.4 metres and modulus of elasticity 100 N . The other end of the string is fixed to the point \(O\).
  1. Find the length of the elastic string when the particle hangs in equilibrium directly below \(O\).
  2. The particle is pulled down and held at a point \(P\), which is 1 metre vertically below \(O\). Show that the elastic potential energy of the string when the particle is in this position is 45 J .
  3. The particle is released from rest at the point \(P\). In the subsequent motion, the particle has speed \(v \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) when it is \(x\) metres below \(\boldsymbol { O }\).
    1. Show that, while the string is taut, $$v ^ { 2 } = 39.6 x - 25 x ^ { 2 } - 14.6$$
    2. Find the value of \(x\) when the particle comes to rest for the first time after being released, given that the string is still taut.