Edexcel M2 — Question 7

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM2 (Mechanics 2)
TopicWork, energy and Power 1

7. A cyclist is pedalling along a horizontal cycle track at a constant speed of \(5 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\). The air resistance opposing her motion has magnitude 42 N . The combined mass of the cyclist and her machine is 84 kg .
  1. Find the rate, in W , at which the cyclist is working. The cyclist now starts to ascend a hill inclined at an angle \(\alpha\) to the horizontal, where \(\sin \alpha = \frac { 1 } { 21 }\), at a constant speed.
    She continues to work at the same rate as before, against the same air resistance.
  2. Find the constant speed at which she ascends the hill. In fact the air resistance is not constant, and a revised model takes account of this by assuming that the air resistance is proportional to the cyclist's speed.
  3. Use this model to find an improved estimate of the speed at which she ascends the hill, if her rate of working still remains constant.