OCR MEI M3 2009 June — Question 1

Exam BoardOCR MEI
ModuleM3 (Mechanics 3)
Year2009
SessionJune
TopicCircular Motion 2

1 A fixed solid sphere has centre O and radius 2.6 m . A particle P of mass 0.65 kg moves on the smooth surface of the sphere. The particle P is set in motion with horizontal velocity \(1.4 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) at the highest point of the sphere, and moves in part of a vertical circle. When OP makes an angle \(\theta\) with the upward vertical, and P is still in contact with the sphere, the speed of P is \(v \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\).
  1. Show that \(v ^ { 2 } = 52.92 - 50.96 \cos \theta\).
  2. Find, in terms of \(\theta\), the normal reaction acting on P .
  3. Find the speed of P at the instant when it leaves the surface of the sphere. The particle P is now attached to one end of a light inextensible string, and the other end of the string is fixed to a point A , vertically above O , such that AP is tangential to the sphere, as shown in Fig. 1. P moves with constant speed \(1.2 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) in a horizontal circle with radius 2.4 m on the surface of the sphere. \begin{figure}[h]
    \includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{3ec81c4e-e0fa-43d9-9c79-ef9df746be8f-2_1100_634_1089_753} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Fig. 1}
    \end{figure}
  4. Find the tension in the string and the normal reaction acting on P .