OCR MEI M3 2013 June — Question 1

Exam BoardOCR MEI
ModuleM3 (Mechanics 3)
Year2013
SessionJune
TopicDimensional Analysis

1
  1. A particle P of mass 1.5 kg is connected to a fixed point by a light inextensible string of length 3.2 m . The particle P is moving as a conical pendulum in a horizontal circle at a constant angular speed of \(2.5 \mathrm { rad } \mathrm { s } ^ { - 1 }\).
    1. Find the tension in the string.
    2. Find the angle that the string makes with the vertical.
  2. A particle Q of mass \(m\) moves on a smooth horizontal surface, and is connected to a fixed point on the surface by a light elastic string of natural length \(d\) and stiffness \(k\). With the string at its natural length, Q is set in motion with initial speed \(u\) perpendicular to the string. In the subsequent motion, the maximum length of the string is \(2 d\), and the string first returns to its natural length after time \(t\). You are given that \(u = \sqrt { \frac { 4 k d ^ { 2 } } { 3 m } }\) and \(t = A k ^ { \alpha } d ^ { \beta } m ^ { \gamma }\), where \(A\) is a dimensionless constant.
    1. Show that the dimensions of \(k\) are \(\mathrm { MT } ^ { - 2 }\).
    2. Show that the equation \(u = \sqrt { \frac { 4 k d ^ { 2 } } { 3 m } }\) is dimensionally consistent.
    3. Find \(\alpha , \beta\) and \(\gamma\). You are now given that Q has mass 5 kg , and the string has natural length 0.7 m and stiffness \(60 \mathrm { Nm } ^ { - 1 }\).
    4. Find the initial speed \(u\), and use conservation of energy to find the speed of Q at the instant when the length of the string is double its natural length.