Edexcel M4 2013 June — Question 4

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM4 (Mechanics 4)
Year2013
SessionJune
TopicMoments

4. \begin{figure}[h]
\includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{a4cdf2b0-8dd0-4c12-9259-95b78875c6cb-07_768_666_123_609} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Figure 3}
\end{figure} A small smooth peg \(P\) is fixed at a distance \(d\) from a fixed smooth vertical wire. A particle of mass \(3 m\) is attached to one end of a light inextensible string which passes over \(P\). The particle hangs vertically below \(P\). The other end of the string is attached to a small ring \(R\) of mass \(m\), which is threaded on the wire, as shown in Figure 3.
  1. Show that when \(R\) is at a distance \(x\) below the level of \(P\) the potential energy of the system is $$3 m g \sqrt { } \left( x ^ { 2 } + d ^ { 2 } \right) - m g x + \text { constant }$$
  2. Hence find \(x\), in terms of \(d\), when the system is in equilibrium.
  3. Determine the stability of the position of equilibrium.