Edexcel M5 2010 June — Question 5

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM5 (Mechanics 5)
Year2010
SessionJune
TopicVariable Force

  1. A raindrop falls vertically under gravity through a cloud. In a model of the motion the raindrop is assumed to be spherical at all times and the cloud is assumed to consist of stationary water particles. At time \(t = 0\), the raindrop is at rest and has radius \(a\). As the raindrop falls, water particles from the cloud condense onto it and the radius of the raindrop is assumed to increase at a constant rate \(\lambda\). A time \(t\) the speed of the raindrop is \(v\).
    1. Show that
    $$\frac { \mathrm { d } v } { \mathrm {~d} t } + \frac { 3 \lambda v } { ( \lambda t + a ) } = g$$
  2. Find the speed of the raindrop when its radius is \(3 a\).