Edexcel M5 2017 June — Question 3

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleM5 (Mechanics 5)
Year2017
SessionJune
TopicMoments

  1. The position vectors of the points \(P\) and \(Q\) on a rigid body are \(( \mathbf { i } - 2 \mathbf { j } + 3 \mathbf { k } ) \mathrm { m }\) and \(( \mathbf { i } - \mathbf { j } + \mathbf { k } ) \mathrm { m }\) respectively, relative to a fixed origin \(O\). A force \(\mathbf { F } _ { 1 }\) of magnitude 6 N acts at \(P\) in the direction \(( \mathbf { i } - 2 \mathbf { j } + 2 \mathbf { k } )\). A force \(\mathbf { F } _ { 2 }\) of magnitude 14 N acts at \(Q\) in the direction \(( 3 \mathbf { i } - 6 \mathbf { j } + 2 \mathbf { k } )\). When a force \(\mathbf { F } _ { 3 }\) acts at \(O\), which is also a point on the rigid body, the system of three forces is equivalent to a couple of moment \(\mathbf { G }\)
    1. Find \(\mathbf { F } _ { 3 }\)
    2. Find G
    When an additional force \(\mathbf { F } _ { 4 } = ( \mathbf { i } + 3 \mathbf { j } + 4 \mathbf { k } ) \mathrm { N }\) also acts at \(O\), the system of four forces is equivalent to a single force \(\mathbf { R }\).
  2. Write down \(\mathbf { R }\).
  3. Find an equation of the line of action of \(\mathbf { R }\) in the form \(\mathbf { r } = \mathbf { a } + t \mathbf { b }\), where \(\mathbf { a }\) and \(\mathbf { b }\) are constant vectors and \(t\) is a parameter.