CAIE M1 2021 November — Question 2

Exam BoardCAIE
ModuleM1 (Mechanics 1)
Year2021
SessionNovember
TopicNewton's laws and connected particles

2 A van of mass 3600 kg is towing a trailer of mass 1200 kg along a straight horizontal road using a light horizontal rope. There are resistance forces of 700 N on the van and 300 N on the trailer.
  1. The driving force exerted by the van is 2500 N . Find the tension in the rope.
    The driving force is now removed and the van driver applies a braking force which acts only on the van. The resistance forces remain unchanged.
  2. Find the least possible value of the braking force which will cause the rope to become slack.