3.03b Newton's first law: equilibrium

7. A truck of mass 1600 kg is towing a car of mass 960 kg along a straight horizontal road. The truck and the car are joined by a light rigid tow bar. The tow bar is horizontal and is parallel to the direction of motion. The truck and the car experience constant resistances to motion of magnitude 640 N and \(R\) newtons respectively. The truck's engine produces a constant driving force of magnitude 2100 N . The magnitude of the acceleration of the truck and the car is \(0.4 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 2 }\).

1. Show that \(R = 436\)
2. Find the tension in the tow bar. The two vehicles come to a hill inclined at an angle \(\alpha\) to the horizontal where \(\sin \alpha = \frac { 1 } { 15 }\). The truck and the car move down a line of greatest slope of the hill with the tow bar parallel to the direction of motion. The truck's engine produces a constant driving force of magnitude 2100 N . The magnitudes of the resistances to motion on the truck and the car are 640 N and 436 N respectively.
3. Find the magnitude of the acceleration of the truck and the car as they move down the hill.
   
   \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{5f2d38d9-b719-4205-8cb0-caa959afc46f-27_67_59_2654_1886}

7. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} One end of a light inextensible string is attached to a particle \(A\) of mass \(2 m\). The other end of the string is attached to a particle \(B\) of mass \(3 m\). The string passes over a small, smooth, light pulley \(P\) which is fixed at the top of a rough inclined plane. The plane is inclined to the horizontal at an angle \(\alpha\), where \(\tan \alpha = \frac { 3 } { 4 }\) Particle \(A\) is held at rest on the plane with the string taut and \(B\) hanging freely below \(P\), as shown in Figure 4. The section of the string \(A P\) is parallel to a line of greatest slope of the plane. The coefficient of friction between \(A\) and the plane is \(\frac { 1 } { 2 }\) Particle \(A\) is released and begins to move up the plane.
For the motion before \(A\) reaches the pulley,

1. 1. write down an equation of motion for \(A\),
   2. write down an equation of motion for \(B\),
2. find, in terms of \(g\), the acceleration of \(A\),
3. find the magnitude of the force exerted on the pulley by the string.
4. State how you have used the information that \(P\) is a smooth pulley.

7. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} A particle \(P\) of mass 4 kg is attached to one end of a light inextensible string. A particle \(Q\) of mass \(m \mathrm {~kg}\) is attached to the other end of the string. The string passes over a small smooth pulley which is fixed at a point on the intersection of two fixed inclined planes. The string lies in a vertical plane that contains a line of greatest slope of each of the two inclined planes. The first plane is inclined to the horizontal at an angle \(\alpha\), where \(\tan \alpha = \frac { 3 } { 4 }\) and the second plane is inclined to the horizontal at an angle \(\beta\), where \(\tan \beta = \frac { 4 } { 3 }\). Particle \(P\) is on the first plane and particle \(Q\) is on the second plane with the string taut, as shown in Figure 3. The first plane is rough and the coefficient of friction between \(P\) and the plane is \(\frac { 1 } { 4 }\). The second plane is smooth. The system is in limiting equilibrium. Given that \(P\) is on the point of slipping down the first plane,

1. find the value of \(m\),
2. find the magnitude of the force exerted on the pulley by the string,
3. find the direction of the force exerted on the pulley by the string. \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{6ab8838f-d6f8-4761-8def-1022d97d4e82-21_2258_50_314_37}
   

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   \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{6ab8838f-d6f8-4761-8def-1022d97d4e82-23_2258_50_314_37}
   
   \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}]{6ab8838f-d6f8-4761-8def-1022d97d4e82-24_2655_1830_105_121}

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2. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} A particle \(P\) of mass 2 kg is held in equilibrium under gravity by two light inextensible strings. One string is horizontal and the other is inclined at an angle \(\alpha\) to the horizontal, as shown in Fig. 2. The tension in the horizontal string is 15 N . The tension in the other string is \(T\) newtons.

1. Find the size of the angle \(\alpha\).
2. Find the value of \(T\).

1
A light inextensible string has its ends attached to two fixed points \(A\) and \(B\). The point \(A\) is vertically above \(B\). A smooth ring \(R\) of mass \(m \mathrm {~kg}\) is threaded on the string and is pulled by a force of magnitude 1.6 N acting upwards at \(45 ^ { \circ }\) to the horizontal. The section \(A R\) of the string makes an angle of \(30 ^ { \circ }\) with the downward vertical and the section \(B R\) is horizontal (see diagram). The ring is in equilibrium with the string taut.

1. Give a reason why the tension in the part \(A R\) of the string is the same as that in the part \(B R\).
2. Show that the tension in the string is 0.754 N , correct to 3 significant figures.
3. Find the value of \(m\).

1 Fig. 1 shows a block of mass 3 kg on a plane which is inclined at an angle of \(30 ^ { \circ }\) to the horizontal.
A force \(P \mathrm {~N}\) is applied to the block parallel to the plane in the upwards direction.
The plane is rough so that a frictional force of 10 N opposes the motion.
The block is moving at constant speed up the plane. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure}

1. Mark and label all the forces acting on the block.
2. Calculate the magnitude of the normal reaction of the plane on the block.
3. Calculate the magnitude of the force \(P\).

3 A particle rests on a smooth, horizontal plane. Horizontal unit vectors \(\mathbf { i }\) and \(\mathbf { j }\) lie in this plane. The particle is in equilibrium under the action of the three forces \(( - 3 \mathbf { i } + 4 \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { N }\) and \(( 21 \mathbf { i } - 7 \mathbf { j } ) \mathrm { N }\) and \(\mathbf { R N }\).

1. Write down an expression for \(\mathbf { R }\) in terms of \(\mathbf { i }\) and \(\mathbf { j }\).
2. Find the magnitude of \(\mathbf { R }\) and the angle between \(\mathbf { R }\) and the \(\mathbf { i }\) direction.

4 A block of mass 4 kg is in equilibrium on a rough plane inclined at \(60 ^ { \circ }\) to the horizontal, as shown in Fig. 4. A frictional force of 10 N acts up the plane and a vertical string AB attached to the block is in tension. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure}

1. Draw a diagram showing the four forces acting on the block.
2. By considering the components of the forces parallel to the slope, calculate the tension in the string.
3. Calculate the normal reaction of the plane on the block.

7 A box of weight 147 N is held by light strings AB and BC . As shown in Fig. 7.1, AB is inclined at \(\alpha\) to the horizontal and is fixed at A ; BC is held at C . The box is in equilibrium with BC horizontal and \(\alpha\) such that \(\sin \alpha = 0.6\) and \(\cos \alpha = 0.8\). \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure}

1. Calculate the tension in string AB .
2. Show that the tension in string BC is 196 N . As shown in Fig. 7.2, a box of weight 90 N is now attached at C and another light string CD is held at D so that the system is in equilibrium with BC still horizontal. CD is inclined at \(\beta\) to the horizontal. \begin{figure}[h]
   \includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{4957086c-fd1c-4cdc-bbdb-1959b3b21b2d-5_387_702_1343_646} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Fig. 7.2}
   \end{figure}
3. Explain why the tension in the string BC is still 196 N .
4. Draw a diagram showing the forces acting on the box at C . Find the angle \(\beta\) and show that the tension in CD is 216 N , correct to three significant figures. The string section CD is now taken over a smooth pulley and attached to a block of mass \(M \mathrm {~kg}\) on a rough slope inclined at \(40 ^ { \circ }\) to the horizontal. As shown in Fig. 7.3, the part of the string attached to the box is still at \(\beta\) to the horizontal and the part attached to the block is parallel to the slope. The system is in equilibrium with a frictional force of 20 N acting on the block up the slope. \begin{figure}[h]
   \includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{4957086c-fd1c-4cdc-bbdb-1959b3b21b2d-6_430_1045_493_502} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Fig. 7.3}
   \end{figure}
5. Calculate the value of \(M\).

2 The unit vectors \(\mathbf { i }\) and \(\mathbf { j }\) shown in Fig. 2 are in the horizontal and vertically upwards directions. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} Forces \(\mathbf { p }\) and \(\mathbf { q }\) are given, in newtons, by \(\mathbf { p } = 12 \mathbf { i } - 5 \mathbf { j }\) and \(\mathbf { q } = 16 \mathbf { i } + 1.5 \mathbf { j }\).

1. Write down the force \(\mathbf { p } + \mathbf { q }\) and show that it is parallel to \(8 \mathbf { i } - \mathbf { j }\).
2. Show that the force \(3 \mathbf { p } + 10 \mathbf { q }\) acts in the horizontal direction.
3. A particle is in equilibrium under forces \(k \mathbf { p } , 3 \mathbf { q }\) and its weight \(\mathbf { w }\). Show that the value of \(k\) must be - 4 and find the mass of the particle.

2 Force \(\mathbf { F }\) is \(\left( \begin{array} { l } 4 \\ 1 \\ 2 \end{array} \right) \mathrm { N }\) and force \(\mathbf { G }\) is \(\left( \begin{array} { r } - 6 \\ 2 \\ 4 \end{array} \right) \mathrm { N }\).

1. Find the resultant of \(\mathbf { F }\) and \(\mathbf { G }\) and calculate its magnitude.
2. Forces \(\mathbf { F }\), \(2 \mathbf { G }\) and \(\mathbf { H }\) act on a particle which is in equilibrium. Find \(\mathbf { H }\).

5 A particle is in equilibrium when acted on by the forces \(\left( \begin{array} { r } x \\ - 7 \\ z \end{array} \right) , \left( \begin{array} { r } 4 \\ y \\ - 5 \end{array} \right)\) and \(\left( \begin{array} { r } 5 \\ 4 \\ - 7 \end{array} \right)\), where the units are newtons.

1. Find the values of \(x , y\) and \(z\).
2. Calculate the magnitude of \(\left( \begin{array} { r } 5 \\ 4 \\ - 7 \end{array} \right)\).

5. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} One end of a light inextensible string is attached to a fixed point \(A\). The other end of the string is attached to a fixed point \(B\), vertically below \(A\), where \(A B = h\). A small smooth ring \(R\) of mass \(m\) is threaded on the string. The ring \(R\) moves in a horizontal circle with centre \(B\), as shown in Figure 3. The upper section of the string makes a constant angle \(\theta\) with the downward vertical and \(R\) moves with constant angular speed \(\omega\). The ring is modelled as a particle.

1. Show that \(\omega ^ { 2 } = \frac { g } { h } \left( \frac { 1 + \sin \theta } { \sin \theta } \right)\).
2. Deduce that \(\omega > \sqrt { \frac { 2 g } { h } }\). Given that \(\omega = \sqrt { \frac { 3 g } { h } }\),
3. find, in terms of \(m\) and \(g\), the tension in the string.

2 Fig. 2 shows a sack of rice of weight 250 N hanging in equilibrium supported by a light rope AB . End A of the rope is attached to the sack. The rope passes over a small smooth fixed pulley. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} Initially, end B of the rope is attached to a vertical wall as shown in Fig. 2.

1. Calculate the horizontal and the vertical forces acting on the wall due to the rope. End B of the rope is now detached from the wall and attached instead to the top of the sack. The sack is in equilibrium with both sections of the rope vertical.
2. Calculate the tension in the rope.

5 Fig. 5 shows a block of mass 10 kg at rest on a rough horizontal floor. A light string, at an angle of \(30 ^ { \circ }\) to the vertical, is attached to the block. The tension in the string is 50 N . The block is in equilibrium. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure}

1. Show all the forces acting on the block.
2. Show that the frictional force acting on the block is 25 N .
3. Calculate the normal reaction of the floor on the block.
4. Calculate the magnitude of the total force the floor is exerting on the block.

1 Fig. 1 shows a pile of four uniform blocks in equilibrium on a horizontal table. Their masses, as shown, are \(4 \mathrm {~kg} , 5 \mathrm {~kg} , 7 \mathrm {~kg}\) and 10 kg . \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} Mark on the diagram the magnitude and direction of each of the forces acting on the 7 kg block.

3. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} A ball \(P\) of mass \(2 m\) is attached to one end of a string.
The other end of the string is attached to a ball \(Q\) of mass \(5 m\).
The string passes over a fixed pulley.
The system is held at rest with the balls hanging freely and the string taut.
The hanging parts of the string are vertical with \(P\) at a height \(2 h\) above horizontal ground and with \(Q\) at a height \(h\) above the ground, as shown in Figure 1. The system is released from rest.
In the subsequent motion, \(Q\) does not rebound when it hits the ground and \(P\) does not hit the pulley. The balls are modelled as particles.
The string is modelled as being light and inextensible.
The pulley is modelled as being small and smooth.
Air resistance is modelled as being negligible.
Using this model,

1. 1. write down an equation of motion for \(P\),
   2. write down an equation of motion for \(Q\),
2. find, in terms of \(h\) only, the height above the ground at which \(P\) first comes to instantaneous rest.
3. State one limitation of modelling the balls as particles that could affect your answer to part (b). In reality, the string will not be inextensible.
4. State how this would affect the accelerations of the particles.

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2. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} A particle \(P\) has mass 5 kg .
The particle is pulled along a rough horizontal plane by a horizontal force of magnitude 28 N . The only resistance to motion is a frictional force of magnitude \(F\) newtons, as shown in Figure 1.

1. Find the magnitude of the normal reaction of the plane on \(P\) The particle is accelerating along the plane at \(1.4 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 2 }\)
2. Find the value of \(F\) The coefficient of friction between \(P\) and the plane is \(\mu\)
3. Find the value of \(\mu\), giving your answer to 2 significant figures.

1. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} Figure 1 shows a particle \(P\) of mass 0.5 kg at rest on a rough horizontal plane.

1. Find the magnitude of the normal reaction of the plane on \(P\). The coefficient of friction between \(P\) and the plane is \(\frac { 2 } { 7 }\) A horizontal force of magnitude \(X\) newtons is applied to \(P\).
   Given that \(P\) is now in limiting equilibrium,
2. find the value of \(X\).

3. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure} A particle \(P\) of mass \(m\) is held at rest at a point on a rough inclined plane, as shown in Figure 3. It is given that

• the plane is inclined to the horizontal at an angle \(\alpha\), where \(\tan \alpha = \frac { 5 } { 12 }\)
• the coefficient of friction between \(P\) and the plane is \(\mu\), where \(\mu < \frac { 5 } { 12 }\)

The particle \(P\) is released from rest and slides down the plane.
Air resistance is modelled as being negligible.
Using the model,

1. find, in terms of \(m\) and \(g\), the magnitude of the normal reaction of the plane on \(P\),
2. show that, as \(P\) slides down the plane, the acceleration of \(P\) down the plane is $$\frac { 1 } { 13 } g ( 5 - 12 \mu )$$
3. State what would happen to \(P\) if it is released from rest but \(\mu \geqslant \frac { 5 } { 12 }\)

11 \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{a1f4ccbd-f5ed-437a-ae76-c4925ce86e25-08_586_672_1231_242} A particle \(P\) moves along the \(x\)-axis. At time \(t\) seconds, where \(t \geqslant 0\), the velocity of \(P\) in the positive \(x\)-direction is \(v \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). It is given that \(v = t ( t - 3 ) ( 8 - t )\). \(P\) attains its maximum velocity at time \(T\) seconds. The diagram shows part of the velocity-time graph for the motion of \(P\).

1. State the acceleration of \(P\) at time \(T\).
2. In this question you must show detailed reasoning. Determine the value of \(T\).
3. Find the total distance that \(P\) travels between times \(t = 0\) and \(t = T\). \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{a1f4ccbd-f5ed-437a-ae76-c4925ce86e25-09_524_410_251_242} Particles \(P\) and \(Q\), of masses 4 kg and 6 kg respectively, are attached to the ends of a light inextensible string. The string passes over a smooth fixed pulley. The system is in equilibrium with \(P\) hanging 1.75 m above a horizontal plane and \(Q\) resting on the plane. Both parts of the string below the pulley are vertical (see diagram).
   1. Find the magnitude of the normal reaction force acting on \(Q\). The mass of \(P\) is doubled, and the system is released from rest. You may assume that in the subsequent motion \(Q\) does not reach the pulley.
   2. Determine the magnitude of the force exerted on the pulley by the string before \(P\) strikes the plane.
   3. Determine the total distance travelled by \(Q\) between the instant when the system is released and the instant when \(Q\) first comes momentarily to rest. When this motion is observed in practice, it is found that the total distance travelled by \(Q\) between the instant when the system is released and the instant when \(Q\) first comes momentarily to rest is less than the answer calculated in part (c).
   4. State one factor that could account for this difference.

3 A particle is in equilibrium under the action of three forces in newtons given by $$\mathbf { F } _ { 1 } = \binom { 8 } { 0 } , \quad \mathbf { F } _ { 2 } = \binom { 2 a } { - 3 a } \quad \text { and } \quad \mathbf { F } _ { 3 } = \binom { 0 } { b } .$$ Find the values of the constants \(a\) and \(b\).

4 In this question, the \(x\) and \(y\) directions are horizontal and vertically upwards respectively.
A particle of mass 1.5 kg is in equilibrium under the action of its weight and forces \(\mathbf { F } _ { 1 } = \binom { 4 } { - 2 } \mathrm {~N}\) and \(\mathbf { F } _ { 2 }\). and \(\mathbf { F } _ { 2 }\).

1. Find the force \(\mathbf { F } _ { 2 }\). The force \(\mathbf { F } _ { 2 }\) is changed to \(\binom { 2 } { 20 } \mathrm {~N}\).
2. Find the acceleration of the particle.

3 Forces \(\mathbf { F } _ { 1 } = ( 2 \mathbf { i } + 9 \mathbf { j } ) \mathbf { N }\) and \(\mathbf { F } _ { 2 } = ( - \mathbf { i } + \mathbf { j } ) \mathbf { N }\) act on a particle. A third force \(\mathbf { F } _ { 3 }\) acts so that the particle is in equilibrium under the action of the three forces. Find the force \(\mathbf { F } _ { 3 }\).

3 Fig. 3 shows a particle of weight 8 N on a rough horizontal table.
The particle is being pulled by a horizontal force of 10 N .
It remains at rest in equilibrium. \begin{figure}[h] \end{figure}

1. What information given in the question, tells you that the forces shown in Fig. 3 cannot be the only forces acting on the particle?
2. The only other forces acting on the particle are due to the particle being on the table. State the types of these forces and their magnitudes.