Particle in circular tube or on wire

A particle or bead moves inside a smooth circular tube or on a circular wire, requiring energy conservation to find speeds at specified positions and normal reaction forces.

6 questions · Challenging +1.2

6.02i Conservation of energy: mechanical energy principle
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CAIE M2 2016 November Q6
7 marks Challenging +1.2
6 \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{0a80f46b-b37e-46ce-8907-9d10e4f62f6d-3_483_419_1800_863} The diagram shows a smooth narrow tube formed into a fixed vertical circle with centre \(O\) and radius 0.9 m . A light elastic string with modulus of elasticity 8 N and natural length 1.2 m has one end attached to the highest point \(A\) on the inside of the tube. The other end of the string is attached to a particle \(P\) of mass 0.2 kg . The particle is released from rest at the lowest point on the inside of the tube. By considering energy, calculate
  1. the speed of \(P\) when it is at the same horizontal level as \(O\),
  2. the speed of \(P\) at the instant when the string becomes slack.
Edexcel M3 2023 January Q6
14 marks Challenging +1.2
6. \begin{figure}[h]
\includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{631b78c4-2763-4a1e-9d30-2f301fe3af2e-16_574_506_283_776} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Figure 6}
\end{figure} A small smooth ring \(R\) of mass \(m\) is threaded on to a smooth wire in the shape of a circle with centre 0 and radius \(I\). The wire is fixed in a vertical plane. The ring \(R\) is attached to one end of a light elastic string of natural length I and modulus of elasticity mg . The other end of the elastic string is attached to A , the lowest point of the wire. The point B is on the wire and \(O B\) is horizontal. The ring \(R\) is at rest at the highest point of the wire, as shown in Figure 6.
The ring \(R\) is slightly disturbed from rest and slides along the wire.
At the instant when \(R\) reaches the point \(B\), the speed of \(R\) is \(v\) and the magnitude of the force exerted on R by the wire is N .
  1. Show that $$v ^ { 2 } = 2 g l \sqrt { 2 }$$
  2. Show that $$N = \frac { 1 } { 2 } m g ( 5 \sqrt { 2 } - 2 )$$
    \(\_\_\_\_\) VIAV SIHI NI JIIHM ION OC
    VILU SIHIL NI GLIUM ION OC
    VEYV SIHI NI ELIUM ION OC
CAIE FP2 2012 November Q2
7 marks Challenging +1.8
2 A small bead of mass \(m\) is threaded on a thin smooth wire which forms a circle of radius \(a\). The wire is fixed in a vertical plane. A light inextensible string is attached to the bead and passes through a small smooth ring fixed at the centre of the circle. The other end of the string is attached to a particle of mass \(4 m\) which hangs freely under gravity. The bead is projected from the lowest point of the wire with speed \(\sqrt { } ( k g a )\). Show that, when the angle between the two parts of the string is \(\theta\), the normal force exerted on the bead by the wire is \(m g ( 3 \cos \theta + k - 6 )\), towards the centre. Given that the bead reaches the highest point of the wire, find an inequality which must be satisfied by \(k\).
OCR Further Mechanics AS 2019 June Q1
6 marks Standard +0.3
1 \includegraphics[max width=\textwidth, alt={}, center]{74bada9e-60cf-4ed4-abd0-4be155b7cf81-2_533_424_402_246} A smooth wire is shaped into a circle of radius 2.5 m which is fixed in a vertical plane with its centre at a point \(O\). A small bead \(B\) is threaded onto the wire. \(B\) is held with \(O B\) vertical and is then projected horizontally with an initial speed of \(8.4 \mathrm {~ms} ^ { - 1 }\) (see diagram).
  1. Find the speed of \(B\) at the instant when \(O B\) makes an angle of 0.8 radians with the downward vertical through \(O\).
  2. Determine whether \(B\) has sufficient energy to reach the point on the wire vertically above \(O\).
OCR M3 2013 January Q4
11 marks Challenging +1.8
4 A smooth cylinder of radius \(a \mathrm {~m}\) is fixed with its axis horizontal and \(O\) is the centre of a cross-section. Particle \(P\), of mass 0.4 kg , and particle \(Q\), of mass 0.6 kg , are connected by a light inextensible string of length \(\pi a \mathrm {~m}\). The string is held at rest with \(P\) and \(Q\) at opposite ends of the horizontal diameter of the crosssection through \(O\) (see Fig. 1). The string is released and \(Q\) begins to descend. When \(O P\) has rotated through \(\theta\) radians, with \(P\) remaining in contact with the cylinder, the speed of each particle is \(v \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) (see Fig. 2). \begin{figure}[h]
\includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{dfe477d4-eae6-40e1-b704-1a97485f4c7e-3_365_433_520_424} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Fig. 1}
\end{figure} \begin{figure}[h]
\includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{dfe477d4-eae6-40e1-b704-1a97485f4c7e-3_396_643_484_1000} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Fig. 2}
\end{figure}
  1. Show that \(v ^ { 2 } = 3.92 a ( 3 \theta - 2 \sin \theta )\) and find an expression in terms of \(\theta\) for the normal force of the cylinder on \(P\) at this time.
  2. Given that \(P\) leaves the surface of the cylinder when \(\theta = \alpha\), show that \(\sin \alpha = k \alpha\) where \(k\) is a constant to be found.
OCR MEI Further Mechanics Major 2021 November Q10
13 marks Challenging +1.2
  1. Determine the magnitude of the normal reaction of the wire on P in terms of \(m , g , a , u\) and \(\theta\), when P is between B and C . P collides with a fixed barrier at C . The coefficient of restitution between P and the fixed barrier is \(e\). After this collision P moves back towards B . On the straight portion BA , the motion of P is resisted by a constant horizontal force \(F\).
  2. Show that P will reach A if $$F b \leqslant \frac { 1 } { 2 } m \left[ e ^ { 2 } u ^ { 2 } + k \left( 1 - e ^ { 2 } \right) g a \right] ,$$ where \(k\) is an integer to be determined.