PHYS 105 Fall 2023

Assignment#4 Model Answer

University of Science and Technology at Zewail City

1. Three blocks of masses m1 , m2 , m3 are connected by massless ropes over

two pulleys as per the figure. If the system is in equilibrium, find θ1 , θ2 .

θ1 θ2

m3
m1
m2

2. A block of mass m rests on a frictionless horizontal floor. You suddenly

pull the rope with force F = αt, where α being a constant and the rope
maintaining an angle θ with the horizontal.

I) At what time will the block lose contact with the floor?
II) How much would the block have moved before losing contact with
the floor.

3. A force F⃗ = αî + β k̂, where α and β are constants, is applied to a particle

of mass M initially at ⃗r = H k̂ and moving with velocity ⃗v0 = v0 ĵ. Find
the position vector as a function of time.
4. A massless rope goes over two massless frictionless pulleys, one of which
has a mass m attached to it. You apply a force F on the rope from the
free end.

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 m

I) Draw a free-body diagram to each section of the rope.

II) Draw a free-body diagram to the pulleys.
III) Find the force F you need to apply to maintain equilibrium.
IV) Your mass is M and now you decide to climb the rope with constant
velocity v. Find the force you need to apply to the rope.
V) If you climb a distance H, how much would the pulley have moved?

5. An ice block of mass m rests on an ice wedge of mass M inclined by an

angle θ on the horizontal. You apply a force F pushing the plane to the
left.

I) Draw a free-body diagram for the block.

II) Draw a free-body diagram for the wedge.
III) Find the force F needed so the block does not slide down the plane.

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Solutions
1. A free body diagram to the three masses and Newton’s first law reveals

T1 = m1 g
T2 = m2 g
T3 = m3 g

The tension must be the same along the massless rope over a frictionless
pulley so at the intersection point, we need the forces to balance

T1
θ1 θ3 T3 T3

T2
T1

T2

F⃗ = 0 ⇒ T⃗1 + T⃗2 + T⃗3 = 0

X

we can analyse the force in two direction and solve the two equations si-
multaneously for θ1 and θ3 but the easier path is to notice that if three
vectors are summed to zero then they must constitute the sides of a tri-
angle. The cosine law comes in handy;

T12 = T22 + T32 − 2T2 T3 cos θ3

T12 − T22 − T32 m2 − m22 − m23
⇒ cos θ3 = = 1 ,
2T2 T3 2m2 m3
T13 = T12 + T22 − 2T1 T2 cos θ1
T32 − T12 − T22 m2 − m21 − m22
⇒ cos θ1 = = 3
2T1 T2 2m1 m2

2. A free-body diagram to the mass and Newton’s second imply

F cos θ = max
F sin θ + N − mg = may

as the force increases, the normal force will decrease until the block loses
contact at the moment N = 0;

mg
tf =
α sin θ

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 the block is moving with changing acceleration along the x-axis;
α
ax (t) = cos θt
m
α
⇒ v(t) − v(0) = cos θt2
|{z} 2m
=0
α
⇒ x(t) − x(0) = cos θt3
|{z} 6m
=0
m2 g 3 cot θ
x(tf ) =
6α2 sin2 θ
3. From Newton’s second law
F⃗ = M⃗a
Z t ⃗
F
⃗v (t) − ⃗v (0) = dt
0 m
1
= (αî + β k̂)t
M
1
⇒ ⃗v (t) = v0 ĵ + (αî + β k̂)t
M
1
⃗r(t) − ⃗r(0) = v0 tĵ + (αî + β k̂)t2
2M
α 2 β 2
⃗r(t) = t î + v0 tĵ + ( t + H)k̂
2M 2M
4. Free-body diagrams are included in the figure below
The three ropes and up pulley are massless so the summation of the forces
on them should be zero, while summation of forces on the down pulley
would equal mass times acceleration
N1 = T1
mg − 2T1 = ma
T1 = T2
N2 = 2T2
F = T2
for equilibrium; a = 0 ⇒ F = T1 = T2 = mg 2 .
To climb the rope with constant velocity, the summation of forces must
vanish and the force youP apply on the rope would be equal to the force
applied on the person; F⃗ = 0 ⇒ F = M g where M being the mass.
While the person is climbing with constant speed, the block m experiences
a net force hence it accelerate
2M − m
2T − mg = ma ⇒ a = g
m
the person moves a distance H in time tf = H
v while the rope is moving
under constant acceleration;
a 2
∆x = t
2
2M − m
∆x(tf ) = gH 2
2mv 2

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 T1

N1
T1

T1 mg

(a) Right rope (b) Down pulley

N2 T2
T2

T2 F
T1

T2
(c) Middle rope (e) Left rope
(d) Up pulley

5. Free-body diagrams are depicted in the figure below.

NE
N
θ
F
θ
N
mg
Mg

Figure 3: Free-body diagram for the block on the left and the wedge on the
right.

From Newton’s second law to the block and the wedge. Assuming they
both are moving with the same horizontal acceleration a;

N cos θ − mg = 0
N sin θ = ma
F − N sin θ = Ma
NE − N cos θ − M g = 0

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the system can be solved simultaneously to yield;

NE = (m + M )g
mg
N =
cos θ
a = g tan θ
F = (m + M )g tan θ