Name: _______________________________________________

Chapter 4 - Application of Forces

Year 13
Date:

Time:

Total marks available: 120

Total marks achieved: ______

Questions
Q1.

Two particles P and Q have masses 0.3 kg and m kg respectively. The particles are attached to the ends
of a light inextensible string. The string passes over a small smooth pulley which is fixed at the top of a

fixed rough plane. The plane is inclined to the horizontal at an angle a, where tan a = The coefficient of

friction between P and the plane is

The string lies in a vertical plane through a line of greatest slope of the inclined plane. The particle P is
held at rest on the inclined plane and the particle Q hangs freely below the pulley with the string taut, as
shown in Figure 2.

The system is released from rest and Q accelerates vertically downwards at 1.4 m s−2.
Find

(a) the magnitude of the normal reaction of the inclined plane on P,

(2)
(b) the value of m.
(8)
When the particles have been moving for 0.5 s, the string breaks. Assuming that P does not reach the
pulley,

(c) find the further time that elapses until P comes to instantaneous rest.
(6)
(Total 16 marks)

Q2.
 Figure 3

Two particles, A and B, have masses 2m and m respectively. The particles are attached to the ends of a
light inextensible string. Particle A is held at rest on a fixed rough horizontal table at a distance d from a
small smooth light pulley which is fixed at the edge of the table at the point P. The coefficient of friction

between A and the table is μ, where μ < .

The string is parallel to the table from A to P and passes over the pulley. Particle B hangs freely at rest
vertically below P with the string taut and at a height h, (h < d), above a horizontal floor, as shown in
Figure 3. Particle A is released from rest with the string taut and slides along the table.

(a) (i) Write down an equation of motion for A.

(ii) Write down an equation of motion for B.
(4)

(b) Hence show that, until B hits the floor, the acceleration of A is (1 − 2μ).
(3)
(c) Find, in terms of g, h and μ, the speed of A at the instant when B hits the floor.
(2)

After B hits the floor, A continues to slide along the table. Given that μ = and that A comes to rest at P,

(d) find d in terms of h.

(5)

(e) Describe what would happen if μ =

(1)

(Total for question = 15 marks)

Q3.

Two particles P and Q have masses 1.5 kg and 3 kg respectively. The particles are attached to the ends
of a light inextensible string. Particle P is held at rest on a fixed rough horizontal table. The coefficient of

friction between P and the table is . The string is parallel to the table and passes over a small smooth
light pulley which is fixed at the edge of the table. Particle Q hangs freely at rest vertically below the
pulley, as shown in Figure 3. Particle P is released from rest with the string taut and slides along the
table.

Assuming that P has not reached the pulley, find

(a) the tension in the string during the motion,

(8)
(b) the magnitude and direction of the resultant force exerted on the pulley by the string.
(4)

(Total for question = 12 marks)

Q4.

Figure 5 shows two particles A and B, of mass 2m and 4m respectively, connected by a light inextensible
string. Initially A is held at rest on a rough inclined plane which is fixed to horizontal ground. The plane is
inclined to the horizontal at an angle a, where tan a = . The coefficient of friction between A and the

plane is . The string passes over a small smooth pulley P which is fixed at the top of the plane. The part
of the string from A to P is parallel to a line of greatest slope of the plane and B hangs vertically below P.
The system is released from rest with the string taut, with A at the point X and with B at a height h above
the ground.

For the motion until B hits the ground,

(a) give a reason why the magnitudes of the accelerations of the two particles are the same,

(1)

(b) write down an equation of motion for each particle,

(4)

(c) find the acceleration of each particle.

(5)

Particle B does not rebound when it hits the ground and A continues moving up the plane towards P.
Given that A comes to rest at the point Y, without reaching P,

(d) find the distance XY in terms of h.

(6)
(Total 16 marks)

Q5.

Figure 1

A non-uniform rod, AB, of mass m and length 2l, rests in equilibrium with one end A on a rough horizontal
floor and the other end B against a rough vertical wall. The rod is in a vertical plane perpendicular to the
wall and makes an angle of 60° with the floor as shown in Figure 1. The coefficient of friction between the
rod and the floor is 1⁄4 and the coefficient of friction between the rod and the wall is 2⁄3. The rod is on the
point of slipping at both ends.

(a) Find the magnitude of the vertical component of the force exerted on the rod by the floor.
(5)
The centre of mass of the rod is at G.

(b) Find the distance AG.

(3)

(Total 10 marks)

Q6.

Figure 3

A uniform rod AB, of mass 5 kg and length 8 m, has its end B resting on rough horizontal ground. The rod

is held in limiting equilibrium at an angle α to the horizontal, where tan α = , by a rope attached to the
rod at C. The distance AC = 1 m. The rope is in the same vertical plane as the rod. The angle between
the rope and the rod is β and the tension in the rope is T newtons, as shown in Figure 3. The coefficient of

friction between the rod and the ground is . The vertical component of the force exerted on the rod at B
by the ground is R newtons.

(a) Find the value of R.

(6)
(b) Find the size of angle β.
(5)

(Total for question = 11 marks)

Q7.

A ladder, of length 5 m and mass 18 kg, has one end A resting on rough horizontal ground and its other
end B resting against a smooth vertical wall. The ladder lies in a vertical plane perpendicular to the wall

and makes an angle a with the horizontal ground, where tan a = , as shown in Figure 1. The coefficient
of friction between the ladder and the ground is μ. A woman of mass 60 kg stands on the ladder at the
point C, where AC = 3 m. The ladder is on the point of slipping. The ladder is modelled as a uniform rod
and the woman as a particle.

Find the value of μ.

(9)
(Total 9 marks)

Q8.
A ladder AB, of mass m and length 4a, has one end A resting on rough horizontal ground. The other end
B rests against a smooth vertical wall. A load of mass 3m is fixed on the ladder at the point C, where AC =
a. The ladder is modelled as a uniform rod in a vertical plane perpendicular to the wall and the load is
modelled as a particle. The ladder rests in limiting equilibrium making an angle of 30° with the wall, as
shown in Figure 2.

Find the coefficient of friction between the ladder and the ground.
(10)

(Total 10 marks)

Q9.

A rough circular cylinder of radius 4a is fixed to a rough horizontal plane with its axis horizontal. A uniform
rod AB, of weight W and length 6a√3, rests with its lower end A on the plane and a point C of the rod
against the cylinder. The vertical plane through the rod is perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder. The rod
is inclined at 60° to the horizontal, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1
(a) Show that AC = 4a√3
(2)

The coefficient of friction between the rod and the cylinder is and the coefficient of friction between the
rod and the plane is μ. Given that friction is limiting at both A and C,

(b) find the value of μ.

(9)
(Total 11 marks)

Q10.

Figure 1
Figure 1 shows a ladder AB, of mass 25 kg and length 4 m, resting in equilibrium with one end A on rough
horizontal ground and the other end B against a smooth vertical wall. The ladder is in a vertical plane
perpendicular to the wall. The coefficient of friction between the ladder and the ground is . The ladder
makes an angle β with the ground. When Reece, who has mass 75 kg, stands at the point C on the
ladder, where AC = 2.8 m, the ladder is on the point of slipping. The ladder is modelled as a uniform rod
and Reece is modelled as a particle.
(a) Find the magnitude of the frictional force of the ground on the ladder.
(3)
(b) Find, to the nearest degree, the value of β.
(6)
(c) State how you have used the modelling assumption that Reece is a particle.
(1)

(Total 10 marks)

Mark Scheme
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.
Q5.
Q6.
Q7.
Q8.
Q9.
Q10.