Open qa 11

course Phy 231

6/19 10:30

011. Note that there are 12 questions in this set. Situations involving forces and accelerations

Question: `q001. A cart on a level, frictionless surface contains ten masses, each of mass 2 kg. The cart itself has a mass of 30 kg. A light weight hanger is attached to the cart by a light but strong rope and suspended over the light frictionless pulley at the end of the level surface.

Ignoring the weights of the rope, hanger and pulley, what will be the acceleration of the cart if one of the 2 kg masses is transferred from the cart to the hanger?

Your solution:

Force made by the weight: 2kg*9.8m/s^2 = 19.6N

19.6N = 50kg*a

A = 19.6kg m/s^2 / 50kg = .392m/s^2

confidence rating #$&* 2

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Given Solution:

At the surface of the Earth gravity, which is observed here near the surface to accelerate freely falling objects at 9.8 m/s^2, must exert a force of 2 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 19.6 Newtons on the hanging 2 kg mass.

This force will tend to accelerate the system consisting of the cart, rope, hanger and suspended mass, in the 'forward' direction--the direction in which the various components of the system must accelerate if the hanging mass is to accelerate in the downward direction. This is the only force accelerating the system in this direction.

All other forces, including the force of gravity pulling the cart and the remaining masses downward and the normal force exerted by the level surface to prevent gravity from accelerating the cart downward, are in a direction perpendicular to the motion of these components of the system; furthermore these forces are balanced so that they add up to 0.

The mass of the system is that of the 30 kg cart plus that of the ten 2 kg masses, a total of 50 kg.

The net force of 19.6 Newtons exerted on a 50 kg mass therefore results in acceleration

a = Fnet / m = 19.6 Newtons / (50 kg)

= 19.6 kg m/s^2 / (50 kg)

= .392 m/s^2.

The 2 kg weight is still part of the mass that's being accelerated. It's been moved from the cart to the hanger, but it's still there. All 50 kg are being accelerated by that net force.

Self-critique (if necessary): OK

Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q002. Two 1-kg masses are suspended over a pulley, one on either side. A 100-gram mass is added to the 1-kg mass on one side of the pulley. How much force does gravity exert on each side of the pulley, and what is the net force acting on the entire 2.1 kg system?

Your solution:

Side 1: 1kg*9.8m/s^2 = 9.8N

Side 2: 1.1kg*9.8m/s^2 = 10.78N

Net force = 10.78N-9.8N = .98N

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

The 1-kg mass experiences a force of F = 1 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 9.8 Newtons. The other side has a total mass of 1 kg + 100 grams = 1 kg + .1 kg = 1.1 kg, so it experiences a force of F = 1.1 kg * 9.8 Newtons = 10.78 Newtons.

So in this case we take note of the fact that the two forces are indeed opposing, with one tending to pull the system in one direction and the other in the opposite direction.

We also see that we have to abandon the notion that the appropriate directions for motion of the system are 'up' and 'down'. We instead take the positive direction to be the direction in which the system moves when the 1.1 kg mass descends.

We now see that the net force in the positive direction is 10.78 Newtons and that a force of 9.8 Newtons acts in the negative direction, so that the net force on the system is 10.78 Newtons - 9.8 Newtons =.98 Newtons.

The net force of .98 Newtons on a system whose total mass is 2.1 kg results in an acceleration of .98 Newtons / (2.1 kg) = .45 m/s^2, approx.. Thus the system accelerates in the direction of the 1.1 kg mass at .45 m/s^2.

Additional note on + and - directions:

One force tends to accelerate the system in one direction, the other tends to accelerate it in the opposite direction.

• So you need to choose a positive direction and put a + or - sign on each force, consistent with your chosen positive direction.

The positive direction can't be 'up' or 'down', since part of the system moves up while another part moves down.

• The easiest way to specify a positive direction is to specify the direction of one of the masses.

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Self-critique (if necessary): OK

Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q003. If in the previous question there is friction in the pulley, as there must be in any real-world pulley, the system in the previous problem will not accelerate at the rate calculated there. Suppose that the pulley exerts a retarding frictional force on the system which is equal in magnitude to 1% of the weight of the system. In this case what will be the acceleration of the system, assuming that it is moving in the positive direction (as defined in the previous exercise)?

Your solution:

Original net force =2.1kg*9.8m/s^2 = 20.58N

Friction force = 20.58N*.01 = -.206N

With friction = 10.78N-9.8N-.206N = .77N

.77N = 2.1kg *a

A = .77 kg m/s^2 / 2.1kg = .367m/s^2

confidence rating #$&*: 2

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Given Solution:

We first determine the force exerted a friction. The weight of the system is the force exerted by gravity on the mass of the system. The system has mass 2.1 kg, so the weight of the system must be

2.1 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 20.58 Newtons.

1% of this weight is .21 Newtons, rounded off to two significant figures. This force will be exerted in the direction opposite to that of the motion of the system; since the system is assume to be moving in the positive direction the force exerted by friction will be

frictional force = -.21 Newtons.

The net force exerted by the system will in this case be 10.78 Newtons - 9.8 Newtons - .21 Newtons = .77 Newtons, in contrast with the .98 Newton net force of the original exercise.

The acceleration of the system will be

.77 Newtons / (2.1 kg) = .37 m/s^2, approx..

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Self-critique (if necessary): OK

Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q004. Why was it necessary in the previous version of the exercise to specify that the system was moving in the direction of the 1.1 kg mass. Doesn't the system have to move in that direction?

Your solution:

It is better to stay in the habit of telling which way the system is moving so that when you get into more complicated situations that are not obvious, you do not get confused. Also, you have to take into account the initial conditions of the system because things do not always start from rest.

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

If the system is released from rest, since acceleration is in the direction of the 1.1 kg mass its velocity will certainly always be positive.

However, the system doesn't have to be released from rest. We could give a push in the negative direction before releasing it, in which case it would continue moving in the negative direction until the positive acceleration brought it to rest for an instant, after which it would begin moving faster and faster in the positive direction.

Self-critique (if necessary): OK

Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q005. If the system of the preceding series of exercises is initially moving in the negative direction, then including friction in the calculation what is its acceleration?

Your solution:

You do add the forces again, only this time the friction force is positive because it is going in the same direction as the movement. So, 10.78N-9.9N+.206N = 1.19N

1.19N = 2.1kg*a

A = 1.19 kg m/s^2 / 2.1kg = .567m/s^2

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

Its acceleration will be due to the net force. This net force will include the 10.78 Newton force in the positive direction and the 9.8 Newton force in the negative direction. It will also include a frictional force of .21 Newtons in the direction opposed to motion.

Since motion is in the negative direction, the frictional force will therefore be in the positive direction. The net force will thus be

Fnet = 10.78 Newtons - 9.8 Newtons + .21 Newtons = +1.19 Newtons, in contrast to the +.98 Newtons obtained when friction was neglected and the +.77 Newtons obtained when the system was moving in the positive direction. ,

The acceleration of the system is therefore

• a = 1.19 N / (2.1 kg) = .57 m/s^2.

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Self-critique (if necessary): OK

Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q006. If friction is neglected, what will be the result of adding 100 grams to a similar system which originally consists of two 10-kg masses, rather than the two 1-kg masses in the previous examples?

Your solution:

System 1: 10kg*9.8m/s^2 = 98N

System 2: 10.1kg*9.8m/s^2 = 98.98N

98.98N-98N = 1N

.98N = 20.1kg*a

A = .98 kg m/s^2 / 20.1kg = .049m/s^2

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

In this case the masses will be 10.1 kg and 10 kg. The force on the 10.1 kg mass will be 10.1 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 98.98 Newtons and the force on the 10 kg mass will be 10 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 98 Newtons.

The net force will therefore be .98 Newtons, as it was in the previous example where friction was neglected.

We note that this.98 Newtons is the result of the additional 100 gram mass, which is the same in both examples.

The total mass of the system is 10 kg + 10.1 kg = 20.1 kg, so that the acceleration of the system is

• a = .98 Newtons / 20.1 kg = .048 m/s^2, approx..

Comparing this with the preceding situation, where the net force was the same (.98 N) but the total mass was 2.1 kg, we see that the same net force acting on the significantly greater mass results in significantly less acceleration.

The more accurate statement is that forces exerted by kinetic friction act in the direction opposite the relative motion of the two surfaces. (Forces exerted by static friction act in the direction opposite the sum of all other forces).

• For example a concrete block, free to slide around in the bed of a pickup truck which is accelerating forward, is accelerated by the frictional force between it and the truckbed. So the frictional force is in its direction of motion. If the block doesn't slide, it is static friction that accelerates it and there is no relative motion between the surfaces of the block and the truckbed. If the block does slide, the frictional force is still pushing it forward relative to the road, and relative to the road it accelerates in its direction of motion, but the frictional force isn't sufficient to accelerate it at the same rate as the truck; it therefore slides backward relative to the truckbed. Relative to the truckbed the block slides backward while the frictional force pushes it forward--the frictional force is in the direction opposite the relative motion.

• If the block is sliding, it is moving toward the back of the truck while friction is pushing it toward the front. So in this case the frictional force acts in the direction opposite the relative motion of the two surfaces.

Self-critique (if necessary): OK

Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q007. If friction is not neglected, what will be the result for the system with the two 10-kg masses with .1 kg added to one side? Note that by following what has gone before you could, with no error and through no fault of your own, possibly get an absurd result here, which will be repeated in the explanation then resolved at the end of the explanation.

Your solution:

20.1kg*9.8m/s^2 = 197N

197*.01 = 1.97N = frictional force

98.98N-98N-1.97N = -.99N net force

-.99N = 20.1kg *a

A = -.99 kg m/s^2 / 20.1 kg = -.049m/s^2

confidence rating #$&*: 2

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Given Solution:

If friction is still equal to 1% of the total weight of the system, which in this case is 20.1 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 197 Newtons, then the frictional force will be .01 * 197 Newtons = 1.97 Newtons. This frictional force will oppose the motion of the system.

For the moment assume the motion of the system to be in the positive direction. This will result in a frictional force of -1.97 Newtons. The net force on the system is therefore 98.98 Newtons - 98 Newtons - 1.97 Newtons = -.99 Newtons.

This net force is in the negative direction, opposite to the direction of the net gravitational force. If the system is moving this is perfectly all right--the frictional force being greater in magnitude than the net gravitational force, the system can slow down.

Suppose the system is released from rest. Then we might expect that as a result of the greater weight on the positive side it will begin accelerating in the positive direction. However, if it moves at all the frictional force would result in a -.99 Newton net force, which would accelerate it in the negative direction and very quickly cause motion in that direction. Of course friction can't do this--its force is always exerted in a direction opposite to that of motion--so friction merely exerts just enough force to keep the object from moving at all.

Friction acts as though it is quite willing to exert any force up to 1.97 Newtons to oppose motion, and up to this limit the frictional force can be used to keep motion from beginning.

In fact, the force that friction can exert to keep motion from beginning is usually greater than the force it exerts to oppose motion once it is started.

Self-critique (if necessary): OK

Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q008. A cart on an incline is subject to the force of gravity. Depending on the incline, some of the force of gravity is balanced by the incline. On a horizontal surface, the force of gravity is completely balanced by the upward force exerted by the incline. If the incline has a nonzero slope, the gravitational force (i.e., the weight of the object) can be thought of as having two components, one parallel to the incline and one perpendicular to the incline. The incline exerts a force perpendicular to itself, and thereby balances the weight component perpendicular to the incline. The weight component parallel to the incline is not balanced, and tends to accelerate the object down the incline. Frictional forces tend to resist this parallel component of the weight and reduce or eliminate the acceleration.

[If you remember your trigonometry you might note that the exact value of the parallel weight component is the product of the weight and the sine of the angle of the incline, that for small angles the sine of the angle is equal to the tangent of the angle, and that the tangent of the angle of the incline is the slope. The product of slope and weight is therefore a good approximation for small angles or small slopes.]

What therefore would be the component of the gravitational force acting parallel to an incline with slope .07 on a cart of mass 3 kg?

Your solution:

Gravitational force = 3kg*9.8m/s^2 = 29.4N

Parallel component = .07 *29.4N = 2.06N

confidence rating #$&* 2

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Given Solution:

The gravitational force on a 3 kg object is its weight and is equal to 3 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 29.4 Newtons. The weight component parallel to the incline is found approximately as (parallel weight component) = slope * weight = .07 * 29.4 Newtons = 2.1 Newtons (approx.)..

The situation talks about the weight having two components, one being parallel to the incline, and the instruction tells you how to find that parallel component when the slope of the incline is small.

We know from experience that an object will pick up speed along the incline, as opposed to the direction perpendicular to the incline (to move in the perpendicular direction the object would have to leave the incline, either burrowing down into the incline or levitating up off the incline).

The direction along the incline is parallel to the incline. So its acceleration is parallel to the incline, and the net force must be parallel to the incline.

In the absence of other forces, only gravity has a component parallel to the incline. Therefore in this ideal case the gravitational component parallel to the incline is the net force. In reality there are other forces present (e.g., friction) but the parallel gravitational component is nevertheless present, and contributes to the net force in the direction of motion.

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Self-critique (if necessary): OK

Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q009. What will be the acceleration of the cart in the previous example, assuming that it is free to accelerate down the incline and that frictional forces are negligible?

Your solution:

2.1N = 3kg*a

A = 2.1 kg m/s^2 / 3kg = .7m/s^2

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

The weight component perpendicular to the incline is balanced by the perpendicular force exerted by the incline. The only remaining force is the parallel component of the weight, which is therefore the net force. The acceleration will therefore be a = F / m = 2.1 Newtons / (3 kg) = .7 m/s^2.

Self-critique (if necessary): OK

Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q010. What would be the acceleration of the cart in the previous example if friction exerted a force equal to 2% of the weight of the cart, assuming that the cart is moving down the incline? [Note that friction is in fact a percent of the perpendicular force exerted by the incline; however for small slopes the perpendicular force is very close to the total weight of the object].

Your solution:

Weight = 29.4N

29.4N*.02 = .588N = friction

2.1N-.588N = 1.5N = net force

1.5N = 3kg*a

A = 1.5 kg m/s^2 / 3kg = .5m/s^2

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

The weight of the cart was found to be 29.4 Newtons. The frictional force will therefore be .02 * 29.4 Newtons = .59 Newtons approx.. This frictional force will oppose the motion of the cart, which is down the incline.

If the downward direction along the incline is taken as positive, the frictional force will be negative and the 2.1 Newton parallel component of the weight will be positive. The net force on the object will therefore be

net force = 2.1 Newtons - .59 Newtons = 1.5 Newtons (approx.).

This will result in an acceleration of

a = Fnet / m = 1.5 Newtons / 3 kg = .5 m/s^2.

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Self-critique (if necessary): OK

Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q011. Given the conditions of the previous question, what would be the acceleration of the cart if it was moving up the incline?

Your solution:

2.1N+.588N = 2.7N (friction is going in the same direction)

2.7N = 3kg *a

A = 2.7 kg m/s^2 / 3kg = .9m/s^2

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

In this case the frictional force would still have magnitude .59 Newtons, but would be directed opposite to the motion, or down the incline. If the direction down the incline is still taken as positive, the net force must be

net force = 2.1 Newtons + .59 Newtons = 2.7 Newtons (approx).

The cart would then have acceleration

a = Fnet / m = 2.7 Newtons / 3 kg = .9 m/s^2.

The direction of gravity does not determine the positive direction; the positive direction is simply declared in the solution, and you would be free to use either direction as positive.

Once the positive direction is declared, all forces, displacements, velocities and accelerations will be positive or negative depending on whether they are in the positive direction, or opposite to it.

The positive direction as chosen in the given solution is down the incline. The displacement is up the incline, as is the velocity, so both displacement and velocity are negative.

The frictional force and the component of the gravitational force along the incline are both positive, according to the choice of positive direction.

So the object has a negative velocity and a positive acceleration, meaning that it is moving in the negative direction but slowing.

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Self-critique (if necessary): OK

Self-critique rating #$&* OK

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Question: `q012. Assuming a very long incline, describe the motion of the cart which is given an initial velocity up the incline from a point a few meters up from the lower end of the incline. Be sure to include any acceleration experienced by the cart.

Your solution:

The car will have the initial positive velocity from the point in the middle of the incline. As the car continues to move, the velocity begins to decrease because the acceleration due to gravity is negative and making the velocity go closer to 0m/s. Eventually, the velocity will reach 0 and the car will stop for a moment. Then, gravity will begin to accelerate the car in the negative direction (backwards) which makes the velocity increase but in the negative direction (going faster backwards). The car will continue to accelerate as it goes toward the bottom of the incline and it will pass the starting point.

The acceleration for the whole thing will be negative, -.9m/s^2 when the car is going up the ramp and -.7 when it is going down the incline. Velocity will begin positive, but will decrease, reach 0m/s and then increase in the negative direction. Position begins in the positive direction and then changes to negative at the same time velocity changes.

confidence rating #$&*: 3

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Given Solution:

The cart begins with a velocity up the incline, which we still taken to be the negative direction, and an acceleration of +.9 m/s^2. This positive acceleration tends to slow the cart while it is moving in the negative direction, and the cart slows by .9 m/s every second it spends moving up the incline.

Eventually its velocity will be 0 for an instant, immediately after which it begins moving down the incline as result of the acceleration provided by the weight component parallel to the incline.

As soon as it starts moving down the incline its acceleration decreases to +.5 m/s^2, but since the acceleration and velocity are now parallel the cart speeds up, increasing its velocity by .5 m/s every second, until it reaches the lower end of the incline.

Self-critique (if necessary): I had my directions reversed with the acceleration negative the whole time…

as long as the positive direction is declared, either direction can be chosen

Self-critique rating #$&* 3

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