NOTES WITH EXERCISES MECHANICAL PHYSICS (Preliminary Version 2012)

4.11 Proposed Exercises

A determined force applied to a mass m1it gives an acceleration of

20 [m/s]2The same force applied to another mass m2gives an acceleration of
30 [m/s2The two masses are joined and the same force is applied to the combination of
ambas. Find the resultant acceleration.
R.: 12 [m/s2]

To drag a trunk of 100 [kg] on the ground at a constant speed, one

He pushes it horizontally with a force of 300 [N]. a) What is the resisting force?
What force does the ground exert? b) What force must we exert if we want to give the trunk a
acceleration of 2.0 [m/s2]?
R.: a) 300 N ; b) 500 N

A young woman weighing 60 [kg] weighs herself by standing on a scale inside a

elevator. What will the reading on the scale be when a) the elevator is descending
with a constant speed of 3 [m/s]; b) the elevator is rising with a
acceleration of 1.2 [m/s2]; c) the elevator is descending with an acceleration of
1.2 [m/s2]?
(Take g = 10 [m/s2])
R.: a) 600 [N]; b) 672 [N]; c) 528 [N]

04) Two masses, one of 2.0 [kg] and the other of 1.0 [kg], are placed together on a surface.
Horizontal lisa. A horizontal force of 5.0 [N] is exerted on a mass of 2.0 [kg].
a) ¿Cuál es la aceleración del sistema? b) Cuál es la
acceleration of the mass of 1.0 [kg]? c) What is the force F 2[kg] 1 kg
exerted on her? How is this force generated?
d) What is the net force acting on the mass of
2.0 [kg]?
R.: a) 5/3 [m/s]2]; b) 5/3 [m/s2]; c) 5/3 [N]; d) 10/3 [N]

05) A mass M1A mass of 100 [kg] is pushed along a smooth horizontal surface.
through a horizontal force F so that its acceleration is a1= 6.0 [m/s2Another
mass M220[kg] slides over the previous one with an acceleration2=4.0 [m/s2. (By
it slides back with respect to M1a) What
frictional force exerted by the mass M1about M2? M2 a2
b) What is the magnitude of the applied force F? c)
Once M2it falls, what is the acceleration that F
M1 a1
acquire M1? d) How do their responses vary if M2
will not slide over M1, so that both
they accelerate at 6.0 [m/s2]?
R.: a) 80 [N]; b) 680 [N]; c) 6,8 [m/s2] d) 120 [N]; 720[N]; M2it does not fall

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Gutiérrez, B., Miranda, E. (Preliminary Version 2012)

Two equal masses, of 0.8 [kg] each, are connected to each other by a rope.
ideal. The masses are raised vertically with constant speed.
by applying a force F to the upper mass. a) Draw the forces that F
they act on each mass. b) Determine the magnitude of the applied force F
the tension in the rope that connects the masses so that the system rises with m1
constant speed. c) If the maximum tension that the rope can withstand
The force that unites the masses without breaking is 12 [N], determine the maximum force.
m2
what could be applied to me1so that the system is raised vertically.
d) What acceleration does the system rise with in this last case?
R.: b) F = 16 [N]; T = 8 [N]; c) 24 [N]; d) 5 [m/s2]

A boy pulls his sled of 60 [N] at a constant speed, going uphill.

a hill that has a slope of 15°. Pull the sled with a force of 25 [N],
parallel to the surface of the hill. a) Determine the coefficient of kinetic friction
between the sled and the surface. b) At the top of the hill, the boy gets on the sled
and slides down. What acceleration does it have while going down the slope?
R.: a) 0,16; b) 1,0 [m/s2]

The figure illustrates two bodies that are suspended, one of a

ideal string and the other of an ideal spring with constant k. Determine the
M1
tension in the rope and the stretching of the spring.
M 2g
 M1
R.: M g 2 ; k
k
M2

L
2
Two identical spheres, with mass M, are hanging.
by ideal strings of length L, from two points
separated by L/2. If the two spheres are connected by a rope
of length L/4, determine the tension in each of the three L L
strings.
R.: 98,4[N]; 98,4[N]; 12,3[N]
M L
M
4

10) Two masses of 5.0 [kg] are connected by

a light rope, as indicated by the figure. M
a) Determine the acceleration of each mass and the
tension in the rope if the table is smooth and the rope
It passes through a pulley without friction.
b) Determine the acceleration of each mass and the tension M
on the rope if the table is rough and the coefficient of
kinetic friction is 0.2
R.: a) 5 [m/s2] ; 25 [N] ; b) 4 [m/s2] ; 30 [N]
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 NOTES WITH EXERCISES MECHANICAL PHYSICS (Preliminary Version 2012)

11) The figure shows

three masses connected to each other M2
by light strings. The mass of the
center slides over a table,
being the coefficient of friction
between both equal to 0.35. The M1
pulleys have negligible mass M3
and without friction. The values of the
masses are M1M = 4.0 [kg]2= 1.0 [kg] and M3= 2.0 [kg]. Determine: a) the acceleration of
each block and its addresses, b) the tensions in the ropes.
R.: a) 2.36 [m/s2downwards; 2.36 [m/s]2to the left; 2.36 [m/s]2towards
above; b) 30.6 [N] and 24.7 [N]

12) Two forces act on an object of 4.0 [kg],F 2i 3j N 1     y

  NThe
F2 4i 11j 
 object is at rest at the origin at time t = 0. a) What is

la aceleración del objeto? b) ¿Cuál es su velocidad en el instante t = 3 [s]? C) ¿Cuál es

the position vector of the object at that moment?
 
R.: a)1.5i 2j m /s ; b) 4.5i 6j
2
 
 9j  m
m/s; c)6, 75i    

13) There are two blocks connected as follows

shown in the figure. The inclined plane forms a
angleq= 37° with the horizontal. Between the block M1
of mass M1= 15 kg and the plane, the coefficient of
M2
static return is 0.4. Determine the maximum values
and the minimum mass M2so that the system q
remain balanced.
R.: 13.8 [kg] ; 4.2 [kg]

14) A block rises up an inclined plane at an angle.q = 40º with speed

constant applying a constant force F = 15 [N] parallel to the plane. If the
the coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and the plane is c = 0.3, determine:
a) the mass M of the block,
b) the net force acting on the block
while climbing at a constant speed. M h
c) Find the minimum force (magnitude and
direction) required for the block to go down with F q
constant speed.
R.: a) 1,7 [kg] ; b) 0 ; c) 7,0 [N]

A truck moving horizontally at 15.0 [m/s] transports a

box. If the static friction coefficient between the box and the truck is 0.40,
find the minimum stopping distance of the truck so that the box does not
slide.
R.: 28.7 [m]
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Gutiérrez, B., Miranda, E. (Preliminary Version 2012)

16) The coefficient of kinetic friction between the masses m1y m2shown in the figure is
0.3. Consider m1= 2.0[kg]; m2=3.0[kg];
T1
M = 10.0 [kg]. The horizontal surface and m1
the pulleys are frictionless and all the T2
masses are released from rest. a)
m2
Draw the free body diagram of
each mass. b) Determine the acceleration of
each block. c) Find the tension in the M
strings.
R.:b) 5.9 [m/s2] ; c) T1= 17.8 [N]; T241.0 [N]

17) There are two masses, m1y m2joined by an ideal string in the shape
shown in the figure. The rope passes through a
pulley with negligible mass. Find the
minimum coefficient of static friction between the m1 q
block "1" and the table so that the system can
find balance.
Express your answer in terms of m.1, m2y
q. m2
m2cosq
R.:
m1m2youq

18) A block of 2.0 [kg] of mass is placed on an inclined plane at 20º.

horizontally. The static friction coefficient between the
block and the plane is e= 0.3 and the coefficient of kinetic friction F
is c = 0.15. I) A force F is applied to the block
20 [N], parallel to the plane and upwards, as it m
shown in the figure. a) Draw the force diagram
corresponding. b) Determine the acceleration of block y 20°
the magnitude of the frictional force.
II) If the force F decreases to 10 [N], always applied parallel to the inclined plane.
and upwards, it is observed that the block does not move. Find in this case the
magnitude and direction of the friction force.
R.: I b) 5.17 [m/s2]; 2.82 [N]; II) 3.16 [N], downward from the plane

19) Considere la configuración mostrada en la figura.

All the pulleys have negligible mass and friction. T1
zero and mass m1slides without friction. Calculate the m1
acceleration of each mass and the tensions in the
strings.
m2 g a1 m1m2g
R.: a1 ; a ; T1 ; T2 2T1
m2 2 2 m2
2m1 2m1
2 2 T2
m2

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 NOTES WITH EXERCISES MECHANICAL PHYSICS (Preliminary Version 2012)

A weight box is pushed by a force F. F

on a horizontal and rough floor. Prove that the magnitude
minimum necessary for the box to be ready for
to move is
w sec
F
1  tan

A large box full of merchandise, weighing w = 1000 [N], is at rest.

on a rough horizontal surface. A young man tries to drag the box by pulling it with
a rope that forms an angleq= 30º with the horizontal. a) If the coefficient of friction
static between the box and the surface is e= 0.5, determine the minimum force that must be
make the young man start to move it. b) What is
the maximum force that the young man can apply to
that the box does not come off the ground? c) If the young man
applies a force F = 600 [N] and the coefficient of q
kinetic energy is c = 0.3, calculate how long it takes w
by dragging the box a distance d = 20 [m].
R.: a) 448[N] ; b) 2000 [N] ; c) 3,6 [s]

22) An inclined plane, which forms an angle of 25º with the horizontal, has a
pulley at the top. A 30.0 [kg] block on the inclined plane is attached
through an ideal rope that goes over the pulley, to a 20.0 [kg] block that
It hangs freely. Find the distance that this last block descends in 2.0 [s], if
part of the rest.
R.: 2.9 [m]

23) a) An elevator starts from rest and ascends with constant acceleration. It moves
1.0 [m] in the first 0.90 [s]. A passenger holds a suitcase of 3.0 [kg] using
an ideal rope. Determine the tension in the rope. b) Now consider that the
elevator descends with constant acceleration, so it travels 2.0 [m] in the first
1.60[s]. Determine the tension of the rope in this case and the magnitude of the force that
exerts the elevator floor on the passenger's feet, if the passenger has a mass of
75.0 [kg]
R.: a) 37 [N]; b) 25 [N], 593 [N]

24) A mass m1The 4.5 [kg] is connected to another mass m.2of

3.5 [kg] through a light rope that passes over a pulley.
without mass and without friction. The mass m is held.1, so that the
system is initially at rest in the position indicated in
the figure. When m1it releases, it descends to the ground,
while m2rise. Determine: a) the acceleration of each mass and m1
the tension of the rope once the system is released, and before
of what m1I reached the ground; b) the speed of each mass just at the
H = 2.5 [m]
moment when m1it reaches the ground; c) the maximum height m2
reached by m2.
R.: 1.25 [m/s]2]; 39,4 [N]; b) 2,5 [m/s]; c) 2,8 [m]

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