Work, Energy and Power (A/L Combined Mathematics)

1. A train of mass M is ascending on a smooth track having an inclination of 1 in n. When the

velocity of the train is v its acceleration is f. Assuming that the resistance against the motion of

the train is negligible. Prove that the effective power of the engine is

Mv
n

(g + nf).

2. A lorry of mass M kg with its engine working at constant power H kW, has maximum speed
ums-1 on a horizontal road. When the engine is working at the same power as before, the
maximum speed of the lorry up a road inclined at an angle to the horizontal is v ms-1. The
resistance against the motion of the lorry is a constant. Show that 1000H(u-v) = Mguv sin.
3. The total mass of a cyclist and his bicycle is M kg. When he rides directly up a straight road
inclined at an angle to the horizontal, at a constant speed V ms -1 against a resistance to motion
of R N, he works at a constant rate of H W. Show that H = (R + Mgsin)V.
4.One end of a light elastic string is attached to a fixed point of a ceiling and the other end to a
particle which hangs in equilibrium and causes an extension l in the string. The equilibrium of the
particle is disturbed, at time t = 0., by giving it a velocity 2

gl

vertically downwards.

Prove that
i) the maximum extension of the string is 3l.

ii) the string becomes slack after a time

7
6

l
g

iii) the particle will not hit the ceiling, provided that the natural length of the string exceeds

3l
2

iv) the time needed for the particle to reach its maximum height is

natural length of the string is greater than

3l
2

( 3+ 76 )

l
g

when the

5. Water is being raised by a pump from a storage tank 4m below ground and delivered at 8
metre per second through a pipe at ground level. If the cross-sectional area of the is 0.12 square
metre find the work done per second by the pump (1 cubic metre of water has a mass of 1000
kilogram)
6. An athlete of mass 80 kilogram starts from rest and sprints until his speed is 10 metre per
second. He then takes off for a high jump and clears the bar when his body centre has risen 2.2
metre. How much work has he done up to the moment when he clears the bar.
(P.T.O.)
7. A smooth heavy bead is threaded on to a wire in the shape of a circle of radius 0.6 m and
centre C. The circular wire is fixed in a vertical plane with the bead at rest at the lowest point A. If
the bead is projected from A with a velocity of 4.2 ms -1 find its height above A when it first comes
to rest.
8. A light elastic string, of unstretched length a and modulus of elasticity W, is fixed at one end
to a point on the ceiling of a room. To the other end of the string is attached a particle of weight
W. A horizontal force P is applied to the particle and in equilibrium it is found that the string is
stretched to three times its natural length. Calculate:
(a) the angle the string makes with the horizontal.
(b) the value of P in terms of W.
If, instead P is not applied horizontally find the least value of P which in equilibrium will make the
string have the same inclination to the horizontal as before. Deduce that the stretched length of

the string is

2
3

a in this case and find the inclination of P to the vertical.

9. Prove that the work done in stretching a light elastic string from its natural length (a + x) is
proportional to x2.
One end of this string is fastened to a fixed point A, and at the other end a particle of mass m is
attached. The particle is released from rest at A, and first comes to rest when it has fallen a
distance 3a. Show that at the lowest point of its path the acceleration of the particle is 2g
upwards.

Find in terms of g and a the speed of the particle at the instants when the magnitude of its

acceleration is

1
2

g.

10. Prove that the elastic energy of a light spring of natural length a and the modulus of the
elasticity , stretched by an amount x, is x2/(2a).
A trolley of mass m is runs down a smooth track of constant inclination /6 to the horizontal,
carrying at its front a light spring of natural length a and modulus mga/c, where c is constant.
When the spring is fully compressed it is of length a/4, and it obeys Hookes law up to this point.
After the trolley has travelled a distance b from rest the spring meets a fixed stop. Show that,
when the spring has been compressed a distance x, where x<3a/4, the speed v of the trolley is
given by
cv 2/g = c(b + x) x2
Given that c = a/ 10 and b = 2a, find total distance covered by the trolley before it momentarily
comes to rest for the first time.

W.M.J.P.Wanigasekera (B.Sc./PG Dip/M.Sc.)