SECTION A [40]

Answer ALL Questions in this Section.

Question 1

(a) (i) In their standard order, state Newton’s three laws of motion. [3]
(ii) Define an inertial reference system. [1]
(iii) In free space, is a force necessary in-order to keep a body in uniform motion?
Justify. [1]
(b) A body of mass 5 kg is accelerated by two forces F1 = 3Ni+4Nj and F2 = −2Ni−6Nj.

(i) Find the resultant force. Give your answer in Cartesian form. [1]
(ii) Determine the magnitude of the resultant force acting on the particle. [2]
(iii) Giving your answer in Cartesian form, calculate the acceleration of the particle. [2]

(c) State Kepler’s three laws of planetary motion. Accompanying each law, state the
underlay physical reason leading to the existence of the law in question. [5]
(d) When an elastic string of natural length l = 2.00 m is fixed at one end and hangs
vertically supporting a particle of mass m = 4.00 kg at the other end, it stretches to
a length L = 2.80 m. A horizontal force F = 28.00 N is then applied gradually to the
mass until it is once again in equilibrium. For the string in its final position, calculate:

(i) The length of the string. [3]

(ii) The angle of inclination to the vertical of the string. [2]

(e) (i) State Archimedes Principle. [1]

(iii) A 2 kg mass is suspended from a spring balance that measures its mass. Given
that 75% of this mass is suspended in a liquid of unknown density and that the
density of this mass is 1200 kg/m3 and further given that the reading on the spring
balance 1.5 kg, what is the density of the liquid in which this mass is suspended?
[4]
(f) One end of a graduated meter rule of uniform mass distribution rests on a horizontal
table while the other rests on a pivot point which is placed at the 60 cm mark. When a
mass of m = 0.10 kg is placed at the 95 cm mark, the other end of the meter rule raises
and balances in such a manner that the entire meter rule is parallel to the surface of
the table.

(i) Draw an annotated schematic diagram of the balanced meter rule and label all the forces
acting on the meter rule. [2]
(ii) What is the mass of the meter rule? [3]

(g) Using the principle of conservation momentum, demonstrate that if a “stationary”

parcel bomb where to explode and fragment into two pieces on a frictionless floor, the
resulting debri would fly off in opposite directions. [5]

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 Figure: (1)

(h) A man fires a missile with a speed of 20 ms−1 in a direction parallel to the ground.
After 6 s the missile stops after reaching the ground.

(i) At what distance from the man does the missile reach the ground? [2]
(ii) How far above the ground is the missile fired? [3]

SECTION B [60]
Answer ANY THREE Questions in this Section.

Question 2

(a) Two bodies A and B of mass M and m are connected by a light inextensible string as
shown in the Figure below. Body A rests on a rough table and body B hangs while
connected to A by the said string.

(i) Re-draw this figure and label all the forces acting on A and B. [3]
(ii) Draw free-body diagrams of A and B. [4]
(iii) Given that the co-efficient of friction between the the table and body A is (µ = 0.10)
and that (M = 0.50 kg) and (m = 0.30 kg), how much mass (mx ) does one need to add
to B before the two bodies start to move? [3]

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 (b) As shown in Figure (1) overleaf, two masses ma and mb are attached by a light inex-
tensible string that passes over a smooth pulley where initially the vertical distance of
mass ma as measured from the ground is such that it is larger than that of mb . These
masses are such that (ma > mb ) and the vertical distance between the two masses is l.
The two masses are released.

(i) Draw a well annotated schematic diagram of the scenario described above? [4]
(ii) What is the acceleration of the two masses when they are released? [3]
(iii) After release, calculate the time it will take before the two masses are at the same height
above the ground. [3]

Question 3

(a) Write down Bernoulli’s equation for a non-viscous fluid in a steady state flow. Define
clearly all the terms that you have used. [3]

(b) An important application of the Bernoulli’s equation is in aviation. With the aid of a
well labelled cross-sectional diagram of an aeroplane’s wing, use Bernoulli’s equation
to demonstrate how flight by aeroplanes is achieved. [6]

(c) A block of wood which has a volume of 1500 cm3 floats on water. Given that the
density of this wood block is 690 kgm−3 , and that of water is 1000 kgm−3, and that the
density of lead is 1.14 × 103 kgm−3 , answer the flowing questions:

(i) What fraction of the wood is above the surface of the water? [3]
(ii) What mass of lead must be placed on top of the block so that the wood, but not the
lead, is submerged? [3]
(iii) What mass of the lead should be attached to the bottom of the wood so that the wood
is just submerged? [5]

Question 4

(a) A projectile is launched on a level ground here on Earth at a speed, V , and at an angle,
θ, relative to the horizontal. Taking the horizontal as your x-axis and the vertical line
protruding from the point of launch as your y-axis, and the point of origin as your
point (0, 0), show that the the projectile is going to prescribe as path (x, y) which is
such that:
 g 
y = x tan θ − x2
2V cos θ
2 2

Show all your working. [10]

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 Figure: (2)

(b) As shown in Figure (2) above, a projectile is launched at a speed, V , at the edge of
a cliff at an angle, θ, relative to the horizontal. The edge of the cliff at which the
projectile is launched is at a height H above the level surface of the lake adjacent
to the cliff. If this projectile is to land at a distance, D, from the edge of the cliff,
demonstrate that the maximum height, Hmax , of the projectile above the level surface
of the lake is such that:

D 2 tan2 θ
 
1
Hmax =H+ .
4 H + D tan θ

Show all your working. [10]

Question 5

(a) Write down Newton’s law applicable in the interior of massive gravitating bodies. [5]

(b) Assuming that the density of the Earth is constant, and that, we where to drill a
straight tunnel from the north to the south pole of the Earth that passes through the
centre of the Earth, show that any mass dropped radially into the tunnel from either
of the poles, it would execute simple harmonic motion with a period T given by:

3
1/2
R⊕

T = 2π ,
GM⊕

where R⊕ and M⊕ are the radius and mass of the Earth. [10]

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 (c) Given the mass and radius of the Earth to be M⊕ = 5.92 × 1024 kg and M⊕ = 6.40 ×
103 km respectively, and that a tunnel such as the one described in (b) were to be
realised for planet Earth for use in delivering parcels from the north to the south pole
and vice-versa. How long will this delivery take? [5]

Question 6

(a) State the two Postulates of the Special Theory of Relativity. [2]

(b) Write down the Lorentz-Einstein Coordinate Transformations. Explain all the symbols
that you use. [4]

(c) Using the above Lorentz-Einstein Coordinate Transformations, derive the relativistic
velocity addition formula. [5]

(d) Using the above derived relativistic velocity addition formula, demonstrate the invari-
ance of the speed of light in vacuum. [5]

(e) Using the Lorentz-Einstein Coordinate Transformations in (c), derive the time dilata-
tion formula. [2]

(f) Using the Lorentz-Einstein Coordinate Transformations in (c), derive the FitzGerald
contraction formula. [2]

THE END.
(: GOOD LUCK :)

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