Further Questions for AS students

1. A bead of mass 5 kg is free to slide along a perfectly smooth rigid wire which lies in a vertical plane. The wire is curved, and when the bead is released from rest under the influence of gravity, its speed v varies with time t as shown in the graph.

(a)

What physical quantities are represented by: (i) the total area under the graph, The area under a velocity/time graph represents the net displacement. (ii) the slope of the graph at a given point ? The gradient of a velocity/time graph represents the instantaneous acceleration.

(b)

At what approximate angles to the vertical is the bead moving at times t = 0, t = 3.75 s and t = 6 s ?

acceleration = gradient of the graph at each point = g .cos = 9.81 cos , therefore = cos
Time/s 0 3.75 6 Gradient 5/2 0 -5/1 Angle 75 downwards 90 59 upwards

gradient 9.81

(c)

What is the difference between the potential energy of the bead at its highest and lowest points ? The change in gravitational potential energy = mgh = change in kinetic energy

1 2 1 mv = 5 52 = 62.5 J 2 2
The change in potential energy is(-) 62.5J (d) Give a rough sketch of the shape of the wire, indicating the point from which the bead is released, and its position at times t = 3.75 s and t = 6 s. [12]

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Further Questions for AS students

2. A beam of monochromatic light can be regarded as a stream of photons. Each photon has the same value of linear momentum. The beam falls normally onto (i) a reflecting surface, (ii) a blackened, absorbing surface. Explain why there is a force on each surface. Which surface will experience the greater force per unit area? [4]

The photons experience an impulse when they hit the surface, so by Newtons 3rd law, the photons exert an impulse of equal magnitude but in the opposite direction on the surface. Let the momentum of each incident photon be p. Newtons 2nd law states that the rate of change of momentum of a body is proportional to the net force. In the case of reflection, the momentum change of the reflected photons is -2 times the forwards momentum (-2p) In the case of absorption, the momentum change of each photon is (-p). A large number of photons strike the surfaces per second, and the force is proportional to the number per second and the momentum change for each photon. It therefore follows that the reflecting surface experiences a greater force. Extension question (i) (a) (b) Write an expression for: the power of a laser beam emitting N photons per second. hence state the intensity of the laser beam striking an area A. .

(a) Power = energy/second = number of photons per second x photon energy = N.hf (b) Intensity = Power/area = (ii)

Write an expression for the total momentum per second transferred by the laser per second when it strikes a matt black surface, and hence derive an expression for the pressure on the surface. Momentum of a photon = h/ and pressure = force/area. There are N photons per second striking the surface therefore

dmV h dmV h = N. = N. dt dt

(iii)

By considering your answers to part (i) and (ii), derive an expression for the photon pressure in terms of the intensity of the beam.

The diagram (not drawn to scale) shows a continuous belt B which passes around small driving pulleys and moves at a steady speed -1 -1 of 0.50 m s . Sand falls onto the belt at P at a rate of 10 kg s and is carried a horizontal distance of 5.0 m to Q, where it leaves the belt travelling horizontally. The sand falls through a distance of 1.5 m into a container, C, beyond the end of the belt. (i) Calculate the additional horizontal force (extra tension) Acting in the upper part of the belt whilst the sand is flowing. F=ma = dmv/dt = 10 x 0.5 = 5.0 N [2]

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Further Questions for AS students

(ii) Calculate the additional power which must be supplied to the driving pulleys of the belt when the sand is flowing. Power = Fv = 5N x 0.5 m s-1=2.5W (iii) The container, C, is on a spring balance which reads zero when the empty container is in position and no sand is flowing. Explain why the weight recorded by the balance at any instant when the sand is flowing exceeds the weight of sand in the container. [2]

[1]

The sand striking the balance has to be brought to rest, so the balance exerts an additional upwards impulse to do this. By Newtons 2 nd law, this extra force required is dmv/dt. This is why the reading reads a higher value. [2]

(iv) Calculate the time which elapses between sand first landing on the belt at P and first reaching the container C. Time = distance/speed = 5.0/0.5 = 10 seconds

The sand then has to fall the height 1.5m into the container at C. Total time is thus 10.6 s

S = 1 at 2 t = 2 2

S 3 = = 0.55s g 9.81

(v) What will be the reading, in N, on the balance 20 s after the first sand lands on the belt at P? [3] Mass starts collecting in the pan 10.6 seconds after first falling on the conveyor belt, so mass collected in pan is = 10 kg/s x 9.4s = 94 kg. Velocity of sand striking the conveyor belt = 2gh = 5.43 m s-1 Momentum change per second for sand hitting the belt = 10 x 5.43 = 54.3N Reading on balance = 94 x 9.81 + 54.3 = 976 N

(vi) Calculate the gain of kinetic energy per second for the sand as it gains speed on the belt. mv2 = 0.5 x10 x 0.52 = 1.25 J per second

[2]

(vii). Calculate the ratio of the kinetic energy gained per second with the rate of additional work done per second by the motor (i.e. you answer to part (vi)/(ii) ? [1] KE/Power = 1.25/2.5 = 0.5 (viii) This ratio represents the efficiency of the system. Can you explain why it isnt 100% ? [3]

The sand cant instantaneously reach 0.5 m/s, so it slips as it accelerates. This means that friction forces between the sand and the belt generate random internal energy (heat). This is where the missing energy goes. (ix) Will the efficiency change if the speed of the motor were to increase? Explain your reasoning. (ignore the inefficiencies of the motor itself)?

The sand cant instantaneously reach 0.5 m/s, so it slips as it accelerates. This means that friction forces between the sand and the belt generate random internal energy (heat). This is where the missing energy goes. It makes no difference how fast the belt moves 50% of the energy will always be dissipated as RIE. Every second, 10 kg strikes the belt. The speed acquired is V m/s, so the KE gained per second is mV2 .

The work done by the motor is: FV = mV2 . The gain of KE is a half of the work done, irrespective of the value for m or V.

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