Solution

LESSON 2.9
Problems Involving the
application of the
formula F = ma and W
= mg in Pulley System Example 3
and Lift
Figure shows two weights of mass 2
kg and 6 kg are joined by a length of
Example 1 rope passes over a smooth pulley.

Figure shows an object of mass is

placed on a table.

Calculate
(a) the weight of the object
(b) the normal reaction which is If the system is released from rest,
acting upwards from the table what is the
to the (a) tension of the rope
(b) acceleration of the weights?
Solution
Solution

Pulley System
Example 2

Figure shows a force ,P pulls a load of Example 4

mass 4 kg by means a smooth pulley.
Figure shows a trolley of mass 2 kg is
placed on the surface of a table.

Determine the value of P if the

load moves with
(a) an uniform velocity
(b) an acceleration of 2 ms-2.
What is the acceleration of the
trolley and the tension of the rope
when the 3- kg weight is released
if the surface of the table is
(a) smooth

61
 (b) rough and has the frictional
force 4 N.

Solution
Moving down with
deceleration

Cable of lift breaks

Lift causing the lift to free
Situation Equatio Conclus fall
n ion

At rest

Example 5
Moving up with
uniform velocity
A student of mass 50 kg stands on a
weighing scale in a lift. What is the
reading of the weighing scale if the
lift
Moving up with
(a) at rest
acceleration (b) moving up with an uniform
velocity 20 ms-1
(c) moving up with an acceleration 4
ms-2
(d) moving up with a deceleration 2
Moving up with ms-2
deceleration (e) moving down with an uniform
velocity 30 ms-1
(f) moving down an acceleration 5
ms-2
(g) moving down with a deceleration
Moving down with 3 ms-2
uniform velocity (h) is free falling

Solution

Moving down with

acceleration

62
 2 Figure shows three loads are hung
with three fine threads X,Y and Z.
What is the tension of thread Y ?

A 30 N B 40 N
C 60 N D 100 N
E 130 N

3 Figure shows a force ,P pulls two

loads of mass 2 kg and 6 kg by

means a smooth pulley.

What is the value of P if the loads
move with
an uniform velocity

A 20 N B 40
N
C 60 N D 80
N
E 100 N

TUTORIAL 4 Figure shows a force 100 N pulls a

load of mass
2.9 2 kg by means a smooth pulley.
1 Figure shows a weight of mass 6
kg which is hung with five fine

What is the acceleration of the

load.
thread P,Q,R,S and T.
What is the tension of thread S ?
A 20 ms-2 B 40
-2
ms
A 5N B 10 N
C 20 N D 30 N C 50 ms-2 D 80
-2
E 60 N ms
E 100 ms-2

5 Figure shows two weights of mass

2 kg and 3 kg are joined by a

63
 length of rope passes over a
smooth pulley.

What is the tension of the rope

when the 3- kg weight is released?

A 20 N B 16
If the system is released from rest,
N
what is the
C 14 N D 12
tension of the rope
N
E 6N
A 6N B 12 N
C 18 N D 24
8 Figure shows a trolley of mass 2
N
kg is placed on the smooth surface
E 36 N
of a table

What is the acceleration of the

trolley and the weight when the 4-
kg weight is released?
6 Figure shows two weights of mass
1 kg and 3 kg are joined by a A 4 ms-2 B 8
length of rope passes over a ms -2
smooth pulley. C 10 ms-2 D 16
If the system is released from rest, -2
ms
what is the
acceleration of the loads. E 24 ms-2
A 2.5 ms-2 B 5
-2 -2 9 A man in moving lift feels that his
ms C 10 ms D
weight has become lighter. Which
15ms-2 E 20 ms-2 of the following is true?
7 Figure shows a trolley of mass 2 A The lift is decelerating
kg is placed on the smooth surface downwards
of a table B The lift is accelerating
downwards
C The lift is accelerating upwards

10 Weight of a girl in a lift moves

upwards with an uniform velocity
20 ms-1

64
 A increases E 28 N
B decreases
C remains unchanged

11 A boy of mass 60 kg standing in a

weighing machine in a lift. What
will happen to the reading of the
weighing machine if the cable of
the lift breaks?

A 0N B 60 N
C 600 N D 1200
N
E 2400 N

12 Which of the following is not true 15 Figure(a) shows two balls P and Q
to the passengers of a lift if the of mass 2 kg and 3 kg respectively
cable of the lift breaks? is joined with a string Y.

A The acceleration of the

passengers is g
B The passengers in
“weightless” situation
C The mass of the passengers Figure(a)
remain constant
D The normal reaction between Figure(b) shows the ball P is
the passengers and floor of lift suspended from a ceiling of by a
is not be zero string X.
13 A fish of mass 2 kg is suspended
from a weighing scale hanging
from the ceiling of a lift. What is
the reading on the scale if the lift
moves upward at an acceleration
of 5 ms-2?

A 10 N B 20 N
C 30 N D 40 N
E 50 N

14 A basket of mass 2.0 kg is

suspended from a weighing scale
hanging from the ceiling of a lift. Figure (b)
What is the reading of the scale if (a) (i) If the maximum tension
the lift moves downward at a can effort by
deceleration of 4 ms-2 ? the string X and the string
Y,
A 12 N B 16 N what will happen to the
C 20 N D 24 N system?

65
………………………………………….
(ii) Give one reason for
your answer in (a)(i)

…………………………………
……….
Figure (d)
…………………………………
………. (d) When the system is released,
Figure(c) shows the ball Q is determine
raised to a (i) the acceleration of the ball
same height as ball P and then Q
ball Q is released.

(ii) the tension of the string Y

16 Figure shows a student of mass

50 kg standing on a weighing
Figure (c) machine and at same time holds
(b) (i) what will happen at the end of a string which has
to the been put trough a smooth pulley.
system? A load of mass 15 kg hung at the
other end of the string
………………………………………….
(ii) Give one reason
for your answer in
(b)(i)

…………………………………
……….

…………………………………
……….
Figure(d) shows string Y (a)(i) On the figure above label
passes over a smooth pulley. the
tension of the string ,T
(ii) What is the weight of the
student?

66
 (iii) What is the reading of the
machine if the student at
rest.
(b) (i) If the student pulls the
string
causing the load moves
with an acceleration 3 ms-2
, what is the new reading
of the machine?
(d) While the lift moving down the
cable of the lift is breaking.
(i) What will happen to the
reading of the machine.
…………………………………………………
(ii) What will happen to the
water in a inverting glass
if the student holds the
glass while he in the lift.

………………………………………
…………

………………………………………
(ii) Compare the answers in ………..
(a)(iii) and b(i)? and
explain why? 17 A student studies the effect of
the movement of a lift on the
readings of a weighing scale.
……………………………………… The mass of the student is 50
……… kg.
In this study, the student stands
……………………………………… on a weighing scale in a lift as
……… show in the following figure.

………………………………………
………

………………………………………
………
The same weighing machine is
placed in a lift and then the
student standing on the weighing
machine .
(c) What is the reading of the
machine if the lift
(i) at rest
He records the readings of the
weighing scale when the lift is
(ii) moving down with an at rest, moving up with
acceleration acceleration, moving up with
5 ms-2 uniform velocity, moving down
with uniform velocity and
moving down with
deceleration.

67
The readings of the weighing Write a general equation
scale in the study are shown in to show the relationship
the following table. between F, R, m and g.
Movement of the lift Readin
g of …………………………………
the ……….
weighi (d) When the lift moves up
ng with acceleration , the
scale/ normal reaction is greater
kg than his weight.
At rest 50 Explain why ?
Moving up with 60
acceleration …………………………………
Moving up with uniform 50 ………..
velocity
Moving down with 50 …………………………………
uniform velocity ………..
Moving down with 60
deceleration …………………………………
………..

…………………………………
(a) The mass of the student is ………..
50 kg. (e) (i) What is observed on
What is the weight of the the
student in newtons? reading of the
weighing scale when
………………………………. N the lift moves down
(b) State two types of with an acceleration?
movement of the lift when
the reading on the
weighing scale is equal to …………………………………………..
the mass of the student.
(ii) Give a reason for your
1. answer in (e)(i).
…………………………………
……. …………………………………
………..
2…………………………………
…….. …………………………………
(c) F is the resultant force that ………..
acts on the student.
R is the normal reaction of …………………………………
the weighing scale on the ………..
student
m is the mass of the
student
g is gravitational
acceleration

68
69