1

1 The diagram shows a uniform metre rule PQ in equilibrium.

The distance PQ is 100 cm. The mass of the metre rule is 0.12 kg and its weight is W.

(a) On the diagram, draw and label:

1. an arrow to show the force W acting on PQ at the centre of mass

2. an arrow to show the force R acting on PQ at the pivot.

[2]

(b) By taking moments about the pivot, calculate F.

F = .............................................. [4]

(c) Calculate R.

R = .............................................. [2]

[Total: 8]

2 The diagram shows the forces acting on a uniform balanced beam. The beam is pivoted at its
centre.
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(a) Calculate the moment of the 5.2 N force about the pivot and show that its value is close to
30 Ncm.

[3]

(b) The beam is balanced. Calculate force P.

force P = ...................................................... N [4]

[Total: 7]

3 A tower crane has a load W, as shown in the diagram.

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(a) The counterweight has a weight of 80 000 N. This acts at a distance of 5.0 m from the pivot,
as shown in the diagram.

Calculate the moment of the counterweight about the pivot. Give the unit.

moment = .............................................. [3]

(b) The tower crane in the diagram balances horizontally when holding the load W.

Calculate the weight of load W.

weight = .............................................. N [3]

[Total: 6]

4 The diagram shows a uniform plank AB of length 2.0 m suspended from two ropes X and Y.
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The weight W of the plank is 210 N. The force in rope X is P. The force in rope Y is Q.

(a) State, in terms of P, the moment of force P about B.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) Calculate:

(i) the moment of W about B

moment = .............................................. [1]

(ii) the force P

force P = .............................................. [2]

(iii) the force Q.

force Q = .............................................. [2]

[Total: 6]

5 A man uses a metal bar to remove an iron nail from a piece of wood, as shown in the diagram.
 5

(a) (i) The man applies a force of 150 N at a distance of 0.50 m from the pivot.

Calculate the moment of this force about the pivot. Include a unit.

moment = ..................................... [4]

(ii) The force applied by the man produces a turning effect (moment) about the pivot.

Describe another example of using the turning effect of a force.

................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................ [1]

(b) The man tries to use the metal bar to remove another nail from the piece of wood. He applies
the same force of 150 N at a distance of 0.50 m from the pivot.

The turning effect produced is not enough to remove this nail from the piece of wood.

Describe how the man can increase the turning effect without increasing the force.

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 6]

6 The diagram shows a fairground ride.

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People sit inside a cabin suspended between two pylons. The cabin is lifted to the starting position
shown in the diagram.

(a) State the name of the type of energy gained by the cabin as it rises.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) The cabin is released and swings down between the two pylons. The path of the cabin is shown
in the diagram. The cabin has maximum kinetic energy at one point on its path. Draw this point
on the diagram and label this point X.

[1]

(c) A force opposes the motion of the cabin as it falls. State the name of this force.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

(d) After a few swings, a brake system stops the cabin (not shown on the diagram).
Use ideas about energy transfer to suggest how the brake system stops the cabin.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [3]

[Total: 6]

7 (a) State Hooke’s Law.

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [1]
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(b) For forces up to 120 N, a spring obeys Hooke’s Law.

A force of 120 N causes an extension of 64 mm.

(i) On the diagram, draw the force-extension graph for the spring for loads up to 120 N.

[1]

(ii) Calculate the spring constant k of the spring.

k = .......................................................... [2]

(c) A student makes a spring balance using the spring in (b). The maximum reading of this balance
is 150 N.

The student tests his balance with a known weight of 140 N. He observes that the reading of
the balance is not 140 N.

Suggest and explain why the reading is not 140 N.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 6]

8 A student has a laptop computer. The computer is powered by a battery.

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(a) State the word used to describe the energy stored in the battery.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) The student opens the laptop using a force of 3.0 N, as shown in the diagram.

(i) Calculate the moment of the 3.0 N force about the pivot.

moment = ........................................................ N cm [3]

(ii) The student does work as he opens the laptop.

Explain how the principle of conservation of energy applies to this example.

................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................ [2]

[Total: 6]

9 An athlete of mass 64 kg is bouncing up and down on a trampoline.

At one moment, the athlete is stationary on the stretched surface of the trampoline.The figure shows
the athlete at this moment.
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springs

The stretched surface of the trampoline begins to contract. The athlete is pushed vertically upwards
and she accelerates. At time t, when her upwards velocity is 6.0 m / s, she loses contact with the
surface.

(a) Calculate her kinetic energy at time t.

kinetic energy = ....................................................... [2]

(b) Calculate the maximum possible distance she can travel upwards after time t.

maximum distance = ....................................................... [3]

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(c) In practice, she travels upwards through a slightly smaller distance than the distance calculated
in (b).

Suggest why this is so.

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 6]

10 The figure shows a heavy ball B of weight W suspended from a fixed beam by two ropes P and Q.

beam

P Q
30 N 30 N

45° 45°
B

P and Q are both at an angle of 45° to the horizontal. The tensions in P and Q are each 30 N.
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(a) In the space below, draw a scale diagram to find the resultant of the tensions in P and Q. Use
a scale of 1.0 cm to represent 5.0 N. Label the forces and show their directions with arrows.

resultant = ..................................... [4]

(b) State the direction of the resultant. ................................................................................... [1]

(c) State the magnitude of W.

magnitude of W = .............................................. [1]

[Total: 6]

11 A rock climber, of total mass 62 kg, holds herself in horizontal equilibrium against a vertical cliff.
She pulls on a rope that is fixed at the top of the cliff and presses her feet against the cliff.

The diagram shows her position.

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rope

cliff

0.90 m

60°

rock climber
1.2 m
centre of mass
(not to scale)

(a) The climber’s centre of mass is 0.90 m from the cliff.

Calculate the moment about her feet due to her weight.

moment = ..................................................... [2]

(b) The line of the rope meets the horizontal line through her centre of mass at a distance of 1.2 m
from the cliff, as shown in the diagram. The rope is at an angle of 60° to the horizontal.

Determine the tension in the rope.

tension = ...................................................... [3]

[Total: 5]

12 A car driver needs to remove one of the wheels on his car. He puts a spanner on a wheel nut.
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(a) The driver applies a force of 200 N, as shown in the diagram.

Calculate the moment of the 200 N force about the centre of the wheel nut.

moment of force = .............................................. N cm [3]

(b) The moment in (a) does not release the wheel nut. The driver cannot increase the force but
can increase its moment.

State and explain how the driver can increase the moment of the force.

statement ..........................................................................................................................

explanation .......................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [2]

[Total: 5]

13 A student suspends a spring from a clamp stand and measures the length l0 of the spring.

The diagram shows the apparatus.

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l0

(not to scale)

The student then suspends loads of different weights from the spring and measures the length of
the spring for each load. He then plots a graph of the length of the spring against weight.

This is the graph that the student plots.

0.80

length / m

0.60

0.40

0.20

0
0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0
weight / N

(a) Using the graph, determine the initial length l0 of the spring.

l0 = ................................................. [1]
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(b) State what is meant by the limit of proportionality and, using the graph, determine the weight
of the load that causes this spring just to reach the limit of proportionality.

limit of proportionality ........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

weight = ............................................................................................................................ [2]

(c) Using the graph, determine the spring constant of this spring.

spring constant = ......................................... [3]

[Total: 6]

14 The graph is the extension–load graph for a light spring S.

(a) Using information from the graph, determine the spring constant k of spring S.

k = .............................................. [2]

(b) A second spring, identical to spring S, is attached to spring S. The two springs are attached
to a rod, as shown in the diagram. A load of 4.0 N is suspended from the bottom of spring S.
The arrangement is in equilibrium.
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(i) State the name of the form of energy stored in the two springs when they are stretched.

................................................................................................................................ [1]

(ii) Determine the extension of the arrangement in the diagram.

extension = .............................................. cm [1]

(iii) The load is carefully increased to 6.0 N in total.

Calculate the distance moved by the load to the new equilibrium position as the load
increases from 4.0 N to 6.0 N.

distance moved = .............................................. [1]

[Total: 5]
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15 A 50 cm rule is balanced at its mid-point. A force of 8.0 N acts at a distance of 10 cm from one end
of the rule.

The diagram shows the arrangement.

Calculate the moment of the 8.0 N force about the pivot. Give the unit.

moment = ..............................................

unit = .............................................. [5]

[Total: 5]

16 The diagram shows a model fire engine. Its brakes are applied.

0.80 kg of water is emitted in the jet every 6.0 s at a velocity of 0.72 m / s relative to the model.

(a) The brakes of the model are released.

State and explain the direction of the acceleration of the model.

Statement .........................................................................................................................

Explanation .......................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [2]
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(b) In (a) the model contains a water tank, which is initially full.

State and explain any change in the magnitude of the initial acceleration if the brakes are first
released when the tank is nearly empty.

Statement .........................................................................................................................

Explanation .......................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [3]

[Total: 5]