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Forces and Motion

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Question 23

A ball A A\,A of mass 1.5 kg rests on a smooth horizontal table. Ball A A\,A is attached to one end of a rope which passes over a pulley fixed to the edge of the table. The other end of the rope is attached to ball B B\,B of mass 2.1 kg which hangs freely below the pulley. The system is released from rest with the string taut, with ball AAA 1.7 m from the pulley and ball BBB 0.7 m above the ground. Ball B B\,B descends, hits the floor and does not rebound. The balls are modelled as particles, the rope as a light inextensible string, and the pulley as small and smooth.

Diagram of ball A of mass 1.5 kg on a horizontal table connected over a pulley to hanging ball B of mass 2.1 kg, with A 1.7 m from the pulley and B 0.7 m above the ground.

a.

Find the acceleration of B B\,B as it falls.

[5]
b.

Find the time taken for A A\,A to reach the pulley from the time the system was released.

[6]
c.

State one limitation of the model that will affect your answer to part (a).

[1]
Markscheme

Forces and Motion Questions

  1. A Level
  2. /Maths
  3. /Forces and Motion

182 exam-style questions on Edexcel A Level Maths Forces and Motion, covering 10.1 Force Diagrams, 10.2 Forces as Vectors, 10.3 Forces and Acceleration, 10.4 Motion in 2 Dimensions, 10.5 Connected Particles, and 10.6 Pulleys. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.

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