MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Physics Department 8.

01 Physics I Exam 1 Fall Term 2009

Name

Section

Table and Group

Answers without work shown will not be given any credit. Comments on how you are approaching the problem and what you are doing at any given point will be helpful to the grader in awarding partial credit, as will carefully drawn free body diagrams when appropriate.

Problem 1 (20 points)

Problem 2 (30 points)

Problem 3 (30 points)

Problem 4 (20 points)

Total (100 points)

Problem 1a (5 points)

LO

"

&

The graph above represents the y-component of the velocity of an object as a function of time. Which of the following could be a reasonable description of its motion?

1. The object accelerates upward at a constant rate and then accelerates downward until it hits the ground at t = 6 s. 2. The object accelerates upward at a constant rate and then accelerates downward until it reaches it highest point at t = 6 s. 3. The object accelerates upward at a non-constant rate and then accelerates downward until it hits the ground at t = 6 s. 4. The object accelerates upward at a non-constant rate and then accelerates downward until it reaches it highest point at t = 6 s. 5. None of the above.

Answer

Problem 1b (5 points)

.

Two blocks 1 and 2, on a frictionless table, are pushed from the left by a horizontal force F1 , and on the right by a horizontal force F2 as shown above. The magnitudes of the pushing forces satisfy the inequality |F1 | > |F2 |. Which of the following statements is true about the magnitude N of the contact force between the two blocks?

1. N > |F1 | > |F2 | 2. |F1 | > N > |F2 | 3. |F1 | > N = |F2 | 4. |F1 | = N > |F2 | 5. |F1 | > |F2 | > N 6. Cannot be determined from the information given.

Answer

Problem 1c (5 points)

2d d m1 m2

Two blocks of masses m1 and m2 are connected by a string and block 1 is connected to the shaft by an identical string. The blocks are rotating in a circle with constant angular speed . Block 1 is a distance d from the central axis, and block 2 is a distance 2d from the axis. You may ignore the mass of the strings and neglect the eect of gravity. As the angular speed increases

1. The outer string always breaks rst. 2. The inner string always breaks rst. 3. The outer string only breaks rst when m1 > m2 . 4. The outer string only breaks rst when m1 < m2 . 5. Both strings always break at the same time.

Answer

Problem 1d (5 points)

View of turntable from above

v a (1)

F a=0 (2)

F v a=0 (3) F a (4) v

F a (5) v

A small cylinder rests on a circular turntable, rotating about a vertical axis at a constant speed as illustrated in the diagram above. The cylinder rotates with the turntable; it does not slip. Which of the vectors 1-5 above best describes the velocity, acceleration and net force acting on the cylinder at the point indicated in the diagram?

Answer

Problem 2: Elevator (30 points)

mp

ay(t) t0

me g

A person of mass mp stands on a scale in an elevator of mass me . The scale reads the force F exerted on it from above in a downward direction. Starting at rest at t = 0 the elevator moves upward, coming to rest again at time t = t0 . The downward acceleration of gravity is g. The acceleration of the elevator during this period is shown graphically above and is given analytically by 2 ay (t) = t t0 a) (8 points) Find the maximum speed of the elevator.

b) (8 points) Find the total distance traveled by the elevator.

c) (14 points) What is F in each of the three intervals: t < 0, 0 < t < t0 , and t > t0 ? Make a careful sketch of your results for F .

Problem 3: Blocks and Pulleys (30 points)

m2 y3

m3 g

In the system shown above m1 > m2 . The pulleys are massless and frictionless, and the rope joining the blocks has no mass. The coecient of static friction between the blocks and the tables is greater than the coecient of kinetic friction: s > k . The downward acceleration of gravity is g. a) (8 points) Imagine that when the system is released from rest body 3 accelerates downward at a constant rate of magnitude a, but only one of the other blocks moves. Which block does not move, and what is the magnitude and direction of the friction force holding it back?

b) (22 points) Now consider the case where, when released from rest, all three blocks begin to move. Find N equations that must be solved to nd the dynamics of this system. Draw a box around each of the equations. Make a list of the N unknowns in these equations. Underline the list. Do not solve this system of equations.

Problem 4: Ball on a String (20 points)

m R

Sally swings a ball of mass m in a circle of radius R in a vertical plane by means of a massless string. The speed the ball is constant and it makes one revolution every t0 seconds. a) (15 points) Find an expression for the radial component of the tension in the string Tr () as a function of the angle the ball makes with the vertical1 . Express your answer in terms of some combination of the parameters m, R, t0 and the acceleration of gravity g.

b) (5 points) Is there a range of values of t0 for which this type of circular motion can not be maintained? If so, what is that range?

1 Note added after the fact: The ball moves in a circle, but Sallys hand can not remain at the center of the circle if a constant speed is to be maintained.

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