MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

1. A small spacecraft, known as Beagle 2, is to land on the planet Mars. As the

spacecraft enters the planets atmosphere, it slows down. When the speed
reaches 1600 km/h, parachutes open and the friction with the atmosphere
increases. The spacecraft eventually reaches a steady speed, and then finally it
hits the surface.
(a) On the axes of Fig. 1.1, complete the speed-time graph for the spacecraft. The
parachutes open at time t1, and the spacecraft hits the surface of Mars at time t2.

Fig. 1.1

[2]

(b) The mass of the spacecraft is 65 kg. At one point the gravitational field
strength of Mars is 3.0 N/kg and the total upwards force on the spacecraft is 500
N.
Determine
(i) the weight of the spacecraft,
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(ii) the resultant force on the spacecraft,
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.................................................................... (iii) the deceleration of the
spacecraft.

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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

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2 (a) Fig. 2.1 shows the same vertical force of 200 N exerted by a cyclist on the
pedal of a bicycle in three different positions A, B and C.

Fig. 2.1
State the position, A, B or C, in which the force exerts the largest moment about
the pivot.
Give a reason for your answer.
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...[2]
(b) Fig. 2.2 shows a support for a leg in plaster and Fig. 2.3 shows a simplified
diagram of the forces acting on the leg.

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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

Calculate the force F needed to keep the leg in a horizontal position.

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...[3]
3. In a training session, a racing cyclists journey is in three stages.
Stage 1 He accelerates uniformly from rest to 12 m/s in 20 s.
Stage 2 He cycles at 12 m/s for a distance of 4800 m.
Stage 3 He decelerates uniformly to rest.
The whole journey takes 500 s.
(a) Calculate the time taken for stage 2.
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(b) On the grid of Fig. 3.1, draw a speed/time graph of the cyclists ride. [3]

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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

Fig. 3.1
(c) Show that the total distance travelled by the cyclist is 5400 m.
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...[4]
(d) Calculate the average speed of the cyclist.
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...[2]
4. A piece of stiff cardboard is stuck to a plank of wood by means of two stickytape hinges. This is shown in Fig. 4.1.

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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

Fig. 4.1
(a) The cardboard is lifted as shown, using a force applied either at A or B or C.
(i) On Fig. 4.1, draw the force in the position where its value will be as small as
possible. [2]
(ii) Explain why the position you have chosen in (a)(i) results in the smallest
force.
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(b) Initially, the cardboard is flat on the plank of wood. A box of matches is
placed on it. The cardboard is then slowly raised at the left hand edge, as shown
in Fig. 4.2.

Fig. 4.2
State the condition for the box of matches to fall over.
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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

(c) The box of matches is opened, as shown in Fig. 4.3. The procedure in (b) is
repeated.

Fig. 4.3
(i) Complete the sentence below, using either the words greater than or the
same as or less than.
In Fig. 4.3, the angle through which the cardboard can be lifted before the
box of matches falls
is . the angle before the box of
matches falls in Fig. 4.2. [1]
(ii) Give a reason for your answer to (c)(i).
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5. A small bird, a large bird and a squirrel are on the ground under a tree. A loud
noise scares the two birds. They both fly up to the top of the tree.
(a) (i) Which bird does the most work raising itself to the top of the tree?
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(ii) Explain your answer to (a)(i).

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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

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(b) A squirrel has the same weight as the large bird. It climbs the tree, to the
same height as the birds. How does the increase in the squirrels gravitational
potential energy compare with that of each of the two birds? Answer the question
by completing the sentences below.
Compared with that of the small bird, the increase of the squirrels potential
energy is ......................................................................... . [1]
Compared with that of the large bird, the increase of the squirrels potential
energy is ......................................................................... . [1]
(c) Which creature has the least gravitational potential energy when they are at
the top of the tree?
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(d) The small bird flies back down to the ground.
What happens to the gravitational potential energy it had at the top of the tree?
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6. Fig. 6.1 shows a steam safety valve. When the pressure gets too high, the
steam lifts the weight W and allows steam to escape.

Fig. 6.1
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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

(a) Explain, in terms of moments of forces, how the valve works.
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...[2]
(b) The moment of weight W about the pivot is 12 N m. The perpendicular
distance of the line of action of the force of the steam on the valve from the pivot
is 0.2 m.
Calculate the minimum steam force needed for the steam to escape,
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7. A diesel engine is used to drag a boat up a slipway (see Fig. 7.1).

Fig. 7.1
The boat finishes in the position shown by the broken outline.
(a) On Fig. 4.1, carefully mark
(i) the weight W of the boat, using an arrow labelled W, [1]
(ii) the friction force F on the boat, using an arrow labelled F. [1]
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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

(b) State, in terms of W, F, h and s, how you could calculate

(i) the work done lifting the weight of the boat,
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(ii) the work done against the friction force,
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(iii) the total work done pulling the boat up the slipway.
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8. A motorcyclist drives along a straight road. Fig. 8.1 gives information about the
first 10 s of his ride.

Fig. 8.1
(a) From the information on Fig. 8.1,
(i) describe the motion of the motorcyclist by ticking one of the following boxes,

[1]
(ii) estimate the average speed of the motorcyclist during the 10 s,
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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

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(iii) calculate the distance travelled during the 10 s.
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(b) State why the distance travelled in the first 5 s is less than half of the distance
travelled in the first 10 s of the journey.
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9. Fig. 9.1 shows a car travelling at a uniform speed of 18 m/s. At time t = 0, the
driver sees a child run out in front of the car.

Fig. 9.1
At time t = 0.6 s the driver starts to apply the brakes. The car then decelerates
uniformly, taking a further 3.0 s to stop.
(a) (i) On Fig. 9.2, draw a graph to show how the speed of the car varies with t.

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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

Fig. 9.2

[3]

(ii) Calculate the distance travelled in the first 0.6 s of the motion.
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...[3]
(b) The braking distance is the distance travelled by the car after the driver starts
to apply the brakes. The braking distance is not the same each time that the car
stops.
State two factors that could increase braking distance.
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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

2. ..............................................................................................................................
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10. Fig. 10.1 shows a device for punching holes in a piece of paper. A person
applies a force F at the end of the arm. Just before the hole is made in the paper,
the arm is at rest.

Fig. 10.1
(a) Just before the hole is made, the force upwards on the steel rod is 7.2 N.
Calculate the value of F. Use the distances marked on Fig. 10.1.
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...[2]
(b) The force downwards on the paper due to the rod and the force upwards on
the rod due to the paper are related by Newtons third law. State Newtons third
law.
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................................................................[1]

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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

11. Fig. 11.1 represents the motion of a car along a straight road. As the car
approaches a small town, it slows down. The car travels at a constant speed from
the start of the town to the end of the town. After passing through the town, the
car speeds up.

Fig. 11.1
(a) (i) Determine the speed of the car in the town.
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(ii) Determine the time taken by the car to pass through the town.
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(iii) Calculate the distance travelled by the car in the town.
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(b) The car accelerates after passing through the town. Calculate the
acceleration. Give the unit of your answer.
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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

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12. Fig. 12.1 shows apparatus that demonstrates how a coin and a piece of paper
fall from rest.

Fig. 12.1

Fig. 12.2

At the positions shown in Fig. 12.1, the coin and paper are falling through air in
the tube. The forces on them are shown in Fig. 12.2. The length of an arrow
indicates the size of each force.
(a) State the initial value of the acceleration of the coin as it falls.
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(b) Explain how Fig. 12.2 shows that
(i) the paper falls with constant speed,
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..................................................................... (ii) the coin accelerates.
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(c) A vacuum pump is connected to A and the air in the tube is removed. The
coin and paper fall differently in a vacuum from the way they fall in air.
State two of these differences.
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MESH INTERNATIONAL: MECHANICS CT 3 (OLP - IGCSE)

1. ..............................................................................................................................
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2. ..............................................................................................................................
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TOTAL FOR THIS PAPER: 70 MARKS

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