1

Tutorial Problems From Previous Tests and Exams

1 Tutorial Ch 3 - 5
(1) A test rocket is launched by accelerating it along a 200.0-m
incline at 1.25 m/s2 starting from rest at point A (in the
following figure.) The incline rises at 35.0 above the
horizontal, and at the instant the rocket leaves it, its engines
turn off and it is subject only to gravity (air resistance can be
ignored). Find
(a) the maximum height above the ground that the rocket
reaches, and
(b) the greatest horizontal range of the rocket beyond point
A.
Solution:
Once the rocket leaves the incline it moves in projectile motion. The acceleration along the incline determines
the initial velocity and initial position for the projectile motion. For motion along the incline let x be directed
up the incline.

vx 2 v0 x 2 2ax ( x x0 )

gives

vx 2(125 m/s2 )(200 m) 2236 m/s.

When the projectile motion begins the rocket has v0 2236 m/s at 350 above the horizontal and is at a
vertical height of (2000 m)sin350 1147 m. For the projectile motion let x be horizontal to the right
and let y be upward. Let y 0 at the ground. Then y0 1147 m, v0 x v0 cos350 1832 m/s,

v0 y v0 sin350 1283 m/s,

ax 0,

a y 980 m/s2. Let x 0 at point A, so

x0 (2000 m)cos350 1638 m.

Solve: (a) At the maximum height we have v y 0. v y v0 y 2a y ( y y0 ) gives
2

y y0

v y 2 v0 y 2
2a y

0 (1283 m/s)2
2(980 m/s 2 )

840 m and

y 1147 m 840 m 123 m.

The maximum height above ground is 123 m.

(b) The time in the air can be calculated from the vertical component of the projectile motion: y y0 1147 m,
2
v0 y 1283 m/s, a y 980 m/s . y y0 v0 yt 12 a yt 2 gives

(490 m/s2 )t 2 (1283 m/s)t 1147 m. The quadratic formula gives

1
t
1283 (1283)2 4(490)(1147) s. The positive root is t 632 s. Then x x0
980

v0 xt 12 axt 2 (1832 m/s)(632 s) 1158 m and

x 1638 m 1158 m 280 m.

The horizontal range of the rocket is 280 m.

(2) A block (mass M = 0.25 kg) is at rest on a rough inclined plane

(kinetic coefficient of friction k = 0.35 and angle = 30o)
and is connected to an object with mass m = 0.40 kg which
hangs freely, as shown. The rope may be considered massless;
and the pulley may be considered massless and frictionless. Find
the speed v of mass m when it has fallen distance y = 1.0 m.

m
y

Solution:

mg T ma
T k N Mg sin Ma
N Mg cos
mg k Mg cos Mg sin Ma ma

v2 v02 2ay

T
a

fk=kN

g (m M sin k M cos
a
(M m)

W Fx m.a .x

m 2 2
(v v0 )
2

2(9.8)(1.0) 0.40 (0.25)sin 30 0.35(0.25) cos30

2.45 m / s
0.25 0.40

Mgsin
Mgcos

mg

(3) A 5.0-kg block is placed on top of a 10.0 kg block as shown in Figure.

A horizontal force of 45.0 N is applied to the 10.0 kg block, and the 5.0
kg block is tied to the wall. The coefficient of kinetic friction between
all surfaces is 0.20
(a) Draw a free body diagram for each block.
(b) Determine the magnitude of the acceleration of the 10.0-kg block.

5.0 kg
45.0 N
10.0 kg

Solution:
U upper block & L lower block & LU L on U
T
Free-body diagram for each block
(fLU , fUL) and (NLU , NUL) appear in both diagrams
as action-reaction pairs
5.0 kg block:
Fy = 0
NLU = WU = mU g = (5.0)(9.8) = 49.0 N
Fx = 0
T = fLU = k mU g = (0.2)(5.0)(9.8) = 9.8 N
10.0 kg block:
Fx = ma
F fUL fTL = mLa
(1)
FUL
Fy = 0
NTL NUL mLg = 0
(2)
FTL = k NTL = k (NUL + mL g) = (0.2)(49.0 + 98.0) = 29.4 N
FTL
From Eq.(1), we get:
Net force on L = 45 9.8 29.4 = (10.0)a
Therefore,
a = 5.8 / 10 = 0.58 m/s2
(b)

NLU
FLU

5.0 kg

WU
NTL
NUL
10.0 kg

WL

(4) A penguin slides at a constant velocity of 1.73 m/s down an icy incline. The incline slopes above the horizontal
at an angle of 10.0. At the bottom of the incline, the penguin slides onto a horizontal patch of ice. The
coefficient of kinetic friction between the penguin and the ice is the same for the incline as for the horizontal
patch. How much time is required for the penguin to slide to a halt (stop) after entering the horizontal patch
of ice?

=10.0o

Solution:
The penguin comes to a halt on the horizontal surface because the kinetic frictional force opposes the motion
and causes it to slow down. The time required for the penguin to slide to a halt (v = 0 m/s) after entering the
v v0 v0

horizontal patch of ice is t

ax
ax
We must, therefore, determine the acceleration of the penguin as it slides along the horizontal patch (see
the following drawing).

5
For the penguin sliding on the horizontal patch of ice, we find from free-body diagram B and Newton's
second law in the x direction (motion to the right is taken as positive) that

Fx f k2 max

ax

or

f k2
m

k FN2
m

In the y direction in free-body diagram B, we have Fy FN2 mg 0 , or FN2 mg . Therefore, the

acceleration of the penguin is

k mg

k g
(1)
m
Equation (1) indicates that, in order to find the acceleration ax, we must find the coefficient of kinetic
friction.
We are told in the problem statement that the coefficient of kinetic friction between the penguin and the
ice is the same for the incline as for the horizontal patch. Therefore, we can use the motion of the penguin on
the incline to determine the coefficient of friction and use it in Equation (1).
For the penguin sliding down the incline, we find from free-body diagram A (see the previous drawing)
and Newton's second law (taking the direction of motion as positive) that
(2)
or
f k1 mg sin
Fx mg sin f k1 max 0
Here, we have used the fact that the penguin slides down the incline with a constant velocity, so that it
has zero acceleration. We know that f k1 k FN1 . Applying Newton's second law in the direction
perpendicular to the incline, we have
ax

Fy FN1 mg cos 0

FN1 mg cos

or

Therefore, f k1 k mg cos , so that according to Equation (2), we find

f k1 k mg cos mg sin

Solving for the coefficient of kinetic friction, we have

sin
tan
cos

Finally, the time required for the penguin to slide to a halt after entering the horizontal patch of ice is

t
t

v0
ax

v0

k g

v0

ax
v0

g tan

v0

k g

v0

g tan

1.73 m/s
1.00 s
(9.80 m/s 2 ) tan10