Cambridge International A Level Physics Answers to self-assessment questions

Answers to SAQs
Chapter 17 7 Speed v = ωr = 0.105 × 1.8 = 0.19 cm s–1

1 a Full circular face of clock = 360° 8 a Angular velocity

Clock face divided into twelve sections, so ω = Δθ 90 × π
Δt = 180 × 15 = 0.105 rad s
–1

angular displacement of hour hand per hour b Speed v = ωr = 0.105 × 50 = 5.2 m s–1

= 360°/12 = 30°
b i Angular displacement of minute hand 9 Rearrange v = ωr to give angular velocity
7800 = 1.1 × 10–3 rad s–1
ω = vr = 7000 000
= half the clock face = 180°
ii Angular displacement of hour hand
10

a The gravitational pull of the Earth on the
= 3.5 × 30° =  105°
Moon.
Angle of 30° = 30 × π
2 a 180 = 0.52 rad
b The frictional force of the road on the wheels.
Angle of 90° = 90 × π c Tension in the string supporting the
180 = 1.57 rad pendulum.
Angle of 105° = 105 × π
180 = 1.83 rad
b Angle of 0.5 rad = 0.5 × 180 = 28.6° 11 There will be no frictional force between
π the road and the wheels. If the driver turns
Angle of 0.75 rad = 0.75 × 180
π = 43.0° the steering wheel, the car will continue in a
Angle of π rad = π × 180
π = 180°
straight line.
1  π × 180
Angle of 12  π rad = 2 π = 90° 12 Speed and kinetic energy are scalar
c Angle of 30° = 30 × π π quantities, the others are vectors. Speed is
180 = 6  rad constant; velocity has a constant magnitude
Angle of 120° = 120 × π 2π
180 = 3 rad but continuously changing direction
Angle of 270° = 270 × π 3π
180 = 2  rad
(the direction is tangential to the circle);
kinetic energy is constant; momentum has
Angle of 7200° = 720 × π
180 = 4π rad a constant magnitude but continuously
changing direction (the direction is
3 The magnitude of the velocity remains the tangential to the circle); the centripetal force
same (the speed is constant). has a constant magnitude but continuously
changing direction (the direction is always
4 a Speed is a scalar quantity and is constant, so
towards the centre of the circle); the
change in speed = 0 m s–1
centripetal acceleration behaves in the same
b Velocity changes to be in the opposite way as the centripetal force.
direction, so change in velocity
2
= 0.2 – (–0.2) = 0.2 + 0.2 = 0.4 m s–1 13 Acceleration a = vr
v = ωr 2
5 Second hand turns through 360° in 1 minute, a = (ωr)
or 2π rad in 1 minute, which is r
so a = ω2r
2π  rad in 1 second.
60
Angular velocity ω = 2π –1 14 Distance travelled for one complete orbit
60 =  0.105 rad s
s = 2πr = 2 × π × 6400 000 = 4.02 × 107 m
6 a Number of revolutions per second Rearrange speed v = st to give time
= 1200/60 = 20 rev s–1 7
t = vs = 4.02 × 10 3
7920 = 5.08 × 10  s (84.6 min)
b Angular velocity = 20 × 2π
= 40π rad s–1  =  130 rad s–1

Cambridge International AS and A Level Physics © Cambridge University Press 2014

 Cambridge International A Level Physics Answers to self-assessment questions

2
15
mv  
Rearrange centripetal force F = r to give 21 The normal contact force of the wall of the
slide has a horizontal component, which
maximum speed v = m Fr = 8.0 × 0.30
0.2 provides the centripetal force. If you are going
= 3.46 m s–1  ≈  3.5 m s–1 fast, you need a bigger force, so the horizontal
component must be greater. This happens as
16

a Centripetal force you move up the curved wall of the slide.
F = ma = 350 × 103 × 8.8 = 3.1 × 106 N
2
mv  
b Rearrange centripetal force F = r to give
6 3
Fr = 3.1 × 10 × (340 + 6400) × 10
speed m 3
350 × 10
= 7.7 × 103 m s–1
c Rearrange speed v = st to give
3
time t = vs = 2πr 2 × π × (340 + 6400) × 10
v = 7.7 × 10
3

= 5.50 × 103 s ≈ 1.5 h
24 h
d Number of orbits = length of day
orbit time = 5.5 × 103 s
= 15.7 times

17

a Time taken for one revolution
t = 13 = 0.333 s
Speed, v = st = 2πr 2 × π × 0.5
t = 0.333
= 9.42 m s–1  ≈  9.4 m s–1
b Centripetal acceleration
2 2
a = vr = (9.42) –2
0.5 = 178 m s   ≈  180 m s
–2

c Tension in string, F = ma = 0.40 × 178 = 71 N

11
18
a Speed, v = st = 2πr
2 × π × 2.3 × 10
t = 687 × 24 × 60 × 60
= 2.43 × 10  m s–1  ≈  24 km s–1
4

b Centripetal acceleration
2 4 2
a = vr = (2.43 × 1011) = 2.57 × 10–3  ≈ 2.6 × 10–3 m s–2
2.3 × 10
c Gravitational force
F = ma = 6.4 × 1023 × 2.57 × 10–3  = 1.6 × 1021 N

19 The tension in the string must have a vertical

component to balance the weight of the bung.

20 In level flight, lift balances the weight. During

banking, the vertical component of the lift is
less than the weight, so the aeroplane loses
height unless the speed can be increased to
provide more lift.

Cambridge International AS and A Level Physics © Cambridge University Press 2014