PHYS 101 – General Physics I Midterm Exam 2 Solution

Duration: 120 minutes Saturday, 13 April 2019, 14:00

1. Two identical satellites are placed on a circular orbit of radius r around a moon of mass M and radius R. Due to an
error they are placed in oppositely rotating trajectories and will crash into each other.
(a) (10 Pts.) How long will it take for the satellites to collide if they are initially at
diametrically opposite points of the circle as shown in the figure.
(b) (15 Pts.) After they collide the satellites stick to each other and crash on to the
surface. What is the speed of the combined object when it crashes on the surface 𝑅
𝑀
of the moon?

Solution: 𝑟

(a) For a satellite with mass m in a circular orbit of radius r around a planet with
mass M, we have

GMm v2 GM 2 r r3
 m  v  . The period of this motion is T   2 . Two satellites will collide in
r2 r r v GM
T  r3
t   .
4 2 GM
(b) Two satellites will have equal and opposite momenta before the collision, meaning that the total momentum before
the collision is zero. Since momentum is conserved in the collision, combined object following the collision will have
zero velocity. Using the fact that total mechanical energy is conserved during the fall to the surface, we have

2mM 1 2mM  1 1 2GM (r  R)

Ei  G  E f  (2m)v 2f  G  v 2f  2GM     v f 
r 2 R R r rR

2. Two forces, 𝑭⃗ 1 = (8 N)𝒊̂ and 𝑭⃗ 2 = (−6 N)𝒋̂ act on a point particle with mass 𝑚 = 1 kg. Under the action of these
⃗⃗⃗⃗ = (22 m)𝒊̂ − (4 m)𝒋̂.
forces, the particle is displaced by ∆𝑟

(a) (8 Pts.) Find the net work done by these two forces?

(b) (9 Pts.) If the initial speed of the particle is 𝑣0 = 5 m/s, what is the final speed of the particle after it is displaced?

(c) (8 Pts.) If the displacement takes ∆𝑡 = 2 s, what is the average power supplied by the forces?

Solution:

⃗ 𝑛𝑒𝑡 = (8 N)𝒊̂ + (−6 N)𝒋̂, and work done by this constant net force is 𝑊 = 𝑭
(a) 𝑭 ⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 200 J.
⃗ 𝑛𝑒𝑡 ∙ ∆𝒓
1 1
(b) Work energy principle requires ∆𝐾 = 𝑊, hence 𝑚𝑣𝑓2 − 𝑚𝑣02 = 𝑊, which gives 𝑣𝑓2 = 𝑣02 + 2𝑊/𝑚,
2 2

or 𝑣𝑓 = √425 m/s
𝑊
(c) 𝑃 = ∆𝑡 = 100 W
3. A block of mass m starts with an initial velocity 𝑣0 = 5 m/s on a frictionless flat track and climbs onto an inclined
plane with angle of inclination 𝜃 = 𝜋/4. Part of the incline has friction as shown with the shaded region in the figure.
The particle comes to a momentary stop after travelling a distance 𝐿 = 0.5 m in the part with friction, having risen a
height 𝐻 = 1m from its initial position.

(a) (9 Pts.) What is the coefficient of kinetic

friction between the inclined plane and the
mass?
𝑔 = 10 𝑚/𝑠 2
(b) (8 Pts.) If the mass starts sliding back down
the incline after coming to a stop, what is the 𝐿 = 0.5 𝑚
maximum possible value for the coefficient of
static friction? 𝐻 =1𝑚
𝑣0 = 5 m/s 𝜋
(c) (8 Pts.) What will be the speed of the mass 𝜃=
4
when it comes back to the flat part of the track?

Solution:
1 √2
(a) Since there is friction, we have 𝐸𝑓 − 𝐸𝑖 = 𝑊𝑓 , or 𝑚𝑔𝐻 − 2 𝑚𝑣02 = −𝜇𝑘 𝑚𝑔𝐿 cos 𝜃 . This gives 𝜇𝑘 = 2
.

𝜋
(b) In this case we have 𝑚𝑔 sin 𝜃 ≥ 𝜇𝑠 𝑚𝑔 cos 𝜃 → 𝜇𝑠 ≤ tan ( 4 ) → 𝜇𝑠 ≤ 1 .

1 1
(c) On the way back, 𝐸𝑖 = 𝑚𝑔𝐻, and 𝐸𝑓 = 2 𝑚𝑣𝑓2 . Hence 2 𝑚𝑣𝑓2 − 𝑚𝑔𝐻 = −𝜇𝑘 𝑚𝑔𝐿 cos 𝜃 gives 𝑣𝑓 = √15 m/s .

4. (25 Pts.) Block B of mass 3𝑚 is at rest on a frictionless horizontal surface with one end attached to a spring whose
stiffness constant is k. The other end of the spring is
attached to a wall as shown in the figure. Block A with 3𝑚
mass m moving with speed 𝑣0 collides elastically with the 𝑚 𝑘
stationary block B. What will be the maximum ⃗0
𝒗 B
compression of the spring? (Collision is instantaneous.) A

Solution: Elastic collision means both momentum and energy of the system is conserved. Hence we have

1 1 1
𝑚𝑣′𝐴 + 3𝑚𝑣′𝐵 = 𝑚𝑣0 , and 𝑚𝑣′𝐴2 + 3𝑚𝑣′2𝐵 = 𝑚𝑣′20 , where 𝑣′𝐴 and 𝑣′𝐵 are respectively velocities of block A
2 2 2

and B after the collision. Solving these, we get −𝑣′𝐴 + 𝑣′𝐵 = 𝑣0 , which yields 𝑣́𝐴 = −𝑣0 /2 and 𝑣́ 𝐵 = 𝑣0 /2 .

Total mechanical energy of block B after the collision is conserved. Hence

1 1 3𝑚
2
(3𝑚)𝑣′2𝐵 = 2 𝑘(∆)2 at maximum compression ∆ of the spring. This gives ∆= √ 4𝑘 𝑣0 .