2017-2018 Term 1

PHYS1110 Engineering Physics: Mechanics & Thermodynamics

Assignment 1

Due date: 21st Sept, 2017 (by 5:30 pm)

Please submit your homework (should be a hardcopy) to the assignment box located outside SC
213 (Science Centre North Block). Typing is not necessary. Please show your solutions and steps
clearly.

1.  

 
 
Denoting , and
(a) Show that 0 (5%)
(b) Show that (5%)
(c) Using the results in (b), deduce the law of sines (5%):
sin sin sin
| | | | | |
(d) By evaluating ( ∙ , show that (5%)
| | | | | |
cos
2| || |

Answer:
(a) 0
(b) 0

(1)
0
(2)
Combining (1) and (2), we have:

1 
 
 (c)
| || | sin | || | sin | || | sin
Dividing on both sides by | || || | :
sin sin sin
| | | | | |
(d)
∙ ∙
| | | | | | 2 ∙
| | | | | | 2| || | cos

Rearranging
| | | | | |
cos
2| || |

2. (a) Find the projection of (3,2,2) on 1,2,3 . (6 %)

(b) Express where is parallel to and is perpendicular to . (7 %)
(c) Calculate the volume of the parallelepiped formed by , and . (7%)
Answer:
∙
(a) projection 1,2,3 1,2,3

(b) 1,2,3
13 29 2 11
3,2,2 1,2,3 , ,
14 14 14 14
∙ 0
1 2 3
(c) ∙ 13 29 2 11
3 2 2
3 2 2
1 2 11 29 11 29 2
13 2 3
14 2 2 3 2 3 2
1
26
13 2 91 3 52 0
14
Note that is linearly dependent on and . Consequently, the determinant is zero. The
volume of the parallelepiped is zero.

3. You are given vectors a 3 ̂ 4ȷ̂ and b 2 ̂ 5ȷ̂. A third vector c lies on the plane. It
is known that c is perpendicular to a and the scalar product between b and c is 7.
(a) Determine the angle between a and b . (5%)
(b) Find the components and magnitude of vector c. (5%)

2 
 
 (c) Calculate c b and its magnitude, hence determine the angle between c and b . (5%)
(d) Show that 90°. What is its geometrical meaning? (5%)

Answer:

(a) |a| √3 4 5.
Similarly b =√29.
a∙b 3∙ 2 4 ∙5 26
Since
a∙b |a| b cos θ

Hence cos θ
√

165°
(b) We write c ̂ ȷ̂. As c is perpendicular to a, c·a 0
3 4 0 Eqn (1)
Also ∙7 gives
2 5 7 Eqn (2)
Solving Eqns (1) and (2) gives 4, 3

So c 4̂ 3ȷ̂ and |c| 5.

̂ ȷ̂ k
(c) c b 4 3 0 26 k
2 5 0
c b 26
c |c| b | sin
b |
26
|sin |
5√29
75°

(d) Using the results in (a) and (c), θ – Φ =90 . This is due to the fact that c is perpendicular to a.

4. A stationary Mars lander is at the origin of coordinates. The surrounding Martian surface lies
in the xy-plane and is explored by a vehicle. The location of the vehicle is represented as a
point. The x- and y-coordinates vary with time:
2.0 0.25
0.025

The time variable t is measured in seconds while the coordinates x, y are measured in metres.
(a) Determine the vehicle’s coordinates at 2.0s. How far is the vehicle from the lander at
that time? (4%)
3 
 
 (b) Find the vehicle’s displacement and average velocity vectors for the interval 0.0s to
2.0s. (6%)
(c) Find a general expression for the rover’s instantaneous velocity vector . Express at
2.0 in component form and in terms of magnitude and direction. (10%)
Answer:
(a) At 2.0s the coordinates of the vehicle are
2.0 0.25 2 1

1.0 2 0.025 2 2.2

The distance of the vehicle from the origin at this time is
= 1.0 2.2 2.42 m
(b) To find the displacement and average velocity over the given time interval, we first
express the position vector as a function of time . From equation this is

2.0 0.25 0.025
At 0.0 the position vector is

2.0 0

From part (a), the position vector at 2.0 s is

2.2

The displacement from 0.0 s to 2.0 s is therefore

∆ 2.2 2 2.2

During this interval the vehicle moves 1.0 m in the negative x-direction and 2.2 m in the
∆
positive y-direction. From equation , the average velocity over this interval
∆

is the displacement divided by the elapsed time:

∆ 2.2
0.50 1.1
∆t 2.0 0.0
The components of this average velocity are , 0.50 m/s and , 1.1 m/s

(c) From the equation , the components of instantaneous velocity are the time
derivatives of the coordinates:
0.25 2t

1.0 0.025 3
Hence the instantaneous velocity vector is

4 
 
 0.5 1.0 0.075

At 2.0 s the velocity vector has components

0.50 2.0 1.0 m/s

1 0.075 2.0 1.3 m/s

The magnitude of the instantaneous velocity (that is, the speed) at 2.0 s is

= 1.0 1.3 1.6 m/s

Since tan

1.3
arctan arctan 52°
1.0

This is in the second quadrant. The angle is labeled in the following diagram.

5. A small block with mass is placed inside an inverted cone rotating about a vertical axis
such that the time for one revolution of the cone is (see figure below). The walls of the
cone make an angle with the horizontal. The coefficient of static friction between the
block and the cone is . In this question, assume the block remains at a constant height h
above the apex of the cone.

5 
 
(a) The cone and the block are rotating together as slowly as possible, giving the maximum time
for one revolution . Draw a free-body diagram for the block in this case. (5%)
(b) Determine in terms of , β and h. (5%)
(c) Draw a free-body diagram for the block when has its minimum value . Determine
in terms of , β and h. (5%)
(d) What do your expressions for and become when 0? Explain its physical
meaning. (5%)

Answer:

(a) The forces on the block: static frictional force , the normal force acting on the object by
the surface, and gravitational force .
When the cone is rotating as slowly as possible, the friction force on the block is upward
along the surface of the cone, and its value is .

(b) In the vertical direction, the net force is zero.

cos sin
Hence
Equation 1
In the horizontal direction, the sum of the horizontal components from the normal force and
the friction provides the centripetal force:
sin cos Equation 2
Note that and
Putting these expressions in equation 2:
2
sin cos
tan
Putting equation 1 into the equation above,
2
sin cos
cos sin tan

Rearranging the equation, we obtain

cos sin
2
sin cos tan

6 
 
 cot
2
tan

(c)

In the vertical direction, the net force is zero

cos sin

Hence
equation 3

In the horizontal direction, the sum of the horizontal components from the normal force and
the friction provides the centripetal force:
sin cos Equation 4
Note that and
Putting these expressions in equation 4:
2
sin cos
tan

Putting equation 1 into the equation above,

2
sin cos
cos sin tan

Rearranging the equation, we obtain

2 .

cot
2
tan

(d) If μ 0, . The small block can only remain at the constant height h

7 
 
 when the time for one revolution of the cone is exactly .

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