Module 3 Chapter 4

Mass and weight

The force of attraction on a mass due to gravity is called weight.

Force (N) = mass (m) x acceleration (a)

When falling freely a = g = 9.81N/kg on Earth.

The mass of an object gives us a relative measure of how much matter (atoms and molecules) is in that
object. It is measured in kg.

On Earth there is a downward pull of gravity equivalent to 9.81Newtons on every kilogram of mass.

The weight of an object is given as the total gravitational force pulling downwards on every kilogram of
mass in that object.

Example: Sadaf has a mass = 54kg. Therefore she weighs 54 x 9.81 = 540N on Earth

Sadaf only weighs 90N on the moon.

This means that gravitational field strength on the Moon is less than on Earth.
W = mg so given that g = W / m = 90 / 54 = 1.6 N/kg

Question: A Moon buggy has a mass of 10kg. Find its weight:

[1] On Earth
Weight [N] = overall gravitational pull = 9.81 Nkg-1 x 10kg = 981N

[2] On the Moon

Weight [N] = overall gravitational pull = 1.6 Nkg-1 x 10kg = 16N

Question: Tom weighs 720N on Earth and 1080N on the newly discovered planet Zeus. What is the
gravitational field strength on Zeus?

[a] W Earth = mg Earth Hence m = W Earth / g Earth

[b] W Zeus = mg Zeus Hence m = W Zeus / g Zeus

[c] Therefore W Earth / g Earth = W Zeus / g Zeus

[d] Hence g Zeus =????????

Density is mass per unit volume

Density is a measure of how much matter (atoms and molecules) is packed into a unit volume.

The units of density are gcm-3 or kgm-3 and Density = mass / volume or Ρ = m / v

Question: How does the following affect density:

(a) Larger atoms: Increases density

(b) Atoms packed closer together: Increases density
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Question: The density of water is 1g cm-3. If an object of 2 gcm-3 is placed on the surface of water, what
will happen? Answer = anything more dense than water will sink.

Exam question (1)

(a) Define density

Density is a measure of the amount of mass of a substance per cm-3

(b) A cylinder of aluminium, radius 4cm and height 6cm, has a mass of 820g. Calculate its density.
Mass / volume = density. Then calculate the volume of the cylinder from π r2 h. We know its mass so
then we can calculate its density.

(c) Use the information from part (b) to calculate the mass of a cube of aluminium of side 5cm.
From part [b] we have to calculate density which is mass / volume. Now mass = density x volume. Then
we calculate the new volume from π r2 h.

Exam question (2): A sphere has radius 4cm and a density of 67.8grams. Calculate its mass

HINT: The volume of a sphere = 4/3πr3

Again use mass = density x volume.

Exam questions:

(1) A rectangular brick has dimensions of 6.1cm x 8.3cm x 21.00cm and a mass of 2.5kg. Calculate (a)
its volume (b) its density
[a] Volume = 6.1 cm x 8.3 cm x 21.00 cm = ______ cm3.
[b] Mass / volume = density. Remember to change the mass to grams.
(2) An empty tin of treacle has a diameter of 0.120m and a height of 0.100m. It has a mass of 0.19kg. it
is filled with paint to within 3mm to the top of it. Its total mass (tin and paint) is then 6.1kg. Calculate
the following properties of the paint:

(a) Mass: [paint] = Total mass – mass of tin = 6.1 kg – 0.19kg

(b) Volume: 3mm = 0.003m. Therefore the height of the paint = 0.1m – 0.003m.
Then we work out the paint volume from π r2 h.

(c) Density = (a) / (b) = ______ kg / m3 [paint].

(3) A solid steel cylinder (density of steel = 7800kgm-3) has a diameter of 20mm and a length of 90mm.

Calculate (a) its volume in m3

20mm = 0.02m and r = 0.01m. Also 90mm = 0.09m. Hence volume = π r2 h.

Calculate its mass in kg. Now mass = density x volume.

(4) An alloy tube of volume 2.0 x 10-4m3 consists of 72.3% aluminium whilst the remainder is magnesium
by volume. The density of aluminium = 2700kgm-3 and the density of magnesium = 1700kgm-3.

Calculate the mass of (a) aluminium (b) magnesium in the tube:

Volume of aluminium = [[72.3] / 100] x 2.0 x 10-4 m3 = _____ Then use mass = density x volume for Al.
Volume of magnesium = [[17.7] / 100] x 2.0 x 10-4 m3 = _____ Use mass = density x volume for Mg.
Calculate the density of the alloy.
Finally density of alloy = [mass aluminium + mass magnesium] / 2.0 x 10-4 m3 = _____ kg m-3

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(5) Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. It consists of 70% by volume of copper and 30% by volume of
zinc. Use the same technique as in the previous question to calculate this answer.

The density of copper = 8.9 x 103 kg m-3

The density of zinc = 7.1 x 103 kg m-3

(a) Determine the mass of copper and mass of zinc required to make a rod of brass of volume 0.80 x 10-3
m3
Volume of copper = [[70] / 100] x 0.80 x 10-3 m3 = _____ Then use mass = density x volume for Cu.
Volume of zinc = [[30] / 100] x 0.08 x 10-3 m3 = _____ Use mass = density x volume for Zn.

(b) Calculate the density of brass

Calculate the density of the alloy.
Finally density of alloy = [mass aluminium + mass magnesium] / 0.80 x 10-3 m3 = _____ kg m-3

Summary questions on pressure and density of liquids

Assume that the density of water = 1.0 x 103 kg m-3

[1] The density of mercury is 1.35 x 104 kg –3. Calculate the pressure exerted by a column of mercury at
a depth of 0.765m
Use Pressure = hρg where h = depth [m], ρ = density of liquid and g = 9.81 Nkg-1
[2] Show that the pressure exerted at a depth of 610m in water is about 6 million pascals = 6 000 000 Nm2

Pressure = hρg = 610m x 1.0 x 103 kg m-3 x 9.81Nkg-1 = 6 000 000 Nm2
Force and mass

Summary questions: A resultant force of 500N acts on a stationary car of mass 1200kg. Calculate:

[1] [a] The car’s acceleration

F = ma so a = F / m = 500N / 1200kg and then a = [Final velocity – initial velocity] / time

[1] [b] Its velocity after 6.0 seconds

Use a = [Final velocity – initial velocity] / time because we know the acceleration now.

[2] Calculate the mass in grams of a mobile phone of weight 1.1 Newton.
Weight = mass x g i.e. mass [kg] = 1.1 / 9.81

[3] A golf ball has a mass of 46g. It is hit with a force of 5.8Kn. Calculate the initial acceleration of the
ball.
46g = 0.046kg and 5.8 KN = 5800 N Then use a = F / m

[4] The weight of a car = 1.8 x 104N. It accelerates from rest to a velocity of 28ms-1 in a time of 9.6
seconds. Calculate the acceleration of the car.
Weight = mass x g. From this we can calculate the mass ‘m’. Then we use:

a = [28ms-1 - 0 ms-1] / 9.6 seconds. We then use F = ma

[5] The forces acting on a proton (mass = 1.7 x 10-27kg) are shown in the diagram below. Calculate the
magnitude and direction of the acceleration of the proton.

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The magnitude of acceleration can be calculated from Pythagoras = [[2.0 x 10-16] + [1.5 x 10-16]]1/2

The direction can be calculated from tan-1 [θ] = [2.0 x 10-16] / [1.5 x 10-16]
[6] A 8.0g pellet travelling at 420ms-1 hits a wooden crate. The pellet penetrates 98mm into the crate.
Calculate the average magnitude of the force on the pellet.

[a] Mass = 8.0g = 0.008kg [b] also s = 0.098m = [[u + v] / 2] t [c] a = deceleration = [0 – 420ms-1] / t

[d] Once we have calculated the deceleration, we can then calculate F = ma

Centre of gravity

The centre of gravity (or centre of mass) can be considered as the single point through which all the
weight of an object acts.

If the object is pivoted underneath its centre of gravity then it will balance around this point. This first
diagram shows that the card is unstable. An anticlockwise turning force (moment) is produced pulling the
card downwards to the left.

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Remember, there is no clockwise or anticlockwise moment produced when the Centre of Gravity is above
the pivot.
It is easy to find the centre of gravity of an object e.g. rectangular piece of card.

(1) Hang the object freely from a point (e.g. one corner).
(2) Draw a vertical line downwards from the point of suspension – use a plumb bob to get your line
exactly vertical.
(3) Hang the object from a different point.
(4) Draw another vertical line down.
(5) The centre of gravity is where the two lines cross.

NB: For this to work, the object must have uniform density with a constant thickness

For a regular object the centre of gravity is simply at its centre.

Question: Identify one major source of uncertainty and suggest a way to reduce its effect on the accuracy
of your result. Answer = the thickness of the thread could affect the exact point where you put the cross.
How high the centre of gravity is tells you how stable the object is

Stable objects have a low centre of gravity and a wide base. e.g. formula one cars. The higher the centre
of gravity and smaller the base area, the less stable the object.

Courtesy of
http://www.schoolphysics.co.uk/age11-14/Mechanics/Statics/text/Stability_/index.html

Question: Consider the previous diagram. In both diagrams the bus will right itself (why?) What
happens to an object if a vertical line is drawn downwards from its centre of gravity and it falls outside its
base area?
In both cases a clockwise moment is produced so the bus will righten itself.

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Question: Lets say that the bus weighs 50 000N, which act through its centre of gravity. The
perpendicular distance from the pivot to a vertical line drawn downwards from the centre of gravity is
2.3m. Calculate the clockwise moment, which will righten the bus.
50 000N x 2.3m = _______ Nm.

4 (a): Define the moment of a force.

This is the turning effect produced by a force about some axis.

4 (b): Consider the truck in the diagram below:

State and explain which set of wheels A or B will feel the most force when the truck is carrying no load.
Let pivot = wheel A

Then there is a clockwise moment on acting on wheel B = 21 000n x 3m.

This is balanced by anticlockwise moment if we say pivot = wheel B, acting on wheel A

= 21 000N x 1.2m

Therefore, wheel B will experience most force pressing on it.

4 (c): A boulder is placed on the very edge of the back of the truck and the front wheels remain on the
ground but no longer feel any force from the truck. Calculate how much the rock weighs.

If we say that the pivot is wheel A, then the clockwise moment acting on wheel B = 21 000N x 3.0m

Then the anticlockwise moment when pivot is wheel B, which is acting on wheel A
= Weight of block x [0.8m + 3.0m + 1.2m]

We then know that weight of block x [0.8m + 3.0m + 1.2m] = 21 000N x 3.0m

5 (a): what is the difference between the weight of an object and its mass?
Weight = overall pull of gravity on an object. Mass = measure of the amount of matter in an object.

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5 (b): The above beam is balanced on the pivot (fulcrum). Draw in the approximate position of its centre
of gravity. 5(c): Describe the features that the base of a crane must have in order to ensure that it is stable
when lifting objects. The base of the crane must have its COG to be as low as possible so that it never
moves to one side of the pivot and make a clockwise or anticlockwise moment that it will topple it over.
6 (a): Explain why the toy below always manages to righten itself when pushed to one side (torque =
moment).

[a] When pushed to the left, the centre of gravity COG is to the right of the pivot. It therefore
produces a correcting anticlockwise moment to stop it toppling over to the left.
[b] When pushed to the right, the centre of gravity COG is to the left of the pivot. It therefore
produces a correcting clockwise moment to stop it toppling over to the right.

Summary question

[1] The centre of gravity of a metre rule is found to be at its 48.3cm mark. Suggest why it is not at the
50.0cm mark.
The metre ruler is of non-uniform density.

[2] Use diagrams to show the centre of mass of:

[a] A flat circular plate;

[b] A rectangular table;
[c] A rectangular card.
Do this yourself. Remember that the centre of gravity [COG] is at the centre of a regular uniform
shaped object.

[3] Describe how you could determine the centre of gravity of an irregularly shaped piece of card
using the edge of a ruler instead of the plumb line method.

[4] Explain why the centre of gravity for a table tennis-ball is in the empty space inside the ball, rather
than in the plastic of the ball itself.
The centre of mass of an object is a point through which any externally applied force produces a
straight-line motion but no rotation. The COG coincides with this point – an imaginary point through
which the entire gravitational pull [weight] of the object appears to act.

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 [5] Suggest how you can locate the centre of mass of an object in space where there is no detectable
gravitational field.
If you apply a force to an object acting in the direction of a line cutting across its centre of mass, then
that object will move in a straight line and not turn / rotate.

Forces

The following diagram shows all the forces acting on a moving car

Notice how forces being vectors are shown with arrows which:

(a) Specify the direction the force is acting in.

(b) Length of the arrow specifies the magnitude of the force.

(1) Notice how the weight of the car can be calculated from W = mg.

(2) Also consider how forces tend to act against each other in pairs.
The driving force and friction are unbalanced and so the car will accelerate to the right.

(3) The weight of the car and the combined reaction forces of the ground upwards on the tyres are equal
and constitute balanced forces.

Resolving a force means splitting into its components

A force of 1200N is pulling this block at an angle of 1200N to the horizontal. It can be resolved into both
vertical (Fv) and horizontal (Fx) force components.

Forces are vectors, so they can be treated in the same way as velocities, and be joined end to end to form
a right-angled triangle.
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Sin θ = FY / 1200N

FY = 1200N Sin θ

Cos θ = Fx / 1200N

Fx = 1200N Cos θ

The resultant force, force components or angle can then be calculated using trigonometry.

Question: Complete the following table:

Magnitude of Angle of vector to Fx Fy

vector the horizontal
4 10 4Cos [100] 4Sin [100]

[42 + 52 ]1/2 Arc tan [5/4] 4 5

[52 + 92 ]1/2 Arc tan [9/5] 5 9

[[5tan θ] 2 + 52 ]1/2 60 5 Tan [600] = Fy / 5

So Fy = 5Tan [600]
70 Tan [700] = 8 / Fx 8
So FX = 8 / Tan [700]
4 Arc tan [5/4] 4 5

6 Arc tan [9/5] 5 9

8 Arc tan [6/5] 5 6

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 Force vector diagrams

Question: There are two ways to determine the magnitude of the resultant force.

One is with trigonometry (sine). One is with Pythagoras. Try both in the space below and see if you get
the same answer.

[1] Using trigonometry cos θ = FH / F and FH = F cos θ

[2] Using Pythagoras F = [F2H + F2Y ]1/2

Question: The first diagram is a free-body force diagram of an ice hockey puck moving across the ice.

Use trigonometry to show how to calculate the vertical and horizontal force components.

Using trigonometry cos θ = FH / F and FH = F cos θ

Also sin θ = Fy / F and Fy = F sin θ

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Question: The previous diagram shows a painting and the tension forces in the string holding it up. The
painting weighs 80 N.

The force vectors can be joined end to end as follows:

The weight is spread equally through both strings.

Question: Calculate the tension force in each string:

Then sin [500] = 400 / T1 and also T1 = 400 / sin [500]

And this has the same value as T2

Question: Two elephants pull a tree trunk as shown in the diagram.

Resultant Force using Pythagoras = [[6002] + [10002]]1/2

Question: Calculate force P by drawing a closed-loop force diagram
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 Resolving more than one force in force diagrams

We can resolve each of these forces into their horizontal and vertical components. Remember, velocity is
a vector quantity and since we use Cartesian axes (X and Y), we can have negative x components and
negative Y components.
Question: Complete the following table:

Resultant force Vertical component Horizontal component

F1 -sin 45 x F1 - cos 45 x F1

F2 sin 60 x F2 - F2 cos [60]

F3 F3 sin [30] cos 30 x F3

Question: Lets determine the two unknown forces P and Q

Now because the forces are in equilibrium, we know that:

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(1) The pair of oppositely directed vertical components add up to zero
(2) The pair of oppositely directed horizontal components add up to zero

If we start with the vertical components then we can see that:

(cos 200 x Q) – 120 = 0
Therefore, Q = [120 / cos 20] = 127.7N = 128 N (3SF)
In the horizontal direction:
Q sin 200 – P = 0
P = sin 200 x 128 = 43.7N

Question: For each of the following diagrams, the particles are in equilibrium [not in motion]. Calculate
the magnitude and direction of the two unknown forces P and Q.

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[a] In the vertical direction [b] Finding the value of P

Sin [45] = a / Q In the horizontal direction

Hence a = Sin [45] Q Cos [45] = b / Q

And the 200N force is in the opposite direction to Hence b = Q cos [45] Hence Qcos45 – P = 0
‘a’ and in equilibrium to it;
Therefore substitute the value of Q in and find P
Hence [sin [45] Q] + [-200] = 0 Hence find Q

[a] In the vertical direction [b] Finding the value of P

Sin [40] = a / Q In the horizontal direction

Hence a = Sin [40] Q Cos [40] = b / Q

And the 230N force is in the opposite direction to Hence b = Q cos [40] Hence Q cos [40] – P = 0
‘a’ and in equilibrium to it;
Therefore substitute the value of Q in and find P
Hence [sin [40] Q] + [-230] = 0 Hence find Q

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Question: For each of the following diagrams, the particles are in equilibrium. Calculate the magnitude
and direction of the two unknown forces P and Q.

[a] In the vertical direction [b] Finding the value of P

Sin [30] = a / Q In the horizontal direction

Hence a = Sin [30] Q Cos [30] = b / Q

And the 230N force is in the opposite direction to Hence b = Q cos [30] Hence Q cos [30] – P = 0
‘a’ and in equilibrium to it;
Therefore substitute the value of Q in and find P
Hence [sin [30] Q] + [-230] = 0 Hence find Q

[a] In the vertical direction [b] Finding the value of P

Sin [30] = a / Q In the horizontal direction

Hence a = Sin [30] Q Cos [30] = b / Q

And the 230N force is in the opposite direction to Hence b = Q cos [30] Hence Q cos [30] – P = 0
‘a’ and in equilibrium to it;
Therefore substitute the value of Q in and find P
Hence [sin [30] Q] + [-230] = 0 Hence find Q

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 Summary questions:

[1] Draw a labelled free-body diagram for:

(a) A ball falling vertically through the air

(b) A toy boat resting on the surface of water

[2] The diagram shows the free-body diagram for a bag on the floor of a lift. The mass of the bag =
8.0kg. The normal contact force is ‘N’. The lift travels vertically upwards with acceleration
= 1.5ms-2. Calculate the resultant force on the bag and therefore the magnitude of the force N. Explain
your answer.

F = ma = 8.0kg x 1.5ms-2 = 12N

[3] A 20g wooden block is placed on a smooth ramp that makes an angle of 300 to the horizontal. The
block is released from rest. Calculate its acceleration down the ramp.

Sin [30] = F / 0.2 therefore F = 0.2 sin [30]. And F = ma therefore a = F / m = 0.2 sin [30] / 0.2kg

[4] Calculate the acceleration of the block in question 3 assuming a constant friction of 0.01N acts against
the motion of the block.
Firstly F – 0.01N = new resultant force down the slope. Then use a = [F – 0.01N] / m

Summary questions on drag and terminal velocity

[1] A skydiver is falling towards the Earth at a terminal velocity of 45m-1. Describe what she could do to
change her terminal velocity.
Increase the surface area in contact with the air.
[2] A rubber ball of mass = 0.12 kg is dropped from a tall building. Calculate the magnitude of the drag

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force as it falls through the air at its terminal velocity. Explain your answer. When the terminal velocity
is reached we have balanced forces = mg = D. Therefore D = 0.12 X 9.81.
[3] At 10ms-1 the drag force on a car = 1.0kN. What is the drag force on the same car travelling at
30ms-1? Explain your answer.

The drag force is directly proportional to the speed2

Therefore if 1000N is directly proportional to 102

And F is directly proportional to 302

Then F / 1000 = 302 / 102

From this we can calculate ‘F’

[4] Determine the instantaneous acceleration of each object in the diagrams below:

[a] To calculate the instantaneous acceleration, we can use F = ma

Then a = F / m. Remember the mass = 80kg

[b] For the ball the overall downwards force = 0.5N we then use a = F / m

[5] The magnitude of the drag force D in newtons (N) acting on a 0.30 kg object falling through air is
given by the expression D = 0.20 v2

Where v = speed of the object in ms-1. Calculate:

[a] The instantaneous acceleration of the object at 1.5ms-1

When the ball is moving downwards through the air, there is an upward drag force produced.
Then let g = 10N / kg
Now D = 0.20 x 1.5ms-1
Then the resultant force = 3N [weight] – Drag force. Finally a = Resultant force / 0.30kg
[b] The terminal velocity of this object
This occurs at balanced forces when the forces are balanced so we know that the weight
= mg = D = 3 Newtons = 0.20 v2

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 Summary questions on moments and equilibrium

[1] Calculate the moment of each force about the pivot in Figure 1.
Remember to change cm into metres
[a] Unknown [X Newton] x 0.001m = clockwise moment
[b] 4.0N x 0m = No moment
[c] Unknown [Y Newton] x 0.0018m = clockwise moment
[2] Figure 2 shows a human forearm held horizontally and still. Calculate:
(a) The clockwise moment about the elbow joint;
[0.150m x 18N] + [0.360m X 35N]
(b) The force F in the muscle
Now [0.132N x F] = [0.150m x 18N] + [0.360m X 35N]
[3] A uniform cylinder has height 10.0cm and diameter 3.0cm. The cylinder is placed with its circular
base resting on a horizontal table. Calculate the maximum angle through which it can tip before it
continues to fall by itself.

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[4] Calculate the magnitude of the force F in Figure 3.

Answer: Total Clockwise moment = (0.40 m x 18N) + (0.50 m x 20N) = 17.2Nm

Now this is equal to the anticlockwise moment

= [(0.40m + 0.10m + 0.15m) x FUPWARDS ] = 0.65 FUPWARDS

Therefore 0.65m x FUPWARDS = 17.2Nm

Therefore FUPWARDS = 17.2Nm / 0.65m = 26.5N

We can now draw a force diagram and calculate the Force (F)

Therefore Cos (30) = 26 / Force F

Therefore Force F = 26 / Cos (30)

Summary questions on couples and torques

[1] A snooker ball is resting on a table. A single off-centre force is applied to its surface with a cue.
Describe the subsequent motion of the ball.
A moment will be established to one side of the ball, with the pivot at the ball,s centre. The ball will then
spin.

[2] The top of a kitchen tap has diameter 4.0cm (0.04m). Estimate the torque required to open such a tap
using your thumb and one of the other fingers.
The radius = 0.02m. Therefore torque = (F x 0.02m) + (F x 0.02m) = 2 (F x 0.02m) = (2F + 0.04) Nm

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[3] Figure 1 shows two discs placed on a smooth horizontal surface

Describe qualitatively the type of motion each disc will perform.

The first disc will spin clockwise whilst simultaneously moving to the right.
The second disc will spin in an anticlockwise direction [maintaining its position]. It will do this with a
total momentum = F x perpendicular distance of F to centre of disc.

[4] Figure 2 shows a couple acting on an object

[a] Determine the total moment of the couple about the point A.
((F. (d + x)) + (F. x)) = Fd + 2Fx = F (d + 2x)

[B] what can you deduce from this calculation?

Fd gives the normal torque of the disc. But if we create a torque using a pivot at distance ‘x’, then that
torque increases by 2x.

Summary questions on the triangle of forces

[1] Three coplanar forces act on an object. The vectors representing these three forces form a closed
triangle [triangle of forces]. State the resultant force acting on the object.
The resultant force acting on the object = 0 in a closed triangle of forces.

[2] Figure 1 shows an object in equilibrium.

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[a] Draw a clearly labelled triangle of forces.

[b] Calculate the magnitude of the force T

This can be done using Pythagoras
[c] State and explain the magnitude of the resultant of the forces 5.0N and 12N.
T must have the same magnitude of the resultant of the forces 5.0N and 12N but act in the opposite
direction.
[3] A crane lifts a girder using a hook and two cables as shown in Figure 2

The forces acting on the hook are shown.

Calculate the magnitudes of the forces T1 and T2.

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[4] Two Newton meters are used to lift 500g of slotted masses [Figure 3]. The masses are at rest.

(b) Explain why it would be impossible for both angles to be zero.

Then you could not construct a triangulation of forces resulting in the resultant force to be equal to zero.
Also as mention, when the angle becomes zero then there is no vertical force component counteracting
the weights.

Practice questions
[1] [a] Define the Newton and its base units.
From F = ma = force required to accelerate 1 kg by 1 ms2

[b] The mass of a rocket = 3.0 x 106kg. At lift off, the vertical upward thrust on the rocket is 34MN.

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[i] Calculate the initial vertical acceleration of the rocket.
F = ma therefore a = F / m = 34 x 106 N / 3.0 x 106kg

[ii] The upward thrust on the rocket remains the same. Explain why after some time, the vertical
acceleration is much larger than the value calculated in (i).
As we leave the Earth’s atmosphere and pass into space there is less resistive air resistance and so the
resultant upward force increases.

[2] The diagram below shows the vertical forces acting on a helium – filled balloon just before lift off.

[a] Determine the magnitude of the resultant force acting on the balloon and the angle this resultant force
makes with the horizontal.
[b] As the balloon rises through the air, it experiences a drag force. State the two factors that affect the
magnitude of the drag force on this balloon.
Temperature of the air and density of the air [dependent on the height above the Earth] are the two factors
that affect the magnitude of the drag force on this balloon.
.[3] The diagram below shows a lamp supported by two cables.

[a] Without any calculations, explain the value of the resultant force due to T and F.
Resultant force = T + F
[b] Calculate the magnitude of the forces T and F.
Cos (35) = F / 24 therefore F = 24 cos (35)
Sin (35) = T / 24 therefore T = 24 sin (35)

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[c] The angle made by the force T with the horizontal is decreased.

Explain the effect this has on the tension T.

T = 24 sin (35) therefore if the angle is decreased then so is the tension.

[4] [a] Define density

Density is defined as the mass of a substance [kg] per cubic metre volume of that substance [m3].

[b] The diagram below shows the variation of the density of the Earth with depth from the surface.

[i] Suggest how the diagram shows that the earth consists of a number of distinct layers.
There are distinct bands of increasing density the lower down into the Earth that we measure.

[ii] Geophysicists believe that the central core of the earth is solid iron and nickel. A layer of molten
metal surrounds this central core. The central core starts at a depth of 5.1 x 106m.

The solid iron core accounts for 18% of the mass of the Earth. The mass of the Earth = 6.0 x 1024kg and
its radius = 6.4 x 106m. Calculate the mean density of the central core of the Earth.

Volume of a sphere = 4/3 π r3

Answer: the radius of the central core = 6.4 x 106m - 5.1 x 106m
From this we can use Volume of a sphere = 4/3 π r3 to calculate the volume of the central core.
We can calculate the mass of the central core knowing that it is 18% of 6.0 x 1024kg
Finally we use density = mass / volume to calculate the density of the central core of the Earth.

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[5] [a] The atmosphere of the Earth exerts pressure on all objects on its surface. At a depth ‘d’ in water,
the total pressure is P. On the axes below, sketch a graph to show the variation of P with d.

Now pressure of a liquid (P) = hρg

Where P = pressure exerted by a vertical column of any liquid from its weight
h = height of liquid column
ρ= density of the liquid
g = 9.81 ms2

This therefore implies that there is a direct proportional relationship between pressure [P] and depth of a
liquid [d] as shown in the graph below:

[b] The diagram below shows an object held under water.

The density of the object is 400kg m-3 with a volume of 6.0 cm3. The density of water is 1000 kgm-3.

[i] Explain why the object experiences an upthrust.

According to Archimedes principle, an object held under water will experience an upthrust equal to the
weight of water it displaces. In this case, mass {kg] = density x volume = 400kg m-3 x 0.006 m3
= 0.264 kg. This is approximately equivalent to an upthrust = 2.64Newtons.
[ii] Calculate the initial upward acceleration of the object when it is released.

[6] [a] State what the centre of gravity of an object means.

The centre of gravity of an object is the point through which all gravity acting on that object appears to be
directed.

[b] Define moment of a force.

The moment of a force is equal to the force acting on an object multiplied by its perpendicular distance to
the pivot on that object.
[c] The diagram below shows a baby’s mobile toy.

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The toy consists of a horizontal rod from which two objects shaped as a crescent moon ‘M’ and a star ‘S’
are suspended from lengths of string. The weight of the rod is negligible and it is pivoted about an axis
passing through the point ‘A’ perpendicular to the plane of the diagram. The weights of M and S and the
separation between the strings are shown in the diagram. The distance between the string on the left and
point A is ‘x’. The arrangement shown in the diagram is in equilibrium.

[i] State two conditions necessary for the rod to be in equilibrium.

[a] A must be a pivot and allow clockwise and anticlockwise moments to turn the horizontal rod smoothly
without being affected by frictional forces.
[b] The total anticlockwise moments = total clockwise moments.

[ii] By taking moments about A determine the distance x.

0.12x = 0.35 [0.5 – x]
Hence 0.12x = 0.175 – 0.35x etc

[iii] Determine the magnitude of the tension in the string attached to A.

0.35N + 0.12N + weight of rod

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