IIT-JAM Physics by Nitin PrepKit

Variable mass Problems

Mechanics

Questions

Question 1 (IIT-JAM 2011)

A raindrop is falling vertically under gravity gathers moisture from the atmosphere
𝑑𝑚 2
at a rate given by = 𝑘𝑡 , where ‘m’ is the instantaneous mass, ‘t’ is time and
𝑑𝑡
‘k’ is a constant. The equation of motion of the raindrop is
𝑑𝑣 𝑑𝑚
𝑚 +𝑣 = 𝑚𝑔
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

If the drop starts falling at t=0, with zero initial velocity and initial mass 𝑚𝑜 (given
3 2
by 𝑚𝑜 = 2𝑔𝑚, 𝑘 = 12𝑔𝑚/𝑠 and 𝑔 = 1000𝑐𝑚/𝑠 ), the velocity(v) of the drop
after one second is

a) 250 cm/s b) 500 cm/s c) 750 cm/s d) 1000 cm/s

Question 2 (IIT-JAM 2012)

A water cannon starts shooting a jet of water horizontally at r=0, into a heavy
trolley of mass ‘M’ placed on horizontal ground. The nozzle diameter of the water
cannon is d, the density of water is ρ and the speed of water coming out of the
nozzle is u. Find the speed of the trolley as a function of time. Assume that all the
water from the jet is collected in the trolley. Neglect all the frictional losses.

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Question 3 (IIT-JAM 2018)

A raindrop falls under gravity and captures water molecules from the atmosphere.
Its mass changes at the rate λ𝑚(𝑡), where λ is a positive constant and m(t) is the
instantaneous mass. Assume that acceleration due to gravity is constant and water
molecules are at rest with respect to Earth before capture. Which of the following
statements is correct?

a) The speed of the rain drop increases linearly with time

b) The speed of the raindrop increases exponentially with time.

c) The speed of the raindrop approaches a constant value when λ𝑡 ≫ 1

d) The speed of the raindrop approaches a constant value when λ𝑡 ≪ 1

Question 4 (IIT-JAM 2017)

Sand falls on a conveyor belt at the rate of 1.5 kg/s. If the belt is moving with a
constant speed of 7m/s, the power needed to keep the conveyor belt running is

_________. (Specify your answer in Watts to two digits after the decimal point)

Question 5 (JEST 2015)

A chain of mass M and length L is suspended vertically with its lower end touching
a weighing scale. The chain is released and falls freely onto the scale. Neglecting
the size of the individuals links, what is the reading of the scale when a length 𝑥 of
the chain has fallen?

𝑀𝑔𝑥 2𝑀𝑔𝑥 3𝑀𝑔𝑥 4𝑀𝑔𝑥

a) b) c) d)
𝐿 𝐿 𝐿 𝐿

Question 6 (TIFR 2013)

A particle with time varying mass 𝑚(𝑡) = 𝑚𝑜 1 −( 𝑡

τ ), where 𝑚
𝑜
and τ are the
positive constants, moves along the x axis under the action of a constant positive
force F for 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ τ. If the particle is at rest at time t=0, then at time t=t, its
velocity v will be

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𝐹τ 𝐹τ
a) −
𝑚𝑜 (
𝑙𝑜𝑔 1 −
𝑡
τ ) b) −
𝑚𝑜
𝑙𝑜𝑔 ( )
𝑡
τ

𝐹𝑡 𝑡 −1 𝐹τ
c) −
𝑚𝑜(1− τ) d)
𝑚𝑜 (
1−
𝑡
τ )
Question 7

A raindrop is falling through a cloud and accumulates mass at a rate 𝑘𝑚𝑣 where
𝑘 > 0 is a constant, 𝑚 is the mass of the raindrop, and 𝑣 its velocity. The speed of
the raindrop at a given time if it starts from rest is

𝑔 𝑔
a) 𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ( 𝑔𝑘𝑡) b) 𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ( 𝑔𝑘𝑡)
𝑘 𝑘

𝑔 𝑔
c) 𝑡𝑎𝑛ℎ( 𝑔𝑘𝑡) d) 𝑐𝑜𝑡ℎ( 𝑔𝑘𝑡)
𝑘 𝑘

Question 8

For the question 7, the value of mass m after time t is

a) 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ( 𝑔𝑘𝑡) b) 𝑚𝑜𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ( 𝑔𝑘𝑡)

c) 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ(2 𝑔𝑘𝑡) d) 𝑚𝑜𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ(2 𝑔𝑘𝑡)

Question 9

The rocket now moves under the pull of gravity and air resistance kmv2 and the fuel
is burned so that m = m0e−bt where b > g/u is a constant. The velocity of rocket after
time t is

𝑏𝑢−𝑔 𝑏𝑢−𝑔
a) 𝑠𝑖𝑛ℎ( (𝑏𝑢 − 𝑔)𝑘 𝑡) b) 𝑐𝑜𝑠ℎ(2 (𝑏𝑢 − 𝑔)𝑘 𝑡)
𝑘 𝑘

𝑏𝑢−𝑔 𝑏𝑢−𝑔
c) 𝑡𝑎𝑛ℎ( (𝑏𝑢 − 𝑔)𝑘 𝑡) d) 𝑡𝑎𝑛ℎ(2 (𝑏𝑢 − 𝑔)𝑘 𝑡)
𝑘 𝑘

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Question 10

For the question 9, the terminal velocity of the rocket is

𝑏𝑢−𝑔 2(𝑏𝑢−𝑔) 𝑏𝑢−𝑔 𝑏𝑢

a) b) c) 2 d)
𝑘 𝑘 𝑘 𝑘

Question 11

Consider a heavy rope of linear mass density λ rested on the ground. What force is
required to pull the rope upwards with constant velocity?
2 3
a) λ𝑣 b) λ𝑣 c) 2λ𝑣 d) λ𝑣

Question 12

Sand is falling on moving trolley (that is moving with velocity v) at the rate of λ. The
force required to maintain the constant speed of the trolley is
2
a) λ𝑣 b) λ𝑣 c) 2λ𝑣 d) 0

Question 13

Sand is falling down from the moving trolley (that is moving with velocity v) at the
rate of λ from the hole at the bottom surface of the trolley. The force required to
maintain the constant speed of the trolley is
2
a) λ𝑣 b) λ𝑣 c) 2λ𝑣 d) 0

Question 14

The rocket is moving under the pull of gravity and the fuel is burned at the rate γ.
Let 𝑢 be the velocity of fuel w.r.t. the rocket The velocity of rocket after time t is

a) 𝑢 𝑙𝑜𝑔 ( )𝑀𝑜
𝑀𝑜−γ𝑡 ( )
b) 𝑢 𝑙𝑜𝑔
𝑀𝑜
𝑀𝑜−γ𝑡
− 𝑔𝑡

c) 𝑢 𝑙𝑜𝑔 ( )𝑀𝑜
𝑀𝑜−γ𝑡
+ 𝑔𝑡 ( )
d) 𝑢 𝑙𝑜𝑔
𝑀𝑜
𝑀𝑜+γ𝑡

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Question 15 (IISc 2012)

​A spaceship of mass M enters a stationary dust cloud of mass density ρ with speed
𝑣𝑜 (<< c) at time t=0. If the dust particles are assumed to stick to the face of the
spaceship of area A, its speed at a later time t is

2ρ𝐴𝑣𝑜𝑡 −1/4
2ρ𝐴𝑣𝑜𝑡 −1/2
a) 𝑣𝑜(1 + ) b) 𝑣𝑜(1 + )
𝑀 𝑀

2ρ𝐴𝑣𝑜𝑡 −1
2ρ𝐴𝑣𝑜𝑡
c) 𝑣𝑜(1 + ) d) 𝑣𝑜𝑒𝑥𝑝(− )
𝑀 𝑀

Common statement for question 16, 17 and 18

A rocket set for vertical firing weighs 50 kg and contains 450 kg of fuel. It can have a
maximum exhaust velocity of 2 km/s. What should be its minimum rate of fuel
consumption

Question 16

To just lift it off the launching pad?

a) 2 kg/s b) 2.45 kg/s c) 3.5 kg/s d) 6 kg/s

Question 17

To give it an initial acceleration of 20 ?

a) 7 kg/s b) 9 kg/s c) 7.45 kg/s d) 9.45 kg/s

Question 18

What will be the speed of the rocket when the rate of consumption of fuel is 10
kg/s after the whole of the fuel is consumed (in km/s) ?

a) 4.16 b) 5.16 c) 3.16 d) 7.16

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Answers
1. (b) 2. () 3. (c) 4. (73.5) 5. (c)
6. (c) 7. (c) 8. (b) 9. (c) 10. (a)

11. (b) 12. (a) 13. (d) 14. (b) 15. (b)

16. (b) 17. (c) 18. (a)

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