Course 141 Mechanics Problem set 3 Date: 29/10/2009 Due date: 04/11/2009

1) Consider the train depicted in the picture below

1 5

m The carriages have mass m1 = m5 = m, m2 = m4 = m 2 and m3 = 4 . The train is pulled with a total constant force F and its acceleration is a. Determine the forces acting on each of the carriages.

2) A point particle of mass m = 1 kg moves in a plane subject to a force F = f1 + f2 , where f1 and f2 is a positive constant. Let the vector r = x(t) + y (t) describe the position of the particle. a) Write down the functions x(t) and y (t) for generic initial conditions, i.e. initial position, r0 , and velocity, v0 . b) Consider the case in which f1 = 0 and f2 = 2 N and the initial conditions are r0 = 4 (m) , v0 = u + v (m/s) ,

where u and v are constants. Find values of the constants u and v such that (i) The particles distance from the origin is never less than 1 m; (ii) The trajectory of the particle passes through the origin. 3) At 12 oclock the hours and minutes hands of a clock are in the position depicted in the gure below
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XI X IX VIII VII

XII

I
II

III IV VI V

Calculate what time it is when the hands of the clock point in the same direction for the rst time. 4) Consider the system of three bodies, A, B and C , depicted below. They are connected by a massless string and their masses are respectively mA , mB and mC , with mA > mC . The string can slide without friction and the body of mass mB can slide without friction on the plane.

mB

mA

mC

The system is initially at rest and at time t = 0 the masses are released so that A starts descending under the eect of gravity. Compute the tension on the various segments of the string and the acceleration of the three masses.