PHY 111 Semester: Spring, 2023

Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

PHY111 - Principles of Physics I
Assignment 3
Total marks: 25

Instructions:

1. Please write your name, ID and section on your script.

2. This assignment comprises of 2 questions. The points of each question is mentioned in the
particular question.

3. Please read the questions very carefully.

Question 1

The figure shows a conical pendulum, in which the bob (the small object at the lower end of the
cord) moves in a horizontal circle at constant speed. The cord sweeps out a cone as the bob rotates
(see the figure). The bob has a mass of 0.04 kg, the string has length L = 0.90 m and negligible
mass, and the bob follows a circular path of circumference 0.94 m.

(a) Calculate the tension in the cord. 4

(b) Calculate the angular velocity and the period of the circular motion. 3+2

Question 2

A pulsar is a rapidly rotating neutron star that emits a radio beam the way a lighthouse emits
a light beam. We receive a radio pulse for each rotation of the star.The period T of rotation is
found by measuring the time between pulses. The pulsar in the Crab nebula has a current period
of rotation of T = 0.033 s that is increasing at the rate of 1.26 × 10−5 second/year.

(a) What is the pulsar’s angular acceleration α? 2

(b) If α is constant, how many years from now will the pulsar stop rotating? 3
(c) The pulsar originated in a supernova explosion seen in the year 1054.Assuming constant α,
find the initial T . 3
Question 3

The string in the figure L = 1.2 m long, has a ball attached to one end, and is fixed at its other
end. The distance d from the fixed end to a fixed peg at point P is 0.75 m. The peg basically stops
the rotation of the upper part of the rope. After the rope catches the peg, it moves in the circular
path of radius r. When the initially stationary ball is released with the string horizontal as shown,
it will swing along the dashed arc.

(a) What is its speed when it reaches its lowest point. 3

(b) Calculate the velocity at its highest point after the string catches on the peg? 5