Cambridge International AS & A Level

7: Further mechanics – Topic questions

The questions in this document have been compiled from a number of past papers, as indicated in the table
below.

Use these questions to formatively assess your learners’ understanding of this topic.

Question Year Series Paper number

1 2017 June 41
2 2017 June 41
1 2017 March 42

The mark scheme for each question is provided at the end of the document.
1 (a) Explain how a satellite may be in a circular orbit around a planet.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]

(b) The Earth and the Moon may be considered to be uniform spheres that are isolated in space.
The Earth has radius R and mean density ρ. The Moon, mass m, is in a circular orbit about
the Earth with radius nR, as illustrated in Fig. 1.1.

Earth
radius R

Moon

nR

Fig. 1.1

The Moon makes one complete orbit of the Earth in time T.

Show that the mean density ρ of the Earth is given by the expression

3πn3
ρ= .
GT 2

[4]
(c) The radius R of the Earth is 6.38 × 103 km and the distance between the centre of the Earth
and the centre of the Moon is 3.84 × 105 km.
The period T of the orbit of the Moon about the Earth is 27.3 days.
Use the expression in (b) to calculate ρ.

ρ = ............................................... kg m–3 [3]

[Total: 9]
2 A bar magnet of mass 180 g is suspended from the free end of a spring, as illustrated in Fig. 2.1.

spring

magnet

coil

Fig. 2.1

The magnet hangs so that one pole is near the centre of a coil of wire.

The coil is connected in series with a resistor and a switch. The switch is open.

The magnet is displaced vertically and then allowed to oscillate with one pole remaining inside the
coil. The other pole remains outside the coil.

At time t = 0, the magnet is oscillating freely as it passes through its equilibrium position. At time
t = 3.0 s, the switch in the circuit is closed.

The variation with time t of the vertical displacement y of the magnet is shown in Fig. 2.2.

2.0

1.5
y / cm
1.0

0.5

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
–0.5 t/s

–1.0

–1.5

–2.0

Fig. 2.2
(a) Determine, to two significant figures, the frequency of oscillation of the magnet.

frequency = .................................................... Hz [2]

(b) State whether the closing of the switch gives rise to light, heavy or critical damping.

...............................................................................................................................................[1]

(c) Calculate the change in the energy ΔE of oscillation of the magnet between time t = 2.7 s and
time t = 7.5 s. Explain your working.

ΔE = ....................................................... J [6]

[Total: 9]
1 (a) Define gravitational potential at a point.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]

(b) A rocket is launched from the surface of a planet and moves along a radial path, as shown in
Fig. 1.1.

A B rocket
R path
R
planet 4R
mass M

Fig. 1.1

The planet may be considered to be an isolated sphere of radius R with all of its mass M
concentrated at its centre. Point A is a distance R from the surface of the planet. Point B is a
distance 4R from the surface.

(i) Show that the difference in gravitational potential Δφ between points A and B is given by
the expression
3GM
Δφ =
10R
where G is the gravitational constant.

[1]
(ii) The rocket motor is switched off at point A. During the journey from A to B, the rocket has
a constant mass of 4.7 × 104 kg and its kinetic energy changes from 1.70 TJ to 0.88 TJ.

For the planet, the product GM is 4.0 × 1014 N m2 kg–1. It may be assumed that resistive
forces to the motion of the rocket are negligible.

Use the expression in (b)(i) to determine the distance from A to B.

distance = .......................................................m [3]

[Total: 6]
Question Answer Marks
1 (a) gravitational force (of attraction between satellite and planet) 1

provides / is centripetal force (on satellite about the planet) 1

1 (b) M = (4/3) × 𝜋R3ρ 1

𝜔 = 2𝜋 / T or v = 2𝜋nR / T 1

GM / (nR)2 = nR𝜔2 or v2 / nR 1

substitution clear to give ρ = 3𝜋n3 / GT2 1

1 (c) n = (3.84 × 105) / (6.38 × 103) = 60.19 or 60.2 1

ρ = 3𝜋 × 60.193 / [(6.67 × 10–11) × (27.3 × 24 × 3600)2] 1

ρ = 5.54 × 103 kg m–3 1

Total: 9

2 (a) e.g. period = 3 / 2.5 1

frequency = 0.83 Hz 1

2 (b) light (damping) 1

2 (c) at 2.7 s, A0 = 1.5 (cm) 1

energy = ½ m × 4𝜋2f2A02 1
2 2 –2 2
= ½ × 0.18 × 4𝜋 × 0.83 × (1.5 × 10 ) 1
= 5.51 × 10–4 (J)
at 7.5 s, A0 = 0.75 (cm) 1
–4
energy = ¼ × 5.51 × 10 1
or
energy = ½ × 0.18 × 4𝜋2 × 0.832 × (0.75 × 10–2)2
energy = 1.38 × 10–4 (J) 1
change = (5.51 × 10–4 – 1.38 × 10–4) = 4.13 J
Total: 9

1 (a) work done per unit mass 1

bringing (small test) mass from infinity (ϥto the point) 1

1 (b) (i) ∆𝜙 = (GM / 2R) – (GM / 5R) = 3GM /10R 1

1 (b) (ii) change in GPE = (3 × 4.0 × 1014 / 10 R) × 4.7 × 104 1

14 4 12
(3 × 4.0 × 10 / 10 R) × 4.7 × 10 = (1.70 – 0.88) × 10 1
R = 6.88 ×106
distance = 3 × 6.88 ×106 1
= 2.1 × 107 m
Total: 6
Notes about the mark scheme are available separately.