Tutorial Sheet – 1

Vectors and Newton’s laws, Momentum and Work-Energy

PHYSICS-1201

1. A mass M moves under the influence of a force F=(-3t j+ 4t2 i) N, where t is the time in seconds. It
starts from the origin at t=0, Finds: (a) its velocity; (b) its position; and (c) r×v, for any time later
How does radio wave affect ionospheric electrons?

2. A device called a capstan is used aboard ships in order to control a rope which is under great
tension. The rope is wrapped around a fixed drum, usually for several turns
(the drawing shows about a three-quarter turn). The load on the rope pulls
it with a force TA, and the sailor holds it with a much smaller force TB.
Show that TB = TAe−μθ, where μ is the coefficient of friction and θ is the total
angle subtended by the rope on the drum.

3. Acceleration of a particle in polar coordinates is given by

→
What does each of the four terms on the right hand side of a physically represent?

4. A disk rotates with constant angular velocity ω, as shown. Two

masses, mA and mB, slide without friction in a groove passing through the
center of the disk. They are connected by a light string of length l, and
are initially held in position by a catch, with mass mA at distance r a from
the center. Neglect gravity. At t = 0 the catch is removed and the masses
are free to slide. Find r¨a immediately after the catch is removed, in terms
of mA, mB, l, r a , and ω.

5. The radial and transverse velocities of a particles are 𝑟 and 𝜇𝜃. Find its path and show that its
radial and transverse components of acceleration are respectively

2
(μθ) μ
❑2 r − and μθ(l+ )
r r

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6. A particle P of mass 𝑚 can slide along a smooth rigid straight wire. The wire has one of its
points fixed at the origin O, and is made to rotate in the horizontal plane

polar co-ordinates, show that 𝑟, the distance of P from O, satisfies the

with an angular speed . By using the vector equation of motion of P in

equation

𝑟̈ −  2𝑟 = 0

Find a second equation involving 𝑁, where 𝑁𝜃̂ is the force the wire
exerts on P. Initially, P is at rest (relative to the wire) at a distance 𝑎 from O. Find r as a function
of t in the subsequent motion, and deduce the corresponding formula for N.

7. Mass M is fixed to the end of a rod of length l and negligible mass that is
pivoted to swing from the end of a hub that rotates at constant angular
frequency w, as shown in the drawing. The mass moves with steady speed in a
circular path of constant radius. The problem is to find , the angle the rod
makes with the vertical.

8. A particle moves outward along a spiral. Its trajectory is given by r =Aθ , where A is a constant.
1 1 2
A=( )m/rad.θ increases in time according to θ= α t , where α is a constant. (HOME
π 2
EXCERSICE)

a) Sketch the motion, and indicate the approximate velocity and acceleration at a few points.

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b) Show that the radial acceleration is zero when θ= rad.
√2
c) At what angles do the radial and tangential acceleration have equal magnitude?

9. Mass m whirls on a frictionless table, held to circular motion by a string which passes through
a hole in the table. The string is slowly pulled through the hole so that the radius of the circle
changes from l1 to l2. Show that the work done in pulling the string equals the increase in kinetic
energy of the mass.

10. A pendulum is constructed from two identical uniform thin rods ‘a’ and
‘b’ each of length L and mass m, connected at right angles to form ‘T’ by
joining the centre of rod ‘a’ to one end of rod ‘b’. The ‘T’ is then suspended
from the free end of rod b and the pendulum swings in the plane of ‘T’.

a) Give expression for kinetic and potential energies in terms of the angle  of inclination
to the vertical of the pendulum.
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b) Derive the equation of motion of the pendulum.

Tutorial Sheet – 2
Small oscillations, Central forces and SHM
PHYSICS-1202

1. A commonly used potential energy function to describe the interaction between two atoms is
the Lennard-Jones 6,12 potential

[( ) ( ) ]
12 6
r0 r0
U =ε −2
r r

a) Show that the radius at the potential minimum is r 0, and that the depth of the potential
e
well is .
b) Find the frequency of small oscillations about equilibrium for 2 identical atoms of mass
m bound to each other by the L-J interaction.

2. Consider a particle of mass m moving in a potential of the form

U(x)=C (1 - e-a(x-x0 ) )2
a) Plot the potential U(x) and corresponding approximation to it.
b) For small oscillation about the equilibrium point, find the frequency of oscillations.

3. Let a particle be subject to an attractive central force of the form f(r) where r is the distance
between the particle and the centre of the force.
a) Find f(r), if all circular orbits are to have identical areal velocities, Ȧ .
b) A particle in a central field moves in the spiral orbit r = c2 then determine how the
angle  varies with time.

4. For what values of n are circular orbits stable with the potential energy U(r) = −A/r n, where A
> 0?

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5. Two non-interacting particles m1 and m2 move
towards each other with velocities v1 and v2. Their
paths are offset by a distance b as shown in the
sketch. Investigate the equivalent one body
description of this system.

6. Given the following expressions:

a) ua ( t )= A cos ( αt+ β ) , α ≠ 0

b) ub ( t )=B cos ( αt ) +C sin ( αt ) , α ≠ 0 ,

c)uc ( t ) =A e−γt cos ( αt + β ) , γ ≠ 0 , α ≠ 0
d) uc ( t ) =A e−γt , γ ≠ 0
Given the following differential equations:
1) ü+2 ζ ω 0 u̇+ ω20 u=0 , ζ > 0
2) ü+ω 20 u=0
3) ü−ω20 u=0
4) ü+2 ζ ω 0 u̇+ ω20 u= A 0 cos (ωt )

Associate the differential equations with its solution. One solution can work for several
differential equations and one differential equation may have several solutions. For each answer,
specify the meaning of each constant A, B, C, α , β , γ or how to determine it in a problem.

7. Two particles, each of mass M, are hung between three identical springs. Each spring is
massless and has spring constant k. The masses
are connected as shown to a dashpot of negligible
mass. The dashpot exerts a force of bv, where v is
the relative velocity of its two ends. The force
opposes the motion. Let x1 and x2 be the
displacement of the two masses from equilibrium.

a) Find the equation of motion for each mass.

b) Show that the equation of motion can be solved in terms of the new dependent
variables y1 = x1 + x2 and y1 = x1 - x2.
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 c) Show that if the masses are initially at rest and mass 1 is given initial velocity v0, the
motion of the masses after a sufficiently long time is x1 = x2 = (v0/2ω)* sin(ωt).

8. Show that for a lightly damped forced oscillator near resonance, (HOME EXCERSICE)

average energy stored ∈the oscillator ω0

= =Q
average energy dissipated per radian γ