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Try the Flash resource Car pulling a caravan. You can vary the masses and
resistance forces, and then look at the force diagrams and calculate the
acceleration.
Further examples
Example 1
A car of mass 900 kg tows a caravan of mass 700 kg along a level road. The engine
exerts a forward force of 2400 N and there is no resistance to motion. Find the
acceleration produced and the tension in the tow bar.
Solution
R2
R1
T
700 kg
700g
2400 N
900 kg
900g
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R1
T
700 kg
2400 N
900 kg
700g
900g
Example 2
A car of mass 900 kg tows a trailer of mass 600 kg by means of a rigid tow bar. The
car experiences a resistance of 200 N and the trailer a resistance of 300 N.
(a) If the car engine exerts a driving force of 3000 N, find the acceleration of the
system and the tension in the tow bar.
(b) The engine is switched off and the brakes are applied to the car, giving retardation
force of 500 N. What is the retardation of the car, assuming other resistances are
unchanged, and what is the nature and size of the force in the tow bar?
Solution
(a)
R2
R1
T
600 kg
300
3000
900 kg
200
600g
900g
2500 1500a
5
3
5
3
-2
The acceleration is ms .
R2
600 kg
5
3
300
600g
T 300 600 53
T 1300
So the tension in the coupling is 1300 N.
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R2
R1
T
600 kg
900 kg
200
300
500
600g
900g
Considering the whole system:
500 200 300 900 600 a
1000 1500a
23 a
So the acceleration is 23 ms-1.
Again, looking at the forces only acting on the trailer:
23
R2
T
600 kg
300
600g
T 300 600 23
T 100
So the tension in the tow bar is 100 N and as it is negative it must be keeping
the car and trailer apart, so the tow bar is in compression or thrust.
Example 3
The diagram shows masses of m1, m2 and m3 connected by a light inextensible string.
Masses m1 and m3 hang vertically with m1 > m3. Mass m2 lies on a smooth surface.
(i)
(ii)
R
Solution
(i)
T2
T2
m2
As m1 is greater than
m3, the system will
move to the right.
T1
T1
m2g
m1
m3
m1g
m3g
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m1 = 8, m2 = 10, m3 = 5
The equations are:
8 g T1 8a T1 8 g 8a
T2 5 g 5a T2 5 g 5a
T1 T2 10a
Substituting the first two equations into the third:
8 g 8a (5 g 5a ) 10a
3g 23a
3 9.8
a
1.28 (3 s.f.)
23
The acceleration of the system is 1.28 ms-2 (3 s.f.)
Try the Flash resource Pulleys, which looks at an example which involves
resolving. You can vary the masses on each part of the string.
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