Maths Quest C Year 11 for Queensland Chapter 8 Vector applications WorkSHEET 8.

1 1

WorkSHEET 8.1 Vector applications Name: _________________________

1 For the three forces (a) R  F F  F 2

~ ~1 ~2 ~3
F  2 ~i  j , ~F  3 ~i  2 j and ~F   ~i  3 j
~1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ ,  2 ~i  j  3 ~i  2 j  i  3 j
~ ~ ~ ~
find:
 4 i  4j
(a) the resultant force R
~
~ ~

(b) the magnitude of the resultant force.

(b) R  42  42
~

 32
4 2

2 Three coplanar forces, A

~
, B
~
and C~ have
3
magnitudes of 80 N, 60 N and 90 N

respectively. Find the angle between B

~
and C
~

if the resultant force is zero.

or

Using the cosine rule


80 2  90 2  60 2  2 90  60 cos 180   
6400  8100  3600  10800 cos 180    

 11700  10800 cos 
10800 cos   5300
 5300
cos  
10800
 0.4907
  119.4
The angle between forces B
~
and C
~
is 119.4 
Maths Quest C Year 11 for Queensland Chapter 8 Vector applications WorkSHEET 8.1 2

3 A boy pulls a cart along by an attached rope. 2

The cart is on a horizontal path and the rope
makes an angle of 30 to the horizontal. If the
rope exerts a force of magnitude 20 N on the
cart, find: (a) Horizontal component  20 cos 30
(a) the horizontal component of the force
exerted on the cart by the rope 3
 20 
(b) the vertical component of the force 2
exerted on the cart by the rope.  10 3 N

(b) Vertical component  20 sin 30

 20  0.5
 10 N

4 A 2-kg mass is held on a smooth inclined plane, 2

angled at 45 to the horizontal, by a string
which is parallel to the plane.

Draw a vector force diagram showing the

forces acting on the mass. Find the magnitude
of the resultant force, R
~ .
Since the mass is not moving, the forces are in
equilibrium.
R
~ =0

5 For the situation described in the previous 3

j is at right angles to i~
question, use ~i as a unit vector up the plane ~

and ~j as a unit vector perpendicular to the

plane to find:
(a) the weight vector W ~
using i~  j
~

notation. (a) W  2 g sin 45i  2 g cos 45 j

~ ~ ~
(b) the tension force in the string,   2gi  2g j
~ ~
T~ using ~i  j notation.
~

(c) the magnitude of the normal contact (b) R T 

~
 ~ 
2g i  N  2g j ~
force, N.
Since R  0
~

T  2g  0
T  2g
T~  2g i
~

(c) N  2g  0
N  2 g newton.
Maths Quest C Year 11 for Queensland Chapter 8 Vector applications WorkSHEET 8.1 3

6 A 2.4-kg mass rests on a plane inclined at 24 5

such that it is just about to slide.

The plane is then inclined at an angle of 36 .

Determine the resultant force on the mass.
R~   F  2.4 g sin 24 ~i
  N  2.4 g cos 24 j
~
But R~  0
F  2.4 g sin 24  0
F  2.4 g sin 24
F  9.57 N
N  2.4 g cos 24  0
N  2.4 g cos 24
 21.49 N
F
Therefore  
N
9.57
  0.445
21.49

Now R~   F1  2.4 g sin 36 ~i

  N 1  2.4 g cos 36 j
~

N 1  2.4 g cos 36  0

N 1  2.4 g cos 36
N 1  19.03 N
F1  N 1 
F1  19.03  0.44
Resultant force  F1  2.4 g cos 36 
 10.56 N
Maths Quest C Year 11 for Queensland Chapter 8 Vector applications WorkSHEET 8.1 4

7 Two masses, m1  1 kg and m 2  2 kg , 7

connected by a light, inextensible string, are (a)
pulled by a horizontal force, A
~ .

The force is applied to m1 and the connected

masses slide across a horizontal table at
constant speed. If the coefficient of friction is
0.25, determine:
(a) the magnitude of the tension in the string
(b) the magnitude of A
~ .
For m1 :
R~   A  T  F1  ~i   N1  1g  j  0
~
(constant speed  a  0)
N1  1g  0
N1  g
F1  N1
 g  0.25
g

4
A  T  F1  0
g
AT   0 (1)
4
For m2 :
R~   T  F 2 ~i   N 2  2 g  j  0
~
N 2  2g  0
N 2  2g
F2  N 2 
 2 g  0.25
g

2
T  F2  0
g
T 0
2
g
T
2
 4.9 N
(b) substitute T into equation (1)
g
AT  0
4
A  4.9  2.45  0
A  7.35 N
Maths Quest C Year 11 for Queensland Chapter 8 Vector applications WorkSHEET 8.1 5

8 A horizontal force of 16 N acts on a 1.5-kg 4

block resulting in uniform motion across a flat
floor. Find the coefficient of friction.

R
~
 16  F  i~   N  1.5 g  j
~

Since motion is uniform (that is, velocity is

constant),
R0
~
16  F 0
F  11
and N  1.5 g 0
N  1.5 g
F
M 
N
16
M 
1.5 g
 1.09

The coefficient of friction is approximately 1.09

9 The following three forces are in equilibrium 2

F  2 ~i  j , ~F  3 ~i  2 j and ~F .
~ F  F  ~F  0
~ ~
1 ~ 2 ~ 3 1 2 3
 ~F   ~F   ~F
Calculate F~3 3 1 2
 (2 ~i  j )  (3 ~i  2 j )
~ ~
 5 ~i  j
~

10 Calculate the resultant of the two forces shown 2

below.

2
R  15 2  25 2  2  15  25 cos 80 
R  26.8
25  sin 80 
sin    26.8 N, 16.7  S of E
26.8
  66.7