NEWTON’S FIRST LAW- Problem Sheet

1. A waiter holds a tray at one edge with the thumb and fingers of one hand, so that the forces on it when empty
are shown just below

(a) If the weight W of the tray is 5 N, calculate T and F while the tray is empty
(b) The waiter now puts a drink; weight 5 N, on the tray. Calculate the new values for T and F if he puts the
drink
(i) In the middle of the tray (ii) on the extreme right hand end
(c) Where should he put the drink so as not to alter T? Justify your answer.

2. A picture weighs 100 N. It hangs from two wires, each making an angle of 30 0 with the vertical as shown below.

(a) Calculate the tension in each wire

2T(cos30) = 100
T(cos30) = 50
T = 50/cos30
T = 57.73N

(b) What qualitative effect would there be on the tension if

(i) The wires were longer
The tension would be lessened

(ii) Their angle with the vertical was greater

The tension would be increased
(c) The wires are likely to break under tension of 200 N. At what angle with the vertical will this occur?

200 = 50/cos(x)
cos(x) = 50/200
cos(x) = 0.25
x = cos-1(0.25)
x = 75.5°

3. A uniform draw bridge weighs 3000 N. It is hinged at one end; the other end is supported by a rope at an angle
of 300 to the horizontal as shown below. What are the tension T in the rope and the force P exerted at the
hinge? [3000 N, 300 to horizontal]

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 Tsin30 + Psin30 = 3000

Pcos30 + Psin30 = 3000

2(Psin30) = 3000
Psin30 = 1500
P = 1500/sin30
P = 3000

4. A massive iron ball (200 kg) is used to speed up demolition work. It hangs from a single steel cable. It is hauled
back using a horizontal rope, then released, to swing into the doomed building. If the rope cannot safely tolerate
a tension of more than 1000 N, What is the maximum angle from the vertical for the steel supporting cable?
[270]

Pcos(x) = 2000
Psin(x) = 1000

Sin/cos = tan

Psin(x)/ Pcos(x) = 1000/2000

tan(x) = 0.5
x = tan-1(0.5)
x = 26.56° or ~27°

5. A uniform ladder of length 10 m and weight 500 N is carried horizontally by two people, one holding the ladder
at one end and the other holding the ladder 2 m from the other end. What proportion of the ladder’s weight
does each person support? [0.375, 0.625]

6. AB represents the raised bonnet of a car, freely hinged at A. The bonnet is of mass 12 kg and its
weight acts through the point G.

(a) Calculate the value of the vertical force F that will just maintain the position of the bonnet.
(b) Instead of applying a vertical force to the bonnet, a force F is applied perpendicular to the
surface of the bonnet
0
Calculate F for θ= 24 [59N, 55N]

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 1.644/2 = 0.822

120 x 0.822 = 1.644F

7. Find the force required to keep the particle positioned at (0,0) in equilibrium under the action of the forces
shown [16.36 N, 350]

8. A non-uniform rod of mass 5.50kg and length 2.00m is pivoted at a point P at one end of the rod. The rod is held
horizontally by a tension of 50.0N acting vertically in a light string fixed to the other end of the rod, as shown

Calculate the distance of centre of gravity from the point P

(5.5 x 10)d = (2 x 50)

55d = 100
d = 100/55
d = 1.818m

9. A patient with one leg in a plaster cast is required to lie with the leg supported in a horizontal position. A nurse
arranges a sling, a pulley system and a suspended mass to provide the support, as shown in the figure below.
The system is in equilibrium .

The leg in its cast, which can be treated as rigid, can be assumed to pivot around the hip joint J. The rest of the
patient’s body remains horizontal on the bed. The centre of gravity G of the leg and cast is at a point 0.36 m
from the hip joint J. The mass of the leg and cast is 15 kg. The sling is 0.83 m from the hip joint.

(i) Use the equilibrium condition to calculate the suspended mass required . [6.5 kg]
(ii) To satisfy the equilibrium condition another force acts on the leg at the hip joint. State the magnitude and
direction of this force. [83.3 N]

10. The diagram shows a lorry on a light bridge.

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 Calculate the downwards force on each of the bridge supports.
Force at A = 75 kN
Force at B = 45 kN

11. A uniform horizontal shelf of width 0.4 m is attached to a wall by a hinge, and is supported by a strut of length
0.5 m as shown below

The shelf weight is 10 N and it is loaded with books of weight 50 N. The books are stacked on the shelf up
against the wall to leave 0.1 m at the edge of the shelf clear.

(a) Show that the turning moment of the books about the hinge is 7.5 Nm

0.4 - 0.1 = 0.3

0.3 / 2 = 0.15m (centre of gravity of books)

0.15 x 50 = 7.5Nm

(b) Calculate the tension in the strut. [39.6 N]

(0.15 x 50) + (0.2 x 10) = 0.4m x F

7.5 + 2 = 0.4 x F
9.5 = 0.4 x F
9.5 / 0.4 = F
F = 23.75N

x = sin-1(0.4/0.5)
x = 53.13°

cos(53.13) = 23.75/T

T = 23.75 / cos(53.13)
T = 39.58N

12. A uniform ladder 5 m long has a mass of 20 kg. It is leaning against a smooth wall. The foot of the ladder is 3m
from the wall.
(a) Draw a diagram showing all the forces acting on the ladder

(b) Find the frictional force between the ground and the ladder [75 N]

20kg x 10N/kg = 200N

N = 200N
W = 200N

200N x 1.5m = 4m x R

300Nm / 4m = R
75N = R = f

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13. A ladder whose length L is 12 m and whose mass m is 45 kg rests against a wall. Its upper end is a distance h of
9.3 m above the ground as shown below

The centre of mass of the ladder is one-third of the way up the ladder. A fire fighter whose mass M is 72 kg
climbs the ladder until her centre of gravity is half way up. Assume that the wall, but not the ground, is
frictionless.
(a) Draw the forces acting on the system
(b) Calculate the magnitude of the forces acting on the system [1140 N, 407 N; if g = 10N/kg: RG = 1170N, RW = 415N ]

0
14. A cylinder of mass 160 kg is at rest on a slope that is at 25 to the horizontal. A rope wrapped
round the cylinder prevents it from moving, as shown below. All the forces acting on the object are
shown on the two diagrams.

i. Calculate the weight of the cylinder

160kg x 9.81N/kg = 1570N

ii. Calculate the value of the tension T in the rope. [1570 N, 332 N]

1570(sin25) = 2T
T = 332

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15.

The tension in the string is T.

(i) On the figure, indicate the directions of the tension in the two sections of the string
at point P.

(ii) By calculation, determine the magnitude of the tension T in the string.

[202 N]
2(Tcos50)=260
Tcos(50) = 130
T = 130/cos(50)
T = 202N

16. The diagram below shows a wheel of mass 15 kg and radius 1m being pulled by a horizontal force
F against a step 0.4 m high.

What initial force is just sufficient to turn the wheel so that it will rise over the
Step? [200 N]

17. A trap door 120 cm by 120 cm is kept horizontal by a string attached to the midpoint of the side
opposite to that containing the hinge. The other end of the string is tied to a point 90 cm vertically
above the hinge. If the trap door weight is 50 N, calculate the tension in the string. [41.7 N]

x = tan-1(0.9/1.2)
x = 36.87°

Tsin(36.87) x 1.2 = 0.6 x 50

Tsin(36.87) = 30 / 1.2
T = 25/sin(36.87)
T = 41.7N