PROBLEMS ON 2ND LAW OF MOTION

GROUP 2

1) A 90 kg woman stands in an elevator. Find the force which the floor of the elevator exerts on the woman a) when the elevator has an upward acceleration of 2 m/sec2; b) when the elevator is rising at constant speed; c) when the elevator has a downward acceleration of 2 m/sec2. Solution: We have a simple application of Newton's 2nd Law of motion. We need only draw the vector force diagram for all forces acting on the woman. There are only two forces present, these are: Fearth on woman = W = mg . Ffloor on woman = N . We select a CS with 'y' chosen upwards. The basic equation involved with the problem is the 2nd law: Fnet = m a . a). ay 0; b). a 0; c) Fy = N - mg = m ay N = m(g + a) = (90)(9.8 + 2) = 1062 N.
W a
y

Fy = N - mg = m ay N = m(g + a) = (90)(9.8 - 2) = 702 N. Fy = N - mg = 0 N = mg = (90)(9.8) = 882 N.

a = 0 (equilibrium)

2) A Boeing 707 jet aircraft has a takeoff mass of 1.2 x 105 kg. Each of its four engines has a net thrust of 75 kN. Calculate the acceleration and the length of the runway needed to become airborne if the takeoff speed is 73 m/s. (Neglect any frictional forces and air-resistance) Solution: Neglecting air-resistance & frictional forces then the net force acting is simply 4 times the force produced by each engine. From the 2nd law we then have: Fnet = m ax = (1.2 x 105) ax . Fx = (4)(75 x 103)
a x
mg

N F

Hence the acceleration is:

a x = (300 kN)/(120 k-kg) = 2.5 m/sec2

The equations of motion for constant acceleration (x-direction) are: x(t) = (1/2) ax t2 + vox t + xo ; vx(t) = ax t + vox .

The initial conditions are: x(t=0) = xo = 0; vx (t=0) = vox = 0. Thus the specific equations of motion are: x(t) = (1/2)(2.5) t2 ; vx (t) = (2.5) t . 05-2 If liftoff occurs at a time t', then we have: vx (t') = 73 = (2.5)t' t' = 29.2 sec. The position of the plane at liftoff (= runway length) is: m. x(t') = (1/2)(2.5)(29.2)2 = 1065.8

PROBLEMS ON 2ND LAW OF MOTION 3) Two carts are in contact on a horizontal frictionless surface. Cart 'A' has a mass of 3 kg, and cart 'B' a mass of 2 kg. (a) Find the force F on 'A' needed to give the two carts an acceleration of 0.8 m/sec2 . What is then the force exerted on 'B' by 'A'? (b) If the carts are given an equal acceleration in the opposite direction by pushing on B, find the force exerted on 'A' by 'B'. Explain why the force exerted on 'B' by 'A' in part (a) is not equal to the force exerted by 'A' on 'B' in part (b). Solution: In handling forces we should always be able to identify both the agent and object for each force. If we do so, then the 'reaction' force can be identified simply by reversing the 'agent' and 'object'. Consider 'A' by itself. We draw all forces acting on 'A', and select a CS as shown. Newton's 2nd law for object 'A' then becomes: Fx = F - F B on A = mA a x (1) ; Fy = NA - WA = 0
F

GROUP 2

a F A B

NA a A FB on A
x

The 'y' equation can be solved for NA ( = 29.4 N) which is numerically equal to the weight of 'A'. The 'x' equation cannot be solved since we have two 'unknowns' F and F B on A.

WA

This is to be expected. Since we have two objects involved in the problem, then we will usually have to consider both before a solution is possible. Consider 'B' by itself. We draw all forces acting on 'B', and select a CS as shown. Newton's 2nd law for object 'B' then becomes: Fx = FA on B = mB a x Fy = NB - WB = 0 (2)
y

NB FA on B B a
x

Again we can immediately determine that NB = WB = 19.6 N. If we count up the 'unknown' quantities in equations (1) & (2) we find we have 3: F, FA on B, FB on A. The 3rd 'missing relation' is, of course Newton's 3rd Law which tells us that: FA on B = - FB on A. From equation (2) we have: FA on B = mB ax = (2)(.8) = 1.6 N . Then equation (1) gives: F - FB on A = mA a x or F = FB on A + mA a x = 1.6 + (3)(.8) = 4 N. 05-3 Note that this answer is obtainable by taking a 'systems' approach. If we treat the 2 objects as comprising a 'system' of mass 5 kg, then the only force acting in the x-direction is F, and we have: (on system) Fx = M a x = (5)(.8) = 4 N.

PROBLEMS ON 2ND LAW OF MOTION (b) We now reverse the problem by applying a force F' on B. In this case there are 2 horizontal forces on B, and only 1 on A. Hence, the 2nd law for object A is now: Fx = F'B on A = mA a x = (3)(.8) = 2.4 N. The 2nd law applied to 'B' then gives: Fx = F' - F'A on B = mB a x . Solving for F' we have: F' = F'A on B + mB a x = 2.4 + (2)(.8) = 4 N.
a FA on B
x

GROUP 2

a F A B

NB B F

WB