Moments

Moments
Q1.

A uniform rigid rod AB of length 1.50 m has a weight W of 6.5 N. A force of 3.5 N applied at
A balances the rod on a pivot as shown.

Calculate the distance of the pivot from A when the rod is in equilibrium.
(2)
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Distance of pivot from A = ...........................................................

(Total for question = 2 marks)

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Q2.

Extinct animals can be studied by using their fossils. 70-million-year-old fossils from the
Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops dinosaurs show that a Triceratops was sometimes eaten
by a Tyrannosaurus rex.

The diagram shows a Tyrannosaurus rex skull.

On the diagram, the position of the main biting muscle is indicated by the line labelled
'muscle force'. The muscle is connected to the jaw at point J. This produces a moment about
point P where the jaw is hinged. Teeth marks found in fossilised Triceratops bones show that
the force exerted by a tooth at the front of the jaw X could reach 6500 N.

The skull is drawn to a scale of 1 to 10. The force arrows are not drawn to scale.

Take measurements from the diagram to determine the size of the muscle force when the
force exerted by the tooth at X is 6500 N.
(5)
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Muscle force = ...........................................................

(Total for question = 5 marks)

Q3.
A gardener used a trolley to move a paving stone.

A force meter was attached to the handle of the trolley.

The gardener recorded the following measurements when the trolley was at rest in the
position shown in the diagram.

mass of trolley and paving stone = 18.5 kg

length of trolley = 97 cm

force on handle = 50 N

Determine the distance of the centre of gravity of the loaded trolley from the wheels.
(3)
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Distance = ...........................................................
(Total for question = 3 marks)
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Q4.

A portable basketball set has a base and a post arrangement. The post arrangement
consists of a post, backboard, hoop and net. The base can be filled with water to increase
stability.

(a) The base has a capacity of 85.0 litres.

Show that the maximum weight of the base is about 870N.
mass of 1.00 litre of water = 1.00 kg
mass of base when empty = 3.50 kg
(2)
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(b) Due to the large area of the backboard, the basketball set may topple over when the
wind blows.

Calculate the minimum force of the wind Fw that will cause the basketball set to be blown
over when it is at the angle shown. Ignore the effect of the wind on the base.
weight of post arrangement = 27.0 N
(5)
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Minimum force of the wind Fw = ...........................................................

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(c) The base is filled with sand instead of water. The density of sand is greater than the
density of water.
State and justify what would happen to the value of Fw calculated in part (b).
(3)
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(Total for question = 10 marks)

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Q5.

The diagram shows a diver of weight 680 N on a diving board.

The diving board has a length L of 3.6 m and is fixed at the end labelled X. It is supported at
position Y which is 0.9 m from X. The diving board is uniform and has a weight of 390 N.

By taking moments about X, determine the upward force exerted by the support at Y on the
diving board.
(5)
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Force = ...........................................................

(Total for question = 5 marks)

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Q6.

A hiker of weight 740N walks up a hill carrying a large bag of weight W. The hiker stops for a
moment in the position shown.

The normal force R of the ground on the hiker is the same at each foot. The frictional force
between each foot and the ground is F. The hill is at an incline of 20° to the horizontal.

The hiker repacks his bag, placing the heavier items at the bottom of the bag.

Explain why this may cause R on the front foot to decrease.

(2)
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(Total for question = 2 marks)

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Q7.

Beam engines contributed to powering the Industrial Revolution in Britain in the 18th century.
A beam engine consisted of a beam which could rock to and fro around a well-oiled pivot.
Attached to the beam there are two rods, one connected to a piston in a steam cylinder and
the other connected to a pump.

The diagram below shows a simplified arrangement of a beam engine.

The beam has a constant thickness and a mass of 3.05 × 104 kg. The length of the beam is
11.0 m. The pivot P is positioned 6.0 m from the steam cylinder end of the beam.

In its resting position the steam cylinder rod is supported by the base of the steam cylinder
with the beam at an angle of 20° to the horizontal.

The steam cylinder rod exerts a force T on the beam. The force exerted on the beam by the
pump rod can be neglected.
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Calculate the force T.

(4)
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T = ...........................................................

(Total for question = 4 marks)

Q8.

A hiker of weight 740N walks up a hill carrying a large bag of weight W. The hiker stops for a
moment in the position shown.

The normal force R of the ground on the hiker is the same at each foot. The frictional force
between each foot and the ground is F. The hill is at an incline of 20° to the horizontal.

An expression for the components of force perpendicular to the ground acting on the hiker is

740cos20 + Wcos20 − 2R = 0
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(i) Explain why this expression is correct.

(2)
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(ii) The diagram shows the lines of action of the forces acting on the hiker and backpack.
Position O represents the middle of the back foot of the hiker.

Determine W. You should take moments about O.

(6)
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W = ...........................................................

(Total for question = 8 marks)

Q9.

In a 'balancing birds' puzzle, model owls and crows are each placed in one of six equally
spaced positions marked on a perch. The perch has negligible mass, and is suspended from
another of the six marked positions. With the birds placed, and the perch suspended, as
shown, the puzzle is in equilibrium.

State what is meant by 'in equilibrium'.

(2)
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(Total for question = 2 marks)

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Q10.

In a 'balancing birds' puzzle, model owls and crows are each placed in one of six equally
spaced positions marked on a perch. The perch has negligible mass, and is suspended from
another of the six marked positions. With the birds placed, and the perch suspended, as
shown, the puzzle is in equilibrium.

(i) The owl has a mass 2M and the crow has a mass M. Show that the perch will balance
when suspended as shown from position X.
(1)
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(ii) The perch is then attached to a second perch and suspended as shown. Two more
birds, not shown, are placed at A and B, and the whole arrangement is in equilibrium. Each
crow has the same mass M. The mass of an owl is 2M.

Explain, with the aid of a calculation, which type of bird sits at A and which type of bird sits at
B to ensure the whole arrangement is in equilibrium.
(3)
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(Total for question = 4 marks)

Q11.

A student investigated how the supporting forces on a bridge vary as traffic moves across
the bridge.

The student made a simple model of a bridge using a metre rule. The metre rule rested on
two supports, P and Q, as shown.

The upward force on the metre rule at P was FP. The upward force on the metre rule at Q
was FQ.

A load was placed on the metre rule a distance x from support P. Forces FP and FQ were
measured for different values of x.

Explain how FP and FQ changed as x was increased.

(5)
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(Total for question = 5 marks)
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Q12.

A thin wire of negligible mass is used to hang a picture on a wall. The wire is hung over a
nail and can be attached to the picture using arrangement 1 or arrangement 2, as shown.

It was observed that if the wire was not hung with its midpoint over the nail, as in Diagram 1,
the picture moved and then remained in the position shown in Diagram 2.

Use the idea of moments to explain why.

(3)
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(Total for question = 3 marks)

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Q13.

The photograph shows a person on a ladder which is propped up against a wall at an angle
θ to the horizontal.

The ladder and the person form a system. The diagram shows four of the forces acting on
the system, friction between the wall and the ladder can be neglected. One of the forces has
been labelled.

• = centre of gravity of the system

(a) Complete the diagram by labelling the other three forces acting on the system.
(2)
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*(b) Use the principle of moments to explain why the system is stable in the position shown,
but will topple over if θ becomes too large.
(6)
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(Total for question = 8 marks)

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Mark Scheme - Moments

Q1.

Q2.

Q3.
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Q4.
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Q5.

Q6.

Q7.
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Q8.
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Q9.

Q10.
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Q11.
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Q12.

Q13.
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