Chapter 4

Recommended problems

September 1, 2017

1 Prob 4.17.
A Car leaves the road traveling at 100 km/h and hits a tree, coming to a
stop in 0.14 s . What average force does a seatbelt exert on a 60-kg passen-
ger during this collision?

Sol)
v i =110 km/h , t=0.14 s , m=60 kg
You can use Newtons law. For this problem, the second law F~ = m~a (for
not changing mass). You want to know the force F~ . The mass m is given,
but the acceleration ~a. Therefore we should calculate the ~a. From the defi-
nition of an acceleration,
v f v i 0km/h110km/h
a = vt = t = 0.14s (This is an average acceleration)
You should, of couse, convert units. (Si unit is recommended)
5
1 km/h = 18 m/s
So, a = 2.1 1010 m/s
then, F~ = 1.3 103 kgm/s

2 Prob. 4.39.
A spring with spring constant k = 340 N/m is used to weigh a 6.7-kg fish.
How far does the spring stretch?

Sol)
The Hookes law F~ = k~x. You know the spring constant. but force? The
fish is 6.7kg, so the weight is (6.7kg)(9.8m/s2 )=65.66kgm/s2 =65.66N
65.66N
x= Fx = 340N/m =0.19m=19cm

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3 Prob. 4.54
A 2.0-kg mass and a 3.0-kg mass are on a horizontal friction-less surface,
connected by a massless spring with spring constant k=180N/m. A 15-N
force is applied to the larger mass, as shown in Fig. 4.24. How much does
the spring stretch from its equilibrium length?

sol)
The masses are moving with a constant acceleration ~a. Let m=2kg, M =3kg.
The Hookes force, f, acting between the masses. Newtons 2nd law
for m : f = ma
for M : F f = M a

F = (M + m)a
a = MF+m
f = ma = Mm+m F = kx
m F 1
x = M +m k = 30 m

4 Prob. 4.59
What engine thrust (force) is needed to accelerate a rocket of mass m (a)
downward at 1.40g near Earths surface; (b) upward at 1.40g near Earths
surface; (c) at 1.40 g in interstellar space, far from any star or planet?

sol)
(a) We should consider the gravitational force. In order to move an ob-
ject upward, the direction of an acting force is, of course, upward. For this
problem, up-direction is positive and down-direction is negative. The grav-
itational acceleration g = 9.8m/s2 .
F mg = ma = 1.4mg
F = 0.4mg

2
(b) At this time, the rocket is downward. But it moves faster than gravi-
taional acceleration. so the force would be downward.
F mg = ma = +1.4mg
F = 2.4mg
(c) There is no gravitation because it is far from any celestial body.
F = ma = 1.4mg

5 Prob. 4.73
Two masses are joined by a massless string. A 30-N force applied vertically
to the upper mass gives the system a constant upward acceleration of 3.2
m/s2 . If the string tension is 18 N, what are the two masses?

sol)
Two masses move upward. That means opposite direction to gravitation.
The free-body diagram can be described as

So we can construct the equations for Newtons 2nd.

F f Mg = Ma
f mg = ma

F , a, f are given. So the equations can be solved.

F f
M= g+a = 0.92kg
f
m= g+a = 1.4kg