Physics Enhancement Program Phase 1 Test

11 August, 2012
Total: 96 marks (6 marks for each part), Time allowed: 120 minutes
Answer all questions. Numerical answers should be given to 3 significant figures. The
following information is provided:
gravitational acceleration
g = 9.80 ms2
rotational inertia of a cylinder
I = MR2/2
1. As shown in Fig. 1, a projectile is aiming at a building of height h and breadth h/2.
The angle of elevation of the top of the building is = 30o.
(a) Derive an expression of the minimum velocity of the projectile that can just pass
over the front top of the building.
(b) Derive the angle of firing the projectile in part (a).
(c) If the projectile is fired at a higher velocity such that it can land at the back of the
building, derive an expression of the minimum of this higher velocity.
(d) Derive the angle of firing the projectile in part (c).

= 30o
h/2
Fig. 1: The projectile and the building.

2. A uniform solid cylinder of mass M and radius R rolls on a horizontal plane and
hits a thin vertical barrier of height R/3. Its velocity before hitting the barrier is v.
(a)

(b)

Fig. 2: (a) The cylinder rolls over the barrier. (b) The cylinder is projected over the barrier.

(a) Suppose, as shown in Fig. 2(a), the cylinder starts to roll over the barrier after
hitting it, and there is no slipping during the rolling process. Calculate the energy loss
during the impact. Express your answer in terms of M, R, v and g.
(b) Calculate the minimum velocity that enables the cylinder to roll over the barrier
successfully. Express your answer in terms of R and g.
(c) At a higher velocity, the cylinder loses contact with the barrier once it starts to roll
over the barrier, hence behaving like a projectile as shown in Fig. 2(b). Calculate the
velocity v1 that this will happen. Express your answer in terms of R and g.
(d) For the situation in part (c), calculate the maximum vertical displacement of the
center of the cylinder. Express your answer in terms of R.

3. It is known that when an object moves on the Earths surface, it experiences the

Coriolis acceleration given by aCor 2 v , where is the angular velocity of the

Earth, and v is the velocity of the object.

(a) Consider a location at a north latitude of . Using the coordinate axes defined in

Fig. 3, express the vector in terms of the unit vectors i , j and k .

(b) For a general vector v v i v j v k , express a in terms of the unit vectors

x

Cor

i , j and k .
(c) Consider a projectile fired in the east direction from a location at a north latitude
of , with a velocity v0 and at an angle of inclination with the horizontal. Derive an
expression for the lateral deflection when the projectile hits the ground.
(d) Consider a projectile fired in the east direction from the coast of Hong Kong
(latitude 23oN) at an angle of inclination of 45o, aiming at a ship 2 km away from the
coast. Calculate the lateral deflection when the projectile hits the ship (or the sea).

Fig. 3: The coordinate system on the surface of the Earth.

4. Two identical springs each of natural length a have their upper ends tied at points A
and B of the same horizontal level, and are at a distance 2a apart. The two lower ends
are tied together at C, and a mass m hangs from it, resulting in an equilateral triangle
as shown in Fig. 4.
(a) Derive an expression for the force constant k of each spring.

(b) Suppose the mass m is displaced downward by a small displacement x, calculate

the extension of each spring, neglecting terms of the order x2 and higher. You may
need to use the power series expansion (1 + x)n 1 + nx +
(c) Derive an expression for the period of the small-amplitude oscillations of the mass
when it is displaced vertically.
(d) At t = 0, the initial displacement of the mass is and the initial velocity is
g / a . Calculate the phase in the displacement x(t) = M cos(t + ).
A

2a

C
mg
Fig. 4: A mass hung by two springs.

THE END