Work Power Energy [34 marks]
1. [Maximum mark: 10]
A company delivers packages to customers using a small unmanned aircraft.
Rotating horizontal blades exert a force on the surrounding air. The air above the
aircraft is initially stationary.
The air is propelled vertically downwards with speed v. The aircraft hovers
motionless above the ground. A package is suspended from the aircraft on a
string. The mass of the aircraft is 0. 95 kg and the combined mass of the
package and string is 0. 45 kg. The mass of air pushed downwards by the
blades in one second is 1. 7 kg.
(a(i)) State the value of the resultant force on the aircraft when
hovering. [1]
(a(ii)) Outline, by reference to Newton’s third law, how the upward lift
force on the aircraft is achieved. [2]
(a(iii)) Determine v. State your answer to an appropriate number of
significant figures. [3]
(a(iv)) Calculate the power transferred to the air by the aircraft. [2]
(b) The package and string are now released and fall to the ground.
The lift force on the aircraft remains unchanged. Calculate the
initial acceleration of the aircraft. [2]
2. [Maximum mark: 10]
The moon Phobos moves around the planet Mars in a circular orbit.
(a.i) Outline the origin of the force that acts on Phobos. [1]
(a.ii) Outline why this force does no work on Phobos. [1]
(b.i) The orbital period T of a moon orbiting a planet of mass M is
given by
3
R
= kM
2
T
where R is the average distance between the centre of the
planet and the centre of the moon.
Show that k
G
=
4π
2
[3]
(b.ii) The following data for the Mars–Phobos system and the Earth–
Moon system are available:
Mass of Earth = 5.97 × 1024 kg
The Earth–Moon distance is 41 times the Mars–Phobos distance.
The orbital period of the Moon is 86 times the orbital period of
Phobos.
Calculate, in kg, the mass of Mars. [2]
(c) The graph shows the variation of the gravitational potential
between the Earth and Moon with distance from the centre of
the Earth. The distance from the Earth is expressed as a fraction
of the total distance between the centre of the Earth and the
centre of the Moon.
[3]
Determine, using the graph, the mass of the Moon.
3. [Maximum mark: 9]
The graph shows the variation with time t of the horizontal force F exerted on a
tennis ball by a racket.
The tennis ball was stationary at the instant when it was hit. The mass of the
tennis ball is 5.8 × 10–2 kg. The area under the curve is 0.84 N s.
(a) Calculate the speed of the ball as it leaves the racket. [2]
(b) Show that the average force exerted on the ball by the racket is
about 50 N. [2]
(c) Determine, with reference to the work done by the average
force, the horizontal distance travelled by the ball while it was
in contact with the racket. [3]
(d) Draw a graph to show the variation with t of the horizontal
speed v of the ball while it was in contact with the racket.
Numbers are not required on the axes.
[2]
4. [Maximum mark: 5]
A small metal pendulum bob of mass 75 g is suspended at rest from a fixed point
with a length of thread of negligible mass. Air resistance is negligible. The bob is
then displaced to the left.
At time t = 0 the bob is moving horizontally to the right at 0.8 m s–1. It collides
with a small stationary object also of mass 75 g. Both objects then move together
with motion that is simple harmonic.
(a) Calculate the speed of the combined masses immediately after
the collision. [1]
(b) Show that the collision is inelastic. [3]
(c) Describe the changes in gravitational potential energy of the
oscillating system from t = 0 as it oscillates through one cycle of
its motion. [1]
© International Baccalaureate Organization, 2024
