CBSE · NCERT · Class 11 Physics · Chapter 4

NCERT Solutions: Class 11 Physics Chapter 4 - Laws of Motion

23 textbook Q&A23 verifiedFree Content

Chapter-wise NCERT intext questions and exercise answers for Laws of Motion, grounded in the official textbook.

Questions are taken verbatim from the NCERT textbook; answers were grounded against the chapter's content during generation. Items needing review are marked.
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Exercises 23
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1Exercises23 questions
Q.4.1Give the magnitude and direction of the net force acting on (a) a drop of rain falling down with a constant speed, (b) a cork of mass 10 g floating on water, (c) a kite skillfully held stationary in the sky, (d) a car moving with a constant velocity of 30 km/h on a rough road, (e) a high-speed electron in space far from all material objects, and free of electric and magnetic fields.v
Solution

By Newton's first law, a body at rest or moving with constant velocity has zero acceleration. Since $F_{net}=ma$, the net force is $0$ in each case. Any individual forces present balance one another.

Answer:

In all five cases, the net force is zero.

Q.4.2A pebble of mass 0.05 kg is thrown vertically upwards. Give the direction and magnitude of the net force on the pebble, (a) during its upward motion, (b) during its downward motion, (c) at the highest point where it is momentarily at rest. Do your answers change if the pebble was thrown at an angle of 45° with the horizontal direction? Ignore air resistance.v
Solution

With air resistance ignored, the only force on the pebble after it is thrown is its weight. $W=mg=0.05\times 10=0.5\,\text{N}$ downward. This remains true while the pebble rises, falls, and at the highest point.

Answer:

The net force is $0.5\,\text{N}$ vertically downward in all cases. The answer does not change for a 45° projection if air resistance is ignored.

Q.4.3Give the magnitude and direction of the net force acting on a stone of mass 0.1 kg, (a) just after it is dropped from the window of a stationary train, (b) just after it is dropped from the window of a train running at a constant velocity of 36 km/h, (c ) just after it is dropped from the window of a train accelerating with 1 m s-2, (d) lying on the floor of a train which is accelerating with 1 m s-2, the stone being at rest relative to the train. Neglect air resistance throughout.v
Solution

For (a), (b), and (c), once the stone is released and air resistance is neglected, the only force on it is gravity: $mg=0.1\times 10=1\,\text{N}$ downward. In (d), the floor supports the stone vertically, so weight and normal reaction cancel. To keep the stone at rest relative to the accelerating train, a horizontal frictional force $ma=0.1\times 1=0.1\,\text{N}$ acts forward.

Answer:

(a) $1\,\text{N}$ downward. (b) $1\,\text{N}$ downward. (c) $1\,\text{N}$ downward. (d) $0.1\,\text{N}$ horizontally in the direction of the train's acceleration.

Q.4.4One end of a string of length l is connected to a particle of mass m and the other to a small peg on a smooth horizontal table. If the particle moves in a circle with speed v the net force on the particle (directed towards the centre) is : T is the tension in the string. [Choose the correct alternative].v
  1. i. T
  2. ii. T - mv^2/l
  3. iii. T + mv^2/l
  4. iv. 0
Solution

On a smooth horizontal table, the only horizontal force towards the centre is the string tension. Therefore the net centripetal force is $T$, and for circular motion $T=mv^2/l$.

Answer:

(i) $T$.

Q.4.5A constant retarding force of 50 N is applied to a body of mass 20 kg moving initially with a speed of 15 m s-1. How long does the body take to stop ?v
Solution

The retardation is $a=F/m=50/20=2.5\,\text{m s}^{-2}$. With final speed zero, $0=15-2.5t$, so $t=15/2.5=6\,\text{s}$.

Answer:

$6\,\text{s}$.

Q.4.6A constant force acting on a body of mass 3.0 kg changes its speed from 2.0 m s-1 to 3.5 m s-1 in 25 s. The direction of the motion of the body remains unchanged. What is the magnitude and direction of the force ?v
Solution

$a=(v-u)/t=(3.5-2.0)/25=0.06\,\text{m s}^{-2}$. Hence $F=ma=3.0\times 0.06=0.18\,\text{N}$. Since the speed increases without changing direction, the force acts along the motion.

Answer:

$0.18\,\text{N}$ in the direction of motion.

Q.4.7A body of mass 5 kg is acted upon by two perpendicular forces 8 N and 6 N. Give the magnitude and direction of the acceleration of the body.v
Solution

The resultant force is $F=\sqrt{8^2+6^2}=10\,\text{N}$. Thus $a=F/m=10/5=2\,\text{m s}^{-2}$. The angle with the 8 N force is $\tan^{-1}(6/8)=36.9^\circ$.

Answer:

$2\,\text{m s}^{-2}$, at $36.9^\circ$ to the 8 N force towards the 6 N force.

Q.4.8The driver of a three-wheeler moving with a speed of 36 km/h sees a child standing in the middle of the road and brings his vehicle to rest in 4.0 s just in time to save the child. What is the average retarding force on the vehicle ? The mass of the three-wheeler is 400 kg and the mass of the driver is 65 kg.v
Solution

$36\,\text{km h}^{-1}=10\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. The acceleration is $a=(0-10)/4=-2.5\,\text{m s}^{-2}$. Total mass $=400+65=465\,\text{kg}$. Therefore $F=ma=465\times (-2.5)=-1162.5\,\text{N}$, so the retarding force has magnitude $1.16\times 10^3\,\text{N}$.

Answer:

$1.16\times 10^3\,\text{N}$ opposite to the motion.

Q.4.9A rocket with a lift-off mass 20,000 kg is blasted upwards with an initial acceleration of 5.0 m s-2. Calculate the initial thrust (force) of the blast.v
Solution

For upward acceleration, $T-mg=ma$. Hence $T=m(g+a)=20000(10+5)=3.0\times 10^5\,\text{N}$.

Answer:

$3.0\times 10^5\,\text{N}$ upward.

Q.4.10A body of mass 0.40 kg moving initially with a constant speed of 10 m s-1 to the north is subject to a constant force of 8.0 N directed towards the south for 30 s. Take the instant the force is applied to be t = 0, the position of the body at that time to be x = 0, and predict its position at t = -5 s, 25 s, 100 s.v
Solution

The acceleration during the 30 s force interval is $a=-8.0/0.40=-20\,\text{m s}^{-2}$. Before $t=0$, motion is uniform, so $x=10t$ and $x(-5)=-50\,\text{m}$. At $t=25\,\text{s}$, $x=ut+\frac12at^2=10(25)-10(25)^2=-6000\,\text{m}$. At $t=30\,\text{s}$, $x=10(30)-10(30)^2=-8700\,\text{m}$ and $v=10-20(30)=-590\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. From 30 s to 100 s the force is absent, so $x(100)=-8700+(-590)(70)=-50000\,\text{m}$.

Answer:

Taking north as positive: $x(-5\,\text{s})=-50\,\text{m}$, $x(25\,\text{s})=-6000\,\text{m}$, and $x(100\,\text{s})=-50000\,\text{m}$.

Q.4.11A truck starts from rest and accelerates uniformly at 2.0 m s-2. At t = 10 s, a stone is dropped by a person standing on the top of the truck (6 m high from the ground). What are the (a) velocity, and (b) acceleration of the stone at t = 11s ? (Neglect air resistance.)v
Solution

At $t=10\,\text{s}$, the truck's speed is $v_x=at=2.0\times 10=20\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. The dropped stone keeps this horizontal velocity. After 1 s of fall, $v_y=-gt=-10\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. Thus $\vec v=20\hat{i}-10\hat{j}\,\text{m s}^{-1}$ and $|\vec v|=\sqrt{20^2+10^2}=22.4\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. Its acceleration is only due to gravity.

Answer:

At $t=11\,\text{s}$, velocity is $20\hat{i}-10\hat{j}\,\text{m s}^{-1}$, with speed $22.4\,\text{m s}^{-1}$ at $26.6^\circ$ below the horizontal. Acceleration is $10\,\text{m s}^{-2}$ downward.

Q.4.12A bob of mass 0.1 kg hung from the ceiling of a room by a string 2 m long is set into oscillation. The speed of the bob at its mean position is 1 m s-1. What is the trajectory of the bob if the string is cut when the bob is (a) at one of its extreme positions, (b) at its mean position.v
Solution

At an extreme position the bob's instantaneous speed is zero, so after the string is cut it starts from rest and falls vertically under gravity. At the mean position, the bob has horizontal tangential velocity; after the cut, gravity acts downward, so the motion is projectile motion along a parabola.

Answer:

(a) It falls vertically downward. (b) It follows a parabolic projectile path tangent to the swing at the mean position.

Q.4.13A man of mass 70 kg stands on a weighing scale in a lift which is moving (a) upwards with a uniform speed of 10 m s-1, (b) downwards with a uniform acceleration of 5 m s-2, (c) upwards with a uniform acceleration of 5 m s-2. What would be the readings on the scale in each case? (d) What would be the reading if the lift mechanism failed and it hurtled down freely under gravity ?v
Solution

The scale reads the normal reaction, usually calibrated as an equivalent mass $N/g$. (a) Uniform speed means $a=0$, so $N=mg=700\,\text{N}$. (b) For downward acceleration, $N=m(g-a)=70(10-5)=350\,\text{N}$. (c) For upward acceleration, $N=m(g+a)=70(10+5)=1050\,\text{N}$. (d) In free fall, $a=g$ downward, so $N=m(g-g)=0$.

Answer:

(a) $70\,\text{kg}$ reading ($700\,\text{N}$ normal force). (b) $35\,\text{kg}$ reading ($350\,\text{N}$). (c) $105\,\text{kg}$ reading ($1050\,\text{N}$). (d) Zero.

Q.4.14Figure 4.16 shows the position-time graph of a particle of mass 4 kg. What is the (a) force on the particle for t < 0, t > 4 s, 0 < t < 4 s? (b) impulse at t = 0 and t = 4 s ? (Consider one-dimensional motion only).v
Solution

From the graph, velocity is $0$ before $t=0$, then $v=(3-0)/(4-0)=0.75\,\text{m s}^{-1}$ for $0<t<4\,\text{s}$, and $0$ again after $t=4\,\text{s}$. In each interval velocity is constant, so acceleration and force are zero. Impulse equals change in momentum: at $t=0$, $J=m(0.75-0)=4\times0.75=3\,\text{N s}$; at $t=4\,\text{s}$, $J=m(0-0.75)=-3\,\text{N s}$.

Answer:

(a) The force is zero for $t<0$, $0<t<4\,\text{s}$, and $t>4\,\text{s}$. (b) Impulse at $t=0$ is $+3\,\text{N s}$; impulse at $t=4\,\text{s}$ is $-3\,\text{N s}$.

Q.4.15Two bodies of masses 10 kg and 20 kg respectively kept on a smooth, horizontal surface are tied to the ends of a light string. A horizontal force F = 600 N is applied to (i) A, (ii) B along the direction of string. What is the tension in the string in each case?v
Solution

The common acceleration is $a=600/(10+20)=20\,\text{m s}^{-2}$. If A is pulled, the tension accelerates the 20 kg body, so $T=20\times20=400\,\text{N}$. If B is pulled, the tension accelerates the 10 kg body, so $T=10\times20=200\,\text{N}$.

Answer:

If the 600 N force is applied to the 10 kg body A, $T=400\,\text{N}$. If it is applied to the 20 kg body B, $T=200\,\text{N}$.

Q.4.16Two masses 8 kg and 12 kg are connected at the two ends of a light inextensible string that goes over a frictionless pulley. Find the acceleration of the masses, and the tension in the string when the masses are released.v
Solution

For an Atwood machine, $a=\frac{(12-8)g}{12+8}=\frac{4\times10}{20}=2\,\text{m s}^{-2}$. For the 8 kg mass moving upward, $T-8g=8a$, so $T=8(10+2)=96\,\text{N}$.

Answer:

Acceleration is $2\,\text{m s}^{-2}$, with the 12 kg mass moving downward and the 8 kg mass moving upward. Tension is $96\,\text{N}$.

Q.4.17A nucleus is at rest in the laboratory frame of reference. Show that if it disintegrates into two smaller nuclei the products must move in opposite directions.v
Solution

The initial momentum of the nucleus is zero. With no external force during disintegration, momentum is conserved: $\vec p_1+\vec p_2=0$. Therefore $\vec p_1=-\vec p_2$, which means the two products move in opposite directions.

Answer:

The two product nuclei must have equal and opposite momenta, so they move in opposite directions.

Q.4.18Two billiard balls each of mass 0.05 kg moving in opposite directions with speed 6 m s-1 collide and rebound with the same speed. What is the impulse imparted to each ball due to the other ?v
Solution

For either ball, the initial momentum is $mu=0.05\times6=0.30\,\text{kg m s}^{-1}$ in its initial direction, and after rebounding it is $-0.30\,\text{kg m s}^{-1}$. Thus $J=\Delta p=-0.30-0.30=-0.60\,\text{N s}$ for one ball. The other receives an equal impulse in the opposite direction.

Answer:

Each ball receives an impulse of magnitude $0.60\,\text{N s}$, opposite to its initial direction of motion.

Q.4.19A shell of mass 0.020 kg is fired by a gun of mass 100 kg. If the muzzle speed of the shell is 80 m s-1, what is the recoil speed of the gun ?v
Solution

Initial momentum is zero. By conservation of momentum, $m_s v_s + M_g v_g=0$. Hence $v_g=-(0.020\times80)/100=-0.016\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. The negative sign shows recoil opposite to the shell.

Answer:

$0.016\,\text{m s}^{-1}$ opposite to the shell's motion.

Q.4.20A batsman deflects a ball by an angle of 45° without changing its initial speed which is equal to 54 km/h. What is the impulse imparted to the ball ? (Mass of the ball is 0.15 kg.)v
Solution

$54\,\text{km h}^{-1}=15\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. Since the speed is unchanged and the velocity direction changes by $45^\circ$, $|\Delta v|=2v\sin(45^\circ/2)=2(15)\sin22.5^\circ=11.48\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. Therefore $J=m|\Delta v|=0.15\times11.48=1.72\,\text{N s}$.

Answer:

The impulse has magnitude about $1.7\,\text{N s}$, directed along the change in the ball's velocity.

Q.4.21A stone of mass 0.25 kg tied to the end of a string is whirled round in a circle of radius 1.5 m with a speed of 40 rev./min in a horizontal plane. What is the tension in the string ? What is the maximum speed with which the stone can be whirled around if the string can withstand a maximum tension of 200 N ?v
Solution

The angular speed is $\omega=40(2\pi)/60=4\pi/3\,\text{rad s}^{-1}$. Tension supplies centripetal force: $T=m\omega^2r=0.25(4\pi/3)^2(1.5)\approx6.6\,\text{N}$. For maximum tension, $T_{max}=mv^2/r$, so $v_{max}=\sqrt{T_{max}r/m}=\sqrt{200\times1.5/0.25}=34.6\,\text{m s}^{-1}$.

Answer:

Tension is about $6.6\,\text{N}$. Maximum speed is $34.6\,\text{m s}^{-1}$.

Q.4.22If, in Exercise 4.21, the speed of the stone is increased beyond the maximum permissible value, and the string breaks suddenly, which of the following correctly describes the trajectory of the stone after the string breaks :v
  1. a. the stone moves radially outwards
  2. b. the stone flies off tangentially from the instant the string breaks
  3. c. the stone flies off at an angle with the tangent whose magnitude depends on the speed of the particle ?
Solution

At the instant the string breaks, the centripetal force disappears. The stone continues with its instantaneous velocity, which is tangential to the circular path.

Answer:

(b) the stone flies off tangentially from the instant the string breaks.

Q.4.23Explain why (a) a horse cannot pull a cart and run in empty space, (b) passengers are thrown forward from their seats when a speeding bus stops suddenly, (c) it is easier to pull a lawn mower than to push it, (d) a cricketer moves his hands backwards while holding a catch.v
Solution

A horse-cart system needs an external horizontal force from the ground; in empty space the horse cannot push against the ground to get frictional reaction. In a stopping bus, the lower body slows with the bus but the upper body tends to keep its forward motion. For a lawn mower, friction is proportional to normal reaction; pulling reduces the normal reaction, pushing increases it. For a catch, impulse equals change in momentum, $J=F_{avg}\Delta t$; increasing stopping time lowers the average force.

Answer:

(a) There is no ground friction in empty space to provide the external forward force. (b) Due to inertia, passengers tend to continue moving forward. (c) Pulling gives an upward component that reduces the normal reaction and friction, while pushing gives a downward component that increases them. (d) Moving the hands backward increases the stopping time, reducing the average force on the hands.