Moments (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Physics)

Exam Questions

3 hours36 questions
1a5 marks

A man uses a metal bar to remove an iron nail from a piece of wood, as shown in Fig. 3.1.

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(i) The man applies a force of 150 N at a distance of 0.50 m from the pivot.

Calculate the moment of this force about the pivot. Include a unit.

moment = ........................................................... [4]

 

(ii) The force applied by the man produces a turning effect (moment) about the pivot.

Describe another example of using the turning effect of a force.

 [1]

1b1 mark

The man tries to use the metal bar to remove another nail from the piece of wood. He applies the same force of 150 N at a distance of 0.50 m from the pivot.

  The turning effect produced is not enough to remove this nail from the piece of wood.

Describe how the man can increase the turning effect without increasing the force.

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24 marks

A lamp is attached to a wall, as shown in Fig. 4.1.

q4

Calculate the moment of the lamp about the pivot. Give the unit.

 

moment = .......................................................... 

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3a1 mark

Fig. 4.1 shows a metal triangle suspended from a thread.

screenshot-2022-10-20-at-09-28-54

Complete the sentence. Choose the correct word or phrase from the box.

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The metal triangle will come to rest with its centre of gravity directly ................................. the point of suspension.

3b3 marks

A student finds the centre of gravity of a shape made of thin card. Fig. 4.2 shows the equipment.

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Describe how the student finds the centre of gravity of the card. Choose from these sentences.

  1.     A line is drawn on the card showing the position of the string.

  2.     A pin held in a clamp is put through the hole in the card.

  3.     The centre of gravity is where the lines cross on the card.

  4.     The process is repeated using holes near the other two edges.

Complete the flow chart. Write the letter for the correct sentence in each box.

screenshot-2022-10-21-at-09-25-54

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4a2 marks

Fig. 4.1 shows a truck lifting a heavy load.

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(i) The truck is stationary. Identify the quantities that determine the work done as it lifts the load.

Tick the box next to each correct quantity.

 square distance

square force

square time

[1]

(ii) Draw a ring around the unit for work done from the list. 

joule  newton  pascal  watt

[1]

4b1 mark

Identify the quantities that determine the power of the truck.

Tick the box next to each correct quantity.

square energy transferred

square temperature

square time

4c3 marks

The truck has a pivot near the front wheel. Fig. 4.2 represents the pivot and the vertical forces acting on the truck.

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The truck is in equilibrium.

Calculate the load.

load = ..................................................... N 

4d2 marks

Fig. 4.3 shows another truck lifting a pile of identical bricks.

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(i) On Fig. 4.3, draw a cross to indicate the centre of gravity of the pile of bricks.

[1]

 

(ii) The truck can tilt the pile of bricks backwards, as shown in Fig. 4.4.

 

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Explain how tilting the pile of bricks backwards makes the truck more stable.

[1]

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5a1 mark

Define the term moment.

5b1 mark

A uniform seesaw is in equilibrium with a box placed on each side.

The box on the left has an anticlockwise moment of 150 N m about the pivot. 

The box on the right has weight W.

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Fig. 1.1

State the clockwise moment due to the box on the right. 

5c3 marks

Calculate the weight W of the box on the right side of the seesaw. 

5d2 marks

The box on the left hand side of the seesaw is now removed. Explain the subsequent motion of the seesaw.

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1a5 marks

A 50 cm rule is balanced at its mid-point. A force of 8.0 N acts at a distance of 10 cm from one end of the rule.

Fig. 2.1 shows the arrangement.

moments

Calculate the moment of the 8.0 N force about the pivot. Give the unit.

moment = ............................ unit = ............................

1b2 marks

Another force acts at a point 10 cm from the pivot. It makes the rule balance.

   On Fig. 2.1, draw an arrow to show the position and direction of this force.

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2a2 marks

A metre rule is balanced on a pivot by three vertical forces, as shown in Fig. 5.1.

 

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Show that the moment of the 5.0 N force about the pivot is 200 N cm.

2b4 marks

Extended tier only

Calculate the size of force F.

   

F = .................................................... N

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3a1 mark

Complete the statement by writing in the blank spaces.

  The moment of a force about a pivot is equal to ............ multiplied by ............

3b6 marks

Fig. 3.1 shows a horizontal rod of length 2.4 m and weight 160 N. The weight of the rod acts at its centre. The rod is suspended by two vertical ropes X and Y. The tension in each rope is 80 N.

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(i) State the name given to the point at which the weight of the rod acts.

[1]

 

(ii) Calculate the mass of the rod.

 

mass = ......................................................... [1]

  

(iii) The rod is in equilibrium.

  Using data from Fig. 3.1, explain why.

[4]

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4a1 mark

Fig. 2.1 shows a man pushing down on a lever to lift one end of a heavy log.

log

State the term used to describe the turning force exerted by the man.

4b4 marks

(i) Fig. 2.2 shows the forces acting as the man starts to lift the heavy log.

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Calculate the force F, exerted by the lever on the heavy log.

  

force = ..................................................... N [3]

(ii) Describe how the man can use a smaller force to lift the heavy log.

 [1] 

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5a4 marks

During a routine check of security camera footage at a zoo, it is discovered that a toucan and a grass snake have been escaping from their enclosures and performing experiments on a uniform 2 m long seesaw to study the principle of moments.

 

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Fig. 1.1

Mass of a toucan = 600 g

Mass of a grass snake = 250 g

Calculate the weight of each animal in newtons. You may assume the acceleration of free fall is 10 m/s2.

5b5 marks

For the system in Fig. 1.1, calculate the clockwise and anticlockwise moments separately.

  

clockwise moment = ...................................................... N m

anticlockwise moment = ...................................................... N m

5c2 marks

State whether the system is in equilibrium or not. Explain your reasoning.

5d3 marks

Extended tier only

On a different day, the toucan and the grass snake sit in new positions at different distances from the pivot. The same 2 metre long seesaw is not in equilibrium and has a resultant clockwise moment of 5.2 N m.

A bearded dragon climbs onto on the left side of the see saw. Suggest whether it is possible for the bearded dragon to bring the seesaw into equilibrium. Explain your answer using the principle of moments.

Average weight of a bearded dragon = 4.9 N

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1a3 marks

A tower crane has a load W, as shown in Fig. 3.1.

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The counterweight has a weight of 80 000 N. This acts at a distance of 5.0 m from the pivot, as shown in Fig. 3.1.

Calculate the moment of the counterweight about the pivot. Give the unit.

 

moment = ...........................................................

1b3 marks

The tower crane in Fig. 3.1 balances horizontally when holding the load W. 

Calculate the weight of load W.

  

weight = ....................................................... N

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2a1 mark

Extended tier only

Fig. 2.1 shows a uniform plank AB of length 2.0 m suspended from two ropes X and Y.

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The weight W of the plank is 210 N. The force in rope X is P. The force in rope Y is Q.

 

State, in terms of P, the moment of force P about B.

2b5 marks

Extended tier only

Calculate:

(i) the moment of W about B

moment = ...........................................................[1]

 

(ii) the force P

 

force P = ...........................................................[2]

 

(iii) the force Q.

 

force Q = ...........................................................[2]

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3a5 marks

Fig. 4.1 shows a tractor fitted with a device for breaking up soil in a field.

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(i) The tractor has a heavy weight at the front. Explain why the heavy weight is needed.

[1]

(ii) Fig. 4.2 represents the weight of the device and its distance from the pivot. 

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Calculate the moment of the weight of the device about the pivot. State the unit.

moment = ......................................................  [4]

3b3 marks

Fig. 4.3 shows a tractor fitted with narrow tyres and the same tractor fitted with wide tyres.

screenshot-2022-10-13-at-12-31-29

Explain why wide tyres are more suitable for the tractor on soft soil.

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4a1 mark

In a double-decker bus there are two passenger compartments, one above the other.

Fig. 3.1 shows a double-decker bus on a tilted platform.

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The platform is used to test the stability of the bus.

  The angle the bus makes with the horizontal is gradually increased until the bus begins to topple to the left.

  Explain why the bus begins to topple.

4b2 marks

There are 30 passengers in the upper compartment of a bus and 2 passengers in the bottom compartment.

  State how this affects the stability of the bus and the reason for this.

4c4 marks

Extended tier only

A bus is travelling along a straight road. The bus and the driver have a combined mass of 16000 kg when there are no passengers in it. The bus has 73 passengers. The average mass of each of the passengers is 65 kg.

 

(i) Calculate the total mass of the bus, the driver and the 73 passengers.

mass = ......................................................... [2]

 

(ii) The fully loaded bus accelerates uniformly from rest to a speed of 14 m / s. The time taken to reach a speed of 14 m / s is 20 s.

Calculate the resultant force on the bus during the acceleration.

  

force = ......................................................... [2]

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5a3 marks

A university student is constructing some flat-pack furniture. 

An Allen key has a hexagonal end and is used to tighten hexagonal bolts. An Allen key can be used with its longer end in the hexagonal bolt, or can be rotated to place the shorter end in the hexagonal bolt. This is shown in Fig. 1.1.

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Fig. 1.1

State which orientation, A or B, will allow the bolt to be tightened more easily. 

Explain why, referring to moments in your answer. 

5b7 marks

The dimensions of the Allen key are shown in Fig. 1.2. 

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Fig. 1.2

The student building the furniture applies a force of 150 N to the Allen key.

(i) Calculate the moment when the Allen key is in orientation A.

moment in orientation A = ...................................................... N m [4]

   

(ii) Calculate the moment when the Allen key is in orientation B.

  

moment in orientation B = ...................................................... N m [3]

5c6 marks

The student constructs the furniture but realises they need to lift it up to place a rug underneath. 

The furniture has a weight of 800 N and is too heavy for the student to lift.

Remembering a lecture about the principle of moments, they use a pivot and a plank of wood to lift it. As shown in Fig. 1.3, the furniture exerts a perpendicular force FA on the plank, which is equal to 30% of the weight of the furniture. 

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Fig. 1.3

Calculate the minimum force FB the student must exert to lift the furniture.

5d3 marks

Extended tier only

The calculation in part (c) neglected the weight of the plank of wood.

Assuming the plank of wood has evenly distributed mass, explain how this would affect the size of the force that the student must exert to lift the furniture.

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