Year: 1991
Paper: 3
Question Number: 12
Course: UFM Mechanics
Section: Circular Motion 2
No solution available for this problem.
Difficulty Rating: 1700.0
Difficulty Comparisons: 0
Banger Rating: 1487.9
Banger Comparisons: 1
A smooth tube whose axis is horizontal has an elliptic cross-section
in the form of the curve with parametric equations
\[
x=a\cos\theta\qquad y=b\sin\theta
\]
where the $x$-axis is horizontal and the $y$-axis is vertically
upwards. A particle moves freely under gravity on the inside of the
tube in the plane of this cross-section. By first finding $\ddot{x}$
and $\ddot{y},$ or otherwise, show that the acceleration along the
inward normal at the point with parameter $\theta$ is
\[
\frac{ab\dot{\theta}^{2}}{\sqrt{a^{2}\sin^{2}\theta+b^{2}\cos^{2}\theta}}.
\]
The particle is projected along the surface in the vertical cross-section
plane, with speed $2\sqrt{bg},$ from the lowest point. Given that
$2a=3b,$ show that it will leave the surface at the point with parameter
$\theta$ where
\[
5\sin^{3}\theta+12\sin\theta-8=0.
\]