Mathematics 9709 · AS & A Level · Newton's laws of motion
Newton's laws of motion — practice question
A railway locomotive with mass $240\,000\text{ kg}$ is pulling a coach of mass $36\,000\text{ kg}$ down a slope whose angle to the horizontal is $\sin^{-1} 0.04$. The locomotive provides a driving force of $450\,000\text{ N}$, while the resistive forces are $120\,000\text{ N}$ on the locomotive and $15\,000\text{ N}$ on the coach. The coupling linking the locomotive and the coach is light, rigid and parallel to the hill.
(main)[5]
Determine the acceleration of the locomotive and the tension in the coupling.
Worked solution & mark scheme
This 5-mark question has a full step-by-step worked solution and mark scheme. One marking point: “Make at least one attempt to apply Newton's second law” …