A stone of mass 1 kg tied to a light inextensible string of length L=310 m is whirling in a circular path of radius L in a vertical plane. If the ratio of the maximum tension in the string to the minimum tension in the string is 4 and if g is taken to be 10 m/s2, the speed of the stone at the highest point of the circle is:
A
20 m/s
B
103 m/s
C
52 m/s
D
10 m/s
Step-by-Step Solution
Let v1 be the speed at the lowest point and v2 be the speed at the highest point.
By conservation of mechanical energy from the highest to the lowest point:
21mv12=21mv22+mg(2L)v12=v22+4gL
The maximum tension (Tmax) occurs at the lowest point of the circular path:
Tmax=Lmv12+mg
Substitute v12=v22+4gL into the equation:
Tmax=Lm(v22+4gL)+mg=Lmv22+4mg+mg=Lmv22+5mg
The minimum tension (Tmin) occurs at the highest point:
Tmin=Lmv22−mg
Given the ratio of maximum to minimum tension is 4:
TminTmax=4Lmv22−mgLmv22+5mg=4mv22+5mgL=4(mv22−mgL)mv22+5mgL=4mv22−4mgL3mv22=9mgLv22=3gL
Given g=10 m/s2 and L=310 m, substitute these values:
v2=3×10×310v2=100=10 m/s
Thus, the speed of the stone at the highest point is 10 m/s.
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