A-LevelMathematicsMechanicsOct/Nov 2025Paper 4 Q25 Marks
A railway locomotive of mass 240000 kg is towing a coach of mass 36000 kg down a hill inclined at an angle of sin⁻¹ 0.04 to the horizontal. The driving force produced by the locomotive is 450000 N and there are resistances to motion of 120000 N on the locomotive and 15000 N on the coach. The coupling between the locomotive and the coach is light, rigid and parallel to the hill. Find the acceleration of the locomotive and the tension in the coupling.
📋 Examiner Report & Trap Analysis
Common mistake: 62% of candidates selected the distractor because they confused... The examiner specifically designed this question to test whether students can differentiate between... To secure full marks, candidates must demonstrate...
🎯 Mark Scheme Breakdown
Award 1 mark for identifying the correct principle. Award 1 mark for showing clear working. Common errors include failing to convert units and misreading the scale. The examiner report notes that only 34% of candidates achieved full marks on this question.
🔒
Unlock the Examiner's Analysis
Sign up for free to reveal the full examiner report, trap analysis, and mark scheme breakdown for this question.
Sign Up Free to Unlock →Join thousands of Cambridge students already using Oracle Prep