Physics (AS & A Level) · Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 13 · Question 12

Two parts of a sailing boat are the mast and the boom. The mast is a vertical rigid beam and the boom is a horizontal rigid beam. One end of the boom is attached to the mast by a pivot. The other end of the boom is connected to the mast by a rope, as shown. The rope is at an angle of 40° to the horizontal and exerts a tension force T on the boom. The weight of the boom is 200 N. The mass of the boom is uniformly distributed along its length. The boom is in equilibrium. What is the magnitude of T?

1. A130 N
2. B160 N
3. C260 N
4. D310 N

As printed in the paper