WME01 Mechanics 1 (M1): January 2026 Paper 01A

Two particles, P and Q, have masses 2m and 3m respectively. They are moving towards each other, in opposite directions, along the same straight line, on a smooth horizontal plane. The particles collide.

Immediately before they collide the speed of P is 2u and the speed of Q is u.

In the collision the magnitude of the impulse exerted on P by Q is 5mu.

(a)Find the speed of P immediately after the collision.[3]

(b)State whether the direction of motion of P has been reversed by the collision.[1]

(c)Find the speed of Q immediately after the collision.[3]

A suitcase of mass 40 kg is being dragged in a straight line along a rough horizontal floor at constant speed using a thin strap.

The strap is inclined at 20° above the horizontal.

The coefficient of friction between the suitcase and the floor is 34

The strap is modelled as a light inextensible string and the suitcase is modelled as a particle.

Find the tension in the strap.[7]

A ball is thrown vertically upwards with speed 20 m s from a point A, which is h metres above the ground.

The ball moves freely under gravity until it hits the ground 5 s later.

(a)Find the value of h.[3]

A second ball is thrown vertically downwards with speed w m s from A and moves freely under gravity until it hits the ground.

The first ball hits the ground with speed V m s and the second ball hits the ground with

speed 34 V m s

(b)Find the value of w.[5]

[In this question i and j are unit vectors directed due east and due north respectively.]

A particle P is moving with constant velocity (–6i + 2j) m s

At time t = 0, P passes through the point with position vector (21i + 5j) m, relative to a fixed origin O.

(a)Find the direction of motion of P, giving your answer as a bearing to the nearest degree.[3]

(b)Write down the position vector of P at time t seconds.[1]

(c)Find the time at which P is north-west of O.[3]

Two posts, A and B, are fixed at the side of a straight horizontal road and are 816 m apart, as shown in Figure 1. A car and a van are at rest side by side on the road and level with A. At time t = 0, the car and the van start to move in the direction AB.

The car accelerates_–1 from rest with constant acceleration for T seconds until it reaches a speed of 24 m s_–1 The car then moves at a constant speed of 24 m s

The van_–1 accelerates from rest with constant acceleration for 12 s until it reaches a speed of V m s_–1 The van then moves at a constant speed of V m s

When the car has been moving at 24 m s for 30 s, the van draws level with the car at B, and each vehicle has then travelled a distance of 816 m.

(a)Sketch, on the same diagram, a speed-time graph for the motion of each vehicle from A to B.[3]

(b)Find the value of T.[3]

(c)Find the value of V.[3]

A car pulls a trailer along a straight horizontal road using a light inextensible towbar. The mass of the car is M kg, the mass of the trailer is 600 kg and the towbar is horizontal and parallel to the direction of motion. There is a resistance to motion of magnitude 200 N acting on the car and a resistance to motion of magnitude 100 N acting on the trailer.

The driver of the car spots a hazard ahead. Instantly he reduces the force produced by the engine of the car to zero and applies the brakes of the car. The brakes produce a braking force on the car of magnitude_–2 6500 N and the car and the trailer have a constant deceleration of magnitude 4 m s

Given that the resistances to motion on the car and trailer are unchanged and that the car comes to rest after travelling 40.5 m from the point where the brakes were applied,

find

(a)the thrust in the towbar while the car is braking,[3]

(b)the value of M,[3]

(c)the time it takes for the car to stop after the brakes are applied.[3]

A non-uniform rod AB has length 6 m and mass 8 kg. The rod rests in equilibrium, in a horizontal position, on two smooth supports at C and at D, where AC = 1 m and DB = 1 m, as shown in Figure 2.

The magnitude of the reaction between the rod and the support at D is twice the magnitude of the reaction between the rod and the support at C.

The centre of mass of the rod is at G, where AG = x m.

(a)Show that x = 113[6]

The support at C is moved to the point F on the rod, where AF = 2 m.

A particle of mass 3 kg is placed on the rod at A. The rod remains horizontal and in equilibrium.

The magnitude of the reaction between the rod and the support at D is k times the magnitude of the reaction between the rod and the support at F.

(b)Find the value of k.[6]

Two particles P and Q have masses m and 4m respectively. Particle P is attached to one end of a light inextensible string and particle Q is attached to the other end.

Particle P is held at rest on a rough horizontal table. The string lies along the table and passes over a small smooth light pulley which is fixed at the edge of the table. Particle Q hangs at rest vertically below the pulley, at a height h above a horizontal plane, as shown in Figure 3.

The coefficient of friction between P and the table is 0.5

Particle P is released from rest with the string taut and slides along the table.

(a)Find, in terms of mg, the tension in the string when both particles are moving.[8]

The particle P does not reach the pulley before Q hits the plane.

(b)Show that the speed of Q immediately before it hits the plane is 1.4gh[2]

When Q hits the plane, Q does not rebound and P continues to slide along the table. Given that P comes to rest before it reaches the pulley,

(c)show that the total length of the string must be greater than 2.4h[6]

Centre Number Candidate Number

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level

Friday 9 January 2026

Morning (Time: 1 hour 30 minutes)

International Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced Level Mechanics M1 Answer Book

You must have:_TotalMarks Question paper (sent separately), Mathematical Formulae and Statistical Tables (Yellow), calculator.

Candidates may use any calculator permitted by Pearson regulations. Calculators must not have the facility for symbolic algebra manipulation, differentiation and integration, or have retrievable mathematical formulae stored in them.

Use black ink or ball‑point pen.

If pencil is used for diagrams/sketches/graphs it must be dark (HB or B).

Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,

centre number and candidate number. Answer all questions and ensure that your answers to parts of questions are

clearly labelled. Answer the questions in the spaces provided

– there may be more space than you need. You should show sufficient working to make your methods clear. Answers without

working may not gain full credit._–2 Whenever a numerical value of g is required, take g = 9.8 m s and give your answer to

either 2 significant figures or 3 significant figures.

A booklet ‘Mathematical Formulae and Statistical Tables’ is provided.

There are 8 questions in this question paper. The total mark for this paper is 75.

The marks for each question are shown in brackets

– use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.

Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.

Try to answer every question.

Check your answers if you have time at the end.

If you change your mind about an answer, cross it out and put your new answer and

any working underneath.

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