Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2013/ia/paper-4/3b/solution

Use zero-relative-velocity mass shedding: the released sand initially shares the balloon's vertical velocity, rather than being actively ejected. Let and let a positive mass be shed in a short interval . The momentum of the balloon and that newly released sand changes by
The leading external impulse is . Newton's second law applied to this combined material system therefore gives
Writing for the remaining balloon alone would omit the outgoing momentum flux. A nonzero relative ejection velocity would instead produce a rocket equation thrust term.
Initial mechanical equilibrium gives . Write , so up to depletion. Then
Integrating from rest,
Since and , the final upward speed is
The acceleration is nonnegative throughout release, consistent with the upward motion.

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