---
title: "In an experiment, a solid, uniform cylinder of unknown radius \\( R \\) and unknown rotational inertia \\( I_0 \\) about a central axle is initially at rest. A light string is wrapped around the cylinder, as shown in the figure. The string is pulled with a constant unknown force \\( F_0 \\), causing the cylinder to rotate. After an unknown time interval \\( \\Delta t_0 \\), the string is completely unwound from the cylinder and loses contact with it. To collect data, a student has access to a meterstick, stopwatch, and force probe. The cylinder may rotate but cannot be moved off of its axle. Indicate whether the force applied to the cylinder \\( F_0 \\) and the rotational inertia of the cylinder \\( I_0 \\) can be measured directly or calculated from measured quantities."
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/103995/"
date_modified: "2026-08-18T02:39:38+00:00"
---

# In an experiment, a solid, uniform cylinder of unknown radius \( R \) and unknown rotational inertia \( I_0 \) about a central axle is initially at rest. A light string is wrapped around the cylinder, as shown in the figure. The string is pulled with a constant unknown force \( F_0 \), causing the cylinder to rotate. After an unknown time interval \( \Delta t_0 \), the string is completely unwound from the cylinder and loses contact with it. To collect data, a student has access to a meterstick, stopwatch, and force probe. The cylinder may rotate but cannot be moved off of its axle. Indicate whether the force applied to the cylinder \( F_0 \) and the rotational inertia of the cylinder \( I_0 \) can be measured directly or calculated from measured quantities.

In an experiment, a solid, uniform cylinder of unknown radius \( R \) and unknown rotational inertia \( I_0 \) about a central axle is initially at rest. A light string is wrapped around the cylinder, as shown in the figure. The string is pulled with a constant unknown force \( F_0 \), causing the cylinder to rotate. After an unknown time interval \( \Delta t_0 \), the string is completely unwound from the cylinder and loses contact with it. To collect data, a student has access to a meterstick, stopwatch, and force probe. The cylinder may rotate but cannot be moved off of its axle. Indicate whether the force applied to the cylinder \( F_0 \) and the rotational inertia of the cylinder \( I_0 \) can be measured directly or calculated from measured quantities.

- **A.** \[ \begin{array}{|c|c|} \hline F_0 & I_0 \\ \hline \text{Measured directly} & \text{Measured directly} \\ \hline \end{array} \]
- **B.** \[ \begin{array}{|c|c|} \hline F_0 & I_0 \\ \hline \text{Measured directly} & \text{Calculated from measured quantities} \\ \hline \end{array} \]
- **C.** \[ \begin{array}{|c|c|} \hline F_0 & I_0 \\ \hline \text{Calculated from measured quantities} & \text{Measured directly} \\ \hline \end{array} \]
- **D.** \[ \begin{array}{|c|c|} \hline F_0 & I_0 \\ \hline \text{Calculated from measured quantities} & \text{Calculated from measured quantities} \\ \hline \end{array} \]

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/103995/*