| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | \( T – Mg = \frac{Mv^2}{L} \) | This is the force equilibrium equation at the bottom point. \( T \) is the tension in the string, \( M \) is the mass of the ball, \( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity, \( v \) is the velocity of the ball, and \( L \) is the length of the string. |
| A2 | \( T = 3Mg \) | The tension at the bottom is given to be three times the weight of the ball. |
| A3 | \( 3Mg – Mg = \frac{Mv^2}{L} \) | Substituting the tension value into the equilibrium equation. |
| A4 | \( v = \sqrt{2gL} \) | Simplifying the equation for \( v \), observe \( M \) cancels out. This is velocity at any given point around the circle. |
| A5 | \( F_{\text{centripetal}} = \frac{Mv^2}{L} \) | At the top, we can use the velocity calculated in the previous step to find the centripetal force required to keep the ball moving in the circle. |
| A6 | \( 2mg \) | Substitute in the equation for velocity (from step A4) so that the final equation is in terms of \( M \, g \, L \) |
| B1 | \( v_{\text{top}} = \sqrt{v^2 – 4gL} \) | Using conservation of energy. \( KE_{\text{bottom}} + PE_{\text{bottom}} = KE_{\text{top}} + PE_{\text{top}} \). The velocity at the top is found by noting the potential energy difference between top and bottom. Simplify by substituting \( v \) from A4. |
| B2 | \( v_{\text{top}} = \sqrt{2gL – 4gL} \) | \( = \sqrt{-2gL} \rightarrow \) which is zero since \( 2gL > 4gL \) |
| C1 | \( t = \sqrt{\frac{4L}{g}} \) | Ball falls freely under gravity and has no initial vertical velocity, so \( \delta y = \frac{1}{2}gt^2 \); solving for \( t \) gives the time to fall a distance \( L \). Note that the displacement from the top to the bottom is twice the radius of the circle or \( 2L \). |
| D1 | \( \Delta x = v_0t \) | The horiztontal distance traveled by any projectile is the product of the horiztonal speed and the time in air. |
| D2 | \( \sqrt{2gL} \times \sqrt{\frac{4L}{g}} \) | Substitute in velocity from Step A4 and time from step C1 |
| D3 | \( \sqrt{8}L \) | Simplify |
(a) The net force on the ball at the top is \( 2Mg \), downward.
(b) The velocity of the ball at the top is \( v = \sqrt{2gL} \).
(c) The time it takes to reach the ground is \( \sqrt{\frac{4L}{g}} \).
(d) The horizontal distance traveled is \( \sqrt{8}L \)
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An object of mass \( m = 3.0 \) \( \text{kg} \) is attached to one end of a string with negligible mass and length \( L = 0.80 \) \( \text{m} \). The object is released from rest at time \( t = 0 \), when the string is horizontal. At time \( t = t_1 \) the object is at the location shown in the figure, where the string is vertical. Which of the following is most nearly the magnitude of the tension in the string at time \( t = t_1 \)?
A soccer ball with an initial height of \(1.5 \, \text{m}\) above the ground is launched at an angle of \(30^\circ\) above the horizontal. The soccer ball travels a horizontal distance of \(45 \, \text{m}\) to a \(9.0 \, \text{m}\) high castle wall, and passes over \(3.20 \, \text{m}\) above the highest point of the wall. Assume air resistance is negligible.
An object moves at constant speed in a circular path of radius \( r \) at a rate of \( 1 \) revolution per second. What is its acceleration in terms of \(r\)?
A loop-de-loop roller coaster has a radius of \( 30 \) \( \text{m} \). Determine the apparent weight a \( 500 \) \( \text{N} \) person will feel at the bottom of the loop while traveling at a speed of \( 25 \) \( \text{m/s} \) and at the top of the loop while traveling at a speed of \( 20 \) \( \text{m/s} \).

A simple pendulum consists of a bob of mass 1.8 kg attached to a string of length 2.3 m. The pendulum is held at an angle of 30° from the vertical by a light horizontal string attached to a wall, as shown above.
Which of the following best explains why astronauts experience weightlessness while orbiting the earth?
An airplane can safely bank when subjected to a centripetal acceleration of 8 g’s. If the airplane flies at a constant speed of 400 m/s, how long does it take to make a 180° turn?
Which of the following statements about the acceleration due to gravity is TRUE?
A projectile is launched at \( 25 \) \( \text{m/s} \) at an angle of \( 45^\circ \). It lands on a slope \( 5 \) \( \text{m} \) below the launch height. On landing, it rebounds vertically with \( 80\% \) of its speed and falls straight down from there. Find the total time from launch to final impact at the base of the slope.
Measurements made in 1910 indicate that the common flea is an impressive jumper, given its size. Assume that a flea’s initial speed is 2.1 m/s, and that it leaps at an angle of 21° with respect to the horizontal. The jump lasts 0.16 s.
(a) \( 2Mg \), downward.
(b) \( v = \sqrt{2gL} \).
(c) \( \sqrt{\frac{4L}{g}} \).
(d) \( \sqrt{8}L \)
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| Kinematics | Forces |
|---|---|
| \(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\) | \(F = ma\) |
| \(v = v_i + at\) | \(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\) |
| \(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\) | \(f = \mu N\) |
| \(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\) | \(F_s =-kx\) |
| \(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) |
| Circular Motion | Energy |
|---|---|
| \(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\) | \(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\) |
| \(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\) | \(PE = mgh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\) | \(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\) |
| \(W = Fd \cos\theta\) |
| Momentum | Torque and Rotations |
|---|---|
| \(p = mv\) | \(\tau = r \cdot F \cdot \sin(\theta)\) |
| \(J = \Delta p\) | \(I = \sum mr^2\) |
| \(p_i = p_f\) | \(L = I \cdot \omega\) |
| Simple Harmonic Motion | Fluids |
|---|---|
| \(F = -kx\) | \(P = \frac{F}{A}\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\) | \(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\) | \(Q = Av\) |
| \(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\) | \(F_b = \rho V g\) |
| \(a = -\omega^2 x\) | \(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\) |
| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
| [katex]g[/katex] | Acceleration due to gravity, typically [katex]9.8 , \text{m/s}^2[/katex] on Earth’s surface |
| [katex]G[/katex] | Universal Gravitational Constant, [katex]6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2[/katex] |
| [katex]\mu_k[/katex] and [katex]\mu_s[/katex] | Coefficients of kinetic ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) and static ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) friction, dimensionless. Static friction ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) is usually greater than kinetic friction ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) as it resists the start of motion. |
| [katex]k[/katex] | Spring constant, in [katex]\text{N/m}[/katex] |
| [katex] M_E = 5.972 \times 10^{24} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Earth |
| [katex] M_M = 7.348 \times 10^{22} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Moon |
| [katex] M_M = 1.989 \times 10^{30} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Sun |
| Variable | SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]s[/katex] (Displacement) | [katex]\text{meters (m)}[/katex] |
| [katex]v[/katex] (Velocity) | [katex]\text{meters per second (m/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]a[/katex] (Acceleration) | [katex]\text{meters per second squared (m/s}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]t[/katex] (Time) | [katex]\text{seconds (s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]m[/katex] (Mass) | [katex]\text{kilograms (kg)}[/katex] |
| Variable | Derived SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]F[/katex] (Force) | [katex]\text{newtons (N)}[/katex] |
| [katex]E[/katex], [katex]PE[/katex], [katex]KE[/katex] (Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy) | [katex]\text{joules (J)}[/katex] |
| [katex]P[/katex] (Power) | [katex]\text{watts (W)}[/katex] |
| [katex]p[/katex] (Momentum) | [katex]\text{kilogram meters per second (kgm/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\omega[/katex] (Angular Velocity) | [katex]\text{radians per second (rad/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\tau[/katex] (Torque) | [katex]\text{newton meters (Nm)}[/katex] |
| [katex]I[/katex] (Moment of Inertia) | [katex]\text{kilogram meter squared (kgm}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]f[/katex] (Frequency) | [katex]\text{hertz (Hz)}[/katex] |
Metric Prefixes
Example of using unit analysis: Convert 5 kilometers to millimeters.
Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]
Use the conversion factors for kilometers to meters and meters to millimeters: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}}[/katex]
Perform the multiplication: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}} = 5 \times 10^3 \times 10^3 \, \text{mm}[/katex]
Simplify to get the final answer: [katex]\boxed{5 \times 10^6 \, \text{mm}}[/katex]
Prefix | Symbol | Power of Ten | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
Pico- | p | [katex]10^{-12}[/katex] | 0.000000000001 |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | 0.000000001 |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | 0.000001 |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | 0.001 |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | 0.01 |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | 0.1 |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | 1 |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | 10 |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | 100 |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | 1,000 |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | 1,000,000 |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000 |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000,000 |
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