To solve the problem of finding the downward acceleration of an elevator, given the ratio of a person’s stationary weight to their apparent weight in the elevator (5:4), we can proceed as follows:
Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
---|---|---|
1 | W_0 = mg | This is the weight of the person when not in the moving elevator, calculated as the product of mass (m) and the acceleration due to gravity (g). |
2 | N = m(g-a) | The apparent weight of the person when in the elevator is the Normal force they experience. This is the product of mass and the net acceleration (g-a), where a is the elevator’s acceleration downward. |
3 | \frac{W_0}{N} = \frac{5}{4} | Given the ratio of stationary weight to weight in the elevator. Substituting the expressions from steps 1 and 2 will help us find a. |
4 | \frac{mg}{m(g-a)} = \frac{5}{4} | Putting in the expressions for W_0 and N and simplifying. Here, m (mass) cancels out. |
5 | g = (g-a)\frac{5}{4} | Multiply through by (g-a) and resolve the equation to isolate acceleration a. |
6 | 4g = 5(g-a) | Multiplying both sides to eliminate the fraction. |
7 | 4g = 5g – 5a | Expanding the right side. |
8 | a = \frac{g}{5} | Isolating a and solving for it shows the elevator’s downward acceleration as a fraction of g |
This result indicates that the elevator’s downward acceleration is one-fifth of the acceleration due to gravity, which is 2 m/s2.
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A skydiver reaches a terminal velocity of 55.0 m/s. At terminal velocity, the skydiver no longer accelerates. The mass of the skydiver and her equipment is 87.0 kg. What is the force of friction acting on her?
A linear spring of negligible mass requires a force of 18.0 N to cause its length to increase by 1.0 cm. A sphere of mass 75.0 g is then attached to one end of the spring. The distance between the center of the sphere M and the other end P of the un-stretched spring is 25.0 cm. Then the sphere begins rotating at constant speed in a horizontal circle around the center P. The distance P and M increases to 26.5 cm.
A hungry bear weighing 700 N walks out on a beam in an attempt to retrieve a basket of goodies hanging at the end of the beam. The beam is uniform, weighs 200 N, and is 6.00 m long. The goodies weigh 80 N.
A horizontal spring with spring constant 162 N/m is compressed 50 cm and used to launch a 3 kg box across a frictionless, horizontal surface. After the box travels some distance, the surface becomes rough. The coefficient of kinetic friction of the box on the rough surface is 0.2. Find the total distance the box travels before stopping.
The steepest street in the world is Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand. It has an inclination angle of 38.0° with respect to the horizontal. Suppose a wooden crate with a mass of 25.0 kg is placed on Baldwin Street. An additional force of 59 N must be applied to the crate perpendicular to the pavement in order to hold the crate in place. If the coefficient of static friction between the crate and the pavement is 0.599, what is the magnitude of the frictional force?
2 m/s2
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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_1m_2}{r^2} |
a = \frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t} | f = \mu N |
R = \frac{v_i^2 \sin(2\theta)}{g} |
Circular Motion | Energy |
---|---|
F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r} | KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2 |
a_c = \frac{v^2}{r} | PE = mgh |
KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f |
Momentum | Torque and Rotations |
---|---|
p = m v | \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 |
---|
F = -k x |
T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}} |
T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}} |
Constant | Description |
---|---|
g | Acceleration due to gravity, typically 9.8 , \text{m/s}^2 on Earth’s surface |
G | Universal Gravitational Constant, 6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2 |
\mu_k and \mu_s | Coefficients of kinetic (\mu_k) and static (\mu_s) friction, dimensionless. Static friction (\mu_s) is usually greater than kinetic friction (\mu_k) as it resists the start of motion. |
k | Spring constant, in \text{N/m} |
M_E = 5.972 \times 10^{24} , \text{kg} | Mass of the Earth |
M_M = 7.348 \times 10^{22} , \text{kg} | Mass of the Moon |
M_M = 1.989 \times 10^{30} , \text{kg} | Mass of the Sun |
Variable | SI Unit |
---|---|
s (Displacement) | \text{meters (m)} |
v (Velocity) | \text{meters per second (m/s)} |
a (Acceleration) | \text{meters per second squared (m/s}^2\text{)} |
t (Time) | \text{seconds (s)} |
m (Mass) | \text{kilograms (kg)} |
Variable | Derived SI Unit |
---|---|
F (Force) | \text{newtons (N)} |
E, PE, KE (Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy) | \text{joules (J)} |
P (Power) | \text{watts (W)} |
p (Momentum) | \text{kilogram meters per second (kgm/s)} |
\omega (Angular Velocity) | \text{radians per second (rad/s)} |
\tau (Torque) | \text{newton meters (Nm)} |
I (Moment of Inertia) | \text{kilogram meter squared (kgm}^2\text{)} |
f (Frequency) | \text{hertz (Hz)} |
General Metric Conversion Chart
Example of using unit analysis: Convert 5 kilometers to millimeters.
Start with the given measurement: \text{5 km}
Use the conversion factors for kilometers to meters and meters to millimeters: \text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}}
Perform the multiplication: \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}
Simplify to get the final answer: \boxed{5 \times 10^6 \, \text{mm}}
Prefix | Symbol | Power of Ten | Equivalent |
---|---|---|---|
Pico- | p | 10^{-12} | 0.000000000001 |
Nano- | n | 10^{-9} | 0.000000001 |
Micro- | µ | 10^{-6} | 0.000001 |
Milli- | m | 10^{-3} | 0.001 |
Centi- | c | 10^{-2} | 0.01 |
Deci- | d | 10^{-1} | 0.1 |
(Base unit) | – | 10^{0} | 1 |
Deca- or Deka- | da | 10^{1} | 10 |
Hecto- | h | 10^{2} | 100 |
Kilo- | k | 10^{3} | 1,000 |
Mega- | M | 10^{6} | 1,000,000 |
Giga- | G | 10^{9} | 1,000,000,000 |
Tera- | T | 10^{12} | 1,000,000,000,000 |
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