To solve the problem related to the balanced seesaw with a boy and a girl sitting on it, we adhere to the principles of torque and leverage. Here, the seesaw must balance so the torques due to the boy and girl must be equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \(\tau_{boy} = \tau_{girl}\) | This equation states the balancing condition where the torque (\(\tau\)) due to the boy must equal the torque due to the girl for the seesaw to be in equilibrium. |
| 2 | \(m_{boy} \cdot g \cdot d_1 = m_{girl} \cdot g \cdot d_2\) | Torque (\(\tau\)) is calculated by the formula \(\tau = F \cdot d\) where \(F\) is the force (here, the weight of the children, \(m \cdot g\)) and \(d\) is the distance from the pivot. Here, \(g\) is the acceleration due to gravity, \(m_{boy}\) and \(m_{girl}\) are the masses of the boy and girl respectively, and \(d_1\) and \(d_2\) are their respective distances from the fulcrum. |
| 3 | \(\frac{m_{boy}}{m_{girl}} = \frac{d_2}{d_1}\) | Divide both sides of the equation by \(g \cdot d_1 \cdot d_2\) to isolate the ratio of masses, which shows that the ratio of the boy’s mass to the girl’s mass is the inverse of their distances from the fulcrum. This ratio will ensure that their torques balance each other. |
| 4 | Mass of seesaw needed: \(m_{seesaw} \cdot g \cdot L = (m_{boy} + m_{girl}) \cdot g \cdot \frac{(d_2 – d_1)}{2}\) | We need to add the minimum mass of the seesaw to keep it balanced at the pivot point itself. Assuming the mass is evenly distributed, its leverage point would be at the center (\(\frac{L}{2}\) from the pivot). The seesaw’s mass should counteract any net torque resultant from the boy and girl’s differing distances from the pivot. Here, \(L\) is the total length of the seesaw. |
| 5 | \(m_{seesaw} = \frac{(m_{boy} + m_{girl}) \Big(\frac{(d_1 – d_2)}{2}\Big)}{L}\) | Re-arranging the equation to solve for \(m_{seesaw}\). This formula calculates the minimum mass of the seesaw required to achieve balance. Note that since \(d_1 > d_2\), \((d_1 – d_2)\) will be positive, ensuring a positive mass for the seesaw. |
| 6 | \(m_{seesaw} = \frac{(m_{boy} + m_{girl}) \Big(\frac{(d_1 – d_2)}{2}\Big)}{L}\) | This is the final formula that yields the mass of the seesaw needed to balance with the boy and girl placed as described. |
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Initially, a ball has an angular velocity of \( 5.0 \) \( \text{rad/s} \) counterclockwise. Some time later, after rotating through a total angle of \( 5.5 \) \( \text{radians} \), the ball has an angular velocity of \( 1.5 \) \( \text{rad/s} \) clockwise.
A \(25 \, \text{g}\) steel ball is attached to the top of a \(24 \, \text{cm}\)-diameter vertical wheel of negligible mass. Starting from rest, the wheel accelerates at \(470 \, \text{rad/s}^2\). The ball is released after \(\frac{3}{4}\) of a revolution. How high does it go above the center of the wheel?
A solid ball and a cylinder roll down an inclined plane. Which reaches the bottom first?
A rod is initially at rest on a rough horizontal surface. Three forces are exerted on the rod with the magnitudes and directions shown in the figure. The force exerted in the center of the rod is an equidistant 0.5 m from both ends of the rod. If friction between the rod and the table prevents the rod from rotating, what is the magnitude of the torque exerted on the rod about its center from frictional forces?
When the speed of a rear-drive car is increasing on a horizontal road, what is the direction of the frictional force on the tires?
In a demonstration, a teacher holds the axle of a wheel that is spinning with constant angular speed. The teacher then releases the axle and the wheel begins to fall toward the ground. As the wheel falls, its angular speed remains constant. Which of the following correctly describes how the rotational kinetic energy \( K_{\text{rot}} \) of the wheel and the total kinetic energy \( K_{\text{tot}} \) of the wheel change, if at all, after the wheel is released but before it reaches the ground?
| \( K_{\text{rot}} \) | \( K_{\text{tot}} \) | |
|---|---|---|
| A | Constant | Constant |
| B | Constant | Increasing |
| C | Increasing | Constant |
| D | Increasing | Increasing |
Two equal-magnitude forces are applied to a door at the doorknob. The first force is applied perpendicular to the door, and the second force is applied at \( 30^\circ \) to the plane of the door. Which force exerts the greater torque about the door hinge?
Consider a uniform hoop of radius \( R \) and mass \( M \) rolling without slipping. Which is larger, its translational kinetic energy or its rotational kinetic energy? Hint: The moment of inertia of a uniform hoop is \(I = M R^2\)
What is the net torque acting on the pivot supporting a \(10 \, \text{kilogram}\) beam \(2 \, \text{meters}\) long as shown above? Assume that the positive direction is clockwise.
A 150-kg merry-go-round in the shape of a uniform, solid, horizontal disk of radius 1.50 m is set in motion by wrapping a rope about the rim of the disk and pulling on the rope.
What constant force must be exerted on the rope to bring the merry-go-round from rest to an angular speed of 0.500 rev/s in 2.00 s?
Note: \( I_\text{disk} = \frac{1}{2}mr^2 \)
\(m_{seesaw} = \frac{(m_{boy} + m_{girl}) \Big(\frac{(d_1 – d_2)}{2}\Big)}{L}\)
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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] | |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] |
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