| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[m_1 = 12\;\text{kg}, \; m_2 = 9\;\text{kg}, \; \Delta x = 0.8\;\text{m}\] | Define the masses and common displacement (heavier mass moves down, lighter moves up the same distance). |
| 2 | \[\Delta PE_1 = -m_1 g \Delta x\] | The heavier mass drops; its height decreases by \(\Delta x\), so its change in potential energy is negative. |
| 3 | \[\Delta PE_2 = +m_2 g \Delta x\] | The lighter mass rises; its height increases by \(\Delta x\), giving it positive potential energy change. |
| 4 | \[\Delta PE_{\text{tot}} = -m_1 g \Delta x + m_2 g \Delta x = -(m_1-m_2)g\Delta x\] | Add the two potential‐energy changes to obtain the total change for the system. |
| 5 | \[KE_{\text{tot}} = \tfrac{1}{2}(m_1+m_2)v^2\] | Both masses share the same speed \(v\); total kinetic energy is the sum of their individual kinetic energies. |
| 6 | \[ -(m_1-m_2)g\Delta x = \tfrac{1}{2}(m_1+m_2)v^2 \] | Conservation of mechanical energy: the decrease in total potential energy equals the increase in total kinetic energy. |
| 7 | \[ v = \sqrt{ \frac{2(m_1-m_2)g\Delta x}{(m_1+m_2)} } \] | Algebraically solve the conservation equation for the common speed \(v\). |
| 8 | \[ v = \sqrt{ \frac{2(12-9)(9.81)(0.8)}{12+9} } \] | Insert the numerical values for the variables. |
| 9 | \[\boxed{v \approx 1.50\;\text{m/s}}\] | Compute the square root to obtain the speed after a \(0.8\;\text{m}\) displacement. |
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A stone is falling at a constant velocity vertically down a tube filled with oil. Which of the following statements about the energy changes of the stone during its motion are correct?
I. The gain in kinetic energy is less than the loss in gravitational potential energy.
II. The sum of kinetic and gravitational potential energy of the stone is constant.
III. The work done by the force of gravity has the same magnitude as the work done by friction.
A \( 25.0 \) \( \text{kg} \) block is placed at the top of an inclined plane set at an angle of \( 35 \) degrees to the horizontal. The block slides down the \( 1.5 \) \( \text{m} \) slope at a constant rate. How much work did friction do on the block?
A \(0.5 \, \text{kg}\) cart, on a frictionless \(2 \, \text{m}\) long table, is being pulled by a \(0.1 \, \text{kg}\) mass connected by a string and hanging over a pulley. The system is released from rest. After the hanging mass falls \(0.5 \, \text{m}\), calculate the speed of the cart on the table. Use ONLY forces and energy.
A pendulum with a period of \( 1 \) \( \text{s} \) on Earth, where the acceleration due to gravity is \( g \), is taken to another planet, where its period is \( 2 \) \( \text{s} \). The acceleration due to gravity on the other planet is most nearly
A student is designing an experiment to find the spring constant \( k \) of a spring using only a set of known masses and a stopwatch. Which procedure would work?
A small block moving with a constant speed \(v\) collides inelastically with a block \(M\) attached to one end of a spring \(k\). The other end of the spring is connected to a stationary wall. Ignore friction between the blocks and the surface.
One end of a spring is attached to a solid wall while the other end just reaches to the edge of a horizontal, frictionless tabletop, which is a distance \(h\) above the floor. A block of mass \(M\) is placed against the end of the spring and pushed toward the wall until the spring has been compressed a distance \(x\). The block is released and strikes the floor a horizontal distance \(D\) from the edge of the table. Air resistance is negligible. Derive expressions for the following quantities only in terms of \(M, x, D, h,\) and any constants.
A 0.4 kg object is attached to a horizontal spring undergoes SHM with the total energy of 0.2 J. The potential energy as a function of position presented by the graph.
The box in the diagram is sliding to the right across a horizontal table, under the influence of the forces shown. Which force(s) is doing negative work on the box?
The elliptical orbit of a comet is shown above. Positions 1 and 2 are, respectively, the farthest and nearest positions to the Sun, and at position 1 the distance from the comet to the Sun is 10 times that at position 2. At position 2, the comet’s kinetic energy is
\(v \approx 1.50\;\text{m/s}\)
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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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