| Step | Derivation / Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[\text{Choose }a: \text{4 kg down, others up}\] | Set a common magnitude \(a\). The 4 kg block moves downward; 2 kg and 1 kg move upward. |
| 2 | \[m_1 g- T_1 = m_1 a\] | Newton’s 2ⁿᵈ for 4 kg (down is positive). |
| 3 | \[T_1- m_2 g- T_2 = m_2 a\] | 2 kg block: up is positive. |
| 4 | \[T_2- m_3 g = m_3 a\] | 1 kg block: up is positive. |
| 5 | \[T_1 = m_1(g-a)\qquad T_2 = m_3(g+a)\] | Solve Steps 2 and 4 for \(T_1\) and \(T_2\). |
| 6 | \[m_1(g-a)-m_2 g-m_3(g+a)=m_2 a\] | Substitute \(T_1\) and \(T_2\) into Step 3. |
| 7 | \[a=g\frac{m_1-m_2-m_3}{m_1+m_2+m_3}\] | Collect like terms and isolate \(a\). |
| 8 | \[a=9.8\,(\mathrm{m/s^2})\frac{4-2-1}{4+2+1}=1.4\,\mathrm{m/s^2}\] | Insert \(m_1=4\,\text{kg},\; m_2=2\,\text{kg},\; m_3=1\,\text{kg}\). |
| 9 | \[\boxed{a=1.4\,\mathrm{m/s^2}\text{ (4 kg downward)}}\] | Final acceleration magnitude and direction for the 4 kg block. |
| Step | Derivation / Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[T_1=m_1(g-a)\] | From Step 5 of part (a). |
| 2 | \[T_1=4\,(9.8-1.4)=33.6\,\mathrm{N}\] | Insert \(m_1=4\,\text{kg}\) and \(a=1.4\,\mathrm{m/s^2}\). |
| 3 | \[\boxed{T_1=33.6\,\mathrm{N}}\] | Numerical tension in the string holding the 4 kg block. |
| Step | Derivation / Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[T_2=m_3(g+a)\] | From Step 5 of part (a). |
| 2 | \[T_2=1\,(9.8+1.4)=11.2\,\mathrm{N}\] | Insert \(m_3=1\,\text{kg}\) and \(a=1.4\,\mathrm{m/s^2}\). |
| 3 | \[\boxed{T_2=11.2\,\mathrm{N}}\] | Numerical tension in the lower string. |
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An object of unknown mass is acted upon by multiple forces:
The coefficients of friction are \(\mu_s = 0.6\) and \(\mu_k = 0.2\). Starting from rest, the object travels \(10 \, \text{m}\) in \(4.5 \, \text{s}\). What is the mass of the unknown object?
The Moon does not crash into the Earth because:
Two students push a \(1750\, \mathrm{kg}\) car with a force of \(758\, \mathrm{N}\) along a perfectly level road at a constant velocity of \(4.00\, \mathrm{m/s}\). Find the force of friction.
The moment of inertia of a uniform solid sphere (mass \( M \), radius \( R \)) about a diameter is \( \frac{2}{5}MR^2 \). The sphere is placed on an inclined plane (angle \( \theta \)) and released from rest.
A block is initially at rest on top of an inclined ramp that makes an angle \( \theta_0 \) with the horizontal. The distance measured along the base of the ramp is \( D \). After the block is released from rest, it slides down the frictionless ramp and then continues onto a rough horizontal surface until it finally comes to rest at the position \( x = 4D \) measured from the base of the ramp. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and the rough horizontal surface is \( \mu_k \).
You are pushing a heavy box across a rough floor. When you are initially pushing the box and it is accelerating,
A box rests on the (frictionless) bed of a truck. The truck driver starts the truck and accelerates forward. The box immediately starts to slide toward the rear of the truck bed.
A woman stands on a bathroom scale in a motionless elevator. When the elevator begins to move, the scale briefly reads only \( 0.75 \) of her regular weight. Calculate the acceleration of the elevator, and find the direction of acceleration.
An object weighs \( 432 \) \( \text{N} \) on the surface of Earth. At a height of \( 3R_{\text{Earth}} \) above Earth’s surface, what is its weight?
In the diagram above, block \(A\) has a mass of \(3.2 \, \text{kg}\) and block \(B\) a mass of \(2.4 \, \text{kg}\). The pulley is frictionless and has no mass.
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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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