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| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[L_{\text{platform,i}} = I_{\text{platform}}\ \omega_i\] | The initial angular momentum of the platform is given by its moment of inertia times its initial angular velocity. |
| 2 | \[L_{\text{disk,i}} = 0\] | The disk is dropped in a stationary state, so its initial angular momentum is zero. Thus, the total initial angular momentum is solely from the platform. |
| 3 | \[I_{\text{platform}}\,\omega_i = (I_{\text{platform}} + I_{\text{disk}})\,\omega_f\] | Conservation of total angular momentum requires that the initial angular momentum of the platform equals the final angular momentum of the combined system (platform plus disk) once they rotate together with angular velocity \(\omega_f\). |
| 4 | \[\omega_f = \frac{I_{\text{platform}}}{I_{\text{platform}} + I_{\text{disk}}}\,\omega_i\] | Solving for \(\omega_f\) shows that the final angular velocity of the combined system is reduced by the factor \(\frac{I_{\text{platform}}}{I_{\text{platform}}+I_{\text{disk}}}\). Since \(I_{\text{disk}} > 0\), it follows that \(\omega_f < \omega_i\). |
| 5 | \[L_{\text{platform,f}} = I_{\text{platform}}\,\omega_f = I_{\text{platform}}\left(\frac{I_{\text{platform}}}{I_{\text{platform}} + I_{\text{disk}}}\,\omega_i\right)\] | The platform, now part of the combined system, rotates with the reduced angular velocity \(\omega_f\). Its angular momentum becomes \(I_{\text{platform}}\,\omega_f\), which is less than its initial value because \(\frac{I_{\text{platform}}}{I_{\text{platform}}+I_{\text{disk}}} < 1\). |
| 6 | \[L_{\text{platform,f}} < L_{\text{platform,i}}\] | This comparison shows that the platform loses angular momentum as some is transferred to the disk via frictional forces. |
| 7 | \[\boxed{\text{(a)}}\] | The loss in angular momentum of the platform is due to the torque exerted on it by the disk (via friction). The disk gains the angular momentum the platform loses even though the total angular momentum of the system is conserved. Thus, the correct answer is (a): It decreases because the top disk exerts a torque on the platform. |
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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.
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?

A light string is attached to a massive pulley of known rotational inertia \( I_P \), as shown in the figure. A student must determine the relationship between the torque exerted on the pulley and the change in the pulley’s angular velocity when the torque is applied for \( 2.0 \) \( \text{s} \). In addition to a stopwatch to measure the time interval, what two measurements could the student make in order to determine the relationship? Select two answers.
At time \( t = 0 \), a disk starts from rest and begins spinning about its center with a constant angular acceleration of magnitude \( \alpha \). At time \( t_f \), the disk has angular speed \( \omega_f \). Which of the following expressions correctly compares the final angular displacement \( \theta_f \) of the disk at time \( t_f \) to the angular displacement \( \theta_{1/2} \) at time \( \frac{t_f}{2} \)?
A string is wound tightly around a fixed pulley having a radius of 5.0 cm. As the string is pulled, the pulley rotates without any slipping of the string. What is the angular speed of the pulley when the string is moving at 5.0 m/s?
A uniform solid cylinder of mass [katex] M [/katex] and radius [katex] R [/katex] is initially at rest on a frictionless horizontal surface. A massless string is attached to the cylinder and is wrapped around it. The string is then pulled with a constant force [katex] F [/katex] , causing the cylinder to rotate about its center of mass. After the cylinder has rotated through an angle [katex] \theta [/katex], what is the kinetic energy of the cylinder in terms of [katex] F [/katex] and [katex] \theta [/katex]?
A pool cue ball, mass \(0.7 \, \text{kg}\), is traveling at \(2 \, \text{m/s}\) when it collides head-on with another ball, mass \(0.5 \, \text{kg}\), traveling in the opposite direction with a speed of \(1.2 \, \text{m/s}\). After the collision, the cue ball travels in the opposite direction at \(0.3 \, \text{m/s}\). What is the velocity of the other ball?
A solid sphere, solid cylinder, and a hollow pipe all have equal masses and radii. If the three of them are released simultaneously at the top of an inclined plane and do not slip, which one will reach the bottom first? [katex] I_{sphere} = \frac{2}{5}MR^2[/katex], [katex] I_{cylinder} = \frac{1}{2}MR^2[/katex], [katex] I_{pipe} = MR^2[/katex]

In the figure above, the marble rolls down the track and around a loop-the-loop of radius \( R \). The marble has mass \( m \) and radius \( r \). What minimum height \( h_{min} \) must the track have for the marble to make it around the loop-the-loop without falling off? Express your answer in terms of the variables \( R \) and \( r \).
A student is asked to design an experiment to determine the change in angular momentum of a disk that rotates about its center and the product of the average torque applied to the disk and the time interval in which the torque is exerted. A net force is applied tangentially to the surface of the disk. The rotational inertia of the disk about its center is [katex]I = MR^2[/katex]. Which two of the following quantities should the student measure to determine the change in angular momentum of the disk after 10 s? Select two answers.
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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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