| Step | Derivation or Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[ a = \frac{g\sin(\theta)}{1+ \frac{I}{mR^2}} \] | This formula gives the translational acceleration of a rolling object, where \(I\) is the moment of inertia and \(mR^2\) is the inertial factor. |
| 2 | \[ \text{For sphere: } \frac{I}{mR^2} = \frac{2}{5}, \quad a = \frac{g\sin(\theta)}{1+\frac{2}{5}} = \frac{g\sin(\theta)}{\frac{7}{5}} = \frac{5}{7}g\sin(\theta) \] | The solid sphere has a moment of inertia of \(\frac{2}{5}mR^2\), giving it the highest acceleration \(a \approx 0.714\,g\sin(\theta)\). |
| 3 | \[ \text{For disk: } \frac{I}{mR^2} = \frac{1}{2}, \quad a = \frac{g\sin(\theta)}{1+\frac{1}{2}} = \frac{g\sin(\theta)}{\frac{3}{2}} = \frac{2}{3}g\sin(\theta) \] | The solid disk has \(\frac{I}{mR^2}=\frac{1}{2}\) which results in an acceleration of \(a \approx 0.667\,g\sin(\theta)\). |
| 4 | \[ \text{For hoop: } \frac{I}{mR^2} = 1, \quad a = \frac{g\sin(\theta)}{1+1} = \frac{g\sin(\theta)}{2} \] | The hoop has the largest moment of inertia, leading to the smallest acceleration \(a = 0.5\,g\sin(\theta)\). |
| 5 | \[ \frac{5}{7}g\sin(\theta) > \frac{2}{3}g\sin(\theta) > \frac{1}{2}g\sin(\theta) \] | Comparing the accelerations: the sphere accelerates fastest, followed by the disk, with the hoop the slowest. |
| 6 | \[ \boxed{\text{Sphere, Disk, Hoop}} \] | This is the order in which the objects reach the bottom of the incline. |
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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 \( r \).
Which of the following situations will increase the moment of inertia of a solid cylinder \( I = \tfrac{1}{2} M R^{2} \) by the same amount?
Two uniform disks have the same radius but different masses: disk \( 1 \) has a mass \( M \), disk \( 2 \) has a mass \( 2M \). What is the ratio of the moment of inertia of the first disk to the second disk?
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?
A windmill blade with a rotational inertia of \( 6.0 \) \( \text{kg} \cdot \text{m}^2 \) has an initial angular velocity of \( 8 \) \( \text{rad/s} \) in the clockwise direction. It is then given an angular acceleration of \( 4 \) \( \text{rad/s}^2 \) in the clockwise direction for \( 10 \) seconds. What is the change in rotational kinetic energy of the blade over this time interval?

A disk is initially rotating counterclockwise around a fixed axis with angular speed \( \omega_0 \). At time \( t = 0 \), the two forces shown in the figure above are exerted on the disk. If counterclockwise is positive, which of the following could show the angular velocity of the disk as a function of time?
Why are doorknobs located on the side of the door opposite the hinges?
A uniform stick has length \( L \). The moment of inertia about the center of the stick is \( I_0 \). A particle of mass \( M \) is attached to one end of the stick. The moment of inertia of the combined system about the center of the stick is
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 rotational inertia \( I \) of a disk with a radius \( R = 4 \) \( \text{m} \) and a mass \( 2 \) \( \text{kg} \)? The same disk is rotated around an axis that is \( 0.5 \) \( \text{m} \) from the center of the disk. What is the new rotational inertia \( I \) of the disk? What would the rotational inertia be if the disk axis was \( 3.75 \) \( \text{m} \) from the center?
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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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