| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[K_{\text{trans}} = \frac{1}{2} M v^{2}\] | The translational kinetic energy of a rigid body of mass \(M\) moving with linear speed \(v\). |
| 2 | \[I_{\text{sphere}} = \frac{2}{5} M R^{2}\] | Moment of inertia of a solid uniform sphere about an axis through its center. |
| 3 | \[K_{\text{rot}} = \frac{1}{2} I_{\text{sphere}} \omega^{2}\] | Rotational kinetic energy of a rigid body spinning with angular speed \(\omega\). |
| 4 | \[\omega = \frac{v}{R}\] | Rolling without slipping imposes \(v = \omega R\). |
| 5 | \[K_{\text{rot}} = \frac{1}{2} \left(\frac{2}{5} M R^{2}\right) \left(\frac{v}{R}\right)^{2} = \frac{1}{5} M v^{2}\] | Substitute \(I_{\text{sphere}}\) and \(\omega\) into the rotational energy expression and simplify. |
| 6 | \[K_{\text{trans}} : K_{\text{rot}} = \frac{1}{2} M v^{2} : \frac{1}{5} M v^{2} = \frac{1}{2} : \frac{1}{5}\] | Compare the two energies; the common factor \(M v^{2}\) cancels. |
| 7 | \[\frac{1}{2} > \frac{1}{5}\] | Numerically, \(0.5 > 0.2\), so translational energy exceeds rotational energy. |
| 8 | \[K_{\text{trans}} > K_{\text{rot}}\] | Thus, the translational kinetic energy is larger for any speed \(v\). |
| 9 | \[\boxed{\text{Option B}}\] | Option (a) is incorrect because \(K_{\text{rot}}\) is smaller; option (c) is wrong since energies are unequal; option (d) is wrong because the inequality holds for all speeds, so speed information is unnecessary. |
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A meter stick with a uniformly distributed mass of \(0.5 \, \text{kg}\) is supported by a pivot placed at the \(0.25 \, \text{m}\) mark from the left. At the left end, a small object of mass \(1.0 \, \text{kg}\) is placed at the zero mark, and a second small object of mass \(0.5 \, \text{kg}\) is placed at the \(0.5 \, \text{m}\) mark. The meter stick is supported so that it remains horizontal, and then it is released from rest. Find the change in the angular momentum of the meter stick, one second after it is released.
A uniform ladder of length \(L\) and weight \(W = 50 \, \text{N}\) rests against a smooth vertical wall. If the coefficient of static friction between the ladder and the ground is \(\mu = 0.4\).
| Wagon | Wheel Structure | Moment of Inertia | Wheel Mass | Wheel Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wagon \(A\) | Solid disk | \[\frac{1}{2} M R^2\] | \[ 0.5 \, \text{kg} \] | \[ 0.1 \, \text{m} \] |
| Wagon \(B\) | Solid disk | \[\frac{1}{2} M R^2\] | \[ 0.2 \, \text{kg} \] | \[ 0.1 \, \text{m} \] |
| Wagon \(C\) | Hollow hoop | \[M R^2\] | \[ 0.1 \, \text{kg} \] | \[ 0.1 \, \text{m} \] |
Three wagons have identical total mass (including their wheels) and each has four wheels. However, the wheels on each wagon have different designs with varying mass distributions and radii as shown in a reference chart. When accelerating each wagon from a standstill to \( 10 \) \( \text{m/s} \), which wagon requires the most energy input?

A system of two wheels fixed to each other is free to rotate about a frictionless axis through the common center of the wheels and perpendicular to the page. Four forces are exerted tangentially to the rims of the wheels, as shown in the figure. The magnitude of the net torque on the system about the axis is
A disk of known radius and rotational inertia can rotate without friction in a horizontal plane around its fixed central axis. The disk has a cord of negligible mass wrapped around its edge. The disk is initially at rest, and the cord can be pulled to make the disk rotate. Which of the following procedures would best determine the relationship between applied torque and the resulting change in angular momentum of the disk?
A motorcycle has tires with a diameter of \( 44.0 \) \( \text{cm} \). Cruising down the highway, they are rotating at \( 1150 \) \( \text{rpm} \) (revolutions per minute).
An airliner arrives at the terminal, and the engines are shut off. The rotor of one of the engines has an initial clockwise angular velocity of \( 2000 \) \( \text{rad/s} \). The engine’s rotation slows with an angular acceleration of magnitude \( 80.0 \) \( \text{rad/s}^2 \).
A point P is at a distance \( R \) from the axis of rotation of a rigid body whose angular velocity and angular acceleration are \( \omega \) and \( \alpha \) respectively. The linear speed, centripetal acceleration, and tangential acceleration of the point can be expressed as:
| Linear speed | Centripetal acceleration | Tangential acceleration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| \( (a) \) | \( R\omega \) | \( R\omega^{2} \) | \( R\alpha \) |
| \( (b) \) | \( R\omega \) | \( R\alpha \) | \( R\omega^{2} \) |
| \( (c) \) | \( R\omega^{2} \) | \( R\alpha \) | \( R\omega \) |
| \( (d) \) | \( R\omega \) | \( R\omega^{2} \) | \( R\omega \) |
| \( (e) \) | \( R\omega^{2} \) | \( R\alpha \) | \( R\omega^{2} \) |
A net torque is applied to the edge of a spinning object as it rotates about its internal axis. The table shows the net torque exerted on the object at different instants in time. How can a student use the data table to determine the change in angular momentum of the object from \( 0 \) to \( 6 \) \( \text{s} \)? Justify your selection.
| Time \( (\text{s}) \) | Net Torque \( (\text{N} \cdot \text{m}) \) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 1.5 |
| 4 | 3.0 |
| 6 | 4.5 |

Five forces act on a rod that is free to pivot at point \( P \), as shown in the figure. Which of these forces is producing a counter-clockwise torque about point \( P \)?
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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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