| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[ KE_{\text{initial}} = \frac{1}{2} m_b v_0^2 \] | Initial kinetic energy of the bullet of mass \( m_b \) moving with speed \( v_0 \). |
| 2 | \[ p_{\text{initial}} = m_b v_0 \] | Initial linear momentum of the bullet (the block is at rest). |
| 3 | \[ p_{\text{after}} = (m_b + m_w) \, v \] | After impact the bullet and wooden block (mass \( m_w \)) move together with speed \( v \); their momenta add because they form a single body. |
| 4 | \[ m_b v_0 = (m_b + m_w) \, v \] | During the short collision interval external impulses (tension, gravity) are negligible, so linear momentum is conserved. |
| 5 | \[ v = \frac{m_b}{m_b + m_w} \, v_0 \] | Solving the conservation-of-momentum equation for the common speed immediately after the collision. |
| 6 | \[ KE_{\text{after}} = \frac{1}{2}(m_b + m_w) v^2 = \frac{1}{2}\, \frac{m_b^2}{m_b + m_w} \, v_0^2 \] | Kinetic energy of the bullet–block system just after the perfectly inelastic collision (note \( KE_{\text{after}} < KE_{\text{initial}} \)). |
| 7 | \[ PE_{\text{max}} = (m_b + m_w) g h \] | Gravitational potential energy when the system rises to its maximum height \( h \) above the collision point; \( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity. |
| 8 | \[ \frac{1}{2}(m_b + m_w) v^2 = (m_b + m_w) g h \] | After the collision, while the system swings upward, mechanical energy is conserved (tension does no work and air resistance is neglected). Thus all post-collision kinetic energy converts to gravitational potential energy. |
| 9 | \[ \frac{KE_{\text{after}}}{KE_{\text{initial}}} = \frac{m_b}{m_b + m_w} \lt 1 \] | Only a fraction \( \tfrac{m_b}{m_b + m_w} \) of the bullet’s original kinetic energy reappears as potential energy; the rest is dissipated as heat, sound, and deformation during the inelastic impact. |
| 10 | Evaluation of statements | (a) False – kinetic energy is not conserved in an inelastic collision. (b) True – \( KE_{\text{after}} = PE_{\text{max}} \) (Step 8). (c) False – bullet alone does not conserve momentum; only the system does. (d) False – at the highest point velocity is zero, so momentum is zero. (e) False – Step 9 shows initial KE exceeds final PE. Therefore the correct statement is (b). |
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A uniform solid cylinder of mass \( M \) and radius \( R \) 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 \( F \) , causing the cylinder to rotate about its center of mass. After the cylinder has rotated through an angle \( \theta \), what is the kinetic energy of the cylinder in terms of \( F \) and \( \theta \)?

A bullet (mass: \(0.05 \, \text{kg}\)) is fired horizontally (\(v = 200 \, \text{m/s}\)) at a block (mass: \(1.3 \, \text{kg}\)) initially at rest on a frictionless surface. The block is attached to a spring (\(k = 2500 \, \text{N/m}\)). The bullet becomes embedded. Calculate:
| Speed | \( 10 \, \mathrm{m/s} \) | \( 20 \, \mathrm{m/s} \) | \( 30 \, \mathrm{m/s} \) |
| Braking Distance | \( 6.1 \, \mathrm{m} \) | \( 23.9 \, \mathrm{m} \) | \( 53.5 \, \mathrm{m} \) |
A car of mass \( 1500 \, \mathrm{kg} \) is traveling at one of the speeds listed when the brakes are first applied. Using the data above, what is the magnitude of the average braking force required to stop the car?
How does the time t1 of a block m reaching the bottom of slide 1 compare with t2, the time taken block of mass 2m to reach the end of slide 2 that’s curved? The blocks are released from the same height.
A simple pendulum consists of a sphere tied to the end of a string of negligible mass. The sphere is pulled back until the string is horizontal and then released from rest. Assume the gravitational potential energy is zero when the sphere is at its lowest point.
What angle will the string make with the horizontal when the kinetic energy and the potential energy of the sphere-Earth system are equal?
A spring in a pogo-stick is compressed \( 12 \) \( \text{cm} \) when a \( 40. \) \( \text{kg} \) girl stands on it. What is the spring constant for the pogo-stick spring?
An experimenter has a simple pendulum of length \( L \) and a mass–spring system with mass \( m \) and spring constant \( k \). Both are found to have the same period of oscillation \( T \) on Earth. If both systems are taken to the Moon, where the acceleration due to gravity is approximately \( \frac{1}{6} g \) of Earth, what will happen to their periods?
A \( 1.5 \; \text{kg} \) mass attached to a spring with a force constant of \( 20.0 \; \text{N/m} \) oscillates on a horizontal, frictionless track. At \( t = 0 \), the mass is released from rest at \( x = 10.0 \; \text{cm} \). (That is, the spring is stretched by \( 10.00 \; \text{cm} \).)
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?
An object undergoing simple harmonic motion has a maximum displacement of \(6.2\) \(\text{m}\) at \(t = 0.0\) \(\text{s}\). If the angular frequency of oscillation is \(1.6\) \(\text{rad/s}\), what is the object’s displacement when \(t = 3.5\) \(\text{s}\)?
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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] | 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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