(a) Calculate the maximum speed of the car at the lowest point of the track.
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[ PE_A = mgh_A \] | Calculate the potential energy at point \( A \) where \( h_A = 90 \, \text{m} \). |
| 2 | \[ KE_P = \frac{1}{2}mv_{\text{max}}^2 \] | Calculate the kinetic energy at point \( P \). The speed is at maximum here, so \(\Delta h = 0\). |
| 3 | \[ PE_A = KE_P \] | Use the conservation of energy: all potential energy at \( A \) converts into kinetic energy at \( P \). |
| 4 | \[ mgh_A = \frac{1}{2}mv_{\text{max}}^2 \] | Set the potential energy equal to the kinetic energy. The mass \( m \) cancels out. |
| 5 | \[ v_{\text{max}} = \sqrt{2gh_A} \] | Solve for \( v_{\text{max}} \) by rearranging and simplifying the equation. |
| 6 | \[ v_{\text{max}} = \sqrt{2 \times 9.8 \times 90} \] | Substitute \( g = 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \) and \( h_A = 90 \, \text{m} \) into the equation. |
| 7 | \[\boxed{v_{\text{max}} = 42 \, \text{m/s}}\] | Calculate the final value of the maximum velocity \( v_{\text{max}} \). |
(b) Calculate the speed \( v_B \) at the top of the loop.
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[ PE_B = mgh_B \] | Calculate the potential energy at point \( B \) where \( h_B = 50 \, \text{m} \). |
| 2 | \[ KE_B = \frac{1}{2}mv_B^2 \] | Calculate the kinetic energy at point \( B \). |
| 3 | \[ PE_A = PE_B + KE_B \] | Apply conservation of energy between points \( A \) and \( B \). |
| 4 | \[ mgh_A = mgh_B + \frac{1}{2}mv_B^2 \] | Set the potential and kinetic energy sum at \( B \) equal to the potential energy at \( A \). Mass \( m \) cancels out. |
| 5 | \[ gh_A = gh_B + \frac{1}{2}v_B^2 \] | Mass cancels out; simplify the equation for \( v_B \). |
| 6 | \[ v_B^2 = 2g(h_A – h_B) \] | Rearrange to solve for the speed \( v_B \). |
| 7 | \[ v_B = \sqrt{2 \times 9.8 \times (90 – 50)} \] | Substitute values \( g = 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \), \( h_A = 90 \, \text{m} \), and \( h_B = 50 \, \text{m} \) into the equation. |
| 8 | \[\boxed{v_B = 28 \, \text{m/s}}\] | Calculate the speed \( v_B \) at the top of the loop. |
(c) Forces at Point B:
– Normal Force (\( F_N \)): Points towards the center of the loop.
– Gravitational Force (\( F_g \)): Points downwards (also towards the center when car is at the top of the loop).
(d) Calculate the magnitude of all forces and explain loop modification.
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[ F_N + F_g = \frac{mv_B^2}{r} \] | The centripetal force required at point \( B \). Both forces point towards the center. |
| 2 | \[ F_g = mg \] | Substitute gravitational force where \( m = 700 \, \text{kg} \) and \( g = 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \). |
| 3 | \[ F_N + mg = \frac{mv_B^2}{r} \] | Substitute the gravitational force into the centripetal force equation. |
| 4 | \[ F_N = \frac{mv_B^2}{r} – mg \] | Rearrange to solve for the normal force \( F_N \). |
| 5 | \[ F_N = \frac{700 \times 28^2}{20} – 700 \times 9.8 \] | Substitute known values: \( m = 700 \, \text{kg} \), \( v_B = 28 \, \text{m/s} \), \( r = 20 \, \text{m} \). |
| 6 | \[\boxed{F_N = 20580 \, \text{N}}\] | Calculate the normal force at the top of the loop. |
Loop Modification:
If the loop’s shape or radius is modified, the drop height should be adjusted accordingly to ensure energy conservation and keep \( v_B \) unchanged. This is supported by the equation derived in part B: \(v_B = \sqrt{2g (h_A – h_B)}\) which shows that \( v_B \) depends only on the height difference of the rollercoaster.
A Major Upgrade To Phy Is Coming Soon — Stay Tuned
We'll help clarify entire units in one hour or less — guaranteed.
A self paced course with videos, problems sets, and everything you need to get a 5. Trusted by over 15k students and over 200 schools.
A planet of constant mass orbits the sun in an elliptical orbit. Neglecting any friction effects, what happens to the planet’s rotational kinetic energy about the sun’s center?
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?
A \( 4700 \, \text{kg} \) truck carrying a \( 900 \, \text{kg} \) crate is traveling at \( 25 \, \text{m/s} \) to the right along a straight, level highway, as shown above. The truck driver then applies the brakes, and as it slows down, the truck travels \( 55 \, \text{m} \) in the next \( 3.0 \, \text{s} \). The crate does not slide on the back of the truck.
The two blocks of masses \( M \) and \( 2M \) travel at the same speed \( v \) but in opposite directions. They collide and stick together. How much mechanical energy is lost to other forms of energy during the collision?
An average adult elephant \( (5000 \, \text{kg}) \) is strapped to a spring, which is then pulled \( 2 \, \text{meters} \) away from its equilibrium position and released. The elephant starts oscillating back and forth with a period of \( 10 \) seconds.
A typical \( 68 \)\(-\text{kg} \) person can maintain a steady energy expenditure of \( 480 \) \( \text{W} \) on a bicycle. Approximately how many Calories are “burned” when the person rides a bicycle for \( 15 \) minutes? A typical energy efficiency for the human body is \( 25\% \), which takes into account the release of thermal energy.
Water balloons are tossed from the roof of a building, all with the same speed but with different launch angles. Which one has the highest speed when it hits the ground? Ignore air resistance. Without using equations, explain your answer.
A \( 1.0 \, \text{kg} \) lump of clay is sliding to the right on a frictionless surface with a speed of \( 2 \, \text{m/s} \). It collides head-on and sticks to a \( 0.5 \, \text{kg} \) metal sphere that is sliding to the left with a speed of \( 4 \, \text{m/s} \). What is the kinetic energy of the combined objects after the collision?
Consider an object on a rotating disk at a distance \( r \) from its center, held in place on the disk by static friction. Which of the following statements is not true concerning this object?
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?
By continuing you (1) agree to our Terms of Use and Terms of Sale and (2) consent to sharing your IP and browser information used by this site’s security protocols as outlined in our Privacy Policy.
| 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] |
One price to unlock most advanced version of Phy across all our tools.
per month
Billed Monthly. Cancel Anytime.
Try our free calculator to see what you need to get a 5 on the 2026 AP Physics 1 exam.
Understand you mistakes quicker.
Phy automatically provides feedback so you can improve your responses.
10 Free Credits To Get You Started
By continuing you agree to nerd-notes.com Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and our usage of user data.
Feeling uneasy about your next physics test? We'll boost your grade in 3 lessons or less—guaranteed
