| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \( \text{Torque}_{\text{left}} = \text{Torque}_{\text{right}} \) | For the seesaw to be balanced, the torque on the left must equal the torque on the right. |
| 2 | \( m_1 \cdot g \cdot d_1 = m_2 \cdot g \cdot d_2 \) | Torque is the product of force (weight) and distance from the pivot. Simplifying, we can cancel \( g \) (gravitational acceleration) from both sides. |
| 3 | \( 50 \cdot 1.2 = 70 \cdot d_2 \) | Substitute \( m_1 = 50 \, \text{kg} \), \( d_1 = 1.2 \, \text{m} \), \( m_2 = 70 \, \text{kg} \) into the equation. |
| 4 | \( 60 = 70 \cdot d_2 \) | Calculate the product \( 50 \cdot 1.2 \) on the left side. |
| 5 | \( d_2 = \frac{60}{70} \) | Solve for \( d_2 \) by dividing both sides by 70. |
| 6 | \( d_2 = 0.86 \, \text{m} \) | Calculate the division to find the distance \( d_2 \). |
| 7 | Correct Answer: (d) 0.86 m | The distance from the balance point for the second person is \( 0.86 \, \text{m} \). |
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.
How long does it take for a rotating object to speed up from 15.0 rad/s to 33.3 rad/s if it has a uniform angular acceleration of 3.45 rad/s2?
A wheel of radius \( R \) and negligible mass is mounted on a horizontal frictionless axle so that the wheel is in a vertical plane. Three small objects having masses \( m \), \( M \), and \( 2M \), respectively, are mounted on the rim of the wheel, as shown above. If the system is in static equilibrium, what is the value of \( m \) in terms of \( M \)?
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 \(I = M R^2\)
Why are doorknobs located on the side of the door opposite the hinges?
A force of \(17 \, \text{N}\) is applied to the end of a \(0.63 \, \text{m}\) long torque wrench at an angle \(45^\circ\) from a line joining the pivot point to the handle. What is the magnitude of the torque about the pivot point produced by this force?
A person’s center of mass is easily found by having the person lie on a reaction board. A horizontal, \( 2.3 \) \( \text{m} \)-long, \( 6.1 \) \( \text{kg} \) reaction board is supported only at the ends, with one end resting on a scale and the other on a pivot. A \( 64 \) \( \text{kg} \) woman lies on the reaction board with her feet over the pivot. The scale reads \( 27 \) \( \text{kg} \). What is the distance from the woman’s feet to her center of mass? Express your answer with the appropriate units.
A horizontal, uniform board of weight 125 N and length 4 m is supported by vertical chains at each end. A person weighing 500 N is sitting on the board. The tension in the right chain is 250 N. How far from the left end of the board is the person sitting?
Two disks, A and B, each experience a net external torque that varies over an interval of \( 5 \) \( \text{s} \). Disk B has a rotational inertia that is twice that of Disk A. The graph shown represents the angular momentum of the two disks as functions of time between \( t = 0 \) \( \text{s} \) and \( t = 5 \) \( \text{s} \). The average magnitudes of the net torques exerted on disks A and B from \( t = 0 \) \( \text{s} \) to \( t = 5 \) \( \text{s} \) are \( \tau_A \) and \( \tau_B \), respectively. Which of the following expressions correctly relates the magnitudes of the average torques?
Two masses, \( m_y = 32 \) \( \text{kg} \) and \( m_z = 38 \) \( \text{kg} \), are connected by a rope that hangs over a pulley. The pulley is a uniform cylinder of radius \( R = 0.311 \) \( \text{m} \) and mass \( 3.1 \) \( \text{kg} \). Initially, \( m_y \) is on the ground and \( m_z \) rests \( 2.5 \) \( \text{m} \) above the ground.
Two uniform solid balls, one of radius \( R \) and mass \( M \), the other of radius \( 2R \) and mass \( 8M \), roll down a high incline. They start together from rest at the top of the incline. Which one will reach the bottom of the incline first?
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
