| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[ K_{\text{trans}} = \tfrac{1}{2} M_{\text{tot}} v^{2} \] | The wagons have the same total mass and reach the same speed, so each gains identical translational kinetic energy. |
| 2 | \[ K_{\text{rot}} = \tfrac{1}{2} I \omega^{2}, \qquad \omega = \frac{v}{R} \] | Rotational kinetic energy of a wheel rolling without slipping; the angular speed is \(\omega=v/R\). |
| 3 | Solid disk: \[ I_{\text{disk}} = \tfrac{1}{2} M_{w} R^{2}\] \[ K_{\text{rot,disk}} = \tfrac{1}{2}\left(\tfrac{1}{2}M_{w}R^{2}\right)\left(\tfrac{v}{R}\right)^{2}=\tfrac{1}{4}M_{w}v^{2} \] | Substitute the disk’s moment of inertia into the rotational energy formula. |
| 4 | Hollow hoop: \[ I_{\text{hoop}} = M_{w} R^{2}\] \[ K_{\text{rot,hoop}} = \tfrac{1}{2}\left(M_{w}R^{2}\right)\left(\tfrac{v}{R}\right)^{2}=\tfrac{1}{2}M_{w}v^{2} \] | The hoop’s larger moment of inertia doubles the rotational energy (for the same mass) compared with a disk. |
| 5 | \[ K_{\text{total,wheel}} = K_{\text{trans,wheel}} + K_{\text{rot}} = \tfrac{1}{2}M_{w}v^{2}+K_{\text{rot}} \] | Each wheel possesses both translational and rotational kinetic energy. |
| 6 | Disk wheel: \[ K_{\text{total,disk}} = \tfrac{1}{2}M_{w}v^{2}+\tfrac{1}{4}M_{w}v^{2}=\tfrac{3}{4}M_{w}v^{2} \] | The extra energy beyond pure translation is \(\Delta K_{\text{disk}} = \tfrac{1}{4}M_{w}v^{2}\). |
| 7 | Hoop wheel: \[ K_{\text{total,hoop}} = \tfrac{1}{2}M_{w}v^{2}+\tfrac{1}{2}M_{w}v^{2}=M_{w}v^{2} \] | The extra energy for a hoop is \(\Delta K_{\text{hoop}} = \tfrac{1}{2}M_{w}v^{2}\). |
| 8 |
Wagon A (disk, \(M_{w}=0.5\,\text{kg}\)): \[ \Delta K_{A}=4\left(\tfrac{1}{4}\times0.5\,v^{2}\right)=0.5\,v^{2} \] Wagon B (disk, \(M_{w}=0.2\,\text{kg}\)): \[ \Delta K_{B}=4\left(\tfrac{1}{4}\times0.2\,v^{2}\right)=0.2\,v^{2} \] Wagon C (hoop, \(M_{w}=0.1\,\text{kg}\)): \[ \Delta K_{C}=4\left(\tfrac{1}{2}\times0.1\,v^{2}\right)=0.2\,v^{2} \] |
Multiply the extra energy per wheel by four wheels for each wagon, using the correct wheel masses. |
| 9 | With \(v=10\,\text{m/s}\) (so \(v^{2}=100\)): \[ \Delta K_{A}=0.5\times100=50\,\text{J} \] \[ \Delta K_{B}=0.2\times100=20\,\text{J} \] \[ \Delta K_{C}=0.2\times100=20\,\text{J} \] |
Compute the numerical extra rotational energy required for each wagon’s wheels. |
| 10 | \[\boxed{\text{Wagon A}}\] | All wagons share the same translational energy, but Wagon A has the largest additional wheel energy (50 J). Hence it needs the most total energy input. |
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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] | |
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] |
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