| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \(\text{Buoyant Force (} F_b\text{)} = \rho_{\text{fluid}} \cdot V_{\text{submerged}} \cdot g\) | Analyze option (A): the buoyant force. The buoyant force is given by Archimedes’ principle, which states that the buoyant force is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the submerged part of the object. |
| 2 | \(V_{\text{submerged,1}} = 0.8V\), \(V_{\text{submerged,2}} = 0.2V\) | The volume submerged for block 1 is \(80\%\) of its volume \(V\), and for block 2 it is \(20\%\) of its volume \(V\). |
| 3 | For Block 1: \(F_{b,1} = \rho_{\text{fluid}} \cdot 0.8V \cdot g\) | Substitute \(V_{\text{submerged,1}}\) into the buoyant force equation for block 1. |
| 4 | For Block 2: \(F_{b,2} = \rho_{\text{fluid}} \cdot 0.2V \cdot g\) | Substitute \(V_{\text{submerged,2}}\) into the buoyant force equation for block 2. |
| 5 | \(F_{b,1} \neq F_{b,2}\) | The buoyant forces on the two blocks are different since \(0.8V \neq 0.2V\). |
| 6 | \(\text{Density of a block using buoyancy: } \rho_{\text{block}} = \rho_{\text{fluid}} \times \text{fraction submerged}\) | Analyze option (b): the density. Density is related to the fraction of the object submerged as the object’s weight is balanced by the buoyant force. |
| 7 | \(\rho_{\text{block,1}} = \rho_{\text{fluid}} \times 0.8\), \(\rho_{\text{block,2}} = \rho_{\text{fluid}} \times 0.2\) | Calculating the densities \( \rho_{\text{block,1}} \) and \( \rho_{\text{block,2}} \) of blocks 1 and 2 using the fraction of the volume submerged. |
| 8 | \(\rho_{\text{block,1}} \neq \rho_{\text{block,2}}\) | From the expressions above, densities of the blocks are different. |
| Conclusion | Answer: (b) Only the volume of the blocks is the same. | The two blocks have the same volume, but different buoyant forces, densities, and the pressure at the bottom depends on depth submerged, which is different. |
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A helium-filled balloon is attached by a string of negligible mass to a small \(0.015 \ \text{kg}\) object that is just heavy enough to keep the balloon from rising. The total mass of the balloon, including the helium, is \(0.0050 \ \text{kg}\). The density of air is \(\rho_{\text{air}} = 1.29 \ \text{kg/m}^3\), and the density of helium is \(\rho_{\text{He}} = 0.179 \ \text{kg/m}^3\). The buoyant force on the \(0.015 \ \text{kg}\) object is small enough to be negligible.

The drawing above shows a spherical reservoir that contains \( 455,000 \) \( \text{kg} \) of water when full. The reservoir is vented to the atmosphere at the top. Assuming the reservoir is full and the diameter of the reservoir is much larger than any of the pipes on the ground.
A geologist suspects that her rock specimen is hollow, so she weighs the specimen in both air and water. When completely submerged, the rock weighs twice as much in air as it does in water.
The radius of the aorta is about \( 1 \) \( \text{cm} \) and the blood flowing through it has a speed of about \( 30 \) \( \frac{\text{cm}}{\text{s}} \). Calculate the average speed of the blood in the capillaries given the total cross section of all the capillaries is about \( 2000 \) \( \text{cm}^2 \).
An ideal fluid flows through a pipe with radius \( Q \) and flow speed \( V \). If the pipe splits up into three separate paths, each with radius \( \frac{Q}{2} \), what is the flow speed through each of the paths?
A sample of an unknown material appears to weigh \( 285 \) \( \text{N} \) in air and \( 195 \) \( \text{N} \) when immersed in alcohol of specific gravity \( 0.700 \).

You have a giant cask of water with a spigot some height below the water surface. The surface of the water, which is essentially at rest, is exposed to atmosphere (\( \approx 10^5 \text{Pa} \)). The water density is \( \approx 1000 \text{kg/m}^3 \). The water pours out of the spigot at \( 3 \text{m/s} \). How far below the water surface is the spigot positioned?
Two paper cups are suspended by strings and hung near each other. They are separated by about \( 10 \) \( \text{cm} \). Explain what happens to the cups when you blow air between them. Hint: Do they remain still, moves away from each other or move towards each other?
A solid titanium sphere of radius \( 0.35 \) \( \text{m} \) has a density \( 4500 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 \). It is held suspended completely underwater by a cable. What is the tension in the cable?
A cylindrical tank of water (height \( H \)) is punctured at a height \( h \) above the bottom. How far from the base of the tank will the water stream land (in terms of \( h \) and \( H \))? What must the value of \( h \) be such that the distance at which the stream lands will be equal to \( H \)?
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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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