| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \(Q_{\text{initial}} = A_{\text{initial}} \cdot V_{\text{initial}}\) | The flow rate through the initial pipe is given by the product of the cross-sectional area and the flow speed. |
| 2 | \(A_{\text{initial}} = \pi Q^2\) | The cross-sectional area of the initial pipe is calculated using the formula for the area of a circle, \(A = \pi r^2\), where \(r\) is the radius of the initial pipe. |
| 3 | \(Q_{\text{initial}} = \pi Q^2 \cdot V\) | Substitute the expression for \(A_{\text{initial}}\) into the flow rate equation to obtain the initial flow rate. |
| 4 | \(Q_{\text{final\ total}} = 3 \cdot A_{\text{path}} \cdot V_{\text{path}}\) | Since the flow is split equally into three paths, the total flow rate through the paths is three times the flow rate through one path. |
| 5 | \(A_{\text{path}} = \pi \left(\frac{Q}{2}\right)^2 = \frac{\pi Q^2}{4}\) | Calculate the cross-sectional area of one path using its radius, \( \frac{Q}{2} \). |
| 6 | \(Q_{\text{final\ total}} = 3 \cdot \frac{\pi Q^2}{4} \cdot V_{\text{path}}\) | Substitute \(A_{\text{path}}\) into the flow rate equation for the paths. |
| 7 | \(\pi Q^2 \cdot V = 3 \cdot \frac{\pi Q^2}{4} \cdot V_{\text{path}}\) | Apply the conservation of mass, equating the initial flow rate to the total flow rate of the split paths. |
| 8 | \(V_{\text{path}} = \frac{4}{3} V\) | Solve for the flow speed through each path, showing that it is \( \frac{4}{3} \) times the initial flow speed, matching option (c). |
| 9 | Correct answer: (c) \( \boxed{\frac{4}{3} V} \) | The calculation confirms that the flow speed through each path is \( \frac{4}{3} \) times the original speed. |
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.
Why do you float higher in salt water than in fresh water?
A liquid flows at a constant flow rate through a pipe with circular cross-sections of varying diameters. At one point in the pipe, the diameter is \(2\) \(\text{cm}\) and the flow speed is \(18\) \(\text{m/s}\). What is the flow speed at another point in this pipe, where the diameter is \(3\) \(\text{cm}\).

The \( 70 \) \( \text{kg} \) student in the figure balances a \( 1200 \) \( \text{kg} \) elephant on a hydraulic lift. Assume that it is filled with oil, which is incompressible and has a density \( \rho = 900 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 \). What is the diameter of the piston the student is standing on? Assume each piston has a cylindrical shape, i.e., a circular cross-sectional area. Note: The two pistons are at the same height. Also, the diameter of the wider piston is given in the figure to be \( 2.0 \) \( \text{m} \).
Balsa wood with an average density of \( 130 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 \), is floating in pure water. What percentage of the wood is submerged?
An air mattress pump blows air above a beach ball at \( 8 \) \( \text{m/s} \). The air below the beach ball is moving at \( \approx 0 \) \( \text{m/s} \). Assuming the beach ball diameter is \( 0.1 \) \( \text{m} \), meaning the areas for the top \& bottom are each \( \approx 0.03 \) \( \text{m}^2 \), and the density of air is \( 1 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 \), what is the lift force on the beach ball?

A pump, submerged at the bottom of a well that is \( 35 \) \( \text{m} \) deep, is used to pump water uphill to a house that is \( 50 \) \( \text{m} \) above the top of the well, as shown to the right. The density of water is \( 1000 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 \). All pressures are gauge pressures. Neglect the effects of friction, turbulence, and viscosity.
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?
Johnny the auto mechanic is raising a \( 1200 \) \( \text{kg} \) car on her hydraulic lift so that she can work underneath. If the area of the input piston is \( 12 \) \( \text{cm}^2 \), while the output piston has an area of \( 700 \) \( \text{cm}^2 \), what force must be exerted on the input piston to lift the car?
Marc’s favorite ride at Busch Gardens is the Flying Umbrella, which is lifted by a hydraulic jack. The operator activates the ride by applying a force of \( 72 \) \( \text{N} \) to a \( 30 \)\( \text{cm}^2 \) cylindrical piston, which holds the \( 20,000 \)\( \text{N} \) ride off the ground. What is the area of the piston that holds the ride?
How large must a heating duct be if air moving \( 3 \ \frac{\text{m}}{\text{s}} \) along it can replenish the air in a room of \( 300 \ \text{m}^3 \) volume every \( 15 \) minutes? Assume the air’s density remains constant.
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] | 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 |
One price to unlock most advanced version of Phy across all our tools.
per month
Billed Monthly. Cancel Anytime.
We crafted THE Ultimate A.P Physics 1 Program so you can learn faster and score higher.
Try our free calculator to see what you need to get a 5 on the 2026 AP Physics 1 exam.
A quick explanation
Credits are used to grade your FRQs and GQs. Pro users get unlimited credits.
Submitting counts as 1 attempt.
Viewing answers or explanations count as a failed attempts.
Phy gives partial credit if needed
MCQs and GQs are are 1 point each. FRQs will state points for each part.
Phy customizes problem explanations based on what you struggle with. Just hit the explanation button to see.
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
NEW! PHY AI accurately solves all questions
🔥 Get up to 30% off Elite Physics Tutoring
🧠 NEW! Learn Physics From Scratch Self Paced Course
🎯 Need exam style practice questions?