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Method #1 – Using Work
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[W = F \cdot \Delta x\] | This formula calculates the work done by the force on the small piston, where \(\Delta x\) is the displacement. |
| 2 | \[W = 2\,\text{N} \times 0.10\,\text{m} = 0.2\,\text{J}\] | Calculating the work done on the small piston by converting 10 cm to 0.10 m. |
| 3 | \[W = F_{\text{large}} \cdot \Delta y\] | This equation represents the work done to raise the large piston, where \(F_{\text{large}}\) is the weight being lifted and \(\Delta y\) is its displacement. |
| 4 | \[0.2\,\text{J} = F_{\text{large}} \times 0.005\,\text{m}\] | Setting the work done on the small piston equal to the work done on the large piston, with 0.5 cm converted to 0.005 m. |
| 5 | \[F_{\text{large}} = \frac{0.2\,\text{J}}{0.005\,\text{m}} = 40\,\text{N}\] | Solving for the maximum weight the large piston can lift. |
| 6 | \[\boxed{40\,\text{N}}\] | This is the final answer: the maximum weight the large piston can lift is 40 N. |
Method #2 – Alternate solution steps using Pascal’s Principle
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[ \frac{F_1}{A_1} = \frac{F_2}{A_2} \] | This is Pascal’s principle, which states that pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted undiminished in all directions throughout the fluid. |
| 2 | \[ A_1 \Delta x_1 = A_2 \Delta x_2 \] | Volume conservation in a hydraulic machine: the volume of fluid displaced by the small piston is equal to the volume of fluid displaced at the large piston. |
| 3 | \[ \Delta x_1 = 10 \, \text{cm} = 0.1 \, \text{m} \] | Convert given displacement of the small piston from centimeters to meters. |
| 4 | \[ \Delta x_2 = 0.5 \, \text{cm} = 0.005 \, \text{m} \] | Convert given displacement of the large piston from centimeters to meters. |
| 5 | \[ \frac{A_1}{A_2} = \frac{\Delta x_2}{\Delta x_1} = \frac{0.005}{0.1} = \frac{1}{20} \] | Using the volume conservation equation to find the ratio of areas \( A_1 \) and \( A_2 \) using the displacement of pistons. |
| 6 | \[ \frac{F_1}{F_2} = \frac{A_1}{A_2} = \frac{1}{20} \] | Relate the forces using the pressure relation equating pressure exerted on each piston. |
| 7 | \[ F_2 = 20 \cdot F_1 \] | Solve for the force on the large piston \( F_2 \). It is \( 20 \) times the force applied on the small piston. |
| 8 | \[ F_2 = 20 \times 2 \, \text{N} = 40 \, \text{N} \] | Substitute \( F_1 = 2 \, \text{N} \) into the formula to get the force exerted by the large piston. |
| 9 | \[\boxed{F_2 = 40 \, \text{N}}\] | The maximum weight the large piston can lift is \( 40 \, \text{N} \). |
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A drinking fountain projects water at an initial angle of \( 50^ \circ \) above the horizontal, and the water reaches a maximum height of \( 0.150 \) \( \text{m} \) above the point of exit. Assume air resistance is negligible.
In the lab, a student is given a glass beaker filled with water with an ice cube of mass \( m \) and volume \( V_c \) floating in it.
The downward force of gravity on the ice cube has magnitude \( F_g \). The student pushes down on the ice cube with a force of magnitude \( F_P \) so that the cube is totally submerged. The water then exerts an upward buoyant force on the ice cube of magnitude \( F_B \). Which of the following is an expression for the magnitude of the acceleration of the ice cube when it is released?

Three identical reservoirs, \(A\), \(B\), and \(C\), are represented above, each with a small pipe where water exits horizontally. The pipes are set at the same height above a pool of water. The water in the reservoirs is kept at the levels shown. Which of the following correctly ranks the horizontal distances \( d \) that the streams of water travel before hitting the surface of the pool?
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Two objects labeled K and L have equal mass but densities \( 0.95D_o \) and \( D_o \), respectively. Each of these objects floats after being thrown into a deep swimming pool. Which is true about the buoyant forces acting on these objects?
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A beaker weighing \( 2.0 \) \( \text{N} \) is filled with \( 5.0 \times 10^{-3} \) \( \text{m}^3 \) of water. A rubber ball weighing \( 3.0 \) \( \text{N} \) is held entirely underwater by a massless string attached to the bottom of the beaker, as represented in the figure above. The tension in the string is \( 4.0 \) \( \text{N} \). The water fills the beaker to a depth of \( 0.20 \) \( \text{m} \). Water has a density of \( 1000 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 \). The effects of atmospheric pressure may be neglected.
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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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