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Note: You don’t need the exact moment of inertia formulas to reason this out. Just remember — the more mass an object has distributed farther from the axis of rotation (the hollow sphere), the greater its moment of inertia, and therefore the more rotational kinetic energy it carries for a given angular speed.
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[K_{\text{rot}} = \frac{1}{2} I \omega^2\] | This is the rotational kinetic energy formula, where \(I\) is the moment of inertia and \(\omega\) is the constant angular velocity for both spheres. |
| 2 | \[I_{\text{solid}} = \frac{2}{5}MR^2\] | This represents the moment of inertia for a solid sphere rotating about an axis through its center. |
| 3 | \[I_{\text{hollow}} = \frac{2}{3}MR^2\] | This represents the moment of inertia for a hollow sphere (thin spherical shell) rotating about an axis through its center. Note that more mass is distributed away from the center. |
| 4 | \[K_{\text{rot,solid}} = \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{2}{5}MR^2\right)\omega^2\quad \text{and}\quad K_{\text{rot,hollow}} = \frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{2}{3}MR^2\right)\omega^2\] | Substitute each sphere’s moment of inertia into the kinetic energy formula. |
| 5 | \[K_{\text{rot,solid}} = \frac{1}{5}MR^2\omega^2\quad \text{and}\quad K_{\text{rot,hollow}} = \frac{1}{3}MR^2\omega^2\] | Simplify each expression to clearly compare them. |
| 6 | \[\frac{1}{3}MR^2\omega^2 > \frac{1}{5}MR^2\omega^2\] | Because \(\frac{1}{3}\) is greater than \(\frac{1}{5}\), the hollow sphere has a higher rotational kinetic energy under the same conditions. |
| 7 | \[\boxed{K_{\text{rot,hollow}} > K_{\text{rot,solid}}}\] | This final statement concludes that the hollow sphere has greater rotational kinetic energy. |
Just ask: "Help me solve this problem."
A disk of radius \( R = 0.5 \) \( \text{cm} \) rests on a flat, horizontal surface such that frictional forces are considered to be negligible. Three forces of unknown magnitude are exerted on the edge of the disk, as shown in the figure. Which of the following lists the essential measuring devices that, when used together, are needed to determine the change in angular momentum of the disk after a known time of \( 5.0 \) \( \text{s} \)?
A uniform ladder with mass \( m_2 \) and length \( L \) rests against a smooth wall. A do-it-yourself enthusiast of mass \( m_1 \) stands on the ladder a distance \( d \) from the bottom (measured along the ladder). The ladder makes an angle \( \theta \) with the ground. There is no friction between the wall and the ladder, but there is a frictional force of magnitude \( f \) between the floor and the ladder. \( N_1 \) is the magnitude of the normal force exerted by the wall on the ladder, and \( N_2 \) is the magnitude of the normal force exerted by the ground on the ladder. Throughout the problem, consider counterclockwise torques to be positive.
An object weighing 120 N is set on a rigid beam of negligible mass at a distance of 3 m from a pivot, as shown above. A vertical force is to be applied to the other end of the beam a distance of 4 m from the pivot to keep the beam at rest and horizontal. What is the magnitude F of the force required?
Find the following three values using just rotational kinematics.
A solid ball of mass \( M \) and radius \( R \) has rotational inertia \( \frac{2}{5} M R^{2} \) about its center. It rolls without slipping along a level surface at speed \( v \) just before it begins rolling up an inclined plane. Which of the following expressions correctly represents the maximum vertical height the solid ball can ascend to when it rolls up the incline without slipping?
\(\boxed{K_{\text{rot,hollow}} > K_{\text{rot,solid}}}\)
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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] |
General Metric Conversion Chart
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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