| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Part (a): Determining the Spring Constant \(k\) | ||
| 1 | \[\Delta x_{\text{air}} = L_{\text{stretched}} – L_{\text{unstretched}}\] | Measure the length of the spring without the object and then with the object at rest in air. Their difference is the displacement \(\Delta x_{\text{air}}\). |
| 2 | \[mg = k\,\Delta x_{\text{air}}\] | At equilibrium in air, the downward gravitational force \(mg\) is balanced by the spring force \(k\,\Delta x_{\text{air}}\). |
| 3 | \[k = \frac{mg}{\Delta x_{\text{air}}}\] | Solve for \(k\) by algebraically rearranging the force equilibrium equation. |
| Alternative Method: One can also determine \(k\) by setting the mass into oscillation and using \(T = 2\pi\sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\) to solve for \(k = \frac{4\pi^2m}{T^2}\), but the displacement method is straightforward using a metric ruler. | ||
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Part (b): Changes When the Object is Immersed | ||
| 1 | \[mg – F_{b} = k\,\Delta x_{\text{fluid}}\] | When the object is immersed in the fluid, it experiences an upward buoyant force \(F_{b}\). Therefore, the spring now only needs to balance the net force \(mg – F_{b}\), resulting in a smaller displacement \(\Delta x_{\text{fluid}}\) compared to \(\Delta x_{\text{air}}\). |
| 2 | \(\Delta x_{\text{fluid}} < \Delta x_{\text{air}}\) | The observed change is a decrease in the spring extension because the fluid’s buoyant force partially offsets the weight of the object. |
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Part (c): Experimental Determination of Fluid Density \(\rho\) | ||
| 1 | Measure \(\Delta x_{\text{air}}\) and \(\Delta x_{\text{fluid}}\). | Using the metric ruler, record the spring displacement when the object is in air and when it is immersed in the fluid. |
| 2 | Determine \(k = \frac{mg}{\Delta x_{\text{air}}}\) from Part (a). | This value of \(k\) is required for the next step of finding the buoyant force. |
| 3 | Measure the object’s mass \(m\) and use its known density \(D\) to find its volume \(V\) via \(V = \frac{m}{D}\). | By definition, density is mass per unit volume. Since \(D \gg \rho\), the object is practically incompressible and its volume can be calculated accurately. |
| 4 | Relate the buoyant force and the displaced fluid: \(F_{b} = \rho\,V\,g\). | According to Archimedes’ principle, the buoyant force equals the weight of the displaced fluid. |
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Part (d): Using Measurements to Calculate \(\rho\) | ||
| 1 | \(mg = k\,\Delta x_{\text{air}}\) | At equilibrium in air, the gravitational force is balanced by the spring force. |
| 2 | \(mg – k\,\Delta x_{\text{fluid}} = \rho\,V\,g\) | In the fluid, the buoyant force \(\rho\,V\,g\) reduces the effective force the spring must support. |
| 3 | Substitute \(k = \frac{mg}{\Delta x_{\text{air}}}\): \(mg – \frac{mg}{\Delta x_{\text{air}}}\,\Delta x_{\text{fluid}} = \rho\,V\,g\) | This substitution expresses the equation in terms of measurable quantities \(\Delta x_{\text{air}}\) and \(\Delta x_{\text{fluid}}\). |
| 4 | Divide by \(g\): \(m\Bigl(1- \frac{\Delta x_{\text{fluid}}}{\Delta x_{\text{air}}}\Bigr) = \rho\,V\) | Simplify the equation by eliminating the gravitational acceleration \(g\), which appears on both sides. |
| 5 | Solve for \(\rho\): \(\displaystyle \rho = \frac{m \Bigl(1- \dfrac{\Delta x_{\text{fluid}}}{\Delta x_{\text{air}}}\Bigr)}{V}\) | Isolate \(\rho\) to relate it directly to the measurements and the known mass and volume of the object. |
| 6 | Substitute \(V = \frac{m}{D}\): \(\displaystyle \rho = \frac{m \Bigl(1 – \frac{\Delta x_{\text{fluid}}}{\Delta x_{\text{air}}}\Bigr)}{\frac{m}{D}} = D\Bigl(1 – \frac{\Delta x_{\text{fluid}}}{\Delta x_{\text{air}}}\Bigr)\) | Since the object\’s density \(D\) and mass \(m\) give its volume, this substitution yields the final formula for the fluid density \(\rho\) in terms of \(D\) and the measured displacements. |
| 7 | \[\boxed{\rho = D \left(1 – \frac{\Delta x_{\text{fluid}}}{\Delta x_{\text{air}}}\right)}\] | This is the explicit expression to calculate the fluid density based on the measured values. |
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.
Water flowing in a horizontal pipe speeds up as it goes from a section with a large diameter to a section with a small diameter. Which of the following can explain why the speed of the water increases?
A Venturi tube has a pressure difference of \( 15\,000 \) \( \text{Pa} \). The entrance radius is \( 3 \) \( \text{cm} \), while the exit radius is \( 1 \) \( \text{cm} \). What are the entrance velocity, exit velocity, and flow rate if the fluid is gasoline \( (\rho = 700 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 ) \)?
A Venturi meter is a device used for measuring the speed of a fluid within a pipe. The drawing shows a gas flowing at a speed \( v_2 \) through a horizontal section of pipe with a cross-sectional area \( A_2 = 542 \) \( \text{cm}^2 \). The gas has a density of \( 1.35 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 \). The Venturi meter has a cross-sectional area of \( A_1 = 215 \) \( \text{cm}^2 \) and has been substituted for a section of the larger pipe. The pressure difference between the two sections \( P_2 – P_1 = 145 \) \( \text{Pa} \).
A box of mass \( 20 \) \( \text{kg} \) moves to the right on a horizontal frictionless surface with a speed of \( 4.0 \) \( \text{m/s} \). The box collides with and remains attached to one end of a spring of negligible mass whose other end is fixed to a wall. After the collision, the spring compresses a maximum distance of \( 0.50 \) \( \text{m} \), and the box then oscillates back and forth.
A cube of side length \( s \) rests on the bottom surface of a container of fluid. The fluid is at a height \( y \) above the bottom of the tank. The fluid has density \( \rho \) and the atmospheric pressure is \( P_{\text{atm}} \).
Which of the following expressions is equal to the absolute pressure exerted by the fluid on the top surface of the cube?
Diamond has a density of \( 3500 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 \). During a physics lab, a diamond drops out of Virginia’s necklace and falls into her graduated cylinder filled with \( 5.00 \times 10^{-5} \) \( \text{m}^3 \) of water. This causes the water level to rise to the \( 5.05 \times 10^{-5} \) \( \text{m}^3 \) mark. What is the mass of Virginia’s diamond?
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.
A sphere of mass \(0.5\) \(\text{kg}\) is dropped into a column of oil. At the instant the sphere becomes completely submerged in the oil, the sphere is moving downward at \(8\) \(\text{m/s}\), the buoyancy force on the sphere is \(4.0\) \(\text{N}\), and the fluid frictional force is \(4.0\) \(\text{N}\). Which of the following describes the motion of the sphere at this instant?
A solid plastic cube with uniform density (side length = \(0.5\) \(\text{m}\)) of mass \(100\) \(\text{kg}\) is placed in a vat of fluid whose density is \(1200\) \(\text{kg/m}^3\). What fraction of the cube’s volume floats above the surface of the fluid?
A spherical balloon has a radius of \(7.15\) \(\text{m}\) and is filled with helium. How large a cargo can it lift, assuming that the skin and structure of the balloon have a mass of \(930\) \(\text{kg}\)?
Take the density of helium and air to be \(0.18\) \(\text{kg/m}^3\) and \(1.24\) \(\text{kg/m}^3\), respectively.
Check the explanation for the complete solution. The following is a condensed version of the solution:
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] | |
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] |
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.
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
