New Tool FRQ Atlas - Find, Solve, and Grade Any FRQ In Seconds.

AP Physics

Unit 8 - Fluids

FRQ
Mathematical
Intermediate

Pro Tier

Unlimited Grading Credits, Explanations, and AI Assist

0 attempts

0% avg

Explanation 0
0

Part A – Explanation of forces on FBD

Step Derivation/Formula Reasoning
a) \(B\) This is the buoyant force acting upward on the balloon, equal to the weight of the displaced air.
a) \(W_{\text{balloon}} = (0.0050\,\text{kg})\,g\) This is the weight of the balloon (including helium) acting downward.
a) \(T\) This is the tension in the string, which transmits the downward pull from the attached \(0.015\,\text{kg}\) object.
(Only the balloon is considered here so its forces include the upward buoyant force and the two downward forces: its own weight and the tension from the string.)

Part B – Buoyant force on the balloon

Step Derivation/Formula Reasoning
b) 1 \(B = W_{\text{balloon}} + W_{\text{object}} = (0.0050\,\text{kg} + 0.015\,\text{kg})\,g = 0.0200\,g\) The balloon is just prevented from rising, so its upward buoyant force exactly balances the combined weight of the balloon and the attached object.
(The buoyant force on the object is negligible.)
b) 2 \(B = 0.0200 \times 9.8 \; (\text{m/s}^2) = \boxed{0.196\,\text{N}}\) Substitute \(g \approx 9.8\,\text{m/s}^2\) to calculate the buoyant force in newtons.

Part C – Volume of the balloon

Step Derivation/Formula Reasoning
c) 1 \(B = \rho_{\text{air}} \; g \; V\) This is Archimedes’ principle stating that the buoyant force is equal to the weight of the displaced air.
Here \(\rho_{\text{air}} = 1.29\,\text{kg/m}^3\), and \(g = 9.8\,\text{m/s}^2\).
c) 2 \(V = \displaystyle \frac{B}{\rho_{\text{air}} \; g} = \frac{0.196}{1.29 \times 9.8}\) Rearrange the equation to solve for the volume \(V\) of the balloon.
c) 3 \(V \approx \frac{0.196}{12.642} \approx \boxed{0.0155\,\text{m}^3}\) Calculate the denominator (\(1.29 \times 9.8 \approx 12.642\)) and then evaluate \(V\).
The volume of the balloon is approximately \(0.0155\,\text{m}^3\).

Part D – Position of ballon in the car

Step Derivation/Formula Reasoning
d) 1 Effective gravity: \(\vec{g}_{\text{eff}} = \vec{g} – \vec{a}\) When the car accelerates forward with acceleration \(a\), the effective gravitational field in the car’s frame tilts backward. This is a standard result for non-inertial frames.
d) 2 For a mass not affected by buoyancy, the equilibrium direction of the string makes an angle \(\theta\) where \(\tan(\theta)=\frac{a}{g}\). The heavy \(0.015\,\text{kg}\) object behaves as a normal pendulum, aligning along the effective gravitational field.
This causes it to deflect opposite to the car’s acceleration (i.e., towards the rear of the car).
d) 3 Result: The \(0.015\,\text{kg}\) object \(\rightarrow\) moves backward relative to the car. Thus, when the car accelerates forward, the object swings toward the back of the car, while the buoyant balloon (not shown here) would deflect forward.
Since the child holds the string midway, the object is pulled into its equilibrium position defined by \(\vec{g}_{\text{eff}}\).

Need Help? Ask Phy To Explain

Just ask: "Help me solve this problem."

Just Drag and Drop!
Quick Actions ?
×

Topics in this question

We'll help clarify entire units in one hour or less — guaranteed.

NEW AI Quiz Builder

Be the first to use our new Quiz platform to create and grade quizzes from scratch. Join the waitlist and we'll email you for early access.

Go Pro to remove ads + unlimited access to our AI learning tools.
  1. Bouant force acts upwards, weight and tension act downwards
  2. \(\boxed{0.196\,\text{N}}\)
  3. \(\boxed{0.0155\,\text{m}^3}\)
  4. The \(0.015\,\text{kg}\) object swings toward the back of the car when it accelerates forward.

Nerd Notes

Discover the world's best Physics resources

Continue with

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.

Error Report

Sign in before submitting feedback.

KinematicsForces
\(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\)\(F = ma\)
\(v = v_i + at\)\(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\)
\(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\)\(f = \mu N\)
\(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\)\(F_s =-kx\)
\(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) 
Circular MotionEnergy
\(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\)\(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\)
\(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\)\(PE = mgh\)
\(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\)\(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\)
 \(W = Fd \cos\theta\)
MomentumTorque 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 MotionFluids
\(F = -kx\)\(P = \frac{F}{A}\)
\(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\)\(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\)
\(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\)\(Q = Av\)
\(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\)\(F_b = \rho V g\)
\(a = -\omega^2 x\)\(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\)
ConstantDescription
[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
VariableSI 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]
VariableDerived 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. 

  1. Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]

  2. 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]

  3. 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]

  4. 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]

Sign In to View Your Questions

Share This Question

Enjoying UBQ? Share the 🔗 with friends!

Link Copied!

Phy Pro

One price to unlock most advanced version of Phy across all our tools.

$11.99

per month

Billed Monthly. Cancel Anytime.

Physics is Hard, But It Does NOT Have to Be

We crafted THE Ultimate A.P Physics 1 Program so you can learn faster and score higher.

Trusted by 10k+ Students

📚 Predict Your AP Physics Exam Score

Try our free calculator to see what you need to get a 5 on the 2026 AP Physics 1 exam.

Feeling uneasy about your next physics test? We'll boost your grade in 3 lessons or less—guaranteed

We use cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse on Nerd Notes, you accept the use of cookies as outlined in our privacy policy.