| Derivation or Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| \[ Mg\sin\theta – f = Ma \] | This is Newton’s second law for translation along the incline, where \(Mg\sin\theta\) is the component of gravity down the plane and \(f\) is the friction force. |
| \[ fR = I\alpha \quad \text{with} \quad a = \alpha R \] | The friction force provides the torque needed for rolling without slipping, and the rolling condition relates linear acceleration \(a\) to angular acceleration \(\alpha\). |
| \[ f = \frac{Ia}{R^2} \] | Rearranging the torque equation yields an expression for \(f\) in terms of \(a\). |
| \[ f = \frac{2}{5}Ma \] | Substitute the moment of inertia for a uniform solid sphere \(I = \frac{2}{5}MR^2\) into the previous expression. |
| \[ Mg\sin\theta – \frac{2}{5}Ma = Ma \] | Insert \(f = \frac{2}{5}Ma\) into Newton’s second law and set up the equation for \(a\). |
| \[ Mg\sin\theta = \left(1+\frac{2}{5}\right)Ma = \frac{7}{5}Ma \] | Simplify the equation to combine like terms and isolate \(a\). |
| \[ a = \frac{5}{7}g\sin\theta \] | Solve for the linear acceleration \(a\) of the sphere along the incline. |
| \[ f = \frac{2}{5}M\left(\frac{5}{7}g\sin\theta\right) = \frac{2}{7}Mg\sin\theta \] | Determine the friction force required for rolling by substituting \(a\) back into \(f = \frac{2}{5}Ma\). |
| \[ \frac{2}{7}Mg\sin\theta = \mu Mg\cos\theta \] | For the sphere to roll without slipping, the required friction force must be available, i.e., it must equal the maximum static friction \(\mu Mg\cos\theta\). |
| \[ \mu = \frac{2}{7}\tan\theta \] | Solve for the minimum coefficient of friction \(\mu\) needed to prevent slipping. |
| \[ \boxed{\mu = \frac{2}{7}\tan\theta} \] | This boxed expression is the final answer for part (a). |
| Derivation or Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| \[ Mgh = \frac{1}{2}Mv_x^2 + \frac{1}{2}I\left(\frac{v_x}{R}\right)^2 \quad \Rightarrow \quad v_x = \sqrt{\frac{10}{7}gh} \] | For a rolling sphere, the gravitational potential energy converts into both translational and rotational kinetic energy. |
| \[ Mgh = \frac{1}{2}Mv_x^2 \quad \Rightarrow \quad v_x = \sqrt{2gh} \] | Without friction (\(\mu = 0\)), the sphere slides without rotating, so all potential energy becomes translational kinetic energy. |
| \[ \sqrt{2gh} > \sqrt{\frac{10}{7}gh} \] | Since \(2 > \frac{10}{7}\), the translational speed of a sliding sphere is higher than that of a rolling sphere, where some energy goes into rotation. |
| \(\text{Speed is greater when } \mu = 0\) | Thus, with zero friction the sphere attains a higher speed at the bottom because no energy is diverted to rotational motion. |
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While traveling in its elliptical orbit around the Sun, Mars gains speed during the part of the orbit where it is getting closer to the Sun. Which of the following can be used to explain this gain in speed?
List at least 2 everyday forces that are not conservative, and explain why they aren’t.
A \(350\ \text{g}\) ball is attached to the end of a thin, uniform rod of mass \(500\ \text{g}\) and length \(1.2\ \text{m}\). The system is rotated in a horizontal circle about the opposite end of the rod. Calculate the moment of inertia of the system about the axis of rotation. Hint: the moment of inertia of a thin rod about the end of the rod is \(I = \tfrac{1}{3} m L^2\).

A system consists of two small disks, of masses \( m \) and \( 2m \), attached to a rod of negligible mass of length \( 3l \) as shown above. The rod is free to turn about a vertical axis through point \( P \). The two disks rest on a rough horizontal surface; the coefficient of friction between the disks and the surface is \( \mu \). At time \( t = 0 \), the rod has an initial counterclockwise angular velocity \( \omega_0 \) about \( P \). The system is gradually brought to rest by friction. Develop expressions for the following quantities in terms of \( \mu \), \( m \), \( l \), \( g \), and \( \omega_0 \).
A solid sphere of mass \( M \) and radius \( R \) rolls without slipping down an inclined plane starting from rest. Select all that would affect the angular velocity of the sphere at the bottom of the incline.
A solid disk has a mass \( M \) and radius \( R \). What is the moment of inertia about an axis that is perpendicular to the plane of the disk and passes through its edge? Hint: the moment of inertia about the disk center is given as \(I_{center}=\frac{1}{2}M R^{2}\).
A \( 25.0 \) \( \text{kg} \) block is placed at the top of an inclined plane set at an angle of \( 35 \) degrees to the horizontal. The block slides down the \( 1.5 \) \( \text{m} \) slope at a constant rate. How much work did friction do on the block?
The tub of a washer goes into its spin-dry cycle, starting from rest and reaching an angular speed of \( 5.0 \) \( \text{rev/s} \) in \( 8.0 \) \( \text{s} \). At this point, the person doing the laundry opens the lid, and a safety switch turns off the washer. The tub slows to rest in \( 12.0 \) \( \text{s} \). Through how many revolutions does the tub turn during the entire \( 20 \)-s interval? Assume constant angular acceleration while it is starting and stopping.
A uniform, solid, \( 100 \) \( \text{kg} \) cylinder with a diameter of \( 1.0 \) \( \text{m} \) is mounted so it is free to rotate about a fixed, horizontal, frictionless axis that passes through the centers of its circular ends. A \( 10 \) \( \text{kg} \) block is hung from a very light, thin cord wrapped around the cylinder’s circumference. When the block is released, the cord unwinds and the block accelerates downward. What is the acceleration of the block?
When a fan is turned off, its angular speed decreases from \( 10 \) \( \text{rad/s} \) to \( 6.3 \) \( \text{rad/s} \) in \( 5.0 \) \( \text{s} \). What is the magnitude of the average angular acceleration of the fan?
\(\mu = \frac{2}{7}\tan\theta\)\n\(\text{Greater}\)
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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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