| Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| \[E_{\text{tot},1}=\tfrac{1}{2}kA^{2}\] | Before the second block is added, the single block at \(x=+A\) has zero velocity, so all energy is spring potential. |
| \[v_i = 0\] | At the instant the block reaches \(+A\), it is momentarily at rest (turning point of the motion). |
| \[\Delta KE = 0\] | Because the block’s speed is zero, sticking the identical block on top does not change the kinetic energy—there is none to lose. |
| \[E_{\text{tot},2}=E_{\text{tot},1}\] | The spring remains compressed by \(A\), so it still stores \(\tfrac{1}{2}kA^{2}\) of potential energy. With no kinetic energy involved, the total mechanical energy is unchanged. |
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A bullet at speed \( v_0 \) trikes and embeds itself in a block of wood which is suspended by a string, causing the bullet and block to rise to a maximum height h. Which of the following statements is true?
A bullet moving with an initial speed of \( v_o \) strikes and embeds itself in a block of wood which is suspended by a string, causing the bullet and block to rise to a maximum height \( h \). Which of the following statements is true of the collision.
On a frictionless horizontal air table, puck A (with mass \( 0.249 \) \( \text{kg} \)) is moving toward puck B (with mass \( 0.375 \) \( \text{kg} \)), which is initially at rest. After the collision, puck A has velocity \( 0.115 \) \( \text{m/s} \) to the left, and puck B has velocity \( 0.645 \) \( \text{m/s} \) to the right.
A cardinal (Richmondena cardinalis) of mass \( 3.80 \times 10^{-2} \) \( \text{kg} \) and a baseball of mass \( 0.150 \) \( \text{kg} \) have the same kinetic energy. What is the ratio of the cardinal’s magnitude \( p_c \) of momentum to the magnitude \( p_b \) of the baseball’s momentum?
A ski tow carries people to the top of a nearby mountain. It operates on a slope of angle \( 15.7^\circ \) of length \( 260 \) \( \text{m} \). The rope moves at a speed of \( 13.0 \) \( \text{km/h} \) and provides power for \( 54 \) riders at one time, with an average mass per rider of \( 67.0 \) \( \text{kg} \).
A mechanic pushes a \(2500 \, \text{kg}\) car from rest to a final speed \(v\) by doing \(5.0 \times 10^3 \, \text{J}\) of work on the car. Frictional effect between the car and the ground are negligible. What is the final speed of the car?
A car traveling to the right with a speed \( v \) brakes to a stop in a distance \( d \). What is the work done on the car by the frictional force \( F \)? (Assume that the frictional force is constant)
A vehicle is moving at a speed of 12.3 m/s on a decline when the brakes of all four wheels are fully applied, causing them to lock. The slope of the decline forms an angle of 18.0 degrees with the horizontal plane. Given that the coefficient of kinetic friction between the tires and the road surface is 0.650.
A block starts at rest on a frictionless inclined track which then turns into a circular loop of radius \( R \) and is vertical. In terms of \( R \) and constants, find the minimum height \( h \) above the bottom of the loop the block must start from so it makes it around the loop.

A block is released from rest and slides down a frictionless ramp inclined at \( 30^\circ \) from the horizontal. When the block reaches the bottom, the block-Earth system has mechanical energy \( \text{E}_i \). The experiment is repeated, but now horizontal and vertical forces of magnitude \( F \) are exerted on the block while it slides, as shown above. When the block reaches the bottom, the mechanical energy of the block-Earth system.
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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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