| Derivation / Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| \[\Delta h = L\] | From horizontal to vertical, the object drops a vertical distance equal to the string length, so \(\Delta h = 0.80\,\text{m}\). |
| \[m g \Delta h = \frac{1}{2} m v_x^{2}\] | Apply conservation of mechanical energy (loss of potential energy equals gain in kinetic energy). Mass \(m\) cancels in the next step. |
| \[v_x = \sqrt{2 g \Delta h}\] | Solve for the speed at the lowest point. Substituting \(g = 9.8\,\text{m/s}^2\) and \(\Delta h = 0.80\,\text{m}\) gives \(v_x \approx 3.96\,\text{m/s}\). |
| \[T – m g = \frac{m v_x^{2}}{L}\] | At the bottom, tension provides the centripetal force in addition to balancing weight. Rearranging for tension: \(T = m g + m v_x^{2}/L\). |
| \[T = m g + \frac{m (\,\sqrt{2 g L}\,)^{2}}{L}\] | Substitute \(v_x^{2} = 2 g L\) directly into the tension expression. |
| \[T = m g + 2 m g\] | Because \((\sqrt{2 g L})^{2} = 2 g L\), the second term simplifies to \(2 m g\). Thus \(T = 3 m g\). |
| \[T = 3 (3.0\,\text{kg})(9.8\,\text{m/s}^2) = 88.2\,\text{N}\] | Numerical evaluation of \(T\). Closest listed option is \(90\,\text{N}\). |
| \[\boxed{T \approx 90\,\text{N}}\] | Magnitude of the string tension at \(t = t_1\). |
| — | Why others are incorrect: (a) ignores weight and centripetal demands; (b) equals only weight \(m g\); (c) adds some but not full centripetal term; (d) correctly includes both weight and full centripetal force. |
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A rocket of mass \( m \) is launched with kinetic energy \( K_0 \), from the surface of the Earth. How much less kinetic energy does the rocket have at an altitude of two Earth radii? Give your answer in terms of the gravitational constant \( G \), the mass of the Earth \( m_E \), the radius of the Earth \( R_E \), and the mass of the rocket?
A \(81 \, \text{kg}\) student dives off a \(45 \, \text{m}\) tall bridge with an \(18 \, \text{m}\) long bungee cord tied to his feet and to the bridge. You can consider the bungee cord to be a flexible spring. What spring constant must the bungee cord have for the student’s lowest point to be \(2.0 \, \text{m}\) above the water?
A \(250 \, \text{newton}\) centripetal force acts on a car moving at a constant speed in a horizontal circle. If the same force is applied, but the radius is made smaller, what happens to the speed \(v\) and the frequency \(f\) of the car?
A 1.0-kg object is moving with a velocity of 6.0 m/s to the right. It collides and sticks to a 2.0-kg object moving with a velocity of 3.0 m/s in the same direction. How much kinetic energy was lost in the collision?
An Olympic bobsled team goes through a horizontal curve at a speed of \( 120 \) \( \text{km/hr} \). If the radius of curvature is \( 10.0 \) \( \text{m} \), what is the apparent weight the crew experiences—express in terms of \( mg \)?
An object of mass 2 kg is thrown vertically downwards with an initial kinetic energy of 100 J. What is the distance fallen by the object at the instant when its kinetic energy has doubled?
If a small motor does 520 J of work to move a toy car 260 meters in a time of 37 seconds.
A \( 1.0 \)\( \text{-kg} \) object is moving with a velocity of \( 6.0 \) \( \text{m/s} \) to the right. It collides and sticks to a \( 2.0 \)\( \text{-kg} \) object moving with a velocity of \( 3.0 \) \( \text{m/s} \) in the same direction. How much kinetic energy was lost in the collision?
Young David experimented with slings before tackling Goliath. He found that he could develop an angular speed of \( 8.0 \) \( \text{rev/s} \) in a sling \( 0.60 \) \( \text{m} \) long. If he increased the length to \( 0.90 \) \( \text{m} \), he could revolve the sling only \( 6.0 \) times per second.
A boy of mass \( m \) and a girl of mass \( 2m \) are initially at rest at the center of a frozen pond. They push each other so that she slides to the left at speed \( v \) across the frictionless ice surface and he slides to the right. What is the total work done by the children?
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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] | |
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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