| Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| \[I = \frac{1}{2} M R^2\] | Moment of inertia for a uniform solid cylinder of mass \(M\) and radius \(R\). |
| \[\tau = T R\] | The tension \(T\) in the cord exerted at radius \(R\) produces torque \(\tau\). |
| \[\tau = I \alpha\] | Rotational form of Newton’s second law, relating torque to angular acceleration \(\alpha\). |
| \[\alpha = \frac{a}{R}\] | No slipping: linear acceleration \(a\) of the cord equals tangential acceleration \(R\alpha\). |
| \[T = \frac{I \alpha}{R}\] | Substitute \(\tau = T R\) into \(\tau = I\alpha\) and solve for tension. |
| \[T = \frac{1}{2} M a\] | Insert \(I = \tfrac{1}{2} M R^2\) and \(\alpha = a/R\); the \(R\) terms cancel. |
| \[m g – T = m a\] | Newton’s second law for the descending block; downward direction is positive. |
| \[m g – \tfrac{1}{2} M a = m a\] | Replace \(T\) with \(\tfrac{1}{2} M a\). |
| \[a = \frac{m g}{m + \tfrac{1}{2} M}\] | Solve the previous expression algebraically for \(a\). |
| \[a = \frac{(10)(9.8)}{10 + 50} = 1.633\, \text{m/s}^2\] | Insert \(m = 10\,\text{kg}\), \(M = 100\,\text{kg}\), and \(g = 9.8\,\text{m/s}^2\). |
| \[\boxed{a \approx 1.63\, \text{m/s}^2}\] | Final acceleration of the block. |
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A child of mass \( 3 \) \( \text{kg} \) rotates on a platform of \( 10 \) \( \text{kg} \). They start walking towards the center while the platform is rotating. Which of the following could possibly decrease the total angular momentum of the child-platform system?
A sphere of mass \( M \) and radius \( r \), and rotational inertia \( I \) is released from the top of an inclined plane of height \( h \). The surface has considerable friction. Using only the variables mentioned, derive an expression for the sphere’s center of mass velocity.
A horizontal uniform rod of length L and mass M is pivoted at one end and is initially at rest. A small ball of mass M (same masses) is attached to the other end of the rod. The system is released from rest. What is the angular acceleration of the rod just immediately after the system is released?

The diagram above shows a top view of a child of mass \(M\) on a circular platform of mass \(2M\) that is rotating counterclockwise. Assume the platform rotates without friction. Which of the following describes an action by the child that will increase the angular speed of the platform-child system and gives the correct reason why?
The moment of inertia of a uniform solid sphere (mass \( M \), radius \( R \)) about a diameter is \( \frac{2}{5}MR^2 \). The sphere is placed on an inclined plane (angle \( \theta \)) and released from rest.

A uniform rod of length \( L \) is pivoted at one end \(45^{\circ}\) below the horizontal and released from rest. The rod swings freely downward. Which of the following best describes the angular acceleration of the rod as it swings from the initial position to the vertical position?

A disk of radius \( R = 0.5 \) \( \text{cm} \) rests on a flat, horizontal surface such that frictional forces are considered to be negligible. Three forces of unknown magnitude are exerted on the edge of the disk, as shown in the figure. Which of the following lists the essential measuring devices that, when used together, are needed to determine the change in angular momentum of the disk after a known time of \( 5.0 \) \( \text{s} \)?
A \(5\)-meter long ladder is leaning against a wall, with the bottom of the ladder \(3\) meters from the wall. The ladder is uniform and has a mass of \(20 \, \text{kg}\). A person of mass \(80 \, \text{kg}\) is standing on the ladder at a distance of \(4\) meters from the bottom of the ladder. What is the force exerted by the wall on the ladder?

The rotating systems, shown in the figure above, differ only in that the two identical movable masses are positioned a distance r from the axis of rotation (left), or a distance r/2 from the axis of rotation (right). What happens if you release the hanging blocks simultaneously from rest?
An airliner arrives at the terminal, and the engines are shut off. The rotor of one of the engines has an initial clockwise angular velocity of \( 2000 \) \( \text{rad/s} \). The engine’s rotation slows with an angular acceleration of magnitude \( 80.0 \) \( \text{rad/s}^2 \).
\(1.63\, \text{m/s}^2\)
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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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