MP02: Motion Diagrams

Velocity and Acceleration of a Power Ball

Learning Goal: To understand the distinction between velocity and acceleration with the use of motion diagrams.

In common usage, velocity and acceleration both can imply having considerable speed. In physics, they are sharply
defined concepts that are not at all synonymous. Distinguishing clearly between them is a prerequisite to
understanding motion. Moreover, an easy way to study motion is to draw a motion diagram, in which the position of
the object in motion is sketched at several equally spaced instants of time, and these sketches (or snapshots) are
combined into one single picture.

In this problem, we make use of these concepts to study the motion of a power ball. This discussion assumes that we

have already agreed on a coordinate system from which to measure the position (also called the position vector)

of objects as a function of time. Let and be velocity and acceleration, respectively.

Harvaran Ghai
Consider the motion of a power ball that is dropped on the floor and bounces back. In the following questions, you
will describe its motion at various points in its fall in terms of its velocity and acceleration.
Part A
You drop a power ball on the floor. The motion diagram of the ball is sketched in the figure . Indicate whether
the magnitude of the velocity of the ball is increasing, decreasing, or not changing.
increasing
decreasing
not changing
Correct

While the ball is in free fall, the magnitude of its velocity is increasing, so the ball is accelerating.

Part B
Since the length of is directly proportional to the length of , the vector connecting each dot to the next could
represent velocity vectors as well as position vectors, as shown in the figure here . Indicate whether the velocity
and acceleration of the ball are, respectively, positive (upward), negative, or zero.
Use P, N, and Z for positive (upward), negative, and zero, respectively. Separate the letters for velocity and
acceleration with a comma.
N,N
Correct

Part C
Now, consider the motion of the power ball once it bounces upward. Its motion diagram is shown in the figure here
. Indicate whether the magnitude of the velocity of the ball is increasing, decreasing, or not changing.
increasing
decreasing
not changing
Correct

Since the magnitude of the velocity of the ball is decreasing, the ball must be accelerating (specifically, slowing
down).

Part D
The next figure shows the velocity vectors corresponding to the upward motion of the power ball. Indicate
whether its velocity and acceleration, respectively, are positive (upward), negative, or zero.
Use P, N, and Z for positive (upward), negative, and zero, respectively. Separate the letters for velocity and
acceleration with a comma.
P,N
Correct

Part E
The power ball has now reached its highest point above the ground and starts to descend again. The motion diagram
representing the velocity vectors is the same as that after the initial release, as shown in the figure of Part B. Indicate
whether the velocity and acceleration of the ball at its highest point are positive (upward), negative, or zero.
Use P, N, and Z for positive (upward), negative, and zero, respectively. Separate the letters for velocity and
acceleration with a comma.
Z,N
Correct

These examples should show you that the velocity and acceleration can have opposite or similar signs or that one of
them can be zero while the other has either sign. Try hard to think carefully about them as distinct physical
quantities when working with kinematics.
 Motion of Two Rockets

LearningGoal:Tolearntouseimagesofanobjectinmotiontodeterminevelocityandacceleration.

Twotoyrocketsaretravelinginthesamedirection(takentobethexaxis).Adiagramisshownofatimeexposure
imagewhereastroboscopehasilluminatedtherocketsattheuniformtimeintervalsindicated.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Atwhattime(s)dotherocketshavethesamevelocity?
attime only
attime only
attimes and
atsomeinstantintimebetween and

atnotimeshowninthefigure
Correct

Part B
Atwhattime(s)dotherocketshavethesamexposition?
attime only
attime only
attimes and
atsomeinstantintimebetween and
 atnotimeshowninthefigure
Correct

Part C
Atwhattime(s)dothetworocketshavethesameacceleration?
attime only
attime only
attimes and
atsomeinstantintimebetween and

atnotimeshowninthefigure
Correct

Part D
ThemotionoftherocketlabeledAisanexampleofmotionwithuniform(i.e.,constant)__________.
andnonzero
acceleration
velocity
displacement
time
Correct

Part E
ThemotionoftherocketlabeledBisanexampleofmotionwithuniform(i.e.,constant)__________.
andnonzero
acceleration
velocity
displacement
time
Correct

Part F
Atwhattime(s)isrocketAaheadofrocketB?
before only
after only
before andafter
 between and
atnotime(s)showninthe
figure
Correct

PSS 1.1: (Almost) a Dozen Diagrams

LearningGoal:TopracticeProblemSolvingStrategy1.1forconstructingmotiondiagrams.

Acaristravelingwithconstantvelocityalongahighway.Thedrivernoticesheislateforworksohestompsdown
onthegaspedalandthecarbeginstoaccelerate.Thecarhasjustachieveddoubleitsinitialvelocitywhenthedriver
spotsapolicemanbehindhimandappliesthebrakes.Thecarthendecelerates,comingtorestatastoplightahead.

Inthisproblem,youwillbeaskedseveralquestionsrelatedtoconstructionofamotiondiagramforthissituation
andafewothers.

Harvaran Ghai

MODEL: Representthemovingobjectasaparticle.Makesimplifyingassumptionswheninterpretingtheproblem
statement.

VISUALIZE: Acompletemotiondiagramconsistsof:

Thepositionoftheobjectineachframeofthefilm,shownasadot.Usefiveorsixdotstomakethemotion
clearbutwithoutovercrowdingthepicture.Morecomplexmotionsmayneedmoredots.
 Theaveragevelocityvectors,foundbyconnectingeachdotinthemotiondiagramtothenextwithavector
arrow.Thereisonevelocityvectorlinkingeachsetoftwopositiondots.Labeltherowofvelocityvectors
.

Theaverageaccelerationvectors,foundusingTacticsBox1.3.Thereisoneaccelerationvectorlinking
eachsetoftwovelocityvectors.Eachaccelerationvectorisdrawnatthedotbetweenthetwovelocity

vectorsitlinks.Use toindicateapointatwhichtheaccelerationiszero.Labeltherowofacceleration
vectors .

Model
Itisappropriatetousetheparticlemodelforthecar.Youshouldalsomakesomesimplifyingassumptions.

Part A
Whichofthefollowingsimplifyingassumptionsisitreasonabletomakeinthisproblem?
A. Duringeachofthethreedifferentstagesofitsmotion,thecarismovingwithconstant(possiblyzero)
acceleration.
B. Duringeachofthethreedifferentstagesofitsmotion,thecarismovingwithconstant(possiblyzero)
velocity.

C. Thehighwayisstraight(i.e.,therearenocurves).

D. Thehighwayislevel(i.e.,therearenohillsorvalleys).

Enterthelettersofallthecorrectanswersinalphabeticalorder.Donotusecommas.Forexample,ifyou
thinkthatassumptionsCandDarereasonable,enterCD.
ACD
Correct

Visualize

Nowdrawamotiondiagram,includingalltheelementslistedintheproblemsolvingstrategy.Useyourdiagramto
answerthefollowingquestions.

Ininterpretingthediagramsthatfollow,assumethatthecarismovinginastraightlinetotheright.

Refertothissetofmotiondiagrams inansweringthefollowing.

Part B
Whichofthediagramsbestdescribesthepositionandthevelocityofthecarbeforethedrivernoticesheislate?
A
B
C
Correct
Part C
Whichofthediagramsbestdescribesthepositionandthevelocityofthecarafterthedriverhitsthegas,butbefore
henoticesthepoliceman?
A
B
C
Correct

Part D
Whichofthediagramsbestdescribesthepositionandthevelocityofthecarafterthedrivernoticesthepoliceman?
A
B
C
Correct

Part E

Whichofthesediagrams mostaccuratelydepictstheaccelerationofthecarduringtheeventsdescribedinthe
problemintroduction?

Assumethatthecarisinitiallymovingtotheright.

A
B
C
Correct

Nowlet'suseourresultsforthecarandapplythemtosomeotherproblems.Considerthesethreesituations:

Atrainhasitsbrakesreleasedandpullsoutofthestation,slowlypickingupspeed.
Asledisgivenaquickpushalongahorizontalsurface;thesledcomestoastopaftercoveringsome
distance.

Amotorcycleismovingalongastraighthighwayat105km/h(thelegalspeedlimitinmanystates).

Part F
Ofthethreesituationsdescribed,whichobjectcorrespondstothepositionandvelocitydiagramshownhere?
thetrain
thesled
 the
motorcycle
Correct

Notethatthediagramshownisnotacompletemotiondiagram;itlacksthevectorrepresentingtheaccelerationof
theobject.

Part G
Ofthethreesituationsdescribed,whichobjectcorrespondstothemotiondiagramshownhere?
thetrain
thesled
the
motorcycle
Correct

Letusnowconsideranotherscenario.Acarandatruckaremovingatthesamevelocityalongastraighthighway.
Bothdriversapplythebrakesatthesamemoment.Thecarandtruckbothcometoastop.Thecartakeslesstimeto
stopthanthetruck.

Refertothemotiondiagramsshownhere inansweringthefollowing.

Assumethatbothcarsaremovingtotheright.

Part H
Whichofthethreediagramsshownbestdescribesthemotionofthecarandtruckafterthebrakeshavebeen
applied?
A
B
C
Correct

Part I
Diagram(B)isincorrectbecause,accordingtoit:
Thecarandtruckmoveindifferentdirections.
Thecarismovingatconstantvelocity.
Thetruckisspeedingup.
Thecarandthetruckhavethesame
acceleration.
Correct
Part J
Diagram(C)isincorrectbecause,accordingtoit:
Thecarandtruckmoveindifferentdirections.
Thecarismovingatconstantvelocity.
Thetruckisspeedingup.
Thecarandthetruckhavethesame
acceleration.
Correct

MP04: Using Motion Diagrams

Curved Motion Diagram
Themotiondiagramshownhere representsapendulumreleasedfromrestatanangleof45 fromthevertical.
Thedotsinthemotiondiagramrepresentthepositionsofthependulumbobatelevenmomentsseparatedbyequal
timeintervals.Thegreenarrowsrepresenttheaveragevelocitybetweenadjacentdots.Alsogivenisa"compass
rose"ofdirectionsinwhichthedifferentdirectionsarelabeledwiththelettersofthealphabet.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisthedirectionoftheaccelerationofthependulumbobatmoment5?
Entertheletterofthearrowwiththisdirectionfromthecompassroseinthefigure.TypeZiftheacceleration
vectorhaszerolength.
A
Correct
Part B
Whatisthedirectionoftheaccelerationofthependulumbobatmoments0and10?
Enterthelettersofthearrowswiththesedirectionsfromthecompassroseinthefigure,separatedby
commas.TypeZiftheaccelerationvectorhaszerolength.
directionsatmoment0,moment10=D,F
Correct

Part C
Inwhichofthefollowingotherscenarioscouldthemotionreasonablyberepresentedbythemotiondiagraminthe
introduction?
A. Aweightplacedontherimofabicyclewheelthatisbeingheldoffthegroundsoitcanrotatefreely
B. Anairplanepullingoutofadive

C. Aracecarroundingaturn

D. Amarblereleasedpartwayuptheinsidesurfaceofasmoothlyroundedbowl

Enterthelettersofallpossiblecorrectscenariosinalphabeticalorder.Donotusecommas.
AD
Correct

Part D

Assumethatthediagramintheproblemintroductionrepresentsthemotionofaballtiedontheendofastringthat
is,apendulum.Alsoassumethattheintervalbetweeneachtimestepinthediagramis0.10s.Thetotaltimeittakes
forthispendulumtoswingbackandforth,alsocalledtheperiodofthependulum,isthenapproximately2s.

Aninterestingfactaboutthependulumisthatitsperiodisessentiallyindependentoftheweightoftheball(or
whateverotherobjectisused).Itdependsonlyonthelengthofthestring(withlongerperiodforlongerstrings)and
thestrengthoftheforceofgravity(whichisessentiallyconstantoverthesurfaceoftheearth).

Basedonobservationorcomparisonwithotherreallifependula,estimatethelength ofthestringneededforthe
pendulumtohaveaperiodof2s.

Express inmeters.Afactorof3errorisallowedineitherdirection.
=1.0
Correct

Physicscanoftenseemtobeascienceofverypreciseanswers.However,havingasolidgraspofthefundamental
conceptsallowsaphysicisttomakereasonablyaccurateestimateslikethisoneveryquickly.Evenifyouwere
ultimatelylookingforamorepreciseanswer,aninitialestimategivesyouawayofcheckingwhethertheresultofa
longcalculationisreasonable.
 Average Velocity from a Position vs. Time Graph

LearningGoal:Tolearntoreadandinterpolateonagraphofpositionversustimeandtochangeunits.

Inthisproblemyoumustfindtheaveragevelocityfromagraphof .Wewillusethenotation to

indicatetheaveragevelocityoverthetimeintervalfrom to .Thus istheaveragevelocityoverthetime

intervalfrom1to3s.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Findtheaveragevelocityoverthetimeintervalfrom0to1second.
Answertothenearestinteger.

=0
Correct

Part B
Findtheaveragevelocityoverthetimeintervalfrom1to3seconds.
Answertothenearestinteger.

=20
Correct

Part C

Nowthatyouhave and ,find .

Giveyouranswertothreesignificantfigures.

=13.3
Correct

Notethat isnotequaltothesimplearithmeticaverageof and ,becausetheyareaverages

fortimeintervalsofdifferentlength.Youwouldhavetodoubletheweightgivento becauseitisforan
intervaltwiceaslong.

Part D
Findtheaveragevelocityoverthetimeintervalfrom1to5seconds.Youwillneedtointerpolatetofindtheposition
attime .Donotsimplyeyeballthepositionoryouwilllikelynotbeabletoobtainthesolutiontothedesired
accuracy.
Roundyouranswertotwosignificantfigures.

=6.7
Correct

Part E
Obtainingthisanswerrequiredsomeinterpolationonthegraph.Nowseeifyoucanexpressthisresultintermsof
kilometersperhour.
Expressyouranswertothenearestinteger.

=24
Correct

Part F
Findtheaveragevelocityoverthetimeintervalfrom2.5to6.0seconds.
Expressyouranswertotwosignificantfigures.

=8.6
Correct

Running and Walking

TimandRickbothcanrunatspeed andwalkatspeed ,with .Theysetofftogetheronajourneyof
distance .Rickwalkshalfofthedistanceandrunstheotherhalf.Timwalkshalfofthetimeandrunstheother
half.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
HowlongdoesittakeRicktocoverthedistance ?
ExpressthetimetakenbyRickintermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Part B
FindRick'saveragespeedforcoveringthedistance .
ExpressRick'saveragespeedintermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Part C
HowlongdoesittakeTimtocoverthedistance?
ExpressthetimetakenbyTimintermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Part D
Whocoversthedistance morequickly?
Thinklogically,butwithoutusingthedetailedanswersinthepreviousparts.
Rick
Tim
Neither.Theycoverthedistanceinthesameamountof
time.
Correct

Part E
Intermsofgivenquantities,bywhatamountoftime, ,doesTimbeatRick?
Itwillhelpyoucheckyouranswerifyousimplifyitalgebraicallyandcheckthespecialcase .
Expressthedifferenceintime, intermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Part F
Inthespecialcasethat ,whatwouldbeTim'smarginofvictory ?

0
Correct

Graph of v(t) for a Sports Car

Thegraph showsthevelocity ofasportscarasafunctionoftime .Usethegraphtoanswerthefollowing
questions.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Findthemaximumvelocity ofthecar.
Expressyouranswerinmeterspersecondtothenearestinteger.

=55
Correct

Part B
Duringwhichtimeintervalistheaccelerationpositive?
Indicatethemostcompleteanswer.
to
to
to
to
to
Correct
Part C
Findthemaximumacceleration ofthecar.
Expressyouranswerinmeterspersecondsquaredtothenearestinteger.

=30
Correct

Part D
Findtheminimummagnitudeoftheacceleration ofthecar.
Expressyouranswerinmeterspersecondsquaredtothenearestinteger.

=0
Correct

Part E
Findthedistance traveledbythecarbetween0and2s.
Expressyouranswerinmeterstothenearestinteger.
=55
Correct

Rearending Drag Racer

Todemonstratethetremendousaccelerationofatopfueldragracer,youattempttorunyourcarintothebackofa
dragsterthatis"burningout"attheredlightbeforethestartofarace.(Burningoutmeansspinningthetiresathigh
speedtoheatthetreadandmaketherubbersticky.)

Youdriveataconstantspeedof towardthestoppeddragster,notslowingdowninthefaceoftheimminent
collision.Thedragsterdriverseesyoucomingbutwaitsuntilthelastinstanttoputdownthehammer,accelerating
fromthestartinglineatconstantacceleration, .Letthetimeatwhichthedragsterstartstoacceleratebe .
 Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatis ,thelongesttimeafterthedragsterbeginstoacceleratethatyoucanpossiblyrunintothebackofthe
dragsterifyoucontinueatyourinitialvelocity?

=
Correct

Part B
Assumingthatthedragsterhasstartedatthelastinstantpossible(soyourfrontbumperalmosthitstherearofthe
dragsterat ),findyourdistancefromthedragsterwhenhestarted.Ifyoucalculatepositionsonthewayto
thissolution,choosecoordinatessothatthepositionofthedragcaris0at .Rememberthatyouaresolvingfor
adistance(whichisamagnitude,andcanneverbenegative),notaposition(whichcanbenegative).

=
Correct

Part C
Findnumericalvaluesfor and insecondsandmetersforthe(reasonable)values (26.8m/s)

and .
Separateyourtwonumericalanswersbycommas,andgiveyouranswertotwosignificantfigures.
, =0.54,7.2s,m
Correct
Thebluecurveshowshowthecar,initiallyat ,continuesatconstantvelocity(blue)andjustbarelytouchesthe
acceleratingdragcar(red)at .

Motion of a Shadow
Asmallsourceoflight islocatedatadistance fromaverticalwall.Anopaqueobjectwithaheightof
movestowardthewallwithconstantvelocity ofmagnitude .Attime ,theobjectislocatedatthesource .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Findanexpressionfor ,themagnitudeofthevelocity ofthetopoftheobject'sshadow,attime .
Expressthespeedofthetopoftheobject'sshadowintermsof , , ,and .
 =
Correct

Rocket Height
Arocket,initiallyatrestontheground,acceleratesstraightupwardfromrestwithconstantnetacceleration ,until
time ,whenthefuelisexhausted.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Findthemaximumheight thattherocketreaches(neglectingairresistance).
Expressthemaximumheightintermsof , ,and/or .Notethatinthisproblem, isapositivenumber
equaltothemagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravity.
=a*t1*((a*t1)/g)(.5g((a*t1)/g)2)+(.5(t1)2*a)
Correct

Part B
Iftherocket'snetaccelerationis for ,whatisthemaximumheighttherocketwillreach?

Expressyouranswernumericallyinmeters,using .
=1470m
Correct

A Flower Pot Falling Past a Window

Asyoulookoutofyourdormwindow,aflowerpotsuddenlyfallspast.Thepotisvisibleforatime ,andthe
verticallengthofyourwindowis .Takedowntobethepositivedirection,sothatdownwardvelocitiesare
positiveandtheaccelerationduetogravityisthepositivequantity .

Assumethattheflowerpotwasdroppedbysomeoneontheflooraboveyou(ratherthanthrowndownward).

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Fromwhatheight abovethebottomofyourwindowwastheflowerpotdropped?
Expressyouranswerintermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Part B

Ifthebottomofyourwindowisaheight abovetheground,whatisthevelocity ofthepotasithitsthe

ground?Youmayintroducethenewvariable ,thespeedatthebottomofthewindow,definedby

Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , , , ,and .

=
Correct

Resolving Vector Components with Trigonometry

Oftenavectorisspecifiedbyamagnitudeandadirection;forexample,aropewithtension exertsaforceof
magnitude inadirection35degreesnorthofeast.Thisisagoodwaytothinkofvectors;however,tocalculate
resultswithvectors,itisbesttoselectacoordinatesystemandmanipulatethecomponentsofthevectorsinthat
coordinatesystem.
 Harvaran Ghai
Part A

Findthecomponentsofthevectorwithlength andangle withrespecttothexaxisasshown,named .Don't

forgetthatwhenmultiplyingtwofactors,youmustincludeamultiplicationsymbol;also,thecosandsinfunctions
musthaveparenthesesaroundtheirarguments.Forexample,avectormighttaketheformp*sin(Q),m*cos(N).
Writethecomponentsintheformx,y.

=
Correct

Part B

Findthecomponentsofthevectorwithlength andangle withrespecttothexaxisasshown,named .

Writethecomponentsintheformx,y.

=
Correct

Noticethatvectors and havethesameformdespitetheirplacementwithrespecttotheyaxisonthedrawing.

Part C

Findthecomponentsofthevectorwithlength andangle asshown,named .

Expressyouranswerintermsof and .Writethecomponentsintheformx,y.

=
Correct
 Tracking a Plane
Aradarstation,locatedattheoriginofxzplane,asshowninthefigure ,detectsanairplanecomingstraightat

thestationfromtheeast.Atfirstobservation(pointA),thepositionoftheairplanerelativetotheoriginis .The

positionvector hasamagnitudeof360 andislocatedatexactly40 abovethehorizon.Theairplaneis

trackedforanother123 intheverticaleastwestplanefor5.0 ,untilithaspasseddirectlyoverthestation

andreachedpointB.ThepositionofpointBrelativetotheoriginis (themagnitudeof is880 ).The

contactpointsareshowninthediagram,wherethexaxisrepresentsthegroundandthepositivezdirectionis
upward.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A

Definethedisplacementoftheairplanewhiletheradarwastrackingit: .Whatarethe

componentsof ?

Express inmetersasanorderedpair,separatingthexandzcomponentswithacomma,totwo
significantfigures.

=1100,26
Correct
 Two Forces Acting at a Point

Twoforces, and ,actatapoint. hasamagnitudeof9.80 andisdirectedatanangleof60.0 abovethe

negativexaxisinthesecondquadrant. hasamagnitudeof6.40 andisdirectedatanangleof53.2 belowthe

negativexaxisinthethirdquadrant.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisthexcomponentoftheresultantforce?
Expressyouranswerinnewtons.
8.73
Correct

Part B
Whatistheycomponentoftheresultantforce?
Expressyouranswerinnewtons.
3.36
Correct

Part C
Whatisthemagnitudeoftheresultantforce?
Expressyouranswerinnewtons.
9.36
Correct

A Push or a Pull?

LearningGoal:Tounderstandtheconceptofforceasapushorapullandtobecomefamiliarwitheverydayforces.

Aforcecanbesimplydefinedasapushorapullexertedbyoneobjectuponanother.

Althoughsuchadefinitionmaynotsoundtooscientific,itdoescapturethreeessentialpropertiesofforces:

Eachforceiscreatedbysomeobject.
Eachforceactsuponsomeotherobject.
 Theactionofaforcecanbevisualizedasapushorapull.

Sinceeachforceiscreatedbyoneobjectandactsuponanother,forcesmustbedescribedasinteractions.The
properwordsdescribingtheforceinteractionbetweenobjectsAandBmaybeanyofthefollowing:

"ObjectAactsuponobjectBwithforce ."

"ObjectAexertsforce uponobjectB."

"Force isappliedtoobjectBbyobjectA."

"Force duetoobjectAisactinguponobjectB."

Oneofthebiggestmistakesyoumaymakeistothinkofaforceas"somethinganobjecthas."Infact,atleasttwo
objectsarealwaysrequiredforaforcetoexist.

Eachforcehasadirection:Forcesarevectors.Themainresultofsuchinteractionsisthattheobjectsinvolved
changetheirvelocities:Forcescauseacceleration.However,inthisproblem,wewillnotconcernourselveswith
accelerationnotyet.

Harvaran Ghai

Somecommontypesofforcesthatyouwillbedealingwithincludethegravitationalforce(weight),theforceof
tension,theforceoffriction,andthenormalforce.

Itissometimesconvenienttoclassifyforcesaseithercontactforcesbetweentwoobjectsthataretouchingoras
longrangeforcesbetweentwoobjectsthataresomedistanceapart.Contactforcesincludetension,friction,andthe
normalforce.Longrangeforcesincludegravityandelectromagneticforces.Notethatsuchadistinctionisuseful
butnotreallyfundamental:Forinstance,onamicroscopicscaletheforceoffrictionisreallyanelectromagnetic
force.

Inthisproblem,youwillidentifythetypesofforcesactingonobjectsinvarioussituations.

First,considerabookrestingonahorizontaltable.

Part A
Whichobjectexertsadownwardforceonthebook?
thebookitself
theearth
thesurfaceofthe
table
Correct
Part B
Thedownwardforceactingonthebookis__________.
acontactforce
alongrange
force
Correct

Part C
Whatisthedownwardforceactingonthebookcalled?
tension
normalforce
weight
friction
Correct

Part D
Whichobjectexertsanupwardforceonthebook?
thebookitself
theearth
thesurfaceofthe
table
Correct

Part E
Theupwardforceactingonthebookis__________.
acontactforce
alongrange
force
Correct

Part F
Whatistheupwardforceactingonthebookcalled?
tension
normalforce
weight
friction
Correct

Nowconsideradifferentsituation.Astringisattachedtoaheavyblock.Thestringisusedtopulltheblocktothe
rightalongaroughhorizontaltable.

Part G
Whichobjectexertsaforceontheblockthatisdirectedtowardtheright?
theblockitself
theearth
thesurfaceofthe
table
thestring
Correct

Part H
Theforceactingontheblockanddirectedtotherightis__________.
acontactforce
alongrange
force
Correct

Toexertatensionforce,thestringmustbeconnectedto(i.e.,touching)theblock.

Part I
Whatistheforceactingontheblockanddirectedtotherightcalled?
tension
normalforce
weight
friction
Correct

Part J
Whichobjectexertsaforceontheblockthatisdirectedtowardtheleft?
theblockitself
theearth
thesurfaceofthe
table
thestring
Correct
Part K
Theforceactingontheblockanddirectedtotheleftis__________.
acontactforce
alongrange
force
Correct

Part L
Whatistheforceactingontheblockanddirectedtotheleftcalled?
tension
normalforce
weight
friction
Correct

Nowconsideraslightlydifferentsituation.Thesameblockisplacedonthesameroughtable.However,thistime,
thestringisdisconnectedandtheblockisgivenaquickpushtotheright.Theblockslidestotherightand
eventuallystops.Thefollowingquestionsrefertothemotionoftheblockafteritispushedbutbeforeitstops.

Part M
Howmanyforcesareactingontheblockinthehorizontaldirection?
0
1
2
3
Correct

Oncethepushhascommenced,thereisnoforceactingtotheright:Theblockismovingtotherightbecauseitwas
givenavelocityinthisdirectionbysomeforcethatisnolongerappliedtotheblock(probably,thenormalforce
exertedbyastudent'shandorsomespringlauncher).

Oncethecontactwiththelaunchingobjecthasbeenlost,theonlyhorizontalforceactingontheblockisdirectedto
theleftwhichiswhytheblockeventuallystops.

Part N
Whatistheforceactingontheblockthatisdirectedtotheleftcalled?
tension
normalforce
 weight
friction
Correct

Theforceoffrictiondoesnotdisappearaslongastheblockismoving.Oncetheblockstops,fricionbecomeszero
(assumingthetableisperfectlyhorizontal).

Free-Body Diagrams: Introduction

LearningGoal:Tolearntodrawfreebodydiagramsforvariousreallifesituations.

Imaginethatyouaregivenadescriptionofareallifesituationandareaskedtoanalyzethemotionoftheobjects
involved.Frequently,thatanalysiswouldinvolvefindingtheaccelerationoftheobjects.That,inturn,requiresthat
youfindthenetforce.

Tofindthenetforce,youmustfirstidentifyalloftheforcesinvolvedandthenaddthemasvectors.Sucha
procedureisnotalwaystrivial.Itishelpfultoreplacethesketchofthesituationbythedrawingoftheobject
(representedasaparticle)andalltheforcesappliedtoit.Suchadrawingiscalledafreebodydiagram.This
problemwillwalkyouthroughseveralexamplesoffreebodydiagramsandwilldemonstratesomeofthepossible
pitfalls.

Hereisthegeneralstrategyfordrawingfreebodydiagrams:
Identifytheobjectofinterest.Thismaynotalwaysbeeasy:Asketchofthesituationmaycontainmany
objects,eachofwhichhasadifferentsetofforcesactingonit.Includingforcesactingondifferent
objectsinthesamediagramwillleadtoconfusionandawrongsolution.
Drawtheobjectasadot.Drawandclearlylabelalltheforcesactingontheobjectofinterest.The
forcesshouldbeshownasvectorsoriginatingfromthedotrepresentingtheobjectofinterest.Thereare
twopossibledifficultieshere:omittingsomeforcesanddrawingtheforcesthateitherdon'texistatall
orareappliedtootherobjects.Toavoidthesetwopitfalls,rememberthateveryforcemustbeapplied
totheobjectofinterestbysomeotherobjector,assomeliketosay,"everyforcemusthaveasource."

Oncealloftheforcesaredrawn,drawthecoordinatesystem.Theoriginshouldcoincidewiththedot
representingtheobjectofinterestandtheaxesshouldbechosensothatthesubsequentcalculationsof
vectorcomponentsoftheforceswillberelativelysimple.Thatis,asmanyforcesaspossiblemustbe
eitherparallelorperpendiculartooneoftheaxes.
 Harvaran Ghai

Itshouldcomeasgoodnewsthat,eventhoughreallifecanpresentuswithawidevarietyofsituations,wewillbe
mostlydealingwithaverysmallnumberofforces.Herearetheprincipalonesofinterest:

Weight,ortheforceduetogravity.Weightactsoneveryobjectandisdirectedstraightdownunlessweare
consideringaprobleminvolvingthenonflatearth(e.g.,satellites).
Normalforce.Thenormalforceexistsbetweentwosurfacesthatarepressedagainsteachother;itisalways
perpendiculartothesurfaces.

Forceoftension.Tensionexistsinstrings,springs,andotherobjectsoffinitelength.Itisdirectedalongthe
stringoraspring.Keepinmindthataspringcanbeeithercompressedorstretchedwhereasastringcan
onlybestretched.

Forceoffriction.Africtionforceexistsbetweentwosurfacesthateithermoveorhaveatendencytomove
relativetoeachother.Sometimes,theforceofairdrag,similarinsomewaystotheforceoffriction,may
comeintoplay.Theseforcesaredirectedsothattheyresisttherelativemotionofthesurfaces.Keepin
mindthattosimplifyproblemsyouoftenassumefrictionisnegligibleonsmoothsurfaces.Inaddition,the
wordfrictioncommonlyreferstoresistiveforcesotherthanairdragthatarecausedbycontactbetween
surfacessoyoucanignoreairdraginproblemsunlessyouaretoldtoconsideritseffects.

Thefollowingexamplesshouldhelpyoulearntodrawfreebodydiagrams.Wewillstartwithrelativelysimple
situationsinwhichtheobjectofinterestiseitherexplicitlysuggestedorfairlyobvious.

Part A
Ahockeypuckslidesalongahorizontal,smoothicysurfaceataconstantvelocityasshown. Drawafreebody
diagramforthepuck.Whichofthefollowingforcesareactingonthepuck?
A. weight
B. friction

C. forceofvelocity

D. forceofpush

E. normalforce
 F. airdrag

G. acceleration

Typetheletterscorrespondingtoallthecorrectanswersinalphabeticalorder.Donotusecommas.For
instance,ifyouthinkthatonlyanswersCandDarecorrect,typeCD.
AE
Correct

Thereisnosuchthingas"theforceofvelocity."Ifthepuckisnotbeingpushed,therearenohorizontalforces
actingonit.Ofcourse,somehorizontalforcemusthaveactedonitbefore,toimpartthevelocityhowever,inthe
situationdescribed,nosuch"forceofpush"exists.Also,theairdraginsuchcasesisassumedtobenegligible.
Finally,theword"smooth"usuallyimpliesnegligiblesurfacefriction.Yourfreebodydiagramshouldlooklikethe

oneshownhere.

Part B
Considerablockpulledbyahorizontalropealongahorizontalsurfaceataconstantvelocityasshown. The
tensionintheropeisnonzero.Drawafreebodydiagramfortheblock.Whichofthefollowingforcesareactingon
theblock?
A. weight
B. friction

C. forceofvelocity

D. forceoftension

E. normalforce

F. airdrag

G. acceleration

Typetheletterscorrespondingtoallthecorrectanswersinalphabeticalorder.Donotusecommas.For
instance,ifyouthinkthatonlyanswersCandDarecorrect,typeCD.
ABDE
Correct

Becausethevelocityisconstant,theremustbeaforceoffrictionopposingtheforceoftension.Sincetheblockis
moving,itiskineticfriction.Yourfreebodydiagramshouldlooklikethatshownhere.

ConsiderthefollowingsituationinpartsCF.

Ablockisrestingonaslopeasshown.

Part C
Whichofthefollowingforcesareactingontheblock?
A. weight
B. kineticfriction

C. staticfriction

D. forceofpush

E. normalforce

Typetheletterscorrespondingtoallthecorrectanswersinalphabeticalorder.Donotusecommas.For
instance,ifyouthinkthatonlyanswersCandDarecorrect,typeCD.
ACE
Correct

Part D
Whatisthedirectionoftheforceduetogravityactingontheblock?
verticallyupward
verticallydownward
perpendiculartotheslope
 upwardalongtheslope
downwardalongtheslope
Correct

Part E
Whatisthedirectionofthenormalforceactingontheblock?
verticallyupward
verticallydownward
perpendiculartotheslope
upwardalongtheslope
downwardalongtheslope
Correct

Part F
Drawthefreebodydiagramfortheblock.Whatisthedirectionoftheforceoffrictionactingontheblock?
verticallyupward
verticallydownward
perpendiculartotheslope
upwardalongtheslope
downwardalongtheslope
Correct

Withoutfriction,theblockwouldslidedowntheslope;sotheforceofstaticfrictionmustopposesuchamotionand
bedirectedupwardalongtheslope.Yourfreebodydiagramshouldlooklikethatshownhere.
Nowconsiderablockslidinguparoughslopeafterhavingbeengivenaquickpushasshown.

Part G
Whichofthefollowingforcesareactingontheblock?
A. weight
B. kineticfriction

C. staticfriction

D. forceofpush

E. normalforce

F. theforceofvelocity

Typetheletterscorrespondingtoallthecorrectanswersinalphabeticalorder.Donotusecommas.For
instance,ifyouthinkthatonlyanswersCandDarecorrect,typeCD.
ABE
Correct

Theword"rough"impliesthepresenceoffriction.Sincetheblockisinmotion,itiskineticfriction.Onceagain,
thereisnosuchthingas"theforceofvelocity."However,itseemsatemptingchoicetosomestudentssincethe
blockisgoingup.

Part H
Drawthefreebodydiagramfortheblock.Whatisthedirectionoftheforceoffrictionactingontheblock?
verticallyupward
verticallydownward
perpendiculartotheslope
upwardalongtheslope
downwardalongtheslope
Correct
Theforceofkineticfrictionopposestheupwardmotionoftheblock.Yourfreebodydiagramshouldlooklikethe

oneshownhere.

Part I
Nowconsiderablockbeingpushedupasmoothslope.Theforcepushingtheblockisparalleltotheslope.
Whichofthefollowingforcesareactingontheblock?
A. weight
B. kineticfriction

C. staticfriction

D. forceofpush

E. normalforce

Typetheletterscorrespondingtoallthecorrectanswersinalphabeticalorder.Donotusecommas.For
instance,ifyouthinkthatonlyanswersCandDarecorrect,typeCD.
ADE
Correct
Yourfreebodydiagramshouldlookliketheoneshownhere.

Theforceofpushisthenormalforceexerted,possibly,
bythepalmofthehandofthepersonpushingtheblock.

Inalltheprevioussituationsjustdescribed,theobjectofinterestwasexplicitlygiven.Letusconsiderasituation
wherechoosingtheobjectsforwhichtodrawthefreebodydiagramsisuptoyou.

Twoblocksofmasses and areconnectedbyalightstringthatgoesoveralightfrictionlesspulley.Theblock

ofmass isslidingtotherightonaroughhorizontalsurfaceofalabtable.

Part J
Tosolvefortheaccelerationoftheblocks,youwillhavetodrawthefreebodydiagramsforwhichobjects?
A. theblockofmass
B. theblockofmass

C. theconnectingstring

D. thepulley

E. thetable

F. theearth

Typetheletterscorrespondingtoallthecorrectanswersinalphabeticalorder.Donotusecommas.For
instance,ifyouthinkthatonlyanswersCandDarecorrect,typeCD.
AB
Correct

Part K
Drawthefreebodydiagramfortheblockofmass .Howmanyforcesareexertedonthisblock?
none
one
two
 three
four
Correct

Yourfreebodydiagramshouldlooklikethatshownhere.

Part L
Drawthefreebodydiagramfortheblockofmass .Howmanyforcesareexertedonthisblock?
none
one
two
three
four
Correct
Yourfreebodydiagramshouldlooklikethatshownhere.

Understanding Newton's Laws

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Anobjectcannotremainatrestunlesswhichofthefollowingholds?
Thenetforceactingonitiszero.
Thenetforceactingonitisconstantand
nonzero.
Therearenoforcesatallactingonit.
Thereisonlyoneforceactingonit.
Correct

Ifthereisanetforceactingonabody,regardlessofwhetheritisaconstantforce,thebodyaccelerates.Ifthebody
isatrestandthenetforceactingonitiszero,thenitwillremainatrest.Thenetforcecouldbezeroeitherbecause
therearenoforcesactingonthebodyatallorbecauseseveralforcesareactingonthebodybuttheyallcancelout.

Part B
Ifablockismovingtotheleftataconstantvelocity,whatcanoneconclude?
Thereisexactlyoneforceappliedtotheblock.
Thenetforceappliedtotheblockisdirectedtothe
left.
Thenetforceappliedtotheblockiszero.
Theremustbenoforcesatallappliedtotheblock.
Correct
Ifthereisanetforceactingonabody,regardlessofwhetherthebodyisalreadymoving,thebodyaccelerates.Ifa
bodyismovingwithconstantvelocity,thenitisnotacceleratingandthenetforceactingonitiszero.Thenetforce
couldbezeroeitherbecausetherearenoforcesactingonthebodyatallorbecauseseveralforcesareactingonthe
bodybuttheyallcancelout.

Part C
Ablockofmass isacteduponbytwoforces: (directedtotheleft)and (directedtotheright).Whatcan
yousayabouttheblock'smotion?
Itmustbemovingtotheleft.
Itmustbemovingtotheright.
Itmustbeatrest.
Itcouldbemovingtotheleft,movingtotheright,orbeinstantaneouslyat
rest.
Correct

Theaccelerationofanobjecttellsyounothingaboutitsvelocitythedirectionandspeedatwhichitismoving.In
thiscase,thenetforceon(andthereforetheaccelerationof)theblockistotheright,buttheblockcouldbemoving
left,right,orinanyotherdirection.

Part D
Amassiveblockisbeingpulledalongahorizontalfrictionlesssurfacebyaconstanthorizontalforce.Theblock
mustbe__________.
continuouslychangingdirection
movingatconstantvelocity
movingwithaconstantnonzeroacceleration
movingwithcontinuouslyincreasing
acceleration
Correct

Sincethereisanetforceacting,thebodydoesnotmoveataconstantvelocity,butitacceleratesinstead.However,
theforceactingonthebodyisconstant.Hence,accordingtoNewton's2ndlawofmotion,theaccelerationofthe
bodyisalsoconstant.

Part E

Twoforces,ofmagnitude and ,areappliedtoanobject.Therelativedirectionoftheforcesisunknown.

Thenetforceactingontheobject__________.

A. cannotbeequalto
B. cannotbeequalto

C. cannotbedirectedthesamewayastheforceof
 D. mustbegreaterthan

Enterthelettersofallthecorrectanswersinalphabeticalorder.Donotusecommas.Forexample,ifyou
thinkonlythelastoptioniscorrect,enterD.
A
Correct

Conceptual Questions on Newton's 1st and 2nd Laws

LearningGoal:TounderstandthemeaningandthebasicapplicationsofNewton's1stand2ndlaws.

Inthisproblem,youaregivenadiagram representingthemotionofanobjectamotiondiagram.Thedots
representtheobject'spositionatmomentsseparatedbyequalintervalsoftime.Thedotsareconnectedbyarrows
representingtheobject'saveragevelocityduringthecorrespondingtimeinterval.

Yourgoalistousethismotiondiagramtodeterminethedirectionofthenetforceactingontheobject.Youwill
thendeterminewhichforcediagramsandwhichsituationsmaycorrespondtosuchamotion.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
WhatisthedirectionofthenetforceactingontheobjectatpositionA?
upward
downward
totheleft
totheright
Thenetforceis
zero.
Correct

ThevelocityvectorsconnectingpositionAtotheadjacentpositionsappeartohavethesamemagnitudeand
direction.Therefore,theaccelerationiszeroandsoisthenetforce.

Part B
WhatisthedirectionofthenetforceactingontheobjectatpositionB?
upward
downward
totheleft
totheright
Thenetforceis
zero.
Correct

Thevelocityisdirectedtotheright;however,itisdecreasing.Therefore,theaccelerationisdirectedtotheleftand
soisthenetforce.

Part C
WhatisthedirectionofthenetforceactingontheobjectatpositionC?
upward
downward
totheleft
totheright
Thenetforceis
zero.
Correct

Thehorizontalcomponentofthevelocitydoesnotchange.Theverticalcomponentofthevelocityincreases.
Therefore,theaccelerationandthenetforcearedirectedstraightdownward.

Thenextfourquestionsarerelatedtotheforcediagramsnumbered1to6. Thesediagramsrepresenttheforces
actingonamovingobject.Thenumbernexttoeacharrowrepresentsthemagnitudeoftheforceinnewtons.

Part D
WhichofthesediagramsmaypossiblycorrespondtothesituationatpointAonthemotiondiagram?
Type,inincreasingorder,thenumberscorrespondingtothecorrectdiagrams.Donotusecommas.For
instance,ifyouthinkthatonlydiagrams3and4arecorrect,type34.
6
Correct

Part E
WhichofthesediagramsmaypossiblycorrespondtothesituationatpointBonthemotiondiagram?
Type,inincreasingorder,thenumberscorrespondingtothecorrectdiagrams.Donotusecommas.For
instance,ifyouthinkthatonlydiagrams3and4arecorrect,type34.
35
Correct

Part F
WhichofthesediagramsmaypossiblycorrespondtothesituationatpointConthemotiondiagram?
Type,inincreasingorder,thenumberscorrespondingtothecorrectdiagrams.Donotusecommas.For
instance,ifyouthinkthatonlydiagrams3and4arecorrect,type34.
24
Correct

Part G
Whichofthesediagramscorrespondtoasituationwherethemovingobject(notnecessarilytheoneshowninthe
motiondiagram)ischangingitsvelocity?
Type,inincreasingorder,thenumberscorrespondingtothecorrectdiagrams.Donotusecommas.For
instance,ifyouthinkthatonlydiagrams3and4arecorrect,type34.
12345
Correct

Considerthefollowingsituations:
A. Acarismovingalongastraightroadataconstantspeed.
B. Acarismovingalongastraightroadwhileslowingdown.

C. Acarismovingalongastraightroadwhilespeedingup.

D. Ahockeypuckslidesalongasmooth(i.e.,frictionless)icysurface.

E. Ahockeypuckslidesalongaroughconcretesurface.

F. Acockroachisspeedingupfromrest.

G. Arockisthrownhorizontally;airresistanceisnegligible.

H. Arockisthrownhorizontally;airresistanceissubstantial.

I. Arockisdroppedvertically;airresistanceisnegligible.

J. Arockisdroppedvertically;airresistanceissubstantial.

Part H
WhichofthesesituationsdescribethemotionshowninthemotiondiagramatpointA?
Typetheletterscorrespondingtoalltherightanswersinalphabeticalorder.Donotusecommas.For
instance,ifyouthinkthatonlysituationsCandDarecorrect,typeCD.
AD
Correct
Part I
WhichofthesesituationsdescribethemotionshowninthemotiondiagramatpointB?
Typetheletterscorrespondingtoalltherightanswersinalphabeticalorder.Donotusecommas.For
instance,ifyouthinkthatonlysituationsCandDarecorrect,typeCD.
BE
Correct

Part J
WhichofthesesituationsdescribethemotionshowninthemotiondiagramatpointC?
Typetheletterscorrespondingtoalltherightanswersinalphabeticalorder.Donotusecommas.For
instance,ifyouthinkthatonlysituationsCandDarecorrect,typeCD.
G
Correct

A World-Class Sprinter
Worldclasssprinterscanaccelerateoutofthestartingblockswithanaccelerationthatisnearlyhorizontalandhas

magnitude .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Howmuchhorizontalforce mustasprinterofmass54.0 exertonthestartingblockstoproducethis
acceleration?
Expressyouranswerinnewtons.
=810
Correct

Part B
Whichbodyexertstheforcethatpropelsthesprinter,theblocksorthesprinter?
theblocks
thesprinter
Correct

Tostartmovingforward,sprinterspushbackwardonthestartingblockswiththeirfeet.Asareaction,theblocks
pushforwardontheirfeetwithaforceofthesamemagnitude.Thisexternalforceacceleratesthesprinterforward.
 Block on an Incline

Ablockliesonaplaneraisedanangle fromthehorizontal.Threeforcesactupontheblock: ,theforceof

gravity; ,thenormalforce;and ,theforceoffriction.Thecoefficientoffrictionislargeenoughtopreventthe

blockfromsliding .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Considercoordinatesystema,withthexaxisalongtheplane.Whichforcesliealongtheaxes?

only

only

only

and

and

and

and and
Correct

Part B
Whichforcesliealongtheaxesofthecoordinatesystemb,inwhichtheyaxisisvertical?
 only

only

only

and

and

and

and and
Correct

Nowyouaregoingtoignorethegeneralrule(actually,astrongsuggestion)thatyoushouldpickthecoordinate
systemwiththemostvectors,especiallyunknownones,alongthecoordinateaxes.Youwillfindthenormalforce,

,usingverticalcoordinatesystemb.Inthesecoordinatesyouwillfindthemagnitude appearinginboththex
andyequations,eachmultipliedbyatrigonometricfunction.

Part C
Becausetheblockisnotmoving,thesumoftheycomponentsoftheforcesactingontheblockmustbezero.Find
anexpressionforthesumoftheycomponentsoftheforcesactingontheblock,usingcoordinatesystemb.
Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , , ,and .

Correct

Part D
Becausetheblockisnotmoving,thesumofthexcomponentsoftheforcesactingontheblockmustbezero.Find
anexpressionforthesumofthexcomponentsoftheforcesactingontheblock,usingcoordinatesystemb.
Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , , ,and .

Correct

Part E
Tofindthemagnitudeofthenormalforce,youmustexpress intermsof since isanunknown.Usingthe
equationsyoufoundinthetwopreviousparts,findanexpressionfor involving and butnot .
=
Correct
Congratulationsonworkingthisthrough.Nowrealizethatincoordinatesystema,whichisalignedwiththeplane,

theycoordinateequationis ,whichleadsimmediatelytotheresultobtainedhere
for .

CONCLUSION:Athoughtfulexaminationofwhichcoordinatesystemtochoosecansavealotofalgebra.

Hanging Chandelier
Achandelierwithmass isattachedtotheceilingofalargeconcerthallbytwocables.Becausetheceilingis
coveredwithintricatearchitecturaldecorations(notindicatedinthefigure,whichusesahumblerdepiction),the
workerswhohungthechandeliercouldn'tattachthecablestotheceilingdirectlyabovethechandelier.Instead,they
attachedthecablestotheceilingnearthewalls.Cable1hastension andmakesanangleof withtheceiling.
Cable2hastension andmakesanangleof withtheceiling.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Findanexpressionfor ,thetensionincable1,thatdoesnotdependon .
Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , ,and ,aswellasthemagnitudeofthe
accelerationduetogravity .

=
Correct
 Problem 5.11
Harvaran Ghai
Part A

Anastronaut'sweightonearthis805 .WhatishisweightonMars,where
309N
Correct

Problem 5.12
Awomanhasamassof .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisherweightonearth?
539N
Correct

Part B

Whatishermassonthemoon,where
55.0kg
Correct

Part C
Whatisherweightonthemoon?
89.1N
Correct

Problem 5.14
Thefigureshowsthevelocitygraphofa passengerinanelevator.

 Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisthepassenger'sapparentweightat ?
1040N
Correct

Part B
Att= ?
735N
Correct

Part C
Att= ?
585N
Correct

Pushing a Chair along the Floor

Achairofweight120 liesatopahorizontalfloor;thefloorisnotfrictionless.Youpushonthechairwithaforce
of =35.0 directedatanangleof41.0 belowthehorizontalandthechairslidesalongthefloor.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
UsingNewton'slaws,calculate ,themagnitudeofthenormalforcethatthefloorexertsonthechair.
Expressyouranswerinnewtons.
=143
Correct
 Board Pulled Out from under a Box

Asmallboxofmass issittingonaboardofmass andlength .Theboardrestsonafrictionless

horizontalsurface.Thecoefficientofstaticfrictionbetweentheboardandtheboxis .Thecoefficientofkinetic
frictionbetweentheboardandtheboxis,asusual,lessthan .

Throughouttheproblem,use forthemagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravity.Inthehints,use forthe

magnitudeofthefrictionforcebetweentheboardandthebox.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Find ,theconstantforcewiththeleastmagnitudethatmustbeappliedtotheboardinordertopulltheboard
outfromunderthethebox(whichwillthenfalloffoftheoppositeendoftheboard).
Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , , , ,and .Donotinclude inyour
answer.

=
Correct

Friction Force on a Dancer on a Drawbridge

Adancerisstandingononelegonadrawbridgethatisabouttoopen.Thecoefficientsofstaticandkineticfriction
betweenthedrawbridgeandthedancer'sfootare and ,respectively. representsthenormalforceexertedon
thedancerbythebridge,and representsthegravitationalforceexertedonthedancer,asshowninthedrawing
.Forallthequestions,wecanassumethatthebridgeisaperfectlyflatsurfaceandlacksthecurvature
characteristicofmostbridges.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Beforethedrawbridgestartstoopen,itisperfectlylevelwiththeground.Thedancerisstandingstillononeleg.

Whatisthexcomponentofthefrictionforce, ?

Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , ,and/or .
=0
Correct

Thisshowsaveryimportantpoint.Whenyouarenottoldthatanobjectisslippingoronthevergeofslipping,then
thefrictionforceisdeterminedusingNewton'slawsofmotioninconjunctionwiththeobservedmotionandtheother
forcesontheobject.Underthesecircumstancesthefrictionforceislimitedby or butisotherwisenot
necessarilyrelatedto or .

Part B

Thedrawbridgethenstartstoriseandthedancercontinuestostandononeleg.Thedrawbridgestopsjustatthe
pointwherethedancerisonthevergeofslipping.Whatisthemagnitude ofthefrictionalforcenow?

Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , ,and/or .Theangle shouldnotappear

inyouranswer.
=
Correct
Part C
Then,becausethebridgeisoldandpoorlydesigned,itfallsalittlebitandthenjerks.Thiscausesthepersontostart
toslidedownthebridgeataconstantspeed.Whatisthemagnitude ofthefrictionalforcenow?
Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , ,and/or .Theangle shouldnotappear
inyouranswer.
=
Correct

Part D
Thebridgestartstocomebackdownagain.Thedancerstopssliding.However,againbecauseoftheageanddesign
ofthebridgeitnevermakesitallthewaydown;ratheritstopshalfametershort.Thishalfametercorrespondsto
anangle degree(seethediagram,whichhastheangleexaggerated).Whatistheforceoffriction now?

Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , , , ,and/or .

=
Correct

Skydiving
Askydiverofmass80.0 (includingparachute)jumpsoffaplaneandbeginsherdescent.

Throughoutthisproblemuse9.80 forthemagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravity.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Atthebeginningofherfall,doestheskydiverhaveanacceleration?
No;theskydiverfallsatconstantspeed.
Yesandheraccelerationisdirectedupward.
Yesandheraccelerationisdirected
downward.
Correct

ThisError! Hyperlink reference not valid.showstheskydiver(nottoscale)withherposition,

speed,andaccelerationgraphedasfunctionsoftime.Youcanseehowheraccelerationdropstozeroovertime,
givingconstantspeedafteralongtime.
Part B
Atsomepointduringherfreefall,theskydiverreachesherterminalspeed.Whatisthemagnitudeofthedragforce
duetoairresistancethatactsontheskydiverwhenshehasreachedterminalspeed?
Expressyouranswerinnewtons.
=784
Correct

Part C

Foranobjectfallingthroughairatahighspeed ,thedragforceactingonitduetoairresistancecanbeexpressed
as

wherethecoefficient dependsontheshapeandsizeofthefallingobjectandonthedensityofair.Forahuman

body,thenumericalvaluefor isabout0.250 .

Usingthisvaluefor ,whatistheterminalspeed oftheskydiver?

Expressyouanswerinmeterspersecond.

=56.0
Correct

Recreationalskydiverscancontroltheirterminalspeedtosomeextentbychangingtheirbodyposture.When
orientedinaheadfirstdive,askydivercanreachspeedsofabout54meterspersecond(120milesperhour).For
maximumdragandstability,skydiversoftenwillorientthemselves"bellyfirst."Inthisposition,theirterminal
speedistypicallyaround45meterspersecond(100milesperhour).

Part D
Whentheskydiverdescendstoacertainheightfromtheground,shedeploysherparachutetoensureasafelanding.
(Usuallytheparachuteisdeployedwhentheskydiverreachesanaltitudeofabout900 3000 .)Immediately
afterdeployingtheparachute,doestheskydiverhaveanonzeroacceleration?
No;theskydiverkeepsfallingatconstant
speed.
Yesandheraccelerationisdirecteddownward.
Yesandheraccelerationisdirectedupward.
Correct

Part E
Whentheparachuteisfullyopen,theeffectivedragcoefficientoftheskydiverplusparachuteincreasesto

60.0 .Whatisthedragforce actingontheskydiverimmediatelyaftershehasopenedtheparachute?

Expressyouranswerinnewtons.
=1.88105
Correct

Part F
Whatistheterminalspeed oftheskydiverwhentheparachuteisopened?
Expressyouranswerinmeterspersecond.

=3.61
Correct

Atypical"student"parachuteforrecreationalskydivinghasadragcoefficientthatgivesaterminalspeedforlanding
ofabout2meterspersecond(5milesperhour).Ifthisseemsslowbasedonvideoorreallifeskydiversyouhave
seen,thatmaybebecausetheskydiversyousawwereusinghighperformanceparachutes;theseofferthesky
diversmoremaneuverabilityintheairbutincreasetheterminalspeedupto4meterspersecond(10milesperhour).

An Object Accelerating on a Ramp

LearningGoal:Understandthattheaccelerationvectorisinthedirectionofthechangeofthevelocityvector.

Inonedimensional(straightline)motion,accelerationisaccompaniedbyachangeinspeed,andtheaccelerationis
alwaysparallel(orantiparallel)tothevelocity.

Whenmotioncanoccurintwodimensions(e.g.isconfinedtoatabletopbutcanlieanywhereinthexyplane),the
definitionofaccelerationis

inthelimit .

Inpicturingthisvectorderivativeyoucanthinkofthederivativeofavectorasaninstantaneousquantitybythinking
ofthevelocityofthetipofthearrowasthevectorchangesintime.Alternatively,youcan(forsmall )
approximatetheaccelerationas

Obviouslythedifferencebetween and isanothervectorthatcanlieinanydirection.Ifitislongerbut

inthesamedirection, willbeparallelto .Ontheotherhand,if hasthesamemagnitudeas

butisinaslightlydifferentdirection,then willbeperpendicularto .Ingeneral, candifferfrom

inbothmagnitudeanddirection,hence canhaveanydirectionrelativeto .

Thisproblemcontainsseveralexamplesofthis.Consideranobjectslidingonafrictionlessrampasdepictedhere.
Theobjectisalreadymovingalongtheramptowardposition2whenitisatposition1.Thefollowingquestions
concernthedirectionoftheobject'saccelerationvector, .Inthisproblem,youshouldfindthedirectionofthe
accelerationvectorbydrawingthevelocityvectorattwopointsneartothepositionyouareaskedabout.Notethat
sincetheobjectmovesalongthetrack,itsvelocityvectoratapointwillbetangenttothetrackatthatpoint.The
accelerationvectorwillpointinthesamedirectionasthevectordifferenceofthetwovelocities.(Thisisaresultof

theequation givenabove.)

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whichdirectionbestapproximatesthedirectionof whentheobjectisatposition1?
straightup
downwardtotheleft
downwardtothe
right
straightdown
Correct

Part B
Whichdirectionbestapproximatesthedirectionof whentheobjectisatposition2?
straightup
upwardtotheright
 straightdown
downwardtothe
left
Correct

Eventhoughtheaccelerationisdirectedstraightup,thisdoesnotmeanthattheobjectismovingstraightup.

Part C
Whichdirectionbestapproximatesthedirectionof whentheobjectisatposition3?
upwardtotheright
totheright
straightdown
downwardtothe
right
Correct

Problem 6.3

Aparticle'strajectoryisdescribedby and ,where isins.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatistheparticle'sspeedatt
2.00m/s
Correct

Part B
Whatistheparticle'sspeedat =4.50 ?
12.6m/s
Correct

Part C
Whatistheparticle'sdirectionofmotion,measuredfromthexaxis,at 0?
270 counterclockwisefromthe+xaxis
Correct
Part D
Whatistheparticle'sdirectionofmotion,measuredfromthexaxis,at =4.50 ?
11.4 counterclockwisefromthe+xaxis
Correct

Projectile Motion Tutorial

LearningGoal:Understandhowtoapplytheequationsfor1dimensionalmotiontotheyandxdirections
separatelyinordertoderivestandardformulaefortherangeandheightofaprojectile.

Aprojectileisfiredfromgroundlevelattime ,atanangle withrespecttothehorizontal.Ithasaninitial

speed .Inthisproblemweareassumingthatthegroundislevel.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Findthetime ittakestheprojectiletoreachitsmaximumheight.
Express intermsof , ,and (themagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravity).

=
Correct
Part B
Find ,thetimeatwhichtheprojectilehitstheground.
Expressthetimeintermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Part C
Find ,themaximumheightattainedbytheprojectile.
Expressthemaximumheightintermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Part D
Findthetotaldistance (oftencalledtherange)traveledinthexdirection;inotherwords,findwheretheprojectile
lands.
Expresstherangeintermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Theactualformulafor islessimportantthanhowitisobtained:

1. Considerthexandymotionseparately.
2. Findthetimeofflightfromtheymotion

3. Findthexpositionattheendoftheflightthisistherange.

Ifyourememberthesesteps,youcandealwithmanyvariantsofthebasicproblem,suchas:acannononahillthat
fireshorizontally(i.e.thesecondhalfofthetrajectory),aprojectilethatlandsonahill,oraprojectilethatmusthita
movingtarget.

Horizontal Cannon on a Cliff

Acannonballisfiredhorizontallyfromthetopofacliff.Thecannonisatheight abovegroundlevel,andthe
ballisfiredwithinitialhorizontalspeed .
 Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Assumethatthecannonisfiredat andthatthecannonballhitsthegroundattime .Whatisthey

positionofthecannonballatthetime ?
Expresstheypositionofthecannonballintermsof .Thequantities and shouldnotappearinyour
answer.

=
Correct

Part B
Giventhattheprojectilelandsadistance fromthecliff,asshown,findtheinitialspeedoftheprojectile, .
Expresstheinitialspeedintermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Part C

Whatistheypositionofthecannonballwhenitisadistance fromthehill?
Expressthepositionofthecannonballintermsof only.

=
Correct
 Problem 6.13
Aboattakes3.70 totravel15.0 downariver,then5.30 toreturn.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Howfastistheriverflowing?
0.612km/h
Correct

Crossing a River
Aswimmerwantstocrossariver,frompointAtopointB.Thedistance (fromAtoC)is200 ,the

distance (fromCtoB)is150 ,andthespeed ofthecurrentintheriveris5 .Supposethatthe

swimmermakesanangleof (0.785 )withrespecttothelinefromAtoC,asindicatedin
thefigure.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
ToswimdirectlyfromAtoB,whatspeed ,relativetothewater,shouldtheswimmerhave?
Expresstheswimmer'sspeednumerically,tothreesignificantfigures,inunitsofkilometersperhour.

=4.04
Correct
Anotherwaytodothisproblem,withoutusinganykinematics,wouldbetoaddtheswimmer'sandriver'svelocities
vectorially,andsettheanglethatthisvectormakeswithACortheriverbankequaltothatwhichABmakeswith
thesame.

Speed of a Bullet
Abulletisshotthroughtwocardboarddisksattachedadistance aparttoashaftturningwitharotationalperiod
,asshown.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Deriveaformulaforthebulletspeed intermsof , ,andameasuredangle betweenthepositionoftheholein
thefirstdiskandthatoftheholeinthesecond.Ifrequired,use ,notitsnumericequivalent.Bothoftheholeslieat
thesameradialdistancefromtheshaft. measurestheangulardisplacementbetweenthetwoholes;forinstance,
meansthattheholesareinalineand meansthatwhenoneholeisup,theotherisdown.Assumethat
thebulletmusttravelthroughthesetofdiskswithinasinglerevolution.

=
Correct
 Direction of Acceleration of Pendulum

LearningGoal:Tounderstandthatthedirectionofaccelerationisinthedirectionofthechangeofthevelocity,
whichisunrelatedtothedirectionofthevelocity.

Thependulumshownmakesafullswingfrom to .Ignorefrictionandassumethatthestringis
massless.Theeightlabeledarrowsrepresentdirectionstobereferredtowhenansweringthefollowingquestions.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whichofthefollowingisatruestatementabouttheaccelerationofthependulumbob, .
isequaltotheaccelerationduetogravity.
isequaltotheinstantaneousrateofchangein
velocity.
isperpendiculartothebob'strajectory.
istangenttothebob'strajectory.
Correct

Part B
Whatisthedirectionof whenthependulumisatposition1?
Entertheletterofthearrowparallelto .
H
Correct
Part C
Whatisthedirectionof atthemomentthependulumpassesposition2?
Entertheletterofthearrowthatbestapproximatesthedirectionof .
C
Correct

Weknowthatfortheobjecttobetravelinginacircle,somecomponentofitsaccelerationmustbepointingradially
inward.

Part D
Whatisthedirectionof whenthependulumreachesposition3?
Givetheletterofthearrowthatbestapproximatesthedirectionof .
F
Correct

Part E
Asthependulumapproachesorrecedesfromwhichposition(s)istheaccelerationvector almostparalleltothe
velocityvector .
position2only
positions1and2
positions2and3
positions1and3
Correct

Banked Frictionless Curve, and Flat Curve with Friction

Acarofmass travelingatspeed entersabankedturncoveredwithice.Theroadisbankedatanangle ,and

thereisnofrictionbetweentheroadandthecar'stires.Acrosssectionofthecurveisshowninthediagram.

 Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatistheradius oftheturn(assumingthecarcontinuesinuniformcircularmotionaroundtheturn)?
Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , , ,aswellasthemagnitudeofthe
accelerationduetogravity .

=
Correct

Part B
Now,supposethatthecurveislevel( )andthattheicehasmelted,sothatthereisacoefficientofstatic
friction betweentheroadandthecar'stires.Whatis ,theminimumvalueofthecoefficientofstaticfriction
betweenthetiresandtheroadrequiredtopreventthecarfromslipping?Assumethatthecar'sspeedisstill and
thattheradiusofthecurveisgivenby .

Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , , ,aswellasthemagnitudeofthe
accelerationduetogravity .

=
Correct

At the Test Track

Youwanttotestthegripofthetiresonyournewracecar.Youdecidetotaketheracecartoasmalltesttrackto
experimentallydeterminethecoefficientoffriction.Theracetrackconsistsofaflat,circularroadwitharadiusof45
 .Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.showstheresultofdrivingthecararoundthetrackat
variousspeeds.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatis ,thecoefficientofstaticfrictionbetweenthetiresandthetrack?
Expressyouranswertotwosignificantfigures.
=0.95
Correct

Conical Pendulum I
Abobofmass issuspendedfromafixedpointwithamasslessstringoflength (i.e.,itisapendulum).You
aretoinvestigatethemotioninwhichthestringmovesinaconewithhalfangle .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whattangentialspeed, ,mustthebobhavesothatitmovesinahorizontalcirclewiththestringalwaysmakingan
angle fromthevertical?
Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , ,and ,aswellastheaccelerationdueto
gravity .

=
Correct
Part B
Howlongdoesittakethebobtomakeonefullrevolution(onecompletetriparoundthecircle)?
Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , ,and ,aswellastheaccelerationdueto
gravity .

Correct

Problem 7.18
Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatistheaccelerationduetogravityofthesunatthedistanceoftheearth'sorbit?

6.00103
Correct

Problem 7.19
Thepassengersinarollercoastercarfeel50%heavierthantheirtrueweightasthecargoesthroughadipwitha
40.0 radiusofcurvature.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisthecar'sspeedatthebottomofthedip?

14.0
Correct

Problem 7.23
Acarspeedsupasitturnsfromtravelingduesouthtoheadingdueeast.Whenexactlyhalfwayaroundthecurve,the

car'saccelerationis3.40 ,40.0 northofeast.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatistheradialcomponentoftheaccelerationatthatpoint?

3.39
Correct

Part B
Whatisthetangentialcomponentoftheaccelerationatthatpoint?

0.296
Correct

A Satellite in Orbit
Asatelliteusedinacellulartelephonenetworkhasamassof1850 andisinacircularorbitataheightof
700 abovethesurfaceoftheearth.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A

Whatisthegravitationalforce onthesatellite?

Takethegravitationalconstanttobe =6.671011 ,themassoftheearthtobe =5.971024 ,

andtheradiusoftheEarthtobe =6.38106 .

Expressyouranswerinnewtons.
=1.47104
Correct

Part B
Whatfractionisthisofthesatellite'sweightatthesurfaceoftheearth?

Takethefreefallaccelerationatthesurfaceoftheearthtobe =9.80 .

0.811
Correct
Althoughitiseasytofindtheweightofthesatelliteusingtheconstantaccelerationduetogravity,itisinstructional

toconsidertheweightcalculatedusingthelawofgravitation: .Dividingthegravitationalforceon

thesatellite by ,wefindthattheratiooftheforcesduetotheearth'sgravityissimply
thesquareoftheratiooftheearth'sradiustothesumoftheearth'sradiusandtheheightoftheorbitofthesatellite

abovetheearth, .Thiswillalsobethefractionoftheweightof,say,anastronautinanorbitatthe
samealtitude.Noticethatanastronaut'sweightisneverzero.Whenpeoplespeakof"weightlessness"inspace,what
theyreallymeanis"freefall."

Gravitational Acceleration inside a Planet

Considerasphericalplanetofuniformdensity .Thedistancefromtheplanet'scentertoitssurface(i.e.,the
planet'sradius)is .Anobjectislocatedadistance fromthecenteroftheplanet,where .(Theobjectis
locatedinsideoftheplanet.)

Harvaran Ghai
Part A

Findanexpressionforthemagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravity, ,insidetheplanet.
Expresstheaccelerationduetogravityintermsof , , ,and ,theuniversalgravitationalconstant.

=
Correct

Part B

Rewriteyourresultfor intermsof ,thegravitationalaccelerationatthesurfaceoftheplanet,timesa

functionofR.
Expressyouranswerintermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Noticethat increaseslinearlywith ,ratherthanbeingproportionalto .Thisassuresthatitiszeroatthe

centeroftheplanet,asrequiredbysymmetry.

Part C
Findanumericalvaluefor ,theaveragedensityoftheearthinkilogramspercubicmeter.Use for

theradiusoftheearth, ,andavalueof atthesurfaceof .

Calculateyouranswertofoursignificantdigits.

=5497
Correct

Newton's 3rd Law Discussed

LearningGoal:TounderstandNewton's3rdlaw,whichstatesthataphysicalinteractionalwaysgeneratesapairof
forcesonthetwointeractingbodies.

InPrincipia,Newtonwrote:
Toeveryactionthereisalwaysopposedanequalreaction:or,themutualactionsoftwobodiesuponeachotherare
alwaysequal,anddirectedtocontraryparts.

(translationbyCajori)

Thephraseafterthecolon(oftenomittedfromtextbooks)makesitclearthatthisisastatementaboutthenatureof
force.Thecentralideaisthatphysicalinteractions(e.g.,duetogravity,bodiestouching,orelectricforces)cause
forcestoarisebetweenpairsofbodies.Eachpairwiseinteractionproducesapairofoppositeforces,oneactingon
eachbody.Insummary,eachphysicalinteractionbetweentwobodiesgeneratesapairofforces.Whateverthe
physicalcauseoftheinteraction,theforceonbodyAfrombodyBisequalinmagnitudeandoppositeindirectionto
theforceonbodyBfrombodyA.

Incidentally,Newtonstatesthattheword"action"denotesboth(a)theforceduetoaninteractionand(b)the
changesinmomentumthatitimpartstothetwointeractingbodies.Ifyouhaven'tlearnedaboutmomentum,don't
worry;fornowthisisjustastatementabouttheoriginofforces.

Markeachofthefollowingstatementsastrueorfalse.Ifastatementrefersto"twobodies"interactingviasome
force,youarenottoassumethatthesetwobodieshavethesamemass.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Everyforcehasoneandonlyone3rdlawpairforce.
true
false
Correct

Part B
Thetwoforcesineachpairactinoppositedirections.
true
false
Correct

Part C
Thetwoforcesineachpaircaneitherbothactonthesamebodyortheycanactondifferentbodies.
true
false
Correct

Part D
Thetwoforcesineachpairmayhavedifferentphysicalorigins(forinstance,oneoftheforcescouldbedueto
gravity,anditspairforcecouldbeduetofrictionorelectriccharge).
true
false
Correct

Part E
Thetwoforcesofa3rdlawpairalwaysactondifferentbodies.
true
false
Correct

Part F
Giventhattwobodiesinteractviasomeforce,theaccelerationsofthesetwobodieshavethesamemagnitudebut
oppositedirections.(Assumenootherforcesactoneitherbody.)
true
false
Correct

Newton's3rdlawcanbesummarixedasfollows:Aphysicalinteraction(e.g.,gravity)operatesbetweentwo
interactingbodiesandgeneratesapairofoppositeforces,oneoneachbody.Itoffersyouawaytotestforreal

forces(i.e.,thosethatbelongontheforcesideof )thereshouldbea3rdlawpairforceoperatingon
someotherbodyforeachrealforcethatactsonthebodywhoseaccelerationisunderconsideration.

Part G
AccordingtoNewton's3rdlaw,theforceonthe(smaller)moonduetothe(larger)earthis
greaterinmagnitudeandantiparalleltotheforceontheearthduetothemoon.
greaterinmagnitudeandparalleltotheforceontheearthduetothemoon.
equalinmagnitudebutantiparalleltotheforceontheearthduetothemoon.
equalinmagnitudeandparalleltotheforceontheearthduetothemoon.
smallerinmagnitudeandantiparalleltotheforceontheearthduetothe
moon.
 smallerinmagnitudeandparalleltotheforceontheearthduetothemoon.
Correct

A Book on a Table
Abookweighing5Nrestsontopofatable.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Adownwardforceofmagnitude5Nisexertedonthebookbytheforceof
thetable
gravity .
inertia
Correct

Part B
Anupwardforceofmagnitude_____isexertedonthe_____bythetable.
5N/book
Correct

Part C
DothedownwardforceinPartAandtheupwardforceinPartBconstitutea3rdlawpair?
yes
no
Correct

Part D
ThereactiontotheforceinPartAisaforceofmagnitude_____,exertedonthe_____bythe_____.Itsdirectionis
_____.
5N/earth/book/upward
Correct

Part E
ThereactiontotheforceinPartBisaforceofmagnitude_____,exertedonthe_____bythe_____.Itsdirectionis
_____.
5N/table/book/downward
Correct

Part F
WhichofNewton'slawsdictatesthattheforcesinPartsAandBareequalandopposite?
Newton's1stor2ndlaw
Newton's3rdlaw
Correct

Sincethebookisatrest,thenetforceonitmustbezero(1stor2ndlaw).Thismeansthattheforceexertedonitby
theearthmustbeequalandoppositetotheforceexertedonitbythetable.

Part G
WhichofNewton'slawsdictatesthattheforcesinPartsBandEareequalandopposite?
Newton's1stor2ndlaw
Newton's3rdlaw
Correct

Block on an Incline Adjacent to a Wall

Awedgewithaninclinationofangle restsnexttoawall.Ablockofmass isslidingdowntheplane,asshown.
Thereisnofrictionbetweenthewedgeandtheblockorbetweenthewedgeandthehorizontalsurface.
 Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Findthemagnitude, ,ofthesumofallforcesactingontheblock.
Express intermsof and ,alongwithanynecessaryconstants.

=
Correct

Part B
Findthemagnitude, ,oftheforcethatthewallexertsonthewedge.
Express intermsof and ,alongwithanynecessaryconstants.

=
Correct

YouranswertoPartBcouldbeexpressedaseither or .Ineitherform,weseethat

as getsverysmalloras approaches90degrees( radians),thecontactforcebetweenthewallandthewedge

goestozero.Thisiswhatweshouldexpect;inthefirstlimit( small),theblockisacceleratingveryslowly,andall
horizontalforcesaresmall.Inthesecondlimit( about90degrees),theblocksimplyfallsverticallyandexertsno
horizontalforceonthewedge.

PSS 8.1: Dashing up the Slope

LearningGoal:TopracticeProblemSolvingStrategy8.1forproblemsinvolvingthedynamicsofaninteracting
systemsofobjects.

Agirlofmass iswalkingupaslipperyslopewhilepullingasledofunknownmass;theslopemakesanangle
withthehorizontal.Thecoefficientofstaticfrictionbetweenthegirl'sbootsandtheslopeis ;thefriction
betweenthesledandtheslopeisnegligible.Itturnsoutthatthegirlcanpullthesleduptheslopewithacceleration
upto withoutslippingdowntheslope.Findthemassofthesled .Assumethattheropeconnectingthegirland
theslediskeptparalleltotheslopeatalltimes.

Harvaran Ghai

MODEL: Identifywhichobjectsaresystemsandwhicharepartoftheenvironment.Makesimplifyingassumptions.

VISUALIZE:

Pictorialrepresentation:Showimportantpointsinthemotionwithasketch.Youmaywanttogiveeach
systemaseparatecoordinatesystem.Definesymbolsandidentifywhatyouaretryingtofind.Include
accelerationconstraintsaspartofthepictorialmodel.
Physicalrepresentation:Identifyallforcesactingoneachsystemandallactionreactionpairs.Drawa
separatefreebodydiagramforeachsystem.Connecttheforcevectorsofactionreactionpairswithdotted
lines.Usesubscriptlabelstodistinguishforces,suchas and ,thatactindependentlyonmorethanone
system.

SOLVE: UseNewton's2ndand3rdlaws:

WritetheequationsofNewton's2ndlawforeachsystemusingtheforceinformationfromthefreebody
diagrams.
Equatethemagnitudesofactionreactionpairs.

Includetheaccelerationconstraints,thefrictionmodel,andotherquantitativeinformationrelevanttothe
problem.

Solvefortheacceleration,thenusekinematicstofindvelocitesandpositions.

ASSESS: Checkthatyourresulthasthecorrectunits,isreasonable,andanswersthequestion.

Model
Startbymakingsimplifyingassumptionsappropriateforthesituation.

Part A
Whichofthefollowingobjectsqualifyassystemsinthisproblem?
A. theslope
B. thegirl
 C. theearth

D. thesled

E. theair

Listalphabeticallyalltheletterscorrespondingtothesystems.Donotusecommas.Forinstance,ifyouthink
theslopeandsledqualifyassystems,typeAD.
BD
Correct

Theslope,theearth,andtheairallqualifyaspartoftheenvironment.Theyeachexertexternalforcesonthetwo
systems(thesledandthegirl).Unlikeforthetwosystems,however,itisnotimportanttokeeptrackofalltheforces
actingonelementsoftheenvironment.

Part B
Whichofthefollowingsimplifyingassumptionsarereasonable?
A. Theairresistanceactingonthegirlisnegligible.
B. Theairresistanceactingonthegirlequalstheforceoffrictionactingonher.

C. Theairresistanceactingonthesledisnegligible.

D. Thenormalforceactingonthesledisnegligible.

E. Theweightofthesledisaconstant.

F. Theweightofthesledincreasesasthesledaccelerates.

Listalphabeticallyalltheletterscorrespondingtoreasonableassumptions.Donotusecommas.Forinstance,
ifyouthinkAandBarereasonable,typeAB.
ACE
Correct

Part C
Whichofthefollowingsimplifyingassumptionsarereasonable?
A. Theropeconnectingthesledandthegirlismassless.
B. Theropeconnectingthesledandthegirlisunstretchable.

C. Thetensionintheropeconnectingthesledandthegirliszero.

D. Thesledhasthesameaccelerationasthegirl.

E. Thesledhasgreateraccelerationthanthegirl.

F. Thesledhassmalleraccelerationthanthegirl.

Listalphabeticallyalltheletterscorrespondingtoreasonableassumptions.Donotusecommas.Forinstance,
ifyouthinkAandBarereasonable,typeAB.
ABD
Correct
Visualize

Nowdrawasketchthatincludesthefreebodydiagramsforeachsystemandtheappropriatecoordinatesystem.Use
yoursketchtoanswerthefollowingquestions.

Forallquestions,assumethattheslopeanglesdownhilltotheleft: .

Part D
Whichfreebodydiagramforthegirliscorrect?Notethattheforcesarenotlabeled;however,theyshouldbe
labeledonyourdiagram.Youarelookingforthecorrectnumberofforcesinthecorrectdirections.Don'tworry
aboutrelativemagnitudesatthispoint.

a
b
c
d
e
Correct

Part E
Whichfreebodydiagramfortheslediscorrect?Notethattheforcesarenotlabeled;however,theyshouldbe
labeledonyourdiagram.Youarelookingforthecorrectnumberofforcesinthecorrectdirections.Don'tworry
aboutrelativemagnitudesatthispoint.
 a
b
c
d
e
Correct

Part F
Whichofthesecoordinatesystemsismostconvenientforsolvingthisproblem?(Thesamecoordinatesystemis
appropriateforboththesledandthegirl.)

a
b
c
d
Correct

Part G
Youshouldhaveidentifiedthepairsofactionreactionforcesonyourfreebodydiagrams.Whichofthefollowing
pairsofforcesformactionreactionpairs,accordingtoNewton's3rdlaw?

A. Theweightofthegirlandthenormalforceonthegirl
B. Theweightofthesledandthenormalforceonthesled

C. Theweightofthegirlandtheweightofthesled

D. Theforceoffrictiononthegirlandthetensionofthestring

E. Theweightofthesledandthetensionofthestring

F. Theweightofthesledandthegravitationalforceappliedbythesledtotheearth

Listalphabeticallyalltheletterscorrespondingtotheactionreactionpairsinthisproblem.Donotuse
commas.Forinstance,ifyouthinkAandBarebothvalidactionreactionpairs,typeAB.
F
Correct

AnactionreactionpairbetweenobjectsAandBisalwaysapairofforces and .Inoursituation,if

weassumethatthegirlandthesledactdirectlyoneachother(areasonableassumptionsincethemassofthestring
isnegligible),thentheforces"girlonthesled"and"sledonthegirl"wouldformanactionreactionpair.

Eachoftheotherforcesmentionedinthisquestiondoeshaveareactionforce,ofcourse.However,theobjectson
whichsuchreactionforcesareactingarepartoftheenvironment:Forinstance,thereactionforcetotheweightof
thegirlisthegravitationalforceappliedbythegirltotheearth,whichispartoftheenvironment.
Therearemanyvariationsonhowyoumightdrawgoodpictorialandphysicalrepresentationsforthisproblem.

Hereisoneexample.

Solve
Nowusetheinformationandtheinsightsthatyouhaveaccumulatedtoconstructthenecessarymathematical
expressionsandtoderivethesolution.

Part H
Findthemassofthesled .
Expressthesled'smassintermsofthegivenquantitiesand ,themagnitudeoftheaccelerationdueto
gravity.
=
Correct

Assess
Whenyouworkonaproblemonyourown,withoutthecomputerprovidedfeedback,onlyyoucanassesswhether
youranswerseemsright.Thefollowingquestionswillhelpyoupracticetheskillsnecessaryforsuchanassessment.

Part I
Intuitively,whatwouldhappeniftherewereverylittle(orno)staticfrictionbetweenthegirlandtheslope?
 Verylittleforcewouldberequiredtopullaheavysleduptheslope.
Thegirlwouldslipdowntheslopeandneverbeabletopullthesledup.
Thegirlwouldbeabletopullthesleduptheslopewithaverylarge
acceleration.
Thegirlwouldbeabletopullthesleduponlyatconstantvelocity.
Correct

If isveryclosetoorequaltozero,theformulayouderivedintheSolvesectionwouldgiveanegativevaluefor
themassofthesled.Sincethemassofthesledmustbepositive,suchananswersimplymeansthattheformulais
notapplicable:Thegirlwouldnotbeabletopullthesleduptheslope,nomatterhowsmallthemassofthesled.

Part J
Intuitively,whatwouldhappenifthe"slope"werehorizontalandthemassofthesledwereequaltothemassofthe
girl?
Thegirlwouldbeabletopullthesledwithaccelerationgreaterthan .
Thegirlwouldslipalongthesurfaceandnotbeabletopullthesled.
Thegirlwouldbeabletopullthesledwithuptosomemaximumaccelerationthatdependsonthefriction
betweenherandtheslope.
Thegirlwouldbeabletopullthesledonlyatconstantvelocity.
Correct

Iftheslopeishorizontal, and .Yourformulathenbecomes

and,if ,itfollowsthatthemaximumaccelerationis .

Part K
Whichofthefollowingexpressionshavethedimensionsofmass?

A.

B.

C.

D.
 E.

Listalphabeticallyalltheletterscorrespondingtoexpressionswiththecorrectdimensions.Donotuse
commas.Forinstance,ifyouthinkAandBhavethecorrectdimensions,typeAB.
ACE
Correct

Notethattrigonometricfunctionsandthecoefficientofstaticfrictionaredimensionless:Theydonotaffectthe
dimensionorunitsofthefinalanswer.

Pulling Three Blocks

Threeidenticalblocksconnectedbyidealstringsarebeingpulledalongahorizontalfrictionlesssurfacebya

horizontalforce . ThemagnitudeofthetensioninthestringbetweenblocksBandCis .Assumethateach

blockhasmass .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisthemagnitude oftheforce?
Expressthemagnitudeoftheforceintermsof .

=
Correct
 Kinetic Friction in a Block-and-Pulley System
Considerthesystemshowninthefigure .BlockAhasweight andblockBhasweight .OnceblockBis
setintodownwardmotion,itdescendsataconstantspeed.Assumethatthemassandfrictionofthepulleyare
negligible.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Calculatethecoefficientofkineticfriction betweenblockAandthetabletop.

=
Correct

Part B
Acat,alsoofweight ,fallsasleepontopofblockA.IfblockBisnowsetintodownwardmotion,whatisthe
magnitudeofitsacceleration?

=
Correct

Two Masses, a Pulley, and an Inclined Plane

Block1,ofmass ,isconnectedoveranideal(masslessandfrictionless)pulleytoblock2,ofmass ,as
shown.Assumethattheblocksaccelerateasshownwithanaccelerationofmagnitude andthatthecoefficientof
kineticfrictionbetweenblock2andtheplaneis .
 Harvaran Ghai
Part A

Findtheratioofthemasses .
Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , ,and ,aswellasthemagnitudeofthe
accelerationduetogravity .

=
Correct

The Impulse-Momentum Theorem

LearningGoal:Tolearnabouttheimpulsemomentumtheoremanditsapplicationsinsomecommoncases.

Usingtheconceptofmomentum,Newton'ssecondlawcanberewrittenas

,(1)

where isthenetforce actingontheobject,and istherateatwhichtheobject'smomentumischanging.

Iftheobjectisobservedduringanintervaloftimebetweentimes and ,thenintegrationofbothsidesofequation

(1)gives

.(2)
Therightsideofequation(2)issimplythechangeintheobject'smomentum .Theleftsideiscalledthe

impulseofthenetforceandisdenotedby .Thenequation(2)canberewrittenas

Thisequationisknownastheimpulsemomentumtheorem.Itstatesthatthechangeinanobject'smomentumis

equaltotheimpulseofthenetforceactingontheobject.Inthecaseofaconstantnetforce actingalongthe
directionofmotion,theimpulsemomentumtheoremcanbewrittenas

.(3)

Here , ,and arethecomponentsofthecorrespondingvectorquantitiesalongthechosencoordinateaxis.If

themotioninquestionistwodimensional,itisoftenusefultoapplyequation(3)tothexandycomponentsof
motionseparately.

Harvaran Ghai

Thefollowingquestionswillhelpyoulearntoapplytheimpulsemomentumtheoremtothecasesofconstantand
varyingforceactingalongthedirectionofmotion.First,letusconsideraparticleofmass movingalongthex
axis.Thenetforce isactingontheparticlealongthexaxis. isaconstantforce.

Part A
Theparticlestartsfromrestat .Whatisthemagnitude ofthemomentumoftheparticleattime ?Assume
that .
Expressyouranswerintermsofanyorallof , ,and .
=
Correct

Part B
Theparticlestartsfromrestat .Whatisthemagnitude ofthevelocityoftheparticleattime ?Assumethat
.
Expressyouranswerintermsofanyorallof , ,and .

=
Correct

Part C
Theparticlehasmomentumofmagnitude atacertaininstant.Whatis ,themagnitudeofitsmomentum
secondslater?
Expressyouranswerintermsofanyorallof , , ,and .
=
Correct

Part D
Theparticlehasmomentumofmagnitude atacertaininstant.Whatis ,themagnitudeofitsvelocity
secondslater?
Expressyouranswerintermsofanyorallof , , ,and .

=
Correct

Letusnowconsiderseveraltwodimensionalsituations.

Aparticleofmass ismovinginthepositivexdirectionatspeed .Afteracertainconstantforceisappliedtothe

particle,itmovesinthepositiveydirectionatspeed .

Part E
Findthemagnitudeoftheimpulse deliveredtotheparticle.
Expressyouranswerintermsof and .Usethreesignificantfiguresinthenumericalcoefficient.
=
Correct

Part F

Whichofthevectorsbelowbestrepresentsthedirectionoftheimpulsevector ?

 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Correct

Part G

Whatistheangle betweenthepositiveyaxisandthevector asshowninthefigure?

26.6degrees
30degrees
60degrees
63.4degrees
Correct

Part H
Ifthemagnitudeofthenetforceactingontheparticleis ,howlongdoesittaketheparticletoacquireitsfinal
velocity, inthepositiveydirection?
Expressyouranswerintermsof , ,and .Ifyouuseanumericalcoefficient,usethreesignificantfigures.

=
Correct

Sofar,wehaveconsideredonlythesituationinwhichthemagnitudeofthenetforceactingontheparticlewas
eitherirrelevanttothesolutionorwasconsideredconstant.Letusnowconsideranexampleofavaryingforce
actingonaparticle.

Part I
Aparticleofmass kilogramsisatrestat seconds.Avaryingforce

isactingontheparticlebetween secondsand seconds.Findthe

speed oftheparticleat seconds.
Expressyouranswerinmeterspersecondtothreesignificantfigures.

=43
Correct

Problem 9.11
A500 airtrackglidercollideswithaspringatoneendofthetrack.Thefigure showstheglider'svelocity
andtheforceexertedonthegliderbythespring.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Howlongisthegliderincontactwiththespring?
0.167s
Correct

Filling the Boat

Aboatofmass250 iscoasting,withitsengineinneutral,throughthewateratspeed3.00 whenitstartsto

rain.Therainisfallingvertically,anditaccumulatesintheboatattherateof10.0 .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisthespeedoftheboataftertime2.00 haspassed?Assumethatthewaterresistanceisnegligible.
Expressyouranswerinmeterspersecond.

2.78
Correct
Part B
Nowassumethattheboatissubjecttoadragforce duetowaterresistance.Isthecomponentofthetotal
momentumofthesystemparalleltothedirectionofmotionstillconserved?
yes
no
Correct

Theboatissubjecttoanexternalforce,thedragforceduetowaterresistance,andthereforeitsmomentumisnot
conserved.

Part C

Thedragisproportionaltothesquareofthespeedoftheboat,intheform .Whatistheaccelerationof
theboatjustaftertherainstarts?Takethepositive axisalongthedirectionofmotion.
Expressyouranswerinmeterspersecondpersecond.

1.80102
Correct

PSS 9.1: Tools of the Trade

LearningGoal:TopracticeProblemSolvingStrategy9.1forproblemsinvolvingconservationofmomentum.

Anastronautperformsmaintenanceworkoutsideherspaceshipwhenthetetherconnectinghertothespaceship
breaks.Theastronautfindsherselfatrestrelativetothespaceship,atadistance fromit.Togetbacktotheship,
shedecidestosacrificeherfavoritewrenchandhurlsitdirectlyawayfromthespaceshipataspeed relativetothe
spaceship.Whatisthedistance betweenthespaceshipandthewrenchbythetimetheastronautreachesthe
spaceship?

Themassoftheastronautis ;themassofthewrenchis .

Harvaran Ghai

MODEL: Clearlydefinethesystem.

Ifpossible,chooseasystemthatisisolated( )orwithinwhichtheinteractionsaresufficiently
shortandintensethatyoucanignoreexternalforcesforthedurationoftheinteraction(theimpulse
approximation).Momentumisconserved.
 Ifitisnotpossibletochooseanisolatedsystem,trytodividetheproblemintopartssuchthatmomentumis
conservedduringonesegmentofthemotion.Othersegmentsofthemotioncanbeanalyzedusing
Newton'slawsor,asyou'lllearninChapters10and11,conservationofenergy.

VISUALIZE:Drawabeforeandafterpictorialrepresentation.Definesymbolsthatwillbeusedintheproblem,list
knownvalues,andidentifywhatyouaretryingtofind.

SOLVE: Themathematicalrepresentationisbasedonthelawofconservationofmomentum: .Incomponent

form,thisis

ASSESS: Checkifyourresulthasthecorrectunits,isreasonable,andanswersthequestion.

Model
Westartbychoosingtheobjectsthatwouldmakeupthesystem.Inthiscase,itispossibletoidentifythesystem
thatisisolated.

Part A
Inadditiontotheastronaut,whichofthefollowingarecomponentsofthesystemthatshouldbedefinedtosolvethe
problem?
A. thespaceship
B. thewrench

C. theearth

Entertheletter(s)ofthecorrectanswer(s)inalphabeticalorder.Donotusecommas.Forexample,ifyou
thinkthesystemconsistsofalltheobjectslisted,enterABC.
B
Correct

Part B
Whichofthefollowingreasonsbestexplainswhytheastronaut+wrenchcanbeconsideredanisolatedsystem?
Themassofthewrenchismuchsmallerthanthatofthe
astronaut.
Theforcethattheastronautexertsonthewrenchisverysmall.
Theforcethattheastronautexertsonthewrenchisverylarge.
Theforcethatthespaceshipexertsonthewrenchisverysmall.
Theforcethatthespaceshipexertsonthewrenchisverylarge.
Correct
Visualize
Nowdrawabeforeandafterpictorialrepresentationincludingalltheelementslistedintheproblemsolving
strategy.Besurethatyoursketchisclearandincludesallnecessarysymbols,bothknownandunknown.Bythetime
theastronautreachesthespaceship,thewrenchwillhavecoveredacertaindistance;onyourpictorial
representation,labelthisdistance .

Part C
Afterthewrenchisthrown,theastronautandthewrenchmove
inoppositedirections.
inthesamedirection.
inperpendicular
directions.
Correct

Part D
Whichstatementabout , ,and iscorrect?

Correct

Hereisanexampleofwhatagoodbeforeandafterpictorialrepresentationmightlooklikeforthisproblem.

Solve
Nowusetheinformationandtheinsightsthatyouhaveaccumulatedtoconstructthenecessarymathematical
expressionsandtoderivethesolution.

Part E
Findthefinaldistance betweenthespaceshipandthewrench.
Expressthedistanceintermsofthegivenvariables.Youmayormaynotuseallofthem.
 =
Correct

Assess
Whenyouworkonaproblemonyourown,withoutthecomputerprovidedfeedback,onlyyoucanassesswhether
youranswerseemsright.Thefollowingquestionswillhelpyoupracticetheskillsnecessaryforsuchanassessment.

Part F
Intuitively,whichofthefollowingstatementsarecorrect?
A. Forrealisticvaluesofthequantitiesinvolved,itispossiblethat .
B. Iftheastronautthrewaspacepeninsteadofawrench,thepenwouldtravelfurtherthanthewrenchwould
inthetimeittakestheastronauttoreachtheship.(Assumethespacepenweighslessthanthewrench).

C. Iftheastronautweremoremassive,thewrenchwouldtravelfurtherinthetimeittakestheastronautto
reachtheship.

Typetheletterscorrespondingtothecorrectanswers.Donotusecommas.Forinstance,ifyouthinkthat
onlyexpressionsCandDhavetheunitsofdistance,typeCD.
BC
Correct

couldonlybezeroif .Asyoucanseefromyouranswer,thiswouldonlyhappenifthemassofthe
astronautwerezero,whichisobviouslyunrealistic.

Part G
Whichofthefollowingmathematicalexpressionshavetheunitsofdistance,where and aredistances?

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.
Typetheletterscorrespondingtothecorrectanswers.Donotusecommas.Forinstance,ifyouthinkthat
onlyexpressionsCandDhavetheunitsofdistance,typeCD.
ABE
Correct

Colliding Cars

Inthisproblemwewillconsiderthecollisionoftwocarsinitiallymovingatrightangles.Weassumethatafterthe
collisionthecarssticktogetherandtraveloffasasingleunit.Thecollisionisthereforecompletelyinelastic.

Twocarsofmasses and collideatanintersection.Beforethecollision,car1wastravelingeastwardata

speedof ,andcar2wastravelingnorthwardataspeedof . Afterthecollision,thetwocarssticktogether
andtraveloffinthedirectionshown.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
First,findthemagnitudeof ,thatis,thespeed ofthetwocarunitafterthecollision.
Express intermsof , ,andthecars'initialspeeds and .

=
Correct

Part B
Findthetangentoftheangle .
Expressyouranswerintermsofthemomentaofthetwocars, and .

=
Correct

Part C
Supposethatafterthecollision, ;inotherwords, is .Thismeansthatbeforethecollision:
Themagnitudesofthemomentaofthecarswere
equal.
Themassesofthecarswereequal.
Thevelocitiesofthecarswereequal.
Correct

Collision at an Angle
Twocars,bothofmass ,collideandsticktogether.Priortothecollision,onecarhadbeentravelingnorthat
speed ,whilethesecondwastravelingatspeed atanangle southofeast(asindicatedinthefigure).Afterthe
collision,thetwocarsystemtravelsatspeed atanangle eastofnorth.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Findthespeed ofthejoinedcarsafterthecollision.
Expressyouranswerintermsof and .

=
Correct

Part B
Whatistheangle withrespecttonorthmadebythevelocityvectorofthetwocarsafterthecollision?
Expressyouranswerintermsof .Youranswershouldcontainaninversetrigonometricfunction.

=
Correct

A Girl on a Trampoline

Agirlofmass kilogramsspringsfromatrampolinewithaninitialupwardvelocityof metersper

second.Atheight metersabovethetrampoline,thegirlgrabsaboxofmass kilograms.

Forthisproblem,use meterspersecondpersecondforthemagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravity.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisthespeed ofthegirlimmediatelybeforeshegrabsthebox?
Expressyouranswernumericallyinmeterspersecond.

=4.98
Correct
Part B
Whatisthespeed ofthegirlimmediatelyaftershegrabsthebox?
Expressyouranswernumericallyinmeterspersecond.

=3.98
Correct

Part C
Isthis"collision"elasticorinelastic?
elastic
inelastic
Correct

Ininelasticcollisions,someofthesystem'skineticenergyislost.Inthiscasethekineticenergylostisconvertedto
heatenergyinthegirl'smusclesasshegrabsthebox,andsoundenergy.

Part D
Whatisthemaximumheight thatthegirl(withbox)reaches?Measure withrespecttothetopofthe
trampoline.
Expressyouranswernumericallyinmeters.
=2.81
Correct

Circling Ball
Aballofmass isattachedtoastringoflength .Itisbeingswunginaverticalcirclewithenoughspeedsothat
thestringremainstautthroughouttheball'smotion. Assumethattheballtravelsfreelyinthisverticalcircle
withnegligiblelossoftotalmechanicalenergy.Toavoidconfusion,taketheupwarddirectiontobepositive
throughouttheproblem.Atthetopandbottomoftheverticalcircle,labeltheball'sspeeds and ,andlabelthe

correspondingtensionsinthestring and . and havemagnitudes and .

 Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Find ,thedifferencebetweenthemagnitudeofthetensioninthestringatthebottomrelativetothatatthe
topofthecircle.
Expressthedifferenceintensionintermsof and .Thequantities and shouldnotappearinyourfinal
answer.
=
Correct

Themethodoutlinedinthehintsisreallytheonlypracticalwaytodothisproblem.Ifdoneproperly,findingthe
differencebetweenthetensions, ,canbeaccomplishedfairlysimplyandelegantly.

Bungee Jumping

Kate,abungeejumper,wantstojumpofftheedgeofabridgethatspansariverbelow.Katehasamass ,andthe
surfaceofthebridgeisaheight abovethewater.Thebungeecord,whichhaslength whenunstretched,willfirst
straightenandthenstretchasKatefalls.

Assumethefollowing:

Thebungeecordbehavesasanidealspringonceitbeginstostretch,withspringconstant .
Katedoesn'tactuallyjumpbutsimplystepsofftheedgeofthebridgeandfallsstraightdownward.

Kate'sheightisnegligiblecomparedtothelengthofthebungeecord.Hence,shecanbetreatedasa
pointparticle.
Use forthemagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravity.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
HowfarbelowthebridgewillKateeventuallybehanging,onceshestopsoscillatingandcomesfinallytorest?
Assumethatshedoesn'ttouchthewater.
Expressthedistanceintermsofquantitiesgivenintheproblemintroduction.

=
Correct

Part B
IfKatejusttouchesthesurfaceoftheriveronherfirstdownwardtrip(i.e.,beforethefirstbounce),whatisthe
springconstant ?Ignorealldissipativeforces.
Express intermsof , , ,and .

=
Correct

Dancing Balls
Fourballs,eachofmass ,areconnectedbyfouridenticalrelaxedspringswithspringconstant .Theballsare
simultaneouslygivenequalinitialspeeds directedawayfromthecenterofsymmetryofthesystem.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Astheballsreachtheirmaximumdisplacement,theirkineticenergyreaches__________.
amaximum
zero
neitheramaximumnor
zero
Correct

Part B
Usegeometrytofind ,thedistanceeachofthespringshasstretchedfromitsequilibriumposition.(Itmayhelpto
drawtheinitialandthefinalstatesofthesystem.)
Expressyouranswerintermsof ,themaximumdisplacementofeachballfromitsinitialposition.

=
Correct

Part C
Findthemaximumdisplacement ofanyoneoftheballsfromitsinitialposition.
Express intermsofsomeorallofthegivenquantities , ,and .

=
Correct

Elastic Collision in One Dimension

Block1,ofmass ,movesacrossafrictionlesssurfacewithspeed .Itcollideselasticallywithblock2,ofmass
,whichisatrest( ). Afterthecollision,block1moveswithspeed ,whileblock2moveswith
speed .Assumethat ,sothatafterthecollision,thetwoobjectsmoveoffinthedirectionofthefirst
objectbeforethecollision.
 Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Thiscollisioniselastic.Whatquantities,ifany,areconservedinthiscollision?
kineticenergyonly
momentumonly
kineticenergyand
momentum
Correct

Part B
Whatisthefinalspeed ofblock1?
Express intermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Part C
Whatisthefinalspeed ofblock2?
Express intermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Sinking the 9-Ball

Jeanetteisplayingina9ballpooltournament.Shewillwinifshesinksthe9ballfromthefinalrack,sosheneeds
tolineuphershotprecisely.Boththecueballandthe9ballhavemass ,andthecueballishitataninitialspeed
of .Jeanettecarefullyhitsthecueballintothe9balloffcenter,sothatwhentheballscollide,theymoveaway
fromeachotheratthesameangle fromthedirectioninwhichthecueballwasoriginallytraveling(seefigure).
Furthermore,afterthecollision,thecueballmovesawayatspeed ,whilethe9ballmovesatspeed .

Forthepurposesofthisproblem,assumethatthecollisionisperfectlyelastic,neglectfriction,andignorethe
spinningoftheballs.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Findtheangle thatthe9balltravelsawayfromthehorizontal,asshowninthefigure.
Expressyouranswerindegreestothreesignificantfigures.
=45.0
Correct

Notethattheanglebetweenthefinalvelocitiesofthetwoballsis .Itturnsoutthatinanyelastic
collisionbetweentwoobjectsofequalmass,oneofwhichisinitiallyatrest,theanglebetweenthefinalvelocitiesof
thetwoobjectswillbeninetydegrees.

Energy in a Spring Graphing Question

Atoycarisheldatrestagainstacompressedspring,asshowninthefigure. Whenreleased,thecarslides
acrosstheroom.Let betheinitialpositionofthecar.Assumethatfrictionisnegligible.
 Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Sketchagraphofthetotalenergyofthespringandcarsystem.Thereisnoscalegiven,soyourgraphshouldsimply
reflectthequalitativeshapeoftheenergyvs.timeplot.HORIZONTALLINE

Correct
Part B
Sketchaplotoftheelasticpotentialenergyofthespringfromthepointatwhichthecarisreleasedtothe
equilibriumpositionofthespring.Makeyourgraphconsistentwiththegivenplotoftotalenergy(thegrayline
giveninthegraphingwindow).4POINTSGRADUALLYSLOPINGDOWN

Correct

Part C
Sketchagraphofthecar'skineticenergyfromthemomentitisreleaseduntilitpassestheequilibriumpositionof
thespring.Yourgraphshouldbeconsistentwiththegivenplotsoftotalenergy(graylineingraphingwindow)and
potentialenergy(grayparabolaingraphingwindow).5POINTSGRADUALLYSLOPINGUPOPPOSITEOF
GIVEN
Correct

Graphing Gravitational Potential Energy

A1.00 ballisthrowndirectlyupwardwithaninitialspeedof16.0 .

Agraphoftheball'sgravitationalpotentialenergyvs.height, ,foranarbitraryinitialvelocityisgiveninPart
A.Thezeropointofgravitationalpotentialenergyislocatedattheheightatwhichtheballleavesthethrower's
hand.

Forthisproblem,take astheaccelerationduetogravity.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Drawalineonthegraphrepresentingthetotalenergy oftheball.HORIZONTALLINEAT126
Correct

Part B
Usingthegraph,determinethemaximumheightreachedbytheball.
Expressyouranswertoonedecimalplace.
12.8
Correct

Theballreachesitsmaximumheightwhenitsvelocity(andthereforekineticenergy)iszero,soallofitsenergyis
potential.Thisoccursattheheightatwhichthetotalenergyandpotentialenergygraphsintersect.

Part C

Drawanewgravitationalpotentialenergyvs.heightgraphtorepresentthegravitationalpotentialenergyiftheball
hadamassof2.00 .Thegraphfora1.00 ballwithanarbitraryinitialvelocityisprovidedagainasa
reference.

Take astheaccelerationduetogravity.(100,5)(150,7.5)
Correct

Foraballwithtwicethemass,youshouldexpecttheplotofpotentialenergyvs.heighttohavetwicetheslope.

Understanding Work and Kinetic Energy

LearningGoal:TolearnabouttheWorkEnergyTheoremanditsbasicapplications.

Inthisproblem,youwilllearnabouttherelationshipbetweentheworkdoneonanobjectandthekineticenergyof
thatobject.

Thekineticenergy ofanobjectofmass movingataspeed isdefinedas .Itseemsreasonable

tosaythatthespeedofanobjectand,therefore,itskineticenergycanbechangedbyperformingworkonthe
object.Inthisproblem,wewillexplorethemathematicalrelationshipbetweentheworkdoneonanobjectandthe
changeinthekineticenergyofthatobject.

Harvaran Ghai
First,letusconsiderasledofmass beingpulledbyaconstant,horizontalforceofmagnitude alongarough,
horizontalsurface.Thesledisspeedingup.

Part A
Howmanyforcesareactingonthesled?
one
two
three
four
Correct

Part B
Theworkdoneonthesledbytheforceofgravityis__________.
zero
negative
positive
Correct

Part C
Theworkdoneonthesledbythenormalforceis__________.
zero
negative
positive
Correct

Part D
Theworkdoneonthesledbythepullingforceis__________.
zero
negative
positive
Correct

Part E
Theworkdoneonthesledbytheforceoffrictionis__________.
zero
negative
positive
Correct

Part F
Thenetworkdoneonthesledis__________.
zero
negative
positive
Correct

Part G
Inthesituationdescribed,thekineticenergyofthesled__________.
remains
constant
decreases
increases
Correct

Letusnowconsiderthesituationquantitatively.Letthemassofthesledbe andthemagnitudeofthenetforce
actingonthesledbe .Thesledstartsfromrest.

Consideranintervaloftimeduringwhichthesledcoversadistance andthespeedofthesledincreasesfrom to
.Wewillusethisinformationtofindtherelationshipbetweentheworkdonebythenetforce(otherwiseknown
asthenetwork)andthechangeinthekineticenergyofthesled.

Part H
Findthenetforce actingonthesled.
Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , , ,and .

=
Correct

Part I
Findthenetwork doneonthesled.
Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables and .
=
Correct
Part J

Use tofindthenetwork doneonthesled.

Expressyouranswerintermsofsomeorallofthevariables , ,and .

=
Correct

Youranswercanalsoberewrittenas

or

where and are,respectively,theinitialandthefinalkineticenergiesofthesled.Finally,onecanwrite

ThisformulaisknownastheWorkEnergyTheorem.Thecalculationsdoneinthisproblemillustratethe
applicabilityofthistheoreminaparticlarcase;however,theyshouldnotbeinterpretedasaproofofthistheorem.

Nevertheless,itcanbeshownthattheWorkEnergyTheoremisapplicableinallsituations,includingthose
involvingnonconstantforcesorforcesactingatanangletothedisplacementoftheobject.Thistheoremisquite
usefulinsolvingproblems,asillustratedbythefollowingexample.

HereisasimpleapplicationoftheWorkEnergyTheorem.

Part K
Acarofmass acceleratesfromspeed tospeed whilegoingupaslopethatmakesanangle withthe
horizontal.Thecoefficientofstaticfrictionis ,andtheaccelerationduetogravityis .Findthetotalwork
doneonthecarbytheexternalforces.
Expressyouranswerintermsofthegivenquantities.Youmayormaynotuseallofthem.

=
Correct
 Work Done by a Spring
Consideraspring,withspringconstant ,oneendofwhichisattachedtoawall. Thespringisinitially
unstretched,withtheunconstrainedendofthespringatposition .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Thespringisnowcompressedsothattheunconstrainedendmovesfrom to .Usingtheworkintegral

findtheworkdonebythespringasitiscompressed.
Expresstheworkdonebythespringintermsof and .

=
Correct

Work from a Constant Force

LearningGoal:Tounderstandhowtocomputetheworkdonebyaconstantforceactingonaparticlethatmovesin
astraightline.

Inthisproblem,youwillcalculatetheworkdonebyaconstantforce.Aforceisconsideredconstantif is
independentof .ThisisthemostfrequentlyencounteredsituationinelementaryNewtonianmechanics.
 Harvaran Ghai
Part A

ConsideraparticlemovinginastraightlinefrominitialpointBtofinalpointA,acteduponbyaconstantforce .
Theforce(thinkofitasafield,havingamagnitudeanddirectionateveryposition )isindicatedbyaseries
ofidenticalvectorspointingtotheleft,paralleltothehorizontalaxis.Thevectorsareallidenticalonlybecausethe
forceisconstantalongthepath.Themagnitudeoftheforceis ,andthedisplacementvectorfrompointBtopoint

Ais (ofmagnitude ,makingandangle (radians)withthepositivexaxis).Find ,theworkthattheforce

performsontheparticleasitmovesfrompointBtopointA.
Expresstheworkintermsof , ,and .Remembertouseradians,notdegrees,foranyanglesthatappear
inyouranswer.

=
Correct

Thisresultisworthremembering!Theworkdonebyaconstantforceofmagnitude ,whichactsatanangleof

withrespecttothedirectionofmotionalongastraightpathoflength ,is .Thisequation

correctlygivesthesigninthisproblem.Since istheanglewithrespecttothepositivexaxis(inradians),

;hence .

Part B

Nowconsiderthesameforce actingonaparticlethattravelsfrompointAtopointB. Thedisplacement

vector nowpointsintheoppositedirectionasitdidinPartA.Findthework doneby inthiscase.

Expressyouranswerintermsof , ,and .
 =
Correct

The Work Done in Pulling a Supertanker

Twotugboatspulladisabledsupertanker.Eachtugexertsaconstantforceof1.60106 ,oneatanangle14.0
westofnorth,andtheotheratanangle14.0 eastofnorth,astheypullthetankeradistance0.890 towardthe
north.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisthetotalworkdonebythetwotugboatsonthesupertanker?
Expressyouranswerinjoules.
2.76109
Correct

Work on a Sliding Block

Ablockofweight sitsonafrictionlessinclinedplane,whichmakesanangle withrespecttothehorizontal,as
shown. Aforceofmagnitude ,appliedparalleltotheincline,pullstheblockuptheplaneatconstantspeed.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Theblockmovesadistance uptheincline.Theblockdoesnotstopaftermovingthisdistancebutcontinuesto
movewithconstantspeed.Whatisthetotalwork doneontheblockbyallforces?(Includeonlytheworkdone
aftertheblockhasstartedmoving,nottheworkneededtostarttheblockmovingfromrest.)
Expressyouranswerintermsofgivenquantities.
=0
Correct

Part B
Whatis ,theworkdoneontheblockbytheforceofgravityastheblockmovesadistance uptheincline?
Expresstheworkdonebygravityintermsoftheweight andanyotherquantitiesgivenintheproblem
introduction.

=
Correct

Part C
Whatis ,theworkdoneontheblockbytheappliedforce astheblockmovesadistance uptheincline?
Expressyouranswerintermsof andothergivenquantities.
=
Correct

Part D
Whatis ,theworkdoneontheblockbythenormalforceastheblockmovesadistance uptheinclined
plane?
Expressyouranswerintermsofgivenquantities.
=0
Correct

Potential Energy Graphs and Motion

LearningGoal:Tobeabletointerpretpotentialenergydiagramsandpredictthecorrespondingmotionofa
particle.

Potentialenergydiagramsforaparticleareusefulinpredictingthemotionofthatparticle.Thesediagramsallow
onetodeterminethedirectionoftheforceactingontheparticleatanypoint,thepointsofstableandunstable
equilibrium,theparticle'skineticenergy,etc.
Considerthepotentialenergydiagramshown. Thecurverepresentsthevalueofpotentialenergy asa
functionoftheparticle'scoordinate .Thehorizontallineabovethecurverepresentstheconstantvalueofthetotal
energyoftheparticle .Thetotalenergy isthesumofkinetic( )andpotential( )energiesoftheparticle.

Thekeyideaininterpretingthegraphcanbeexpressedintheequation

where isthexcomponentofthenetforceasfunctionoftheparticle'scoordinate .Notethenegativesign:It

meansthatthexcomponentofthenetforceisnegativewhenthederivativeispositiveandviceversa.Forinstance,
iftheparticleismovingtotheright,anditspotentialenergyisincreasing,thenetforcewouldbepullingtheparticle
totheleft.

Ifyouarestillhavingtroublevisualizingthis,considerthefollowing:Ifamassiveparticleisincreasingits
gravitationalpotentialenergy(thatis,movingupward),theforceofgravityispullingintheoppositedirection(that
is,downward).

Ifthexcomponentofthenetforceiszero,theparticleissaidtobeinequilibrium.Therearetwokindsof
equilibrium:

Stableequilibriummeansthatsmalldeviationsfromtheequilibriumpointcreateanetforcethat
acceleratestheparticlebacktowardtheequilibriumpoint(thinkofaballrollingbetweentwohills).
Unstableequilibriummeansthatsmalldeviationsfromtheequilibriumpointcreateanetforcethat
acceleratestheparticlefurtherawayfromtheequilibriumpoint(thinkofaballontopofahill).

Inansweringthefollowingquestions,wewillassumethatthereisasinglevaryingforce actingontheparticle
alongthexaxis.Therefore,wewillusethetermforceinsteadofthecumbersomexcomponentofthenetforce.
 Harvaran Ghai
Part A
TheforceactingontheparticleatpointAis__________.
directedtothe
right
directedtotheleft
equaltozero
Correct

ConsiderthegraphintheregionofpointA.Iftheparticleismovingtotheright,itwouldbe"climbingthehill,"and
theforcewould"pullitdown,"thatis,pulltheparticlebacktotheleft.Another,moreabstractwayofthinking

aboutthisistosaythattheslopeofthegraphatpointAispositive;therefore,thedirectionof isnegative.

Part B
TheforceactingontheparticleatpointCis__________.
directedtothe
right
directedtotheleft
equaltozero
Correct

Part C
TheforceactingontheparticleatpointBis__________.
directedtothe
right
directedtotheleft
equaltozero
Correct

Theslopeofthegraphiszero;therefore,thederivative ,and .

Part D
TheaccelerationoftheparticleatpointBis__________.
directedtothe
right
directedtotheleft
equaltozero
Correct
Ifthenetforceiszero,soistheacceleration.Theparticleissaidtobeinastateofequilibrium.

Part E
IftheparticleislocatedslightlytotheleftofpointB,itsaccelerationis__________.
directedtothe
right
directedtotheleft
equaltozero
Correct

Part F
IftheparticleislocatedslightlytotherightofpointB,itsaccelerationis__________.
directedtothe
right
directedtotheleft
equaltozero
Correct

Asyoucansee,smalldeviationsfromequilibriumatpointBcauseaforcethatacceleratestheparticlefurtheraway;
hencetheparticleisinunstableequilibrium.

Part G
Namealllabeledpointsonthegraphcorrespondingtounstableequilibrium.
Listyourchoicesalphabetically,withnocommasorspaces;forinstance,ifyouchoosepointsB,D,andE,
typeyouranswerasBDE.
BF
Correct

Part H
Namealllabeledpointsonthegraphcorrespondingtostableequilibrium.
Listyourchoicesalphabetically,withnocommasorspaces;forinstance,ifyouchoosepointsB,D,andE,
typeyouranswerasBDE.
DH
Correct

Part I
Namealllabeledpointsonthegraphwheretheaccelerationoftheparticleiszero.
Listyourchoicesalphabetically,withnocommasorspaces;forinstance,ifyouchoosepointsB,D,andE,
typeyouranswerasBDE.
BDFH
Correct
Youranswer,ofcourse,includesthelocationsofbothstableandunstableequilibrium.

Part J
Namealllabeledpointssuchthatwhenaparticleisreleasedfromrestthere,itwouldacceleratetotheleft.
Listyourchoicesalphabetically,withnocommasorspaces;forinstance,ifyouchoosepointsB,D,andE,
typeyouranswerasBDE.
AE
Correct

Part K
ConsiderpointsA,E,andG.Ofthesethreepoints,whichonecorrespondstothegreatestmagnitudeofacceleration
oftheparticle?
A
E
G
Correct

Kineticenergy

Ifthetotalenergy oftheparticleisknown,onecanalsousethegraphof todrawconclusionsaboutthe

kineticenergyoftheparticlesince

Asareminder,onthisgraph,thetotalenergy isshownbythehorizontalline.

Part L
Whatpointonthegraphcorrespondstothemaximumkineticenergyofthemovingparticle?
D
Correct

Itmakessensethatthekineticenergyoftheparticleismaximumatoneofthe(force)equilibriumpoints.For
example,thinkofapendulum(whichhasonlyoneforceequilibriumpointattheverybottom).

Part M
Atwhatpointonthegraphdoestheparticlehavethelowestspeed?
B
Correct
Asyoucansee,manydifferentconclusionscanbemadeabouttheparticle'smotionmerelybylookingatthegraph.
Itishelpfultounderstandthecharacterofmotionqualitativelybeforeyouattemptquantitativeproblems.This
problemshouldproveusefulinimprovingsuchanunderstanding.

Potential Energy Calculations

LearningGoal:Tounderstandtherelationshipbetweentheforceandthepotentialenergychangesassociatedwith
thatforceandtobeabletocalculatethechangesinpotentialenergyasdefiniteintegrals.

Imaginethataconservativeforcefieldisdefinedinacertainregionofspace.Doesthissoundtooabstract?Well,
thinkofagravitationalfield(theonethatmakesapplesfalldownandkeepstheplanetsorbiting)oranelectrostatic
fieldexistingaroundanyelectricallychargedobject.

Ifaparticleismovinginsuchafield,itschangeinpotentialenergydoesnotdependontheparticle'spathandis
determinedonlybytheparticle'sinitialandfinalpositions.Recallthat,ingeneral,thecomponentofthenetforce
actingonaparticleequalsthenegativederivativeofthepotentialenergyfunctionalongthecorrespondingaxis:

Therefore,thechangeinpotentialenergycanbefoundastheintegral

where isthechangeinpotentialenergyforaparticlemovingfrompoint1topoint2, isthenetforceacting

ontheparticleatagivenpointofitspath,and isasmalldisplacementoftheparticlealongitspathfrom1to2.

Evaluatingsuchanintegralinageneralcasecanbeatediousandlengthytask.However,twocircumstancesmakeit
easier:
1. Becausetheresultispathindependent,itisalwayspossibletoconsiderthemoststraightforwardwayto
reachpoint2frompoint1.
2. Themostcommonrealworldfieldsarerathersimplydefined.

Inthisproblem,youwillpracticecalculatingthechangeinpotentialenergyforaparticlemovinginthreecommon
forcefields.

Notethat,intheequationsfortheforces, istheunitvectorinthexdirection, istheunitvectorintheydirection,

and istheunitvectorintheradialdirectionincaseofasphericallysymmetricalforcefield.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Considerauniformgravitationalfield(afairapproximationnearthesurfaceofaplanet).Find

where

and .

Expressyouranswerintermsof , , ,and .

=
Correct

Part B
ConsidertheforceexertedbyaspringthatobeysHooke'slaw.Find

where

andthespringconstant ispositive.
Expressyouranswerintermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Part C
Finally,considerthegravitationalforcegeneratedbyasphericallysymmetricalmassiveobject.Themagnitudeand
directionofsuchaforcearegivenbyNewton'slawofgravity:

where ; , ,and areconstants;and .Find

.
Expressyouranswerintermsof , , , ,and .

=
Correct

Asyoucansee,thechangeinpotentialenergyoftheparticlecanbefoundbyintegratingtheforcealongthe
particle'spath.However,thismethod,aswementionedbefore,doeshaveanimportantrestriction:Itcanonlybe
appliedtoaconservativeforcefield.Forconservativeforcessuchasgravityortensiontheworkdoneonthe
particledoesnotdependontheparticle'spath,andthepotentialenergyisthefunctionoftheparticle'sposition.

Incaseofanonconservativeforcesuchasafrictionalormagneticforcethepotentialenergycannolongerbe
definedasafunctionoftheparticle'sposition,andthemethodthatyouusedinthisproblemwouldnotbe
applicable.

A Mass-Spring System with Recoil and Friction

Anobjectofmass istravelingonahorizontalsurface.Thereisacoefficientofkineticfriction betweenthe
objectandthesurface.Theobjecthasspeed whenitreaches andencountersaspring.Theobjectcompresses
thespring,stops,andthenrecoilsandtravelsintheoppositedirection.Whentheobjectreaches onitsreturn
trip,itstops.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Find ,thespringconstant.
Express intermsof , , ,and .

=
Correct

Dragging a Board
Auniformboardoflength andmass liesnearaboundarythatseparatestworegions.Inregion1,thecoefficient
ofkineticfrictionbetweentheboardandthesurfaceis ,andinregion2,thecoefficientis .Thepositive
directionisshowninthefigure.

 Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Findthenetwork donebyfrictioninpullingtheboarddirectlyfromregion1toregion2.Assumethattheboard
movesatconstantvelocity.
Expressthenetworkintermsof , , , ,and .

=
Correct

Thisanswermakessensebecauseitisasiftheboardspenthalfitstimeinregion1,andhalfinregion2,whichon
average,itinfactdid.

Part B
Whatisthetotalworkdonebytheexternalforceinpullingtheboardfromregion1toregion2?(Again,assumethat
theboardmovesatconstantvelocity.)
Expressyouranswerintermsof , , , ,and .

=
Correct

Drag on a Skydiver
Askydiverofmass jumpsfromahotairballoonandfallsadistance beforereachingaterminalvelocityof
magnitude .Assumethatthemagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravityis .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisthework doneontheskydiver,overthedistance ,bythedragforceoftheair?
Expresstheworkintermsof , , ,andthemagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravity .

=
Correct

Part B
Findthepower suppliedbythedragforceaftertheskydiverhasreachedterminalvelocity .
Expressthepowerintermsofquantitiesgivenintheproblemintroduction.
=
Correct

Power Dissipation Puts a Drag on Racing

Thedominantformofdragexperiencedbyvehicles(bikes,cars,planes,etc.)atoperatingspeedsiscalledform
drag.Itincreasesquadraticallywithvelocity(essentiallybecausetheamountofairyourunintoincreaseswith and
sodoestheamountofforceyoumustexertoneachsmallvolumeofair).Thus

where isthecrosssectionalareaofthevehicleand iscalledthecoefficientofdrag.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Consideravehiclemovingwithconstantvelocity .Findthepowerdissipatedbyformdrag.
Expressyouranswerintermsof , ,andspeed .

=
Correct

Part B
Acertaincarhasanenginethatprovidesamaximumpower .Supposethatthemaximumspeedofthecar, ,is
limitedbyadragforceproportionaltothesquareofthespeed(asinthepreviouspart).Thecarengineisnow

modified,sothatthenewpower is10percentgreaterthantheoriginalpower( .

Assumethefollowing:
 Thetopspeedislimitedbyairdrag.
Themagnitudeoftheforceofairdragatthesespeedsisproportionaltothesquareofthespeed.

Bywhatpercentage, ,isthetopspeedofthecarincreased?
Expressthepercentincreaseintopspeednumericallytotwosignificantfigures.

=3.2%
Correct

You'llnotethatyouranswerisveryclosetoonethirdofthepercentagebywhichthepowerwasincreased.This
dependenceofsmallchangesoneachother,whenthequantitiesarerelatedbyproportionalitiesofexponents,is
commoninphysicsandoftenmakesausefulshortcutforestimations.

Energy of a Spacecraft
Veryfarfromearth(at ),aspacecrafthasrunoutoffuelanditskineticenergyiszero.Ifonlythe
gravitationalforceoftheearthweretoactonit(i.e.,neglecttheforcesfromthesunandothersolarsystemobjects),
thespacecraftwouldeventuallycrashintotheearth.Themassoftheearthis anditsradiusis .Neglectair
resistancethroughoutthisproblem,sincethespacecraftisprimarilymovingthroughthenearvacuumofspace.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Findthespeed ofthespacecraftwhenitcrashesintotheearth.
Expressthespeedintermsof , ,andtheuniversalgravitationalconstant .

=
Correct

Part B
Nowfindthespacecraft'sspeedwhenitsdistancefromthecenteroftheearthis ,where .
Expressthespeedintermsof and .

=
Correct

Orbiting Satellite

Asatelliteofmass isinacircularorbitofradius aroundasphericalplanetofradius madeofamaterialwith
density .( ismeasuredfromthecenteroftheplanet,notitssurface.)Use fortheuniversalgravitational
constant.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Findthekineticenergyofthissatellite, .
Expressthesatellite'skineticenergyintermsof , , , , ,and .

=
Correct

Part B
Find ,thegravitationalpotentialenergyofthesatellite.Takethegravitationalpotentialenergytobezeroforan
objectinfinitelyfarawayfromtheplanet.
Expressthesatellite'sgravitationalpotentialenergyintermsof , , , , ,and .

=
Correct

Part C
Whatistheratioofthekineticenergyofthissatellitetoitspotentialenergy?

Express intermsofparametersgivenintheintroduction.
 =0.500
Correct

Theresultofthisproblemmaybeexpressedas where istheexponentoftheforcelaw(i.e.

).Thisisaspecicalcaseofageneralandpowerfultheroemofadvancedclassical
mechanicsknownastheVirialTheorem.Thetheoremappliestotheaverageofthekineticandpotentialenergiesof
ofanyoneormultipleobjectsmovingoveranyclosed(oralmostclosed)paththatreturnsveryclosetoitself
providedthatallobjectsinteractviapotentialswiththesamepowerlawdependenceontheirseparation.Thusit

appliestostarsinagalaxy,ormassestiedtogetherwithsprings(where sincetheforcelawis

).

Problem 12.28
Thespaceshuttleisina250 highcircularorbit.Itneedstoreacha700 highcircularorbittocatchthe
HubbleSpaceTelescopeforrepairs.Theshuttle'smassis8.00104 .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Howmuchenergyisrequiredtoboostittotheneworbit?
1.531011J
Correct

An Exhausted Bicyclist

Anexhaustedbicyclistpedalssomewhaterratically,sothattheangularvelocityofhistiresfollowstheequation

where representstime(measuredinseconds).

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Thereisaspotofpaintonthefronttireofthebicycle.Takethepositionofthespotattime tobeatangle
radianswithrespecttoanaxisparalleltotheground(andperpendiculartotheaxisofrotationofthetire)and
measurepositiveanglesinthedirectionofthetire'srotation.Whatangulardisplacement hasthespotofpaint
undergonebetweentime0and2seconds?
Expressyouranswerinradians.
=0.793
Correct

Part B
Expresstheangulardisplacementundergonebythespotofpaintat secondsindegrees.
=45.5
Correct

Part C
Whatdistance hasthespotofpaintmovedin2secondsiftheradiusofthetireis50centimeters?
Expressyouranswerincentimeters.
=39.7
Correct

Part D
Whichoneofthefollowingstatementsdescribesthemotionofthespotofpaintat seconds?
Theangularaccelerationofthespotofpaintisconstantandthemagnitudeoftheangularspeedisdecreasing.
Theangularaccelerationofthespotofpaintisconstantandthemagnitudeoftheangularspeedisincreasing.
Theangularaccelerationofthespotofpaintispositiveandthemagnitudeoftheangularspeedisdecreasing.
Theangularaccelerationofthespotofpaintispositiveandthemagnitudeoftheangularspeedisincreasing.
Theangularaccelerationofthespotofpaintisnegativeandthemagnitudeoftheangularspeedis
decreasing.
Theangularaccelerationofthespotofpaintisnegativeandthemagnitudeoftheangularspeedisincreasing.
Correct

A Spinning Grinding Wheel

Attime agrindingwheelhasanangularvelocityof23.0 .Ithasaconstantangularaccelerationof

32.0 untilacircuitbreakertripsattime =1.90 .Fromthenon,thewheelturnsthroughanangleof

433 asitcoaststoastopatconstantangulardeceleration.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Throughwhattotalangledidthewheelturnbetween andthetimeitstopped?
Expressyouranswerinradians.
534
Correct

Part B
Atwhattimedoesthewheelstop?
Expressyouranswerinseconds.
12.2
Correct

Part C
Whatwasthewheel'sangularaccelerationasitsloweddown?
Expressyouranswerinradianspersecondpersecond.

8.11
Correct

Finding Torque

Aforce ofmagnitude ,makinganangle withthexaxis,isappliedtoaparticlelocatedatpointA,atCartesian

coordinates(0,0)inthefigure.Thevector andthefourreferencepoints(i.e.,A,B,C,andD)alllieinthexy
plane.RotationaxesADlieparalleltothezaxisandpassthrougheachrespectivereferencepoint.

Thetorque ofaforce actingonaparticlehavingapositionvector withrespecttoareferencepoint(thus

pointsfromthereferencepointtothepointatwhichtheforceacts)isequaltothecrossproductof and ,

.Themagnitudeofthetorqueis ,where istheanglebetween and ;thedirectionof

isperpendiculartoboth and .Forthisproblem ;negativetorqueaboutareferencepointcorresponds

toclockwiserotation.Youmustexpress intermsof , ,and/or whenenteringyouranswers.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A

Whatisthetorque duetoforce aboutthepointA?

ExpressthetorqueaboutpointAatCartesiancoordinates(0,0).
=0
Correct

Part B

Whatisthetorque duetoforce aboutthepointB?(BisthepointatCartesiancoordinates(0, ),locateda

distance fromtheoriginalongtheyaxis.)
ExpressthetorqueaboutpointBintermsof , , , ,and/orothergivencoordinatedata.

=
Correct

Part C
Whatisthetorque aboutthepointC,locatedatapositiongivenbyCartesiancoordinates( ,0),adistance
alongthexaxis?
ExpressthetorqueaboutpointCintermsof , , , ,and/orothergivencoordinatedata.

=
Correct
Part D
Whatisthetorque aboutthepointD,locatedatadistance fromtheoriginandmakinganangle withthex
axis?
ExpressthetorqueaboutpointDintermsof , , , ,and/orothergivencoordinatedata.

=
Correct

Notethatthecrossproduct canalsobeexpressedasathirdorderdeterminant

whichsimplifiesto when and lieinthexyplane.

Pivoted Rod with Unequal Masses

Athinrodofmass andlength isallowedtopivotfreelyaboutitscenter,asshowninthediagram.A
smallsphereofmass isattachedtotheleftendoftherod,andasmallsphereofmass isattachedtotheright
end.Thespheresaresmallenoughthattheycanbeconsideredpointparticles.Thegravitationalforceacts
downward,withthemagnitudeofthegravitationalaccelerationequalto .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisthemomentofinertia ofthisassemblyabouttheaxisthroughwhichitispivoted?
Expressthemomentofinertiaintermsof , , ,and .Remember,thelengthoftherodis ,not .

=
Correct

Part B
Supposetherodisheldatresthorizontallyandthenreleased.(Throughouttheremainderofthisproblem,your
answermayincludethesymbol ,themomentofinertiaoftheassembly,whetherornotyouhaveansweredthe
firstpartcorrectly.)

Whatistheangularacceleration oftherodimmediatelyafteritisreleased?
Takethecounterclockwisedirectiontobepositive.Express intermsofsomeorallofthevariables , ,
, , ,and .

=
Correct

Pulling a String to Accelerate a Wheel

Abicyclewheelismountedonafixed,frictionlessaxle,asshown .Amasslessstringiswoundaroundthe

wheel'srim,andaconstanthorizontalforce ofmagnitude startspullingthestringfromthetopofthewheel

startingattime whenthewheelisnotrotating.Supposethatatsomelatertime thestringhasbeenpulled

throughadistance .Thewheelhasmomentofinertia ,where isadimensionlessnumberlessthan1,

isthewheel'smass,and isitsradius.Assumethatthestringdoesnotsliponthewheel.
 Harvaran Ghai
Part A

Find ,theangularaccelerationofthewheel,whichresultsfrom pullingthestringtotheleft.Usethestandard

conventionthatcounterclockwiseangularaccelerationsarepositive.
Expresstheangularacceleration, ,intermsof , , ,and (butnot ).

=
Correct

Part B

Theforce pullingthestringisconstant;thereforethemagnitudeoftheangularacceleration ofthewheelis

constantforthisconfiguration.

Findthemagnitudeoftheangularvelocity ofthewheelwhenthestringhasbeenpulledadistance .

Notethattherearetwowaystofindanexpressionfor ;theseexpressionslookverydifferentbutareequivalent.

Expresstheangularvelocity ofthewheelintermsofthedisplacement ,themagnitude oftheapplied

force,andthemomentofinertiaofthewheel ,ifyou'vefoundsuchasolution.Otherwise,followingthe
hintsforthispartshouldleadyoutoexpresstheangularvelocity ofthewheelintermsofthedisplacement
,thewheel'sradius ,and .

=
Correct

Thissolutioncanbeobtainedfromtheequationsofrotationalmotionandtheequationsofmotionwithconstant

acceleration.Analternateapproachistocalculatetheworkdoneoverthedisplacement bytheforce andequate

thisworktotheincreaseinrotationalkineticenergyofrotationofthewheel

Part C

Find ,thespeedofthestringafterithasbeenpulledby overadistance .

Expressthespeedofthestringintermsof , , ,and ;donotinclude , ,or inyouranswer.

=
Correct
Notethatthisisthespeedthatanobjectofmass (whichislessthan )wouldattainifpulledadistance bya
forcewithconstantmagnitude .

A Bar Suspended by Two Vertical Strings

Arigid,uniform,horizontalbarofmass andlength issupportedbytwoidenticalmasslessstrings. Both

stringsarevertical.StringAisattachedatadistance fromtheleftendofthebarandisconnectedtothe
ceiling;stringBisattachedtotheleftendofthebarandisconnectedtothefloor.Asmallblockofmass is
supportedagainstgravitybythebaratadistance fromtheleftendofthebar,asshowninthefigure.

Throughoutthisproblempositivetorqueisthatwhichspinsanobjectcounterclockwise.Use forthemagnitudeof
theaccelerationduetogravity.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Find ,thetensioninstringA.
ExpressthetensioninstringAintermsof , , , , ,and .

=
Correct

Part B
Find ,themagnitudeofthetensioninstringB.
ExpressthemagnitudeofthetensioninstringBintermsof , , ,and .

=
Correct

Part C
Ifthebarandblockaretooheavythestringsmaybreak.Whichofthetwoidenticalstringswillbreakfirst?
string
A
stringB
Correct

Part D
Ifthemassoftheblockistoolargeandtheblockistooclosetotheleftendofthebar(nearstringB)thenthe
horizontalbarmaybecomeunstable(i.e.,thebarmaynolongerremainhorizontal).

Whatisthesmallestpossiblevalueof suchthatthebarremainsstable(callit )?

Expressyouranswerfor intermsof , , ,and .

=
Correct

Part E

Notethatsince ,ascomputedinthepreviouspart,isnotnecessarilypositive.If ,thebarwillbe

stablenomatterwheretheblockofmass isplacedonit.

Assumingthat , ,and areheldfixed,whatisthemaximumblockmass forwhichthebarwillalwaysbe

stable?Inotherwords,whatisthemaximumblockmasssuchthat ?

Answerintermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

A Person Standing on a Leaning Ladder

Auniformladderwithmass andlength restsagainstasmoothwall. Adoityourselfenthusiastofmass
standsontheladderadistance fromthebottom(measuredalongtheladder).Theladdermakesanangle with
theground.Thereisnofrictionbetweenthewallandtheladder,butthereisafrictionalforceofmagnitude
betweenthefloorandtheladder. isthemagnitudeofthenormalforceexertedbythewallontheladder,and
isthemagnitudeofthenormalforceexertedbythegroundontheladder.Throughouttheproblem,consider
counterclockwisetorquestobepositive.Noneofyouranswersshouldinvolve (i.e.,simplifyyourtrigfunctions).

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatistheminimumcoeffecientofstaticfriction requiredbetweentheladderandthegroundsothatthe
ladderdoesnotslip?
Express intermsof , , , ,and .
=
Correct

Part B
Supposethattheactualcoefficentoffrictionisoneandahalftimesaslargeasthevalueof .Thatis,

.Underthesecircumstances,whatisthemagnitudeoftheforceoffriction thatthefloorappliesto
theladder?
Expressyouranswerintermsof , , , , ,and .Remembertopayattentiontotherelationofforce
and .
=
Correct
 A Rolling Hollow Sphere
Ahollowsphericalshellwithmass1.80 rollswithoutslippingdownaslopethatmakesanangleof39.0 with
thehorizontal.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Findthemagnitudeoftheacceleration ofthecenterofmassofthesphericalshell.

Takethefreefallaccelerationtobe =9.80 .

=3.70
Correct

Part B
Findthemagnitudeofthefrictionalforceactingonthesphericalshell.

Takethefreefallaccelerationtobe =9.80 .
=4.44
Correct

Thefrictionalforcekeepsthesphericalshellstucktothesurfaceoftheslope,sothatthereisnoslippingasitrolls
down.Iftherewerenofriction,theshellwouldsimplyslidedowntheslope,asarectangularboxmightdoonan
inclined(frictionless)surface.

Part C
Findtheminimumcoefficientoffriction neededtopreventthesphericalshellfromslippingasitrollsdownthe
slope.
=0.324
Correct

Weight and Wheel

Considerabicyclewheelthatinitiallyisnotrotating.Ablockofmass isattachedtothewheelandisallowedto
falladistance .Assumethatthewheelhasamomentofinertia aboutitsrotationaxis.
 Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Considerthecasethatthestringtiedtotheblockisattachedtotheoutsideofthewheel,ataradius

.Find ,theangularspeedofthewheelaftertheblockhasfallenadistance ,forthiscase.
Express intermsof , , , ,and .

=
Correct

Part B
Nowconsiderthecasethatthestringtiedtotheblockiswrappedaroundasmallerinsideaxleofthewheelofradius
.Find ,theangularspeedofthewheelaftertheblockhasfallenadistance ,forthiscase.
Express intermsof , , , ,and .

=
Correct

Part C
Whichofthefollowingdescribestherelationshipbetween and ?

Correct
Thisisrelatedtowhygearsarefoundontheinsideratherthantheoutsideofawheel.

Record and Turntable

LearningGoal:Tounderstandhowtouseconservationofangularmomentumtosolveproblemsinvolving
collisionsofrotatingbodies.

Consideraturntabletobeacirculardiskofmomentofinertia rotatingataconstantangularvelocity
aroundanaxisthroughthecenterandperpendiculartotheplaneofthedisk(thedisk's"primaryaxisofsymmetry").
Theaxisofthediskisverticalandthediskissupportedbyfrictionlessbearings.Themotoroftheturntableisoff,so
thereisnoexternaltorquebeingappliedtotheaxis.
Anotherdisk(arecord)isdroppedontothefirstsuchthatitlandscoaxially(theaxescoincide).Themomentof
inertiaoftherecordis .Theinitialangularvelocityoftheseconddiskiszero.

Thereisfrictionbetweenthetwodisks.

Afterthis"rotationalcollision,"thediskswilleventuallyrotatewiththesameangularvelocity.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisthefinalangularvelocity, ,ofthetwodisks?
Express intermsof , ,and .

=
Correct

Part B
Becauseoffriction,rotationalkineticenergyisnotconservedwhilethedisks'surfacesslipovereachother.Whatis
thefinalrotationalkineticenergy, ,ofthetwospinningdisks?
Expressthefinalkineticenergyintermsof , ,andtheinitialkineticenergy ofthetwodisksystem.No
angularvelocitiesshouldappearinyouranswer.

=
Correct

Someoftheenergywasconvertedintoheatandsoundasthefrictionalforce,torqueacted,stoppingrelativemotion.

Part C
Assumethattheturntabledecceleratedduringtime beforereachingthefinalangularvelocity( isthetime
intervalbetweenthemomentwhenthetopdiskisdroppedandthetimethatthedisksbegintospinatthesame

angularvelocity).Whatwastheaveragetorque, ,actingonthebottomdiskduetofrictionwiththerecord?
Expressthetorqueintermsof , , ,and .

=
Correct

Problem 13.87
Duringmostofitslifetime,astarmaintainsanequilibriumsizeinwhichtheinwardforceofgravityoneachatomis
balancedbyanoutwardpressureforceduetotheheatofthenuclearreactionsinthecore.Butafterallthehydrogen
"fuel"isconsumedbynuclearfusion,thepressureforcedropsandthestarundergoesagravitationalcollapseuntilit
becomesaneutronstar.Inaneutronstar,theelectronsandprotonsoftheatomsaresqueezedtogetherbygravity
untiltheyfuseintoneutrons.Neutronstarsspinveryrapidlyandemitintensepulsesofradioandlightwaves,one
pulseperrotation.These"pulsingstars"werediscoveredinthe1960sandarecalledpulsars.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A

Astarwiththemass andsize ofoursunrotatesonceevery34.0days.

Afterundergoinggravitationalcollapse,thestarformsapulsarthatisobservedbyastronomerstoemitradiopulses
every0.100 .Bytreatingtheneutronstarasasolidsphere,deduceitsradius.
6.46104m
Correct

Part B
Whatisthespeedofapointontheequatoroftheneutronstar?Youranswerwillbesomewhattoolargebecausea
starcannotbeaccuratelymodeledasasolidsphere.
4.06106m/s
Correct
 Analyzing Simple Harmonic Motion
ThisError! Hyperlink reference not valid.showstwomassesonsprings,eachaccompaniedbya
graphofitspositionversustime.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A

Whatisanexpressionfor ,thepositionofmassIasafunctionoftime?Assumethatpositionismeasuredin
metersandtimeismeasuredinseconds.
Expressyouranswerasafunctionof .Expressnumericalconstantstothreesignificantfigures.

=
Correct

Part B

Whatis ,thepositionofmassIIasafunctionoftime?Assumethatpositionismeasuredinmetersandtimeis
measuredinseconds.
Expressyouranswerasafunctionof .Expressnumericalconstantstothreesignificantfigures.

=
Correct

Harmonic Oscillator Acceleration

LearningGoal:Tounderstandtheapplicationofthegeneralharmonicequationtofindingtheaccelerationofa
springoscillatorasafunctionoftime.

Oneendofaspringwithspringconstant isattachedtothewall.Theotherendisattachedtoablockofmass .
Theblockrestsonafrictionlesshorizontalsurface.Theequilibriumpositionoftheleftsideoftheblockisdefined
tobe .Thelengthoftherelaxedspringis .

Theblockisslowlypulledfromitsequilibriumpositiontosomeposition alongthexaxis.Attime ,
theblockisreleasedwithzeroinitialvelocity.

Thegoalofthisproblemistodeterminetheaccelerationoftheblock asafunctionoftimeintermsof , ,
and .
Itisknownthatageneralsolutionforthepositionofaharmonicoscillatoris

where , ,and areconstants.

Yourtask,therefore,istodeterminethevaluesof , ,and intermsof , ,and andthenusethe

connectionbetween and tofindtheacceleration.

Harvaran Ghai
Part A

CombineNewton's2ndlawandHooke'slawforaspringtofindtheaccelerationoftheblock asafunctionof
time.

Expressyouranswerintermsof , ,andthecoordinateoftheblock .

=
Correct

Thenegativesignintheanswerisimportant:Itindicatesthattherestoringforce(thetensionofthespring)isalways
directedoppositetotheblock'sdisplacement.Whentheblockispulledtotherightfromtheequilibriumposition,
therestoringforceispullingback,thatis,totheleftandviceversa.

Part B

Usingthefactthataccelerationisthesecondderivativeofposition,findtheaccelerationoftheblock asa
functionoftime.

Expressyouranswerintermsof , ,and .
 =
Correct

Part C
Findtheangularfrequency .
Expressyouranswerintermsof and .

=
Correct

Notethattheangularfrequency and,therefore,theperiodofoscillations dependonlyontheintrinsicphysical

characteristicsofthesystem( and ).Frequencyandperioddonotdependontheinitialconditionsorthe
amplitudeofthemotion.

Energy of Harmonic Oscillators

LearningGoal:Tolearntoapplythelawofconservationofenergytotheanalysisofharmonicoscillators.

Systemsinsimpleharmonicmotion,orharmonicoscillators,obeythelawofconservationofenergyjustlikeall
othersystemsdo.Usingenergyconsiderations,onecananalyzemanyaspectsofmotionoftheoscillator.Suchan
analysiscanbesimplifiedifoneassumesthatmechanicalenergyisnotdissipated.Inotherwords,

where isthetotalmechanicalenergyofthesystem, isthekineticenergy,and isthepotentialenergy.

 Harvaran Ghai
Asyouknow,acommonexampleofaharmonicoscillatorisamassattachedtoaspring.Inthisproblem,wewill
considerahorizontallymovingblockattachedtoaspring.Notethat,sincethegravitationalpotentialenergyisnot
changinginthiscase,itcanbeexcludedfromthecalculations.

Forsuchasystem,thepotentialenergyisstoredinthespringandisgivenby

where istheforceconstantofthespringand isthedistancefromtheequilibriumposition.

Thekineticenergyofthesystemis,asalways,

where isthemassoftheblockand isthespeedoftheblock.

Wewillalsoassumethattherearenoresistiveforces;thatis, .

Consideraharmonicoscillatoratfourdifferentmoments,labeledA,B,C,andD,asshowninthefigure .
Assumethattheforceconstant ,themassoftheblock, ,andtheamplitudeofvibrations, ,aregiven.Answer
thefollowingquestions.

Part A
Whichmomentcorrespondstothemaximumpotentialenergyofthesystem?
A
B
 C
D
Correct

Part B
Whichmomentcorrespondstotheminimumkineticenergyofthesystem?
A
B
C
D
Correct

Whentheblockisdisplacedadistance fromequilibrium,thespringisstretched(orcompressed)themost,andthe

blockismomentarilyatrest.Therefore,themaximumpotentialenergyis .Atthatmoment,of
course, .Recallthat .Therefore,

Ingeneral,themechanicalenergyofaharmonicoscillatorequalsitspotentialenergyatthemaximumorminimum
displacement.

Part C
Considertheblockintheprocessofoscillating.
attheequilibriumposition.
attheamplitudedisplacement.
movingtotheright.
Ifthekineticenergyoftheblockisincreasing,theblockmust
be movingtotheleft.
movingawayfrom
equilibrium.
movingtowardequilibrium.
Correct

Part D
Whichmomentcorrespondstothemaximumkineticenergyofthesystem?
A
B
 C
D
Correct

Part E
Whichmomentcorrespondstotheminimumpotentialenergyofthesystem?
A
B
C
D
Correct

Whentheblockisattheequilibriumposition,thespringisnotstretched(orcompressed)atall.Atthatmoment,of
course, .Meanwhile,theblockisatitsmaximumspeed( ).Themaximumkineticenergycan

thenbewrittenas .Recallthat andthat attheequilibriumposition.Therefore,

Recallingwhatwefoundoutbefore,

wecannowconcludethat

or

Part F
Atwhichmomentis ?
A
B
 C
D
Correct

Part G
Findthekineticenergy oftheblockatthemomentlabeledB.
Expressyouranswerintermsof and .

=
Correct

Energy of a Spring
Anobjectofmass attachedtoaspringofforceconstant oscillateswithsimpleharmonicmotion.Themaximum
displacementfromequilibriumis andthetotalmechanicalenergyofthesystemis .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A

Whatisthesystem'spotentialenergywhenitskineticenergyisequalto ?

Correct

Part B

Whatistheobject'svelocitywhenitspotentialenergyis ?
Correct

Gravity on Another Planet

Afterlandingonanunfamiliarplanet,aspaceexplorerconstructsasimplependulumoflength55.0 .The
explorerfindsthatthependulumcompletes108fullswingcyclesinatimeof136 .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisthevalueoftheaccelerationofgravityonthisplanet?
Expressyouranswerinmeterspersecondpersecond.

=13.7 136/1082pi/ansans*0.55
Correct

The Fish Scale

Thescaleofaspringbalancereadingfrom0to205 hasalengthof13.5 .Afishhangingfromthebottomof
thespringoscillatesverticallyatafrequencyof2.95 .

Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Ignoringthemassofthespring,whatisthemass ofthefish?
Expressyouranswerinkilograms.
=4.42
Correct

Vertical Mass-and-Spring Oscillator

Ablockofmass isattachedtotheendofanidealspring.Duetotheweightoftheblock,theblockremainsatrest
whenthespringisstretchedadistance fromitsequilibriumlength. Thespringhasanunknownspring
constant .
 Harvaran Ghai
Part A
Whatisthespringconstant ?
Expressthespringconstantintermsofgivenquantitiesand ,themagnitudeoftheaccelerationdueto
gravity.

=
Correct

Part B
Supposethattheblockgetsbumpedandundergoesasmallverticaldisplacement.Findtheresultingangular
frequency oftheblock'soscillationaboutitsequilibriumposition.
Expressthefrequencyintermsofgivenquantitiesand ,themagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravity.

=
Correct

Itmayseemthatthisresultforthefrequencydoesnotdependoneitherthemassoftheblockorthespringconstant,
whichmightmakelittlesense.However,theseparametersarewhatwoulddeterminetheextension ofthespring

whentheblockishanging: .

Onewayofthinkingaboutthisproblemistoconsiderboth and asunknowns.Bymeasuring and (bothfairly

simplemeasurements),andknowingthemass,youcandeterminethevalueofthespringconstantandthe
accelerationduetogravityexperimentally.