SAT Questions Unit 4

• The relation between centripetal acceleration and angular speed is: ac

= R2
• Plug numbers into this equation, we find:  = 6 rad/s
• So we choose C.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• Torque equals force times distance from the axis to where the force is
applied times sine of the angle between the force and the distance,
which is (20 N)(0.2 m)sin90o = 4 N.m
• So we choose D.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• Torque equals force times distance from the axis to where the force is
applied times sine of the angle between the force and the distance,
which is mg.L.sin30o.
• The vertical distance from the suspension point to the bob is L.sin60o
= 0.4 m which leads to L approximately equals 0.45 m
• Plug back into the torque equation, we find torque is approximately
1.15 N.m
• So we choose B.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• Because the stick is balanced, the clockwise torque caused by the

weight of M must be balanced by the counter-clockwise torque
caused by the weight of m.
• We have the equation: Mg.(0.3 m)sin90o = mg.(0.5 m)sin90o
• Solve for M, we have: M = 5 kg.
• So we choose B.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• Statements I and II are false because, although the magnitudes of

velocity and acceleration are constant, their directions are always
changing.
• The velocity of the object is always changing so there must be a non-
zero acceleration, which implies a non-zero net force.
• So we choose E.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• Choose the y axis vertical with origin at the midpoint of the

horizontal rod and positive direction down.
• The position of the CoM of the horizontal rod on the y axis is 0.
• The position of the CoM of each vertical rod on the y axis is L/2.
• Hence the position of the CoM of the assembly is: [(2m)(0) + m(L/2)
+ m(L/2)]/4m = L/4
• So we choose B.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• 120 revolutions per minute (rev/min, or rpm) equals 2 revolutions

per second, or 4 rad/s.
• Instantaneous speed equals angular speed times radius, which is (4
rad/s)(2 m) = 25 m/s
• So we choose D.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• Frequency of 2 Hz means 2 revolutions per second, which equals 4

rad/s. This is the angular speed.
• Angular acceleration equals the change in angular speed divided by
the change in time, which is (4 rad/s – 0)/(3.14 s) = 4 rad/s2
• So we choose D.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• Using the right hand rule, we find that the direction of the angular
velocity of the second hand of the clock is inward toward the clock
face.
• So we choose B.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• Torque equals force times distance from the axis to where the force is
applied times sine of the angle between the force and the distance.
• Maximizing the magnitude of the force and the sine of the angle (by
making the angle 90o) will maximize the torque.
• So we choose D.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• Torque equals force times distance from the axis to where the force is
applied times sine of the angle between the force and the distance,
which is mg.R.sin, where  is the angle between the string and the
vertical.
• So we choose C.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• Because the seesaw is in equilibrium, the clockwise torque caused by

the weight of the 3-kg object must be balanced by the counter-
clockwise torque caused by the weight of the second object.
• Because the weights of the objects make the same angle with the
seesaw and the 3-kg object is 10 times farther from the fulcrum, the
second object must be 10 times heavier.
• So we choose D.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• The moment of inertia of the record about its center is:

½ MR2 = 0.0005 kg.m2
• According to Newton’s second law for rotation: torque = (moment of
inertia) x (angular acceleration).
• Solve for angular acceleration, we get 100 rad/s2.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• The kinetic energy K of the disk is the sum of its translational kinetic
energy and rotational kinetic energy, which is ½ mv2 + ½ I2 in which
I = ½ mR2 and  = v/R. Hence K = ¾ mv2.
• Applying conservation of energy for the disk: mgh = ¾ mv2
4
• We can find v = 𝑔ℎ
3

• So we choose B.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• When the rock is still in the basket of the catapult, the angular
momentum of the system is: L = I = (m + M)R2 = 50,000 kg.m2/s.
• When the basket stops and the rock flies away, this angular momentum
is of the rock only: mvR = 50,000 kg.m2/s.
• Solve for v, we get: v = 25 m/s.
• So we choose C.
 SAT Questions Unit 4

• For rotating object, the angular momentum is constant. This is equal

to the product of angular velocity and the rotational inertia.
• To maximize the angular velocity, we have to minimize the rotational
inertia, which in turns is proportional to mass and distance from the
mass to the axis. This means the mass should be concentrated at the
axis of rotation.
• So we choose C.