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MasteringPhysics: Assignment Print View
Combining Truck Power

A loaded truck (truck 1) has a maximum engine power and is able to
attain a maximum speed . Another truck (truck 2) has a maximum engine power and
can attain a maximum speed of . The two trucks are then connected by a long cable, as
shown.
To solve this problem, assume that
each truck, when not attached to
another truck, has a speed that is
limited only by wind resistance. Also
assume (not very realistically)
A) That the wind resistance is a
constant force (a different constant
for each truck though). i.e. It is
independent of the speed at which
the truck is going.
B) That the wind resistance force on
each truck is the same before and
after the cable is connected, and,
C) That the power that each truck's
engine can generate is independent
of the truck's speed.
Part A
Find , the maximum speed of the two trucks when they are connected, assuming both
engines are running at maximum power.
Hint A.1 Method for solving

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Resistance force on truck 1

Hint not displayed
Hint A.3 Net wind resistance on the two trucks

Hint not displayed
Hint A.4 Net power of the two trucks

Hint not displayed
http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=1465961 (1 of 74) [12/13/2010 7:03:11 PM]

Hint A.5 Solving for

Hint not displayed
Express the maximum speed in terms of .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Note that truck 1 is going faster when in tow than when under its own power, and that
truck 2 is going slower. This is consistent with having the cable connecting the trucks
being subject to a tension.
Anyone who has ever driven a truck, or closely watched one being driven, will know
that this sort of arrangement is very unsafe and consequently is never used.
However, train locomotives, which can be coupled together without cables, can
combine their power in this way.
Delivering Rescue Supplies

You are a member of an alpine rescue team and must project a box of supplies, with mass
, up an incline of constant slope angle so that it reaches a stranded skier who is a
vertical distance above the bottom of the incline. The incline is slippery, but there is some
friction present, with kinetic friction coefficient .
Part A
Use the work-energy theorem to calculate the minimum speed that you must give the
box at the bottom of the incline so that it will reach the skier.
Hint A.1 How to approach the problem

In order to use the work-energy theorem,
,
you need to find an expression for the total work done on the box and for the box's initial
and final kinetic energies. At least one of these quantities will depend on the unknown
initial speed of the box.
Hint A.2 Find the total work done on the box

What is , the total work done on the box between the moment it is projected and
the moment it reaches the skier?
Hint A.2.1 Find the work done by gravity

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2.2 Find the work done by friction

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in terms of some or all of the variables , , , ,

and .
ANSWER: = Answer not displayed
Hint A.3 What is the initial kinetic energy?

Write , the initial kinetic energy of the box, in terms of the magnitude of its initial
velocity and other given variables.

, and .
Hint A.4 What is the final kinetic energy?

If the box just reaches the skier, what is , the kinetic energy of the box when it
arrives?

, and .

and .

ANSWER:
=
Correct
Dragging a Board
A uniform board of length and mass lies near a boundary that separates two regions.
In region 1, the coefficient of kinetic friction between the board and the surface is , and in
region 2, the coefficient is . The positive direction is shown in the figure.
Part A
Find the net work done by friction in pulling the board directly from region 1 to region 2.
Assume that the board moves at constant velocity.
Hint A.1 The net force of friction

Suppose that the right edge of the board is a distance from the boundary, as shown.
When the board is at this
position, what is the magnitude
of the force of friction, ,
acting on the board (assuming
that it's moving)?
Hint A.1.1 Fraction of board in region 2

Hint not displayed
Hint A.1.2 Force of friction in region 1

Hint not displayed
Express the force acting on the board in terms of , , , , , and .
ANSWER:
= Answer not displayed
Hint A.2 Work as integral of force

After you find the net force of friction that acts on the board, as a function of , to
find the net work done by this force, you will need to perform the appropriate work
integral,
The lower limit of this integral will be at . What will be the upper limit?
ANSWER: Upper limit at = Answer not displayed

Hint A.3 Direction of force of friction

Don't forget that the force of friction is directed opposite to the direction of the board's
motion.
Hint A.4
Formula for
Express the net work in terms of , , , , and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
This answer makes sense because it is as if the board spent half its time in region 1,
and half in region 2, which on average, it in fact did.
Part B
What is the total work done by the external force in pulling the board from region 1 to
region 2? (Again, assume that the board moves at constant velocity.)
Hint B.1 No acceleration

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in terms of , , , , and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Power Dissipation Puts a Drag on Racing

The dominant form of drag experienced by vehicles (bikes, cars, planes, etc.) at operating
speeds is called form drag. It increases quadratically with velocity (essentially because the
amount of air you run into increases with and so does the amount of force you must exert
on each small volume of air). Thus
,
where is the cross-sectional area of the vehicle and is called the coefficient of drag.
Part A
Consider a vehicle moving with constant velocity . Find the power dissipated by form
drag.

Because the velocity of the car is constant, the drag force is also constant. Therefore,
you can use the result that the power provided by a constant force to an object
moving with constant velocity is . Be careful to consider the relative

direction of the drag force and the velocity.
Express your answer in terms of , , and speed .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part B
A certain car has an engine that provides a maximum power . Suppose that the
maximum speed of the car, , is limited by a drag force proportional to the square of the
speed (as in the previous part). The car engine is now modified, so that the new power
is 10 percent greater than the original power ( .
Assume the following:
● The top speed is limited by air drag.
● The magnitude of the force of air drag at these speeds is proportional to the square of
the speed.
By what percentage, , is the top speed of the car increased?
Hint B.1 Find the relationship between speed and power

Hint not displayed
Hint B.2 How is the algebra done?

Hint not displayed
Express the percent increase in top speed numerically to two significant

figures.
ANSWER:
= 3.2 %
Correct
You'll note that your answer is very close to one-third of the percentage by which the
power was increased. This dependence of small changes on each other, when the
quantities are related by proportionalities of exponents, is common in physics and
often makes a useful shortcut for estimations.
Work Done by a Spring

Consider a spring, with spring constant , one end of which is attached to a wall. The spring
is initially unstretched, with the
unconstrained end of the spring at
position .
Part A

The spring is now compressed so that the unconstrained end moves from to .
Using the work integral
,
find the work done by the spring as it is compressed.
Hint A.1 Spring force as a function of position

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Integrand of the work integral

Hint not displayed
Hint A.3 Upper limit of the work integral

Hint not displayed
Express the work done by the spring in terms of and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
A Car with Constant Power

The engine in an imaginary sports car can provide constant power to the wheels over a
range of speeds from 0 to 70 miles per hour (mph). At full power, the car can accelerate
from zero to 31.0 in time 1.20 .
Part A

At full power, how long would it take for the car to accelerate from 0 to 62.0 ? Neglect
friction and air resistance.
Hint A.1 Energy and power

In the absence of friction, the constant power of the engine implies that the kinetic
energy of the car increases linearly with time.
Hint A.2 Find the ratio of kinetic energies

Find the (numerical) ratio of the car's kinetic energy at time 62.0 to , the
kinetic energy at time 31.0 .
ANSWER:
Express your answer in seconds.
ANSWER: 4.80
Correct
Of course, neglecting friction, especially air friction, is completely unrealistic at such

speeds.
Part B
A more realistic car would cause the wheels to spin in a manner that would result in the
ground pushing it forward with a constant force (in contrast to the constant power in Part
A). If such a sports car went from zero to 31.0 in time 1.20 , how long would it take
to go from zero to 62.0 ?
Hint B.1 How to approach the problem

Hint not displayed
Express your answer numerically, in seconds.
ANSWER: 2.40
Correct
This is probably the first and last time you will come across an imaginary car that
goes slower than the real one!

The Work Done in Pulling a Supertanker

Two tugboats pull a disabled supertanker. Each tug exerts a constant force of 2.20×106 ,
one at an angle 16.0 west of north, and the other at an angle 16.0 east of north, as they
pull the tanker a distance 0.680 toward the north.
Part A
What is the total work done by the two tugboats on the supertanker?

There are two ways to calculate the total work done on an object when several forces act
on it. You can compute the quantities of work done on the object by each force and then
add them together. Alternatively, you can compute the work done on the object by the
net force acting on it. The hints that follow are meant to help you to calculate the total
work using the first method.
Hint A.2 Find the work done by one tugboat

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in joules, to three significant figures.
ANSWER: 2.88×109
All attempts used; correct answer
displayed
PSS 7.2 Problems Using Mechanical Energy II

Learning Goal: To practice Problem-Solving Strategy 7.2 Problems Using Mechanical
Energy II.
The Great Sandini is a 60.0- circus performer who is shot from a cannon (actually a
spring gun). You don’t find many men of his caliber, so you help him design a new gun. This
new gun has a very large spring with a very small mass and a force constant of 1100
that he will compress with a force of 4400 . The inside of the gun barrel is coated with
Teflon, so the average friction force will be only 40.0 during the 4.00 he moves in the
barrel. At what speed will he emerge from the end of the barrel, 2.50 above his initial rest
position?
Problem-Solving Strategy: Problems using mechanical energy II

IDENTIFY the relevant concepts:
The energy approach is useful in solving problems that involve elastic forces as well as
gravitational forces, provided the additional elastic potential energy is included in the

potential energy .
SET UP the problem using the following steps:
1. Decide what the initial and final states of the system are. Use the subscript 1 for the
initial state and the subscript 2 for the final state. It helps to draw sketches.
2. Define your coordinate system, particularly the level at which . We suggest that
you always choose the positive y direction to be upward because this is what
assumes.
3. Identify all forces that do work, including those that can’t be described in terms of
potential energy. A free-body diagram is always helpful.
4. List the unknown and known quantities, including the coordinates and velocities at each
point. Decide which unknowns are your target variables.
EXECUTE the solution as follows:
Write expressions for the initial and final kinetic and potential energies—that is, , ,
, and . The potential energy now includes both the gravitational potential energy
and the elastic potential energy , where is the displacement of the
spring from its unstretched length. Then, relate the kinetic and potential energies and the
work done by other forces, , using . If no other forces
do work, this expression becomes . It’s helpful to draw bar graphs
showing the initial and final values of , , and . Then, solve to find
whatever unknown quantity is required.
EVALUATE your answer:
Check whether your answer makes physical sense. Keep in mind that the work done by
the gravitational and elastic forces is accounted for by their potential energies; the work of
the other forces, , has to be included separately.
IDENTIFY the relevant concepts

The problem involves a spring gun. Therefore, to account for the potential energy
associated with its elastic force, the energy approach might be the best method to solve
this problem.
SET UP the problem using the following steps
Part A

Below is a sketch of the initial state of the situation described in this problem. Draw the
most suitable set of coordinate axes for this problem. Note that even though you can
choose the level to be wherever you like, in most situations it is best to set the zero
height to coincide with either the initial or final position, so that the calculations for the
gravitational potential energy become easier. For this reason, in this particular problem
place the origin of your coordinate axes on the black dot marking the performer's initial
position. Draw only the positive portion of the coordinate axes.
Draw the vectors starting at the black dot. The location and orientation of
the vectors will be graded. The length of the vectors will not be graded.
ANSWER:
View
Correct
This is the coordinate system used in the rest of this problem. Note that since the
origin of the axes coincides with the location of the performer's feet, all vertical
distances are calculated relative to his feet, and not relative to his center of mass.
Now, draw a sketch for the final state showing the performer at the exit of the gun
barrel, and identify all the forces that do work on the performer as he travels from the
initial to the final state.
Part B
Below is a list of variables representing some of the relevant quantities in this problem.
Which ones are known quantities?
Check all that apply.
ANSWER: ✔ , magnitude of compressing force

✔ , final height
✔ , magnitude of friction
✔ , force constant of spring
✔ , mass of body in motion
✔ , distance traveled between initial and final state
✔ , initial height
✔ , initial speed
, final speed

All attempts used; correct answer displayed
Now, make sure that you list all the known quantities on your sketches for the initial
and final states of the system. You have identified only one unknown, , the final
speed of the performer. This is your target variable. However, as you work through
the next part, you will find that there may be other unknown quantities that need to be
found in order to solve the problem.
EXECUTE the solution as follows
Part C
At what speed will The Great Sandini emerge from the end of the gun barrel?
Hint C.1 Find expressions for the performer’s initial and final kinetic
energies
Hint not displayed
Hint C.2 Find the performer’s initial and final gravitational potential
energies
Hint not displayed
Hint C.3 Find the initial and final elastic potential energies
Hint not displayed
Hint C.4 Find

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in meters per second to four significant figures.
ANSWER: 15.46
= All attempts used; correct answer
displayed
EVALUATE your answer
Part D

To evaluate whether your result makes sense, it's useful to use bar graphs showing the
initial and final values of kinetic and potential energies. These graphs will help you verify
whether energy is conserved.
The picture to the right is a bar graph showing the initial values of potential energy
(gravitational potential energy +
elastic potential energy), kinetic
energy , and total energy
. Which of the
following graphs shows the correct
final values for , , and ?
ANSWER:
Diagram B
Correct
According to your calculations, the total energy decreases by 160 .

You can verify that this equals the amount of energy lost to friction, which you
previously computed as . So your results make sense. The initial elastic
potential energy is for the most part transformed into gravitational and kinetic energy,
with a small loss due to friction. In the absence of friction, energy would be conserved
and The Great Sandini would emerge from the end of the barrel at an even higher
speed.

A Mass-Spring System with Recoil and Friction

An object of mass is traveling on a horizontal surface. There is a coefficient of kinetic
friction between the object and the surface. The object has speed when it
reaches and encounters a spring. The object compresses the spring, stops, and then
recoils and travels in the opposite direction. When the object reaches on its return
trip, it stops.
Part A
Find , the spring constant.
Hint A.1 Why does the object stop?

Why does the object come to rest when it returns to ?
Although more than one answer may be true of the system, you must
choose the answer that explains why the object ultimately comes to a
stop.
ANSWER: When the object reaches the second time all of

its initial energy has gone into the compression and
extension of the spring.
When the object reaches the second time all of
its initial energy has been dissipated by friction.
is an equilibrium position and at this point the
spring exerts no force on the object.
At the force of friction exactly balances the
force exerted by the spring on the object.
Correct
Hint A.2 How does friction affect the system?

Indicate whether the following statements regarding friction are true or false.
ANSWER: Work done by friction is equal to , where is

the mass of an object, is the magnitude of the
✔ acceleration due to gravity, is the coefficient of
kinetic friction, and is the distance the object has
traveled.
Energy dissipated by friction is equal to ,
where is the coefficient of friction, is the
acceleration due to gravity, is the mass of the
object, and is the amount of time (since
encountering the spring) the object has been moving.
Friction is a conservative force.
✔
Work done by friction is exactly equal to the negative
of the energy dissipated by friction.
Correct
Hint A.3 Energy stored in a spring

The potential energy stored in a spring having constant that is compressed a distance
is
Hint A.4 Compute the compression of the spring

By what distance does the object compress the spring?
Hint A.4.1 How to approach this question

Use the fact that
to solve for the distance the spring was compressed.

Look at the initial condition when the object originally hits the spring and the final
condition when the object returns to .
Hint A.4.2 The value of

In its final position, the object is not moving. Also the spring is not compressed.
Therefore .
Hint A.4.3 Find
What is the value of ?
Hint A.4.3.1 How to approach this part

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in terms of some or all of the variables , , , and

and , the acceleration due to gravity.
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Hint A.4.4 Find
What is the value of ?
Hint A.4.4.1 How to approach this part

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in terms of some or all of the variables , , , and

and , the acceleration due to gravity.
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Express in terms of , , and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct

Hint A.5 Putting it all together

In the previous part, at the two ends of the motion considered, the spring had no energy,
so was not part of the equation. However, you were able to find a relation for in
terms of the known quantities. To obtain an equation involving , use conservation of
energy again,
,
but this time, take the initial condition to be the moment when the spring is at its
maximum compression and the final condition to be the moment when the spring returns
to . So now can be written in terms of and other variables.
Hint A.6 The value of
The value of is again zero.
Hint A.7 Find for this part of the motion
What is the value of for this part of the motion?
Hint A.7.1 How to approach this part

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in terms of and , the spring constant, so that you
end up with an equation containing .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Hint A.8 Find for this part of the motion

What is the value of for this part of the motion?
Hint A.8.1 How to approach this part

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in terms of , , , and , the acceleration due to

gravity.
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Express in terms of , , , and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Bungee Jumping
Kate, a bungee jumper, wants to jump off the edge of a bridge that spans a river below.
Kate has a mass , and the surface of the bridge is a height above the water. The
bungee cord, which has length when unstretched, will first straighten and then stretch as
Kate falls.
Assume the following:
● The bungee cord behaves as an ideal spring once it begins to stretch, with spring
constant .
● Kate doesn't actually jump but simply steps off the edge of the bridge and falls straight
downward.
● Kate's height is negligible compared to the length of the bungee cord. Hence, she can be
treated as a point particle.
Use for the magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity.
Part A

How far below the bridge will Kate eventually be hanging, once she stops oscillating and
comes finally to rest? Assume that she doesn't touch the water.
Hint A.1 Decide how to approach the problem

Here are three possible methods for solving this problem:
a. No nonconservative forces are acting, so mechanical energy is conserved. Set Kate's
gravitational potential energy at the top of the bridge equal to the spring potential energy
in the bungee cord (which depends on the cord's final length ) and solve for .
b. Since nonconservative forces are acting, mechanical energy is not conserved. Set
the spring potential energy in the bungee cord (which depends on ) equal to Kate's
gravitational potential energy plus the work done by dissipative forces. Eliminate the
unknown work, and solve for .
c. When Kate comes to rest she has zero acceleration, so the net force acting on her
must be zero. Set the spring force due to the bungee cord (which depends on ) equal
to the force of gravity and solve for .
Which of these options is the simplest, most accurate way to find given the information
available?
ANSWER: a
b
c
Correct
Hint A.2 Compute the force due to the bungee cord

When Kate is at rest, what is the magnitude of the upward force the bungee cord
exerts on her?
Hint A.2.1 Find the extension of the bungee cord

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2.2 Formula for the force due to a stretched cord

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in terms of the cord's final stretched length and
quantities given in the problem introduction. Your answer should not
depend on Kate's mass .

ANSWER:
=
Correct
Set this force equal to Kate's weight, and solve for .
Express the distance in terms of quantities given in the problem

introduction.
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part B
If Kate just touches the surface of the river on her first downward trip (i.e., before the first
bounce), what is the spring constant ? Ignore all dissipative forces.
Hint B.1 Decide how to approach the problem

Here are three possible methods for solving this problem:
a. Since nonconservative forces are ignored, mechanical energy is conserved. Set
Kate's gravitational potential energy at the top of the bridge equal to the spring potential
energy in the bungee cord at the lowest point (which depends on ) and solve for .
b. Nonconservative forces can be ignored, so mechanical energy is conserved. Set the
spring potential energy in the bungee cord (which depends on ) equal to Kate's
gravitational potential energy at the top of the bridge plus the work done by gravity as
Kate falls. Compute the work done by gravity, then solve for .
c. When Kate is being held just above the water she has zero acceleration, so the net
force acting on her must be zero. Set the spring force due to the bungee cord (which
depends on ) equal to the force of gravity and solve for .
Which of these options is the simplest, most accurate way to find given the information
available?
ANSWER: a
b
c
Correct

Hint B.2 Find the initial gravitational potential energy

What is Kate's gravitational potential energy at the moment she steps off the bridge?
(Define the zero of gravitational potential to be at the surface of the water.)
Express your answer in terms of quantities given in the problem
introduction.
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Hint B.3 Find the elastic potential energy in the bungee cord
What is the elastic potential energy stored in the bungee cord when Kate is at the
lowest point of her first downward trip?
Hint B.3.1 Formula for elastic potential energy

The elastic potential energy of the bungee cord (which we are treating as an ideal
spring) is
,
where is the amount by which the cord is stretched beyond its unstretched length.
Hint B.3.2 How much is the bungee cord stretched?

By how much is the bungee cord stretched when Kate is at a depth below the
bridge?
Express your answer in terms of and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Express your answer in terms of quantities given in the problem

introduction.
ANSWER:
=
Correct

ANSWER:
=
Correct
Circling Ball
A ball of mass is attached to a string of length . It is being swung in a vertical circle with
enough speed so that the string remains taut throughout the ball's motion. Assume that the
ball travels freely in this vertical
circle with negligible loss of total
mechanical energy. At the top and
bottom of the vertical circle, the
ball's speeds are and , and the
corresponding tensions in the string
are and . and have
magnitudes and .
Part A
Find , the difference between the magnitude of the tension in the string at the
bottom relative to that at the top of the circle.
Hint A.1 How to approach this problem

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Find the sum of forces at the bottom of the circle
Hint not displayed
Hint A.3 Find the acceleration at the bottom of the circle

Hint not displayed

Hint A.4 Find the tension at the bottom of the circle

Hint not displayed
Hint A.5 Find the sum of forces at the top of the circle
Hint not displayed
Hint A.6 Find the acceleration at the top of the circle

Hint not displayed
Hint A.7 Find the tension at the top of the circle

Hint not displayed
Hint A.8 Find the relationship between and

Hint not displayed
Express the difference in tension in terms of and . The quantities and

should not appear in your final answer.
ANSWER:
=
Correct
The method outlined in the hints is really the only practical way to do this problem. If
done properly, finding the difference between the tensions, , can be
accomplished fairly simply and elegantly.
Drag on a Skydiver

A skydiver of mass jumps from a hot air balloon and falls a distance before reaching a
terminal velocity of magnitude . Assume that the magnitude of the acceleration due to
gravity is .
Part A
What is the work done on the skydiver, over the distance , by the drag force of the
air?

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Find the change in potential energy

Hint not displayed
Hint A.3 Find the change in kinetic energy

Hint not displayed
Express the work in terms of , , , and the magnitude of the

acceleration due to gravity .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part B
Find the power supplied by the drag force after the skydiver has reached terminal
velocity .

Hint not displayed
Hint B.2 Magnitude of the drag force

Hint not displayed
Hint B.3 Relative direction of the drag force and velocity

Hint not displayed

Express the power in terms of quantities given in the problem introduction.
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Energy in a Spring Graphing Question

A toy car is held at rest against a compressed spring, as shown in the figure. When
released, the car slides across the
room. Let be the initial
position of the car. Assume that
friction is negligible.
Part A
Sketch a graph of the total energy of the spring and car system. There is no scale given,
so your graph should simply reflect the qualitative shape of the energy vs. time plot.
ANSWER:
View
displayed

Part B
Sketch a plot of the elastic potential energy of the spring from the point at which the car is
released to the equilibrium position of the spring. Make your graph consistent with the
given plot of total energy (the gray line given in the graphing window).
Hint B.1 Determine the sign of the initial elastic potential energy
At the instant the car is released, the spring is compressed. Therefore, is the spring's
initial elastic potential energy positive, negative, or zero?
ANSWER: positive
negative
zero
Correct
Hint B.2 Determine the sign of the initial kinetic energy

Is the initial kinetic energy of the cart positive, negative, or zero?
ANSWER: positive
negative
zero
Correct
Hint B.3 Determine the sign of the final elastic potential energy
When the car reaches the equilibrium position of the spring, is the elastic potential
energy positive, negative, or zero?
ANSWER: positive
negative
zero
Correct
Hint B.4 The shape of the elastic potential energy graph

The elastic potential energy of a spring with spring constant that is stretched or
compressed to position is given by
where is the equilibrium position of the spring.
ANSWER:
View
Correct
Part C
Sketch a graph of the car's kinetic energy from the moment it is released until it passes the
equilibrium position of the spring. Your graph should be consistent with the given plots of
total energy (gray line in graphing window) and potential energy (gray parabola in graphing
window).
ANSWER:
View
Correct
Fun with a Spring Gun

A spring-loaded toy gun is used to shoot a ball of mass straight up in the air,
as shown in the figure. The spring has spring constant . If the spring is
compressed a distance of 25.0
centimeters from its equilibrium
position and then released,
the ball reaches a maximum height
(measured from the
equilibrium position of the spring).
There is no air resistance, and the
ball never touches the inside of the
gun. Assume that all movement
occurs in a straight line up and down
along the y axis.
Part A
Which of the following statements are true?
Hint A.1 Nonconservative forces

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Forces acting on the ball

Hint not displayed
ANSWER: Mechanical energy is conserved because no

dissipative forces perform work on the ball.
✔
The forces of gravity and the spring have potential

energies associated with them.
✔
No conservative forces act in this problem after the

ball is released from the spring gun.
Correct
Part B

Find the muzzle velocity of the ball (i.e., the velocity of the ball at the spring's
equilibrium position ).
Hint B.1 Determine how to approach the problem

Hint not displayed
Hint B.2 Energy equations

Hint not displayed
Hint B.3 Determine which two locations you should examine

Hint not displayed
Hint B.4 Find the initial energy of the system

Hint not displayed
Hint B.5 Determine the final energy

Hint not displayed
Hint B.6 Creating an equation

Hint not displayed
ANSWER:
= 4.78
Correct
Part C

Find the maximum height of the ball.
Hint C.1 Choose two locations to examine

Hint not displayed
Hint C.2 Find the initial energy

Hint not displayed
Hint C.3 Determine the final energy

Hint not displayed
Hint C.4 Creating an equation

Hint not displayed
Express your answer numerically, in meters.
ANSWER:
= 1.17
Correct
In this problem you practiced applying the law of conservation of mechanical energy
to a physical situation to find the muzzle velocity and the maximum height reached by
the ball.
Part D
Which of the following actions, if done independently, would increase the maximum height
reached by the ball?
ANSWER: reducing the spring constant

✔ increasing the spring constant
decreasing the distance the spring is compressed
✔ increasing the distance the spring is compressed
✔ decreasing the mass of the ball
increasing the mass of the ball
tilting the spring gun so that it is at an angle
degrees from the horizontal
Correct

Graphing Gravitational Potential Energy

A 1.00 ball is thrown directly upward with an initial speed of 16.0 .
A graph of the ball's gravitational potential energy vs. height, , for an arbitrary initial
velocity is given in Part A. The zero point of gravitational potential energy is located at the
height at which the ball leaves the thrower's hand.
For this problem, take as the acceleration due to gravity.
Part A
Draw a line on the graph representing the total energy of the ball.

The total energy is the sum of the kinetic energy and potential energy. You can compute
the total energy at any point in the ball's trajectory, but the simplest method is to add the
initial kinetic and potential energies just as the ball is thrown.
Hint A.2 Find the initial kinetic energy

When the ball first leaves the thrower’s hand, what is its kinetic energy ?
ANSWER:
= 128
Correct
Hint A.3 Find the initial potential energy

What is the potential energy of the ball when it first leaves the thrower's hand?
ANSWER:
Hint A.4 Shape of the total energy graph

As the ball ascends, does its total energy increase, decrease, or stay the same?
ANSWER: increase
decrease
stay the same
Correct
The law of conservation of energy guarantees that the total energy of the ball
remains constant throughout its motion. The increase in potential energy as the ball
ascends is exactly balanced by the decrease in its kinetic energy.
ANSWER:
View
Correct
Part B
Using the graph, determine the maximum height reached by the ball.
Hint B.1 Maximum height

The ball reaches its maximum height when its velocity (and therefore kinetic energy) is
zero, so all of its energy is potential. This occurs at the height at which the total energy
and potential energy graphs intersect. The ball does not have enough energy to rise
above this point on the potential energy graph.
Express your answer to one decimal place.
ANSWER: 12.8
Correct
The ball reaches its maximum height when its velocity (and therefore kinetic energy)
is zero, so all of its energy is potential. This occurs at the height at which the total
energy and potential energy graphs intersect.

Part C
Draw a new gravitational potential energy vs. height graph to represent the gravitational
potential energy if the ball had a mass of 2.00 . The graph for a 1.00- ball with an
arbitrary initial velocity is provided again as a reference.
Take as the acceleration due to gravity.
Hint C.1 Slope

The gravitational potential energy is defined by
.
In a graph of potential energy vs. height, is the slope.
Hint C.2 Determine the new gravitational potential energy

What is the gravitational potential energy for a 2.00- ball at a height of ?
Take as the acceleration due to gravity and express your

answer to three decimal places.
ANSWER:
= 100
Correct
The new graph of potential energy versus height must pass through the point
.
ANSWER:
View
Correct
For a ball with twice the mass, you should expect the plot of potential energy vs.
height to have twice the slope.
Kinetic and Potential Energy of Baseball Graphing Question

A baseball is thrown directly upward at time and is caught again at time .

Assume that air resistance is so small that it can be ignored and that the zero point of
gravitational potential energy is located at the position at which the ball leaves the thrower's
hand.
Part A
Sketch a graph of the kinetic energy of the baseball.
Hint A.1 Determine the sign of the initial kinetic energy

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 The shape of the kinetic energy graph

Hint not displayed
ANSWER:
View
displayed
Part B
Based on the graph of kinetic energy given (gray curve in the graphing window), sketch a
graph of the baseball's gravitational potential energy.
Hint B.1 Initial gravitational potential energy

Hint not displayed
Hint B.2 The shape of the gravitational potential energy graph

Hint not displayed
Hint B.3 Using conservation of energy

Hint not displayed

ANSWER:
View
Correct
Part C
Based on the kinetic and potential energy graphs given, sketch a graph of the baseball's
total energy.
Hint C.1 Total energy

Hint not displayed
ANSWER:
View
Correct
Loop the Loop

A roller coaster car may be

approximated by a block of mass
. The car, which starts from rest,
is released at a height above the
ground and slides along a
frictionless track. The car
encounters a loop of radius , as
shown. Assume that the initial height
is great enough so that the car
never loses contact with the track.
Part A
Find an expression for the kinetic energy of the car at the top of the loop.
Hint A.1 Find the potential energy at the top of the loop
What is the potential energy of the car when it is at the top of the loop? Define the
gravitational potential energy to be zero at .
Express your answer in terms of and other given quantities.
Express the kinetic energy in terms of , , , and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part B

Find the minimum initial height at which the car can be released that still allows the car
to stay in contact with the track at the top of the loop.
Hint B.1 How to approach this part

Meaning of "stay in contact"
For the car to just stay in contact through the loop, without falling, the normal force that
acts on the car when it's at the top of the loop must be zero (i.e., ).
Find the velocity at the top such that the remaining force on the car i.e. its weight
provides the necessary centripetal acceleration. If the velocity were any greater, you
would additionally require some force from the track to provide the necessary centripetal
acceleration. If the velocity were any less, the car would fall off the track.
Use the above described condition to find the velocity and then the result from the above
part to find the required height.
Hint B.2 Acceleration at the top of the loop

Hint not displayed
Hint B.3 Normal force at the top of the loop

Hint not displayed
Hint B.4 Solving for

Hint not displayed
Express the minimum height in terms of .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
For the car will still complete the loop, though it will require some normal
reaction even at the very top.
For the car will just oscillate. Do you see this?
For , the cart will lose contact with the track at some earlier point.
That is why roller coasters must have a lot of safety features. If you like, you can
check that the angle at which the cart loses contact with the track is given by

Not Quite around the Globe

A large globe, with a radius of about 5 , was built in Italy between 1982 and 1987.
Imagine that such a globe has a radius and a frictionless surface. A small block of mass
slides starts from rest at the very top of the globe and slides along the surface of the
globe. The block leaves the surface of the globe when it reaches a height above the
ground. The geometry of the situation is shown in the figure for an arbitrary height .
Part A
Consider what happens at the moment when the block leaves the surface of the globe.
Which of the following statements are correct?
a. The net acceleration of the block is directed straight down.
b. The component of the force of gravity toward the center of the globe is equal to the
magnitude of the normal force.
c. The force of gravity is the only force acting on the block.
Hint A.1 How is the normal force changing?

Hint not displayed

ANSWER: a only
b only
c only
a and b
a and c
b and c
a and b and c
Correct
Part B
Which of the following statements is also true at the moment when the block leaves the
surface of the globe?
ANSWER: The centripetal acceleration is zero.

The normal force is zero.
The net acceleration of the block is parallel to its
velocity.
The kinetic energy of the block equals its potential
energy.
Correct
Part C
Using Newton's 2nd law, find , the speed of the block at the critical moment when the
block leaves the surface of the globe.
Assume that the height at which the block leaves the surface of the globe is .
Hint C.1 How to approach this problem

Since the normal force goes to zero at the critical moment when the block leaves the
surface of the globe, it is the radial component of the gravitational force that generates
the entire centripetal acceleration at this point. Use this fact and Newton's 2nd law to
relate the acceleration due to gravity and the centripetal acceleration.
Hint C.2 Find the centripetal acceleration

What is , the magnitude of the centripetal acceleration of the block when its speed is
? Assume that the block has not lost contact with the globe.
Hint C.2.1 Formula for centripetal acceleration

Hint not displayed
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Hint C.3 Find the radial component of the gravitational force

What is , the magnitude of the radial component of the gravitational force on the block
when the block is at the position indicated in the figure?
Express your answer in terms of , , and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Hint C.4 What is ?
Having found , you now need to find in terms of (the height of

the block) and . You need to find a right triangle where is the included angle and
is the hypoteneuse. Using this triangle, what is ?
Give your answer in terms of and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Express the speed in terms of , , and , the magnitude of the

accleration due to gravity. Do not use in your answer.

ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part D
Use the law of conservation of energy to find . This will give you a difference
expression for than you found in the previous part.
Hint D.1 How to apply conservation of energy

The law of conservation of energy states that
.
You may assume that the initial velocity of the block is negligible, so that the block's
initial kinetic energy is zero. The final kinetic energy of the block can be easily expressed
in terms of and . The initial and final potential energies of the block simply depend
on the height of the block above the ground (or any other reference point).
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part E
Find , the height from the ground at which the block leaves the surface of the globe.
Hint E.1 How to approach this question

Hint not displayed
Express in terms of .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Projectile Motion and Conservation of Energy Ranking Task

Part A
Six baseball throws are shown below. In each case the baseball is thrown at the same
initial speed and from the same height above the ground. Assume that the effects of air
resistance are negligible. Rank these throws according to the speed of the baseball the
instant before it hits the ground.

Hint not displayed
Rank from largest to smallest. To rank items as equivalent, overlap them.
ANSWER:
View
Correct
This answer is best understood in terms of conservation of energy. The initial energy
of the ball is independent of the direction in which it is thrown. The initial and final
potential energies of the ball are the same regardless of the trajectory. Therefore, the
final kinetic energy, and therefore the final speed, of the ball must be the same no
matter in what direction it is thrown.
Shooting a ball into a box

Two children are trying to shoot a marble of mass into a small box using a spring-loaded
gun that is fixed on a table and shoots horizontally from the edge of the table. The edge of

the table is a height above the

top of the box (the height of which is
negligibly small), and the center of
the box is a distance from the
edge of the table. The spring has a
spring constant . The first child
compresses the spring a distance
and finds that the marble falls
short of its target by a horizontal
distance .
Part A
By what distance, , should the second child compress the spring so that the marble
lands in the middle of the box? (Assume that height of the box is negligible, so that there is
no chance that the marble will hit the side of the box before it lands in the bottom.)
Hint A.1 General method for finding

For this part of the problem, you don't need to consider the first child's toss. (The
quantities and should not appear in your answer.) Consider the energy
conservation and kinematic relations for the marble, and solve for its range, , in terms
of , , , and .
Hint A.2 Initial speed of the marble

Use conservation of energy to find the initial speed, , of the second marble.
Express your answer in terms of , , and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Hint A.3 Time for the marble to hit the ground

Use kinematics to find , the time it takes the second marble to hit the ground after it is
shot off the table.
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Hint A.4 Combining equations and solving for
The kinematic equation for the motion along the x axis is . Using the
expressions for and from the previous hints, solve for in terms of the quantities
, , , , and .
Express the distance in terms of , , , , and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part B
Now imagine that the second child does not know the mass of the marble, the height of
the table above the floor, or the spring constant. Find an expression for that depends
only on and distance measurements.
Hint B.1 Compute
Use your answer to Part A to write in terms of , , , , , and .

ANSWER:
=
Correct
Shooting a Block up an Incline

A block of mass is placed in a smooth-bored spring gun at the bottom of the incline so
that it compresses the spring by an amount . The spring has spring constant . The
incline makes an angle with the horizontal and the coefficient of kinetic friction between
the block and the incline is . The block is released, exits the muzzle of the gun, and slides
up an incline a total distance .
Part A
Find , the distance traveled along the incline by the block after it exits the gun. Ignore
friction when the block is inside the gun. Also, assume that the uncompressed spring is
just at the top of the gun (i.e., the block moves a distance while inside of the gun). Use
for the magnitude of acceleration due to gravity.

This is an example of a problem that would be very difficult using only Newton's laws
and calculus. Instead, use the Work-Energy Theorem: , where
is the final energy, is the initial energy, and is the work done on the
system by external forces. Let the gravitational potential energy be zero before the
spring is released. Then, is the potential energy due to the spring, is the
potential energy due to gravity, and is the work done by friction. Once you've set up
this equation completely, solve for .
Hint A.2 Find the initial energy of the block

Find the initial energy of the block. Take the gravitational potential energy to be
zero before the spring is released.
Hint A.2.1 Potential energy of a compressed spring

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in terms of parameters given in the problem

introduction.
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Hint A.3 Find the work done by friction

Find , the work done by friction on the block.
Hint A.3.1 How to compute work

Hint not displayed
Express in terms of , , , , and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Hint A.4 Find the final energy of the block

Find an expression for the final energy of the block (the energy when it has
traveled a distance up the incline). Assume that the gravitational potential energy of
the block is zero before the spring is released and that the block moves a distance
inside of the gun.
Hint A.4.1 What form does the energy take?

Hint not displayed
Your answer should contain and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Express the distance in terms of , , , , , and .
ANSWER:
Correct
Sliding In Socks
Suppose that the coefficient of friction between your feet and the floor, while wearing socks,
is 0.250. Knowing this, you decide to get a running start and then slide across the floor.
Part A
If your speed is 3.00 when you start to slide, what distance will you slide before
stopping?
Express your answer in meters.
ANSWER: 1.84
Correct
Part B

Now, suppose that your young cousin sees you sliding and takes off her shoes so that she
can slide as well (assume her socks have the same coefficient of friction as yours).
Instead of getting a running start, she asks you to give her a push. So, you push her with a
force of 125 over a distance of 1.00 . If her mass is 20.0 , what distance does
she slide (i.e., how far does she move after the push ends)? Remember that the friction
force is acting anytime that she is moving.

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in meters.
ANSWER:
= 1.55
Correct
Spring and Projectile

A child's toy consists of a block that attaches to a table with a suction cup, a spring
connected to that block, a ball, and a launching ramp. The spring has a spring constant ,
the ball has a mass , and the
ramp rises a height above the
table, the surface of which is a
height above the floor.
Initially, the spring rests at its

equilibrium length. The spring then
is compressed a distance , where
the ball is held at rest. The ball is
then released, launching it up the
ramp. When the ball leaves the
launching ramp its velocity vector
makes an angle with respect to
the horizontal.
Throughout this problem, ignore

friction and air resistance.
Part A

Relative to the initial configuration (with the spring relaxed), when the spring has been
compressed, the ball-spring system has
ANSWER: gained kinetic energy

gained potential energy
lost kinetic energy
lost potential energy
Correct
Part B
As the spring expands (after the ball is released) the ball-spring system
ANSWER: gains kinetic energy and loses potential energy

gains kinetic energy and gains potential energy
loses kinetic energy and gains potential energy
loses kinetic energy and loses potential energy
Correct
Part C
As the ball goes up the ramp, it

Correct
Part D

As the ball falls to the floor (after having reached its maximum height), it

Correct
Part E
Which of the graphs shown best represents the potential energy of the ball-spring system
as a function of the ball's horizontal displacement? Take the "zero" on the distance axis to
represent the point at which the
spring is fully compressed. Keep in
mind that the ball is not attached
to the spring, and neglect any
recoil of the spring after the ball
loses contact with it.
ANSWER:
C
Correct
Part F

Calculate , the speed of the ball when it leaves the launching ramp.
Hint F.1 General approach

Hint not displayed
Hint F.2 Find the initial mechanical energy

Hint not displayed
Hint F.3 Find the mechanical energy at the end of the ramp
Hint not displayed
Hint F.4 Is energy conserved?

Hint not displayed
Express the speed of the ball in terms of , , , , , and/or .
ANSWER:
Correct
Part G
With what speed will the ball hit the floor?
Hint G.1 General approach

Hint not displayed
Hint G.2 Initial mechanical energy

Hint not displayed
Hint G.3 Find the final mechanical energy

Hint not displayed
Hint G.4 Is energy conserved?

Hint not displayed

Express the speed in terms of , , , , , and/or .
ANSWER:
Correct
Spring Gun
A spring-loaded toy gun is used to shoot a ball straight up in the air. The ball reaches a
maximum height , measured from
the equilibrium position of the
spring.
Part A
The same ball is shot straight up a second time from the same gun, but this time the
spring is compressed only half as far before firing. How far up does the ball go this time?
Neglect friction. Assume that the spring is ideal and that the distance by which the spring
is compressed is negligible compared to .
Hint A.1 Potential energy of the spring

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Potential energy of the ball

Hint not displayed

ANSWER:
height =
Correct
Springs in Two Dimensions

The ends of two identical springs are connected. Their unstretched lengths are negligibly
small and each has spring constant . After being connected, both springs are stretched an
amount and their free ends are anchored at and as shown . The point
where the springs are connected to
each other is now pulled to the
position ( , ). Assume that ( , )
lies in the first quadrant.
Part A
What is the potential energy of the two-spring system after the point of connection has
been moved to position ( , )? Keep in mind that the unstretched length of each spring
is much less than and can be ignored (i.e., ).
Hint A.1 An important property of the potential energy

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Potential energy of the left-hand spring

Hint not displayed
Express the potential in terms of , , , and .

ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part B
Find the force on the junction point, the point where the two springs are attached to
each other.

Hint not displayed
Hint B.2 Components of the force vector

Hint not displayed
Express as a vector in terms of the unit vectors and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Notice how much more difficult it would have been to obtain the force via vector
addition (computing the two components of the force from each spring, then adding
them). This is the power of scalar potential functions: They allow you to simply add up
the contributions, without having to worry about vectors or coordinate axes. By taking
the gradient of the potential, you automatically obtain the desired vector quantities.
Work and Potential Energy on a Sliding Block with Friction

A block of weight sits on a plane inclined at an angle as shown. The coefficient of

kinetic friction between the plane
and the block is .
A force is applied to push the block up the incline at constant speed.
Part A
What is the work done on the block by the force of friction as the block moves a
distance up the incline?
Hint A.1 A formula for work

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Find the magnitude of the frictional force

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in terms of some or all of the following: , , , .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part B

What is the work done by the applied force of magnitude ?
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part C
What is the change in the potential energy of the block, , after it has been pushed a
distance up the incline?
ANSWER:
= All attempts used; correct answer
displayed
Now the applied force is changed so that instead of pulling the block up the incline, the
force pulls the block down the incline at a constant speed.
Part D

What is the change in potential energy of the block, , as it moves a distance down
the incline?
ANSWER:
= Answer
Requested
Part E
What is the work done by the applied force of magnitude ?
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part F
What is the work done on the block by the frictional force?
ANSWER:
= Answer
Requested
Work on a Sliding Box

A box of mass is sliding along a horizontal surface.
Part A
The box leaves position with speed . The box is slowed by a constant frictional
force until it comes to rest at position .
Find , the magnitude of the average frictional force that acts on the box. (Since you
don't know the coefficient of friction, don't include it in your answer.)

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Find the initial kinetic energy

Hint not displayed
Hint A.3 Find the final kinetic energy

Hint not displayed
Hint A.4 Find the work done by friction

Hint not displayed
Express the frictional force in terms of , , and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part B

After the box comes to rest at position , a person starts pushing the box, giving it a
speed .
When the box reaches position (where ), how much work has the person
done on the box?
Assume that the box reaches after the person has accelerated it from rest to speed .

Hint not displayed
Hint B.2 Find the work done by friction

Hint not displayed
Hint B.3 Find the change in kinetic energy

Hint not displayed
Express the work in terms of , , , , and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
PSS 9.1 Rotational Energy

Learning Goal: To practice Problem-Solving Strategy 9.1 Rotational Energy.
A frictionless pulley has the shape of a uniform solid disk of mass 4.00 and radius 25.0
. A 1.90 stone is attached to a very light wire that is wrapped around the rim of the
pulley, and the stone is released from rest. As it falls down, the wire unwinds without

stretching or slipping, causing the

pulley to rotate. How far must the
stone fall so that the pulley has 4.40
of kinetic energy?
Problem-Solving Strategy: Rotational energy

IDENTIFY the relevant concepts:
You can use work–energy relationships and conservation of energy to find relationships
involving position and motion of a rigid body rotating around a fixed axis. The energy
method is usually not helpful for problems that involve elapsed time.
SET UP the problem using the following steps:
1. When using the energy approach, sketch the initial and final states of the system.
Include the positions and velocities on your sketch.
2. Define your coordinate system, particularly the level at which . You will use it to
compute gravitational potential energies. Choose the positive direction to be upward
because this is what the equation assumes.
3. Identify all forces that do work that can’t be described in terms of potential energy. A
free-body diagram is always helpful.
4. List the unknown and known quantities, including the coordinates and velocities at each
point. Decide which unknowns are your target variables.
5. Many problems involve a rope or cable wrapped around a rotating rigid body, which
functions as a pulley. In these situations, a point on the pulley that contacts the rope has
the same linear speed as the rope, provided the rope doesn’t slip on the pulley. You can
then take advantage of the following equations that relate the linear speed and tangential
acceleration of a point on a rigid body to the angular velocity and angular acceleration of
the body:
EXECUTE the solution as follows:

Write the expressions for the initial and final kinetic and potential energies ( , , ,
and ) and the nonconservative work (if any). Rotational kinetic energy
is expressed in terms of the body's moment of inertia and its angular speed
. Substitute these expressions into (if nonconservative

work is done) or (if only conservative work is done) and solve for the
target variable(s).
EVALUATE your answer:
As always, check whether your answer makes physical sense.
IDENTIFY the relevant concepts

This problem describes a system where a rigid body, the pulley, rotates around a fixed
axis while a second body, the stone, moves vertically. Since no information about elapsed
time is provided, energy considerations must be used to find relationships involving the
position and the motion of the system. To simplify the problem, assume that the wire is
massless and it unwinds without stretching or slipping, so that there is no relative motion
between the wire and the pulley. Note that the pulley is assumed to be rotating around its
fixed axis without friction.
SET UP the problem using the following steps
Part A
What forces do work on this system?
Hint A.1 How to approach this problem

Hint not displayed
ANSWER: frictional force

normal force
✔ gravitational force
tension
Correct
There is friction between the cable and the pulley, producing the no-slip conditions.
However, frictional forces do no work because no mechanical energy is lost by the
cable moving relative to the pulley. Since no other forces besides gravity do work on
this system, .
Part B

Compare the magnitude of the stone's velocity and the magnitude of the pulley's linear
velocity at the point of contact between the wire and pulley.
ANSWER: The magnitude of the velocity of the stone is less than

that of the point of contact.
The magnitude of the velocity of the stone is the same
as that of the point of contact.
The magnitude of the velocity of the stone is greater
than that of the point of contact.
Correct
Here is a sketch of the initial and final states of the system.
In the initial state, the stone is at rest, initially located at . In the final state, the
stone is located at and the stone and pulley are moving. The target variable
is .
EXECUTE the solution as follows
Part C

How far must the stone fall so that the pulley has 4.40 of kinetic energy?
Hint C.1 How to approach the problem

Hint not displayed
Hint C.2 Find the initial gravitational potential energy

Hint not displayed
Hint C.3 Find the total initial kinetic energy

Hint not displayed
Hint C.4 Find the final gravitational potential energy

Hint not displayed
Hint C.5 Find the total final kinetic energy

Hint not displayed
Hint C.6 Setting the initial energy equal to the final energy
Hint not displayed
Express your answer numerically in meters to three significant figures.
ANSWER:
= 0.460
Correct
The potential energy that the stone loses is converted into the stone's and the pulley's
kinetic energy.
EVALUATE your answer
Part D

To see if your results are reasonable, you can compare the final velocity of the stone as it
falls down unwinding the wire from the pulley, to the velocity the stone would have if falling
the same distance while unconnected to the pulley. What is the velocity of an untethered
stone after falling 0.460 from rest?
Hint D.1 Using the proper kinematic equations

To find the speed of the stone during free fall, set the change in potential energy of the
stone
to the kinetic energy after falling the given distance

.
Express your answer numerically in meters per second.
ANSWER: 3.01
= Answer
Requested
While solving Part C. you may have calculated the value of the final speed of the
stone to be 2.10 . Now you found that, if untethered, the stone would move
faster. This is reasonable because when the stone is connected to the pulley through
the wire, the change in potential energy of the stone must equal the sum of the
change in kinetic energy of the stone and the pulley. When the stone is free to fall on
its own, instead, the same change in potential energy of the stone must equal only
the change of its kinetic energy. Thus, the change in kinetic energy of the stone is
larger when the stone is in free fall, causing the stone to reach a higher speed than if
it were connected to the pulley.
Kinetic Energy of a Dumbbell

This problem illustrates the two contributions to the kinetic energy of an extended object:
rotational kinetic energy and translational kinetic energy. You are to find the total kinetic
energy of a dumbbell of mass when it is rotating with angular speed and its
center of mass is moving translationally with speed . Denote the dumbbell's moment of

inertia about its center of mass by

. Note that if you approximate
the spheres as point masses of
mass each located a distance
from the center and ignore the
moment of inertia of the connecting
rod, then the moment of inertia of
the dumbbell is given by ,
but this fact will not be necessary for
this problem.
Part A
Find the total kinetic energy of the dumbbell.

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Find the rotational kinetic energy

Hint not displayed
Hint A.3 Find the translational kinetic energy

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in terms of , , , and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part B

The rotational kinetic energy term is often called the kinetic energy in the center of mass,
while the translational kinetic energy term is called the kinetic energy of the center of mass.
You found that the total kinetic energy is the sum of the kinetic energy in the center of
mass plus the kinetic energy of the center of mass. A similar decomposition exists for
angular and linear momentum. There are also related decompositions that work for
systems of masses, not just rigid bodies like a dumbbell.
It is important to understand the applicability of the formula . Which of the
following conditions are necessary for the formula to be valid?
ANSWER: The velocity vector must be perpendicular to the

axis of rotation.
The velocity vector must be perpendicular or parallel
to the axis of rotation.
The moment of inertia must be taken about an axis
through the center of mass.
✔
Correct
Kinetic Energy of a Rotating Wheel

A simple wheel has the form of a solid cylinder of radius with a mass uniformly
distributed throughout its volume. The wheel is pivoted on a stationary axle through the axis
of the cylinder and rotates about the axle at a constant angular speed. The wheel rotates
full revolutions in a time interval .
Part A
What is the kinetic energy of the rotating wheel?
Hint A.1 What is the formula for rotational kinetic energy?

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Moment of inertia of the wheel

Hint not displayed
Hint A.3 Find the angular velocity

Hint not displayed
Express your answer in terms of , , , and, .

ANSWER:
=
Correct
Rotational Kinetic Energy and Conservation of Energy Ranking

Task
The five objects of various masses, each denoted , all have the same radius. They are all
rolling at the same speed as they approach a curved incline.
Part A
Rank the objects based on the maximum height they reach along the curved incline.
Hint A.1 Using energy conservation

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Moment of inertia

Hint not displayed
Rank from largest to smallest. To rank items as equivalent, overlap them.

ANSWER:
View
Correct
A Rolling Hollow Sphere

A hollow spherical shell with mass 1.75 rolls without slipping down a slope that makes
an angle of 38.0 with the horizontal.
Part A
Find the magnitude of the acceleration of the center of mass of the spherical shell.

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Translational motion in the x direction

Hint not displayed
Hint A.3 Torque on the spherical shell

Hint not displayed
Hint A.4 Moment of inertia

Hint not displayed
Hint A.5 Relation between the translational and angular accelerations

Hint not displayed
Take the free-fall acceleration to be = 9.80 .

ANSWER:
= 3.62
Correct
Part B
Find the magnitude of the frictional force acting on the spherical shell.

Hint not displayed
Take the free-fall acceleration to be = 9.80 .
ANSWER:
= 4.22
Correct
The frictional force keeps the spherical shell stuck to the surface of the slope, so that
there is no slipping as it rolls down. If there were no friction, the shell would simply
slide down the slope, as a rectangular box might do on an inclined (frictionless)
surface.
Part C
Find the minimum coefficient of friction needed to prevent the spherical shell from
slipping as it rolls down the slope.
Hint C.1 How to approach the problem

Hint not displayed
ANSWER:
= 0.313
Correct
Unwinding Cylinder

A cylinder with moment of inertia about its center of mass, mass , and radius has a
string wrapped around it which is tied to the ceiling . The cylinder's vertical position as a
function of time is .
At time the cylinder is
released from rest at a height
above the ground.
Part A
The string constrains the rotational and translational motion of the cylinder. What is the
relationship between the angular rotation rate and , the velocity of the center of mass
of the cylinder?
Remember that upward motion corresponds to positive linear velocity, and
counterclockwise rotation corresponds to positive angular velocity.
Hint A.1 Key to the constrained motion

Hint not displayed
Hint A.2 Velocity of contact point

Hint not displayed
Express in terms of and other given quantities.
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part B

In similar problems involving rotating bodies, you will often also need the relationship
between angular acceleration, , and linear acceleration, . Find in terms of and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part C
Suppose that at a certain instant the velocity of the cylinder is . What is its total kinetic
energy, , at that instant?
Hint C.1 Rotational kinetic energy

Hint not displayed
Hint C.2 Rotational kinetic energy in terms of

Hint not displayed
Hint C.3 Translational kinetic energy

Hint not displayed
ANSWER:
=
Correct
Part D

Find , the cylinder's vertical velocity when it hits the ground.
Hint D.1 Initial energy

Hint not displayed
Hint D.2 Energy conservation

Hint not displayed
Express , in terms of , , , , and .
ANSWER:
=
Correct

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MasteringPhysics: Assignment Print View

Combining Truck Power

Hint A.1 Method for solving

Hint A.2 Resistance force on truck 1

Hint A.3 Net wind resistance on the two trucks

Hint A.4 Net power of the two trucks

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=1465961 (1 of 74) [12/13/2010 7:03:11 PM]

Hint A.5 Solving for

Express the maximum speed in terms of .

Delivering Rescue Supplies

Hint A.1 How to approach the problem

Hint A.2 Find the total work done on the box

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=1465961 (2 of 74) [12/13/2010 7:03:11 PM]

Hint A.2.1 Find the work done by gravity

Hint A.2.2 Find the work done by friction

Express your answer in terms of some or all of the variables , , , ,

ANSWER: = Answer not displayed

Hint A.3 What is the initial kinetic energy?

Express your answer in terms of some or all of the variables , , , ,

ANSWER: = Answer not displayed

Hint A.4 What is the final kinetic energy?

Express your answer in terms of some or all of the variables , , , ,

ANSWER: = Answer not displayed

Express your answer in terms of some or all of the variables , , , ,

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=1465961 (3 of 74) [12/13/2010 7:03:11 PM]

Hint A.1 The net force of friction

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=1465961 (4 of 74) [12/13/2010 7:03:11 PM]

Hint A.1.1 Fraction of board in region 2

Hint A.1.2 Force of friction in region 1

Express the force acting on the board in terms of , , , , , and .

Hint A.2 Work as integral of force

ANSWER: Upper limit at = Answer not displayed

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=1465961 (5 of 74) [12/13/2010 7:03:11 PM]

Hint A.3 Direction of force of friction

Express the net work in terms of , , , , and .

Hint B.1 No acceleration

Express your answer in terms of , , , , and .

Power Dissipation Puts a Drag on Racing

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=1465961 (6 of 74) [12/13/2010 7:03:11 PM]

Hint A.1 How to approach the problem

moving with constant velocity is . Be careful to consider the relative

Express your answer in terms of , , and speed .

Hint B.1 Find the relationship between speed and power

Hint B.2 How is the algebra done?

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=1465961 (7 of 74) [12/13/2010 7:03:11 PM]

Hint not displayed

Express the percent increase in top speed numerically to two significant

Work Done by a Spring

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=1465961 (8 of 74) [12/13/2010 7:03:11 PM]

Hint A.1 Spring force as a function of position

Hint A.2 Integrand of the work integral

Hint A.3 Upper limit of the work integral

Express the work done by the spring in terms of and .

A Car with Constant Power

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=1465961 (9 of 74) [12/13/2010 7:03:11 PM]

Hint A.1 Energy and power

Hint A.2 Find the ratio of kinetic energies

Express your answer in seconds.

Of course, neglecting friction, especially air friction, is completely unrealistic at such

Hint B.1 How to approach the problem

Express your answer numerically, in seconds.

http://session.masteringphysics.com/myct/assignmentPrintView?assignmentID=1465961 (10 of 74) [12/13/2010 7:03:11 PM]

The Work Done in Pulling a Supertanker