Physics

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Solutions to Final Examination
December 16, 2013


Problem 1 (20 Points)
A 30.0 kg child stands on the edge of a solid
uniform disk of mass 100. kg and radius
2.00 m. The disk rotates horizontally about
a fixed vertical axis located at the opposite
edge of the disk from the child. Initially, the
disk and child are rotating
counterclockwise and make 1.00 revolution
every 8.00 seconds. Then the child catches
a ball of mass 5.00 kg thrown by a friend.
As shown in the figure, just before the ball
is caught, it has a horizontal velocity of
magnitude 12.0 m/s at an angle =37.0 to a line tangent to the disk.
(a)
(8 Points) Before the ball is caught, what is the moment of inertia of the disk
and child about the axis?
Use the parallel axis theorem:
m R2
2
Ii = Idisk + Ichild = disk + mdisk R 2 + mchild (2R)
2
2
3mdisk R
2

Ii =
+ mchild (2R)
2
2

3(100kg)(2.00m)
2
Ii =
+ ( 30.0kg)( 4.00m) = 1080 kg m 2
2

(b)
(12 Points) After the ball is caught, what is the angular speed of the
disk+child+ball system?
Li = L f

I ii mb v cos = I f f

i =

2 1
= s
8s 4

I f = I i + mb ( 2R) = 1080 kg m 2 + ( 5kg) ( 4m ) = 1160 kg m 2

2

f =

"

%
' ( 5kg) (12m / s ) ( cos37)
&
= 0.566 rad / s
1160 kg m 2

(1080 kg m ) $# 4 s

Problem 2 (20 Points)

A wire is 30.0 cm long. It has density 0.230 grams/meter, and is under tension
FT=5.70 N. It is attached to rigid posts at each end.
(a)
(5 Points) Calculate the velocity of a transverse travelling pulse on this wire.
(Be careful with units).

(b)

(5 Points) Calculate the fundamental vibrational frequency.

(c)
(5 Points) Calculate the period of the motion if the wire is in the n=3
standing wave mode.

(d)
(5 Points) At time t=0 the wire is not moving. The top graph shows the
displacement of the wire at time t=0. If T is the period of the motion that you
calculated in part (c), sketch the wires configuration at times t=T/4, t=T/2, and t=T.

t=0

t = 0 milliseconds

t=T/4

t = 0.318 milliseconds

t=T/2

t = 0.635 milliseconds

t=T

t = 1.27 milliseconds

Problem 3 (20 Points)

A newly discovered comet (Balleys Comet) is in an elliptical orbit around the Sun
(which has mass 1.99 x 1030 kg) with orbital period 162 years. Its distance of closest
approach to the Sun is 8.98 x 1010 m where its speed is observed to be 54.1 km/s. The
mass of the comet is 2.53 x 1014 kg.
(a)
(5 points) Calculate the semimajor axis of Balleys orbit.

(b)

(5 points) What is the farthest distance Balley will get from the Sun?


(c)
(5 points) Balley is observed to fly by the Earth at a distance of 1.50 x 1011 m
from the Sun. What is its speed there? (You can ignore the gravitational force
exerted by the Earth. Note that you can solve this even if you could not do parts a or
b.)

(d)
(5 points) How much work needs to be done on Balley to change its orbit to
a circular orbit at the distance of closest approach to the Sun? (Note that you can
solve this even if you could not do parts a, b, or c.)

Problem 6 (10 Points)
A uniform disk of mass m and radius r rests on the back of a truck. The truck and
the disk are initially at rest, but then the truck accelerates to the right with
acceleration atruck . Assume that the disk does not fall off the truck and that the
static coefficient of friction is large enough that the disk rolls without slipping
over the truck. What is the acceleration of the center of mass of the disk, as
observed in the reference frame of a person standing on the ground? Specify
both the direction and the magnitude of the acceleration of the disk in terms of
some or all of m, r, and atruck but no other variables.
m,r
atruck

Note that afterwards the disk is rotating counterclockwise and accelerating to the left.
The no-slip condition ensures that the bottom surface of the disk has the same
acceleration as the truck.
Ff = ma
Ff r = I
Ff r 2
F r2
2F
= f2
= f = 2a
I
mr / 2
m
= a + atan = 3a

atan = r =
atruck
a=

atruck
3