1.

Rotational Motion
a. A uniform solid spherical ball with radius 5.00 cm is rolling along a horizontal surface at
1.25 m/s when it encounters an incline. What vertical height on the incline does the ball
reach before stopping? Friction is sufficient for the ball to roll without slipping, but
otherwise negligible. (4 pts)

Using conservation of energy to find the maximum height h:

Einitial = ½ m v2 + ½ I ω2 = Efinal = m g h

I = 2/5 m r2for a solid sphere (from table), and ω = v/r for a rolling object, so:

½ m v2 + 1/5 m r2 (v/r)2 = m g h

h = v2/g (1/2 + 1/5) = (7/10) v2/g

h = 0.7 (1.25)2/9.80 = 0.112 m

b. A uniform solid disk 25.0 cm in radius, with mass 45.0 kg, is initially rotating at 50.0 rpm
(rotations per minute) when a brake pad with coefficient of kinetic friction μ = 0.35 is
applied to the outer edge. With what force (radially inward) must the brake be applied to
reduce the disk’s rotational speed to 30.0 rpm in exactly 5 rotations? (4 pts)

The torque due to friction will produce an angular acceleration (negative, hence angular deceleration):
τ = F r = -μ n r = I α, where n is the force applied to the brake and I = ½ m r2 for a disk (from table)

The required angular acceleration is found from

ωf2 – ωi2 = 2 α ∆θ, where
∆θ = 5 × 2π
ωi = 50 × 2π/60 = 5.236 s-1, and
ωf = 30 × 2π/60 = 3.142 s-1, so

α = (ωf2 – ωi2)/(2 ∆θ) = -0.0889 s-2, and

μ n r = -½ m r2 α
n = -0.5 (45.0) (0.250) (-0.0889)/(0.35) = 1.43 N

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2. Rotational Inertia and Torque

A 0.120 kg meter stick is rotated about an axis through the 70.0 cm mark. Assume the width and
thickness of the meter stick are negligible.

a. Find the moment of inertia about this axis. (4 pts)

Use the table to find the moment about the center of mass, and the parallel axis theorem.

ICM = (1/12) m L2 = (1/12)(0.120 kg)(1.00 m)2 = 0.0100 kg m2 (through the 50 cm mark)

The 70 cm mark is d = 0.200 m from the center of mass

I70 = ICM + 1/2 m d2 = (0.0100 kg m2) + (0.5)(0.120 kg)(0.200 m)2 = 0.0100 + 0.0120 kg m2 = 0.0220 kg m2

b. The meter stick is placed so it lies along the positive x-axis, with the 0.00 cm mark at the
origin. Three forces are applied:
• (4.00 j) N at the 70.0 cm mark,
• (−3.00 i) N at the 100.0 cm mark, and
• (5.00 j – 2.00 k) N direction at the 20.0 cm mark.
Find the resultant (total) torque vector about the axis of rotation given above. (4 pts)

The first of the three forces acts at the axis of rotation (r = 0), and therefore produces zero torque.

The line of action for the second force passes through the axis of rotation (θ = 0), and also produces no
torque.

For the third force, we have r = (-0.500 m) i so

τ = r × F = (-0.500 m)(5.00 N) (i × j) + (-0.500 m)(-2.00 N) (i × k)
i × j = +k
i × k = -j, so
τ = (-1.00 j – 2.50 k) N m

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3. Angular Momentum
a. A cylindrical spacecraft with radius 2.500 meters and mass 1250 kg is rotating with an
angular velocity of 0.200 s-1. The spacecraft has four thrusters mounted along its sides, each
capable of providing a constant tangential thrust of 725 N. The astronaut wishes to reduce
the angular velocity of the spacecraft to zero by firing all four thrusters. How long must he
fire them to accomplish this? Treat the spacecraft as being a thin cylinder and neglect the
change in its mass due to consumption of fuel. (4 pts)

The thrusters produce a torque which nulls the initial angular momentum of the spacecraft:
∆L = Lf – Li = τ (∆t)

Li = I ωi, and Lf = 0, and

I = M R2 for a hollow cylinder (from table), so
- (M R2) ωi = τ (∆t)

Each thruster exerts a backward tangential force F = 725 N, so τ = - 4 F R

- (M R2) ωi = -4 F R (∆t)

∆t = (M R ω)/(4 F) = [(1250 kg) (2.50 m) (0.200 s-1)]/[4 (725 N)] = 0.216 s

b. A cylindrical playground wheel with radius 1.500 m and mass 175 kg spins at ω = 2.25 s-1
while a child with mass 40.0 kg is standing near its edge. What is its angular velocity after
the child jumps on? (4 pts)

No external torques act on the system of the wheel + child, so their angular momentum is conserved:

Li = Iw ωi = Lf = (IW + IC) ωf

IW = ½ MW R2 = (0.5) (175 kg) (1.50 m)2 = 196.88 kg m2

IC = m R2 = (40.0 kg) (1.50 m)2 = 90.0 kg m2

ωf = ωi IW/(IW + IC) = (2.25 s-1) [196.88/(196.88 + 90.0)] = 1.54 s-1

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4. Equilibrium and Elasticity

A 3.00 m horizontal plank with mass 50.0 kg rests on a

support 1.00 m from its left end. A 125.0 kg mass 1.00 m
rests on the plank 0.500 m from its right end. The left 1.50 m
end of the plank is tethered to the ground by a steel
cable.

0.50 m Center of mass

a. Find the tension in the cable. (4 pts)

Choose the support point as the axis of rotation. The torque about this axis is then (see figure):

τ = T (1.00 m) – Mg (0.500 m) – mg (1.50 m) = 0 (equilibrium), where

M = 50.0 kg and m = 125.0 kg

T = [(50.0 kg) (0.500 m) + (125 kg) (1.50 m)] (9.80 m/s2)/(1.00 m) = 213 N

b. If the cable’s radius is 3.00 mm, and it is 0.200 m long, find the change in its length due to
the stress. For steel, Young’s modulus is 20.0×1010 N/m2, the Shear modulus is
8.40×1010 N/m2 and the Bulk modulus is 6.00×1010 N/m2. (4 pts)

Young’s modulus is the relevant quantity for an object under tension.

Y = (stress)/(strain) = (T/A) / (∆L/L), and A = π R2, so

∆L/L = T/(A Y) = (213 N)/[(3.142 (0.003 m)2 (20.0 × 1010 N/m2)] = 3.77 × 10-5

Since L = 0.200 m, ∆L = (0.200 m) (3.77 × 10-5) = 7.53 × 10-6 m