PHYSICS 9A FINAL EXAM December 16, 2006

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Problem 1. (two points) You are pushing your car from the back so that each wheel experiences a force F applied
to its center of mass through the car axle as shown in the figure. The car begins to accelerate to the right. Assume
smooth rolling motion. Which statement below is true about the frictional force which acts on the wheels from the
road

A) It is a static frictional force directed to the left

B) It is a static frictional force directed to the right
C) It is a kinetic frictional force directed to the left
D) It is a kinetic frictional force directed to the right
E) Frictional force is equal zero in this case.

Solution: Smooth rolling motion assumes static frictional force since there is no sliding. In this case, the friction
supplies angular acceleration in clockwise direction (car moves to the right) therefore it is directed to the left.
Answer A.

Problem 2 (two points). If the x component of a vector A in the x-y plane is half as large as the magnitude of the
vector, its y component is

A) A/2
B) 2A
C) 3A/4
3
D) A
2
5
E) A
2

Solution:

Denote x component of vector A as Ax, y component of vector A as Ay, and its length as |A|. Then we have
Ax2+Ay2=|A|2
(|A|/2)2+Ay2=|A|2
3
it then follows that Ay= A
2
Answer D.

Problem 3. (two points) A crate rests on a horizontal surface and a woman pulls on it with a force. The magnitude
of the force is 10 N in all cases shown below. Rank the situations according to the magnitude of the normal force
exerted by the surface on the crate, least to greatest

case 1 case 2 case 3

A) 1,3,2
B) 3,2,1
C) 2,1,3
D) 2,3,1
E) 1,2,3

Solution: This force is the normal force experienced by the crate: FN=mg-Fv, where Fv is the projection of the
applied force onto vertical axis. The least force is 3 (largest projection), then 2, then 1, Answer B

Problem 4. (two points) A 1 kg body undergoes simple harmonic motion of amplitude 10 cm and period 1 s.
What is the magnitude of the maximum force acting on it? Select the closest answer:

A) 20 N
B) 10 N
C) 4 N
D) 40 N
E) 100 N

Solution: During harmonic motion, dispacement x(t)=xmax*cos(ωt) and acceleration a(t)=-xmax*ω2∗cos(ωt). The
force F=ma=-m*xmax*ω2∗cos(ωt) where Fmax=m*xmax*ω2=1*0.1*(2*3.14/1)2=4 N, Answer C.

Problem 5. (two points)

A missile has to be launched from some point on the Earth. Assuming that it travels over flat area and its initial
velocity is always the same, what would be the optimal angle to fire this missile so that it covers the largest
possible distance? (neglect air resistance)

A) 15 degrees
B) 30 degrees
C) 45 degrees
D) 60 degrees
E) 75 degrees

Solution: Along horizontal axis x(t)=v*cos(φ)*t, where v is the initial velocity, and φ is the firing angle. Along
vertical axis y(t)=v*sin(φ)*t-gt2/2. The time during which the missile is in the air can be estimated from y(t)=0
which gives t0=2*v*sin(φ)/g, and the distance along horizontal axis x(t0)=v*cos(φ)*2*v*sin(φ)/g=v*sin(2φ)/g. It is
then clear that the distance is at maximum when sin(2φ)=1, or φ=45 degrees. Answer C.

Problem 6. (two points)

Five equal 2.0 kg point masses are arranged in the x-y plane as shown. They are connected by massless rods to
form a rigid body. The distance a is 4 m. Find the rotational inertia about an axis parallel to the z - axis through
point P (the lowest point mass, z axis is normal to the plane of the figure).

A. 128 kg*m2 y
B. 160 kg*m2
C. 256 kg*m2
a
D. 288 kg*m2
E. 2880 kg*m2 a
a x
a
P

Solution: The rotational inertia around point P:

I=M*(2a)2+M*(sqrt(2)*a)2+M*(sqrt(2)*a)2+Ma2=9Ma2=9*2*16=288 kg*m2. Answer D

Problem 7. (two points)

In the hydrogen atom, an electron is orbiting around a proton as shown in the figure. The radius of its orbit is 1 nm,
the mass is 10-30 kg and its velocity 300 km/s. Calculate magnitude and direction of the electron’s angular
momentum.

A)3x10-34 kg*m2/s, out of plane of the page

B) 3x10-34 kg*m2/s, into plane of the page
C) 3x10-37 kg*m2/s, out of plane of the page
D) 3x10-37 kg*m2/s, into plane of the page
E.) 0

Solution: l=r x p = r x mv. The cross product is directed outside the page. Its value is l=r*m*v=
10-9*10-30*3*105=3*10-34 kg m2/s. Answer A.

Problem 8. (two points)

An oscillating block-spring system takes 0.75 s to begin repeating its motion. Find the frequency in Hertz.
A) 0.1 Hz
B) 1.33 Hz
C) 0.75 Hz
D) 21 Hz
E) 60 Hz

Solution: ν=1/T=1.33 Hertz, Answer B.

Problem 9. (4 points)
A puck of mass m=1 kg slides in a circle of radius r=20.0 cm on a
frictionless table while attached to a hanging cylinder of mass M=4.5 kg by
a cord through a hole in the table. What speed keeps the cylinder at rest?

Solution: The forces acting on the cylinder are the gravity and the tension in the rope. Therefore, to keep the
cylinder at rest Mg=T. When the puck slides in a circle, the only force acting on it in the horizontal direction is the
tension in the rope. Therefore T=ma=mv2/R. As a result, T=Mg=mv2/R, or
v=sqrt(Mg*R/m)=sqrt(4.5*10*0.2/1)=3 m/s

Problem 10. (4 points)

The string is L=100 cm long, has a ball attached to one end, and is fixed at
its other end. The distance d from the fixed end to a fixed peg at point P is
75 cm. When the initially stationary ball is released with the string
horizontal as shown, it will swing along the dashed arc. What is its speed
when it reaches its highest point after the string catches on the peg?
Solution: First, calculate the speed of the ball just before it catches on the peg. mgL=mv2/2, therefore
v=sqrt(2gL)=sqrt(20)=4.5 m/s. Then apply the energy conservation law for the lowest and highest points after the
ball caught on the peg: mv2/2=mg2r+mvf2/2. We find vf=sqrt(v2-4gr)=sqrt(20-40*0.25)=3.33 m/s

Problem 11. (4 points) A horizontal platform in the shape of a circular disk rotates on a frictionless bearing about
a vertical axle through the center of the disk. The platform has radius R, rotational inertia I about the axis of
rotation and has a student of mass m standing at the rim. The entire system (platform + student) rotates initially
with some angular speed ω0. At some time moment t=0 the student starts walking with a constant speed V relative
the platform from the rim towards the center.

a. Derive expression for the angular velocity of the platform as a function of time, ω(t).
b. What is the angular velocity of the platform when the student reaches its center.
c. Plot the function ω(t) by taking x axis as time axis and y axis as ω axis.

Solution: We need to use the conservation of angular momentum. The total (platform + student) angular
momentum when student is at the rim of the platform is (I+mR2)ω0 . After the student walked the distance r=V*t
from the platform rim, the total angular momentum becomes (I+m(R-Vt)2)ω.
Therefore ω(t)=ω0(I+mR2)/(I+m(R-Vt)2).

The plot starts at ω(t=0)=ω0 and increases with time until t=R/V (the moment when the student reaches platform’s
center). At this moment ω(t)=ω0(I+mR2)/I

Problem 12. (4 points)

One block has mass M=500 g,, the other has mass m=100 g, and the pulley which is
mounted in horizontal frictionless bearings, has a radius of 10 cm. When released from
rest, the more massive block falls with acceleration 2 m/s2. (without the cord slipping
the pulley) What is the magnitude of the pulley’s rotational inertia?

Solution: The second Newton law for the M block is Mg-Tr=Ma where Tr is the
tension in the right part of the cord. The second Newton law for the m block is
Tl-mg=ma where Tl is the tension in the left part of the cord. The second Newton law
for the pulley is (Tr-Tl)*R=I*α=I*a/R. We find Tr-Tl=Mg-Ma-ma-mg=0.5*10-0.5*2-0.1*2-0.1*10=2.8 N.
Therefore I=(Tr-Tl)*R2/a=2.8*0.01/2=0.014 kg*m2.

Problem 13. (4 points)

In the figure, a 1 g bullet is fired into 0.5 kg block attached to the end of a 1.0 m
nonuniform rod of mass 0.5 kg. The block-rod-bullet system then rotates in the plane of
the figure about a fixed axis at A. The rotational inertia of the rod alone about that axis
at A is 0.5 kg m2. Treat the block as a particle. If the angular speed of the system block-
rod-bullet about A just after impact is 2.0 rad/s, what is the bullet’s speed just before
impact?

Solution: The conservation of angular momentum gives: mvL=(I+ML2+mL2)ω, where m is the mass of the bullet,
v is its initial speed, L is the length of the rod, I is the rotational inertia of the rod, M is the mass of the block and ω
is the angular velocity of the system just after the impact. We find
v=(I+(M+m)L2)ω/(mL)=(0.5+0.5*1+0.001*1)*2/(0.001*1)=2000 m/s

Problem 14. (4 points)

A uniform beam of weight 500 N and length 3.0 m is suspended
horizontally. On the left it is hinged to a wall, on the right it is supported
by a cable bolted to the wall at distance D above the beam. The least
tension that will snap the cable is 500 N. What value of D corresponds to
that tension?
Solution: Denote T as the tension in the cable. Denote Fv and Fh as the vertical and horizontal components of the
reaction force appeared in the hinge. Denote φ as the angle between the cable and the beam. Denote L as the length
of the beam.

The equilibrium along vertical axis gives mg=Tsin(φ)+Fv .

The equilibrium along horizontal axis gives Tcos(φ)=Fh.
The absence of rotation along the hinge gives mgL/2=TLsin(φ)=TLD/sqrt(D2+L2)

From the last equation we obtain D/sqrt(D2+L2)=mg/(2T)=500/1000=0.5. D=L/sqrt(3)=1.71 m