ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: What is the final velocity of the hovering disk?

Q: A disk of mass 0.5 kg slides with a constant velocity of 2.4 m/s over an air table before colliding with an elastic band. If the band exerts an average force of 1.4 Newtons on the disk for 1.5 seconds, what is the final velocity of the disc? A1: The disc will experience aContinue reading “ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: What is the final velocity of the hovering disk?”

ELECTROSTATICS: Unit Vector Analysis of a Two-Charge System ( Part 2 )

Q: Two subatomic particles have a charge of 1.0 x 10-6 C, and they are located on the x-axis at coordinates ( -1.0 m, 0.0 m ) and ( 1.0 m, 0.0 m ). Please calculate the following: The net electric field when a positive test charge ( P ) is situated at coordinates (Continue reading “ELECTROSTATICS: Unit Vector Analysis of a Two-Charge System ( Part 2 )”

ELECTROSTATICS: Unit Vector Analysis of a Two-Charge System ( Part 1 )

Q: Two subatomic particles have a charge ( q1 = q2 = 10-6 C ), and they are located on the x-axis at coordinates ( -1m, 0m ) and ( 1m, 0m ). Please calculate the following: The electric field due to the charges when a positive test charge ( P ) has x/y-coordinates ofContinue reading “ELECTROSTATICS: Unit Vector Analysis of a Two-Charge System ( Part 1 )”

ELECTROSTATICS: An Equilateral Triangle’s Center of Mass ( Part 2 )

In a prior example, a visually engaging technique was used to locate the center of mass within an equilateral triangle: A more mathematically detailed approach will now be used to determine the center of mass location. The diagram above must be expanded in such a manner that trigonometry can be applied to our efforts: TheContinue reading ELECTROSTATICS: An Equilateral Triangle’s Center of Mass ( Part 2 )

ELECTROSTATICS: An Equilateral Triangle’s Center of Mass ( Part 1 )

The center of mass of a system is the location where the average mass of a system can be assumed to exist. If two equally massive children sit at opposite ends of a seesaw, their average mass will be located at the midpoint between them. When dealing with other systems of masses, determining the centerContinue reading “ELECTROSTATICS: An Equilateral Triangle’s Center of Mass ( Part 1 )”

ROTATIONAL MOTION: At What Rate will the Yo-Yo Accelerate?

Several forces must be taken into account to study the motion of a yo-yo. If we assume a hand to be stationary when a yo-yo begins its descent, a tension force acts upward upon the yo-yo’s string. Opposite to the tension force is the force exerted upon the system by the gravitational force of attractionContinue reading “ROTATIONAL MOTION: At What Rate will the Yo-Yo Accelerate?”

ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Parallel Axis Theorem/Moment of Inertia of a Rod

The moment of inertia ( I ) is the rotational equivalent of mass possessed by an object. This proclamation, however, comes with a caveat: massive objects are not created equal. Different objects of equal mass have differing abilities to resist changes in rotational motion. Additionally, the location of an object’s axis of rotation influences itsContinue reading “ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Parallel Axis Theorem/Moment of Inertia of a Rod”

ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Moment of Inertia and the Parallel Axis Theorem

Inertia is a measure of a system’s ability to resist a change in motion, and it is directly proportional to a system’s massiveness. Such a system or object could be stationary with respect to an observer, or it could move with a constant velocity. When a system moves with constant velocity with respect to anContinue reading “ENERGY AND MOMENTUM: Moment of Inertia and the Parallel Axis Theorem”

KINEMATICS: Where Will The Daredevil Land?

Q: A stuntman equipped with a parachute rides a bicycle over the edge of a 500.0-meter building. The combined mass of the stuntman and his bicycle is 90.0 kg. If the bike moves at 24.2 m/s as it leaves the building’s edge, at what distance from the building’s base must a cushion be placed inContinue reading “KINEMATICS: Where Will The Daredevil Land?”

ROTATIONAL MOTION: What Distance Separates Two Projectiles Revolving Around a Common Center of Mass?

Q: Two projectiles separated by distance ( dt ) revolve around their center of mass ( cm = ½ dt ). Each projectile has a mass ( m ) of 4.81 x 1020 kg, and they have an instantaneous rotational speed ( ⍵ ) of 1.25 x 10-10 rad/s relative to the center of mass.Continue reading “ROTATIONAL MOTION: What Distance Separates Two Projectiles Revolving Around a Common Center of Mass?”