A solid cylinder and a hollow cylinder of the same mass and radius roll down the
Practice Questions
Q1
A solid cylinder and a hollow cylinder of the same mass and radius roll down the same incline. Which one reaches the bottom first?
Solid cylinder
Hollow cylinder
Both reach at the same time
Depends on the angle of incline
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
A solid cylinder and a hollow cylinder of the same mass and radius roll down the same incline. Which one reaches the bottom first?
Step 1: Understand that both cylinders have the same mass and radius.
Step 2: Know that when objects roll down an incline, their shape affects how they move.
Step 3: Learn about 'moment of inertia,' which is a measure of how difficult it is to change an object's rotation.
Step 4: Realize that a solid cylinder has a smaller moment of inertia than a hollow cylinder.
Step 5: Understand that a smaller moment of inertia means the solid cylinder can roll down the incline faster.
Step 6: Conclude that the solid cylinder will reach the bottom of the incline before the hollow cylinder.
Moment of Inertia – The distribution of mass in an object affects its rotational motion; a lower moment of inertia allows for faster acceleration down an incline.
Rolling Motion – Objects rolling down an incline experience both translational and rotational motion, which influences their speed based on their moment of inertia.
Energy Conservation – The conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy (both translational and rotational) determines how quickly an object reaches the bottom of an incline.