A disk and a ring of the same mass and radius are rolling down an incline. Which

Practice Questions

Q1
A disk and a ring of the same mass and radius are rolling down an incline. Which one will have a greater translational speed at the bottom?
  1. Disk
  2. Ring
  3. Both have the same speed
  4. Cannot be determined

Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions

A disk and a ring of the same mass and radius are rolling down an incline. Which one will have a greater translational speed at the bottom?
Correct Answer: Disk
  • Step 1: Understand that both the disk and the ring have the same mass and radius.
  • Step 2: Know that when they roll down the incline, they convert potential energy into kinetic energy.
  • Step 3: Recognize that kinetic energy has two parts: translational kinetic energy (movement) and rotational kinetic energy (spinning).
  • Step 4: Learn about moment of inertia, which is a measure of how difficult it is to change the rotation of an object. The disk has a lower moment of inertia than the ring.
  • Step 5: Since the disk has a lower moment of inertia, it can convert more of its potential energy into translational kinetic energy compared to the ring.
  • Step 6: Conclude that the disk will have a greater translational speed at the bottom of the incline than the ring.
  • Moment of Inertia – The moment of inertia determines how mass is distributed in an object and affects its rotational motion.
  • Energy Conversion – Potential energy is converted into translational and rotational kinetic energy as the objects roll down the incline.
  • Rolling Motion – Rolling objects have both translational and rotational kinetic energy, which influences their speed.
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