AP Physics C: Mechanics

Unit 5 Practice Exercises

Directions: Show the steps required to arrive at the answer (if applicable). Use g = 9.80 m/s2 and neglect air
resistance unless otherwise stated. Work out the problems on separate page.

5.1 – Rotational Kinematics

1. A merry-go-round is being pushed to make it spin. The angle the merry-go-round has turned through over
time is given by 𝜃(𝑡) = 2𝑡 + .05𝑡 3 .
a) Calculate the angular velocity of the merry-go-round as a function of time.
b) What is the initial value of the angular velocity?
c) Calculate the instantaneous value of the average velocity at 𝑡 = 5 𝑠 and the average value from 𝑡 = 0 𝑠
to 𝑡 = 5 𝑠.

2. A dreidel rotates with an angular velocity given by 𝜔(𝑡) = 4 − 8𝑡 2 . Calculate the average angular
acceleration from t = 0 s to t = 2 s.

3. A circular saw blade 0.6 m in diameter starts from rest and accelerates with constant angular acceleration to
an angular velocity of 100 rad/s in 20 s. Find the angular acceleration and the angle through which the blade
has turned.

4. A frog rides on a unicycle. The unicycle wheel accelerates uniformly from a speed of 9.0 rev/s
with a rate of acceleration of 10 rad/s2. The wheel makes 31 complete revolutions as it
accelerates. Find the final speed of the wheel.

5. A wheel accelerated at a rate of 0.60 rad/s2 for 40 s. The angular displacement during this time is 910 radians.
What is the angular velocity at the beginning and at the end of the acceleration?

6. A flywheel of radius 0.30 m starts from rest and accelerates with constant angular acceleration of 0.50 rad/s2.
a) Calculate the tangential acceleration and radial acceleration at t = 0 s.
b) Calculate the tangential acceleration and radial acceleration when the wheel has turned through 120o.

7. An astronaut is being tested in a centrifuge. The centrifuge has a radius of 10 m and, in starting, rotates
according to 𝜃 = 0.3𝑡 2 , where t is in seconds, and θ is in radians. When t = 5.0 s, what are the magnitudes
of the astronaut’s
a) angular and linear velocity?
b) tangential acceleration and radial acceleration?

8. In the figure shown, wheel A of radius rA = 10 cm is coupled by belt B to wheel C of

radius rC = 25 cm. The angular speed of wheel A is increased from rest at a
constant rate of 1.6 rad/s2. Find the time for wheel C to reach a rotational speed of
100 rev/min, assuming the belt does not slip.

5.2 – Moment of Inertia

1. A uniform, thin, solid door has height 2.20 m, width 0.870 m, and mass 23.0 kg. Find its moment of inertia
for rotation on its hinges.
2. A thin rectangular sheet of steel is 0.3 m by 0.4 m and has a mass of 24 kg. Find the moment of inertia about
an axis:
a) through the center, parallel to the long sides?
b) through the center, parallel to the short sides?
c) through the center, perpendicular to the plane?

3. Two balls with masses M and m are connected by a rigid rod of length L and negligible mass as shown. For
an axis perpendicular to the rod:
a) show that the system has the minimum moment of inertia when the axis passes through the center of
mass.
b) Show that this moment of inertia is 𝐿2 𝑚𝑀/(𝑚 + 𝑀).

4. A clay cylinder has radius R, height H, and mass M. The moment of inertia about an axis passing through the
centers of the ends of the cylinder is I.
a) A new cylinder with twice the mass but the same radius is formed by adding clay to the old cylinder.
What is the moment of inertia of the new cylinder?
b) A new cylinder with twice the mass but the same height h is formed by adding clay to the original
cylinder. What is the moment of inertia?

5. A solid sphere of mass M and radius R rotates about an axis tangent to the sphere. Find the moment of
inertia.

6. A triangular rod has length L, mass M, and nonuniform linear mass density given by the
2𝑀
equation 𝜆 = 𝐿2 𝑥, where x is the distance from one end of the rod, a shown.
a) Show that the rotational inertia of the rod about its left end is ML2/2.

b) The thin hoop below in Figure 1 has mass M, radius L, and rotational inertia around its center ML2.
Three rods identical to the rod from part a) are now fastened to thing hoops, as shown in Figure 2.

i. Derive an expression for the rotational inertia of the hoop-rods system about the center of the
hoop.

ii. The hoop-rod system is initially at rest and held in place but free to rotate about its center. A
constant force F is applied tangent to the hoop for time T. Derive an expression for the final
angular speed of the hoop-rod system.
5.3 – Torque
1. Find the net torque on the wheel in the diagram about the axle through O, taking a = 10.0 cm and b =
25.0 cm.

2. The fishing pole shown makes an angle of 20.0° with the horizontal. What
is the torque exerted by the fish about an axis perpendicular to the page and
passing through the angler’s hand if the fish pulls on the fishing line with a
force F= 100 N at an angle 37.0° below the horizontal? The force is applied
at a point 2.00 m from the angler’s hands.

3. A car traveling on a flat (unbanked), circular track accelerates uniformly from rest with a tangential
acceeration of a. The car makes it one-quarter of the way around the circle before it skids off the track. From
these data, determine the coefficient of static friction between the car and the track.

4. In a manufacturing process, a large, cylindrical roller is used to flatten material fed beneath it. The diameter
of the roller is 1.00 m, and, while being driven into rotation around a fixed axis, its angular position is given by:
𝜃(𝑡) = 2.5𝑡 2 − 6𝑡 3
a) Find the maximum angular speed of the roller.
b) What is the maximum tangential speed of a point on the rim of the roller?
c) At what time t should the driving force be removed from the roller so that the roller does not reverse its
direction of rotation?
d) Through how many rotations has the roller turned between t = 0 and the time found in part (c)?

5. A 60 kg grindstone is 1.0 in diameter and has a moment of inertia of 3.75 𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚2 . A tool is pressed down on
the rim with a normal force of 50 N. The coefficient of sliding friction between the tool and stone is 0.6, and the
there is a constant friction torque of 5 Nm between the axle of the stone and its bearings.
a) How much force must be applied normally at the end of a crank handle 0.5 m long to bring the stone
from rest to 120 rev/min in 9 s?
b) After attaining a speed of 120 rev/min, what must the normal force at the end of handle be to maintain
a constant speed of 120 rev/min.
c) How long will it take the grindstone to come from 120 rev/min to rest is only friction acts?

6. In the picture shown on the right, block A has a mass 2 kg and block B has mass 4 kg. The
moment of inertia of the pulley is 0.2 kgm2 and the radius of the wheel is 0.1 m. Find the
linear acceleration of blocks A and B, and the angular acceleration of C if:
a) the surface of the wheel is frictionless.
b) there is no slipping between the cord and surface of the wheel.
7. A light rod has two masses attached to the ends, as shown. If the rod is free to pivot about an axis
perpendicular to P (which is L/4 from the left end), then was is the initial angular acceleration of the rod?

8. The horizontal surface on which block B moves is frictionless. The

coefficient of kinetic friction between blocks B and C is 𝜇. The pulley
has moment of inertia I = 3MR2 and a radius of R. Block A is released
from rest.
a) Find the downward acceleration of block A.
b) Find the tension between A and the pulley.
c) Find the tension between B and the pulley.
d) Find the acceleration of block C.

5.4 – Work & Energy in Rotation

1. A grindstone in the form of a solid cylinder has radius of 0.5 m and a mass of 50 kg.
a) What torque will bring the grindstone from rest to an angular velocity of 300 rev/min in 10 s?
b) Calculate the work done by the torque.
c) What is the grindstone’s kinetic energy when it is rotating at 300 rev/min?

2. The four particles shown are connected by rigid rods of negligible mass. The origin
is at the center of the rectangle. The system rotates in the xy plane about the z axis with
an angular speed of 6.00 rad/s. Calculate a) the moment of inertia of the system
about the z axis and
b) the rotational kinetic energy of the system.

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3. Matsuoka Shuzo attaches a tennis ball (I = 3 𝑚𝑟 2 ), to a spring with elastic constant
K, which is fixed to a wall. The tennis ball has a mass M and a radius R. The tennis ball is
stretched a distance X from rest and is released. Assume the tennis ball does not slip as it
rolls on the ground. Determine an expression for the maximum linear velocity of the
tennis ball. (6 points)

4. A disk of mass M = 2.0 kg and radius R = 0.10 m is supported by a rope of negligible mass,
as shown The rope is attached to the ceiling at one end and passes under the disk. The other
end of the rope is pulled upward with a force FA . The rotational inertia of the disk around its
center is MR2/2 .
a) Calculate the magnitude of the force FA necessary to hold the disk at rest.
At time t = 0, the force FA is increased to 12 N, causing the disk to accelerate upward. The
rope does not slip on the disk as the disk rotates.
b) Calculate the linear acceleration of the disk.
c) Calculate the angular speed of the disk at t = 3.0 s.
d) Calculate the increase in total mechanical energy of the disk from t = 0 to t = 3.0 s.
e) The disk is replaced by a hoop of the same mass and radius. Indicate whether the linear acceleration
of the hoop is greater than, less than, or the same as the linear acceleration of the disk.
5. A wheel of mass M and radius R moves up an incline as shown. The speed of the ring is 𝑣 as it enters the
incline. Find how far up the incline the wheel goes if
a) The wheel slips while going up the incline. (frictionless)
b) There is no slipping of the wheel as it moves up the incline. (friction is
present)
c) Calculate the magnitude of the acceleration of the wheel.
d) What minimum coefficient of friction to keep the wheels from slipping?

6. A bowling ball of mass 6.0 kg is released from rest from the top of a
slanted roof that is 4.0 m long and angled at 30, as shown. The ball rolls
along the roof without slipping. The rotational inertia of a sphere of mass M
and radius R about its center of mass is 2MR2 /5.
a) Draw and label the forces (not components) acting on the ball at
their points of application as it rolls along the roof.
b) Calculate the minimum coefficient of friction to keep the ball from
slipping as it rolls down the incline.
c) Calculate the linear speed of the center of mass of the ball when it
reaches the bottom edge of the roof.
d) A wagon containing a box is at rest on the ground below the roof so that the ball falls a vertical
distance of 3.0 m and lands and sticks in the center of the box. The total mass of the wagon and the box
is 12 kg. Calculate the horizontal speed of the wagon immediately after the ball lands in it.

7. The cart shown above is made of a block of mass m and four solid rubber tires each of mass m/4 and radius r.
Each tire may be considered to be a disk. (A disk has rotational inertia ½ Mr2)
a) Determine the total rotational inertia of all four tires.
The cart is released from rest and rolls without slipping from the top of an inclined plane of height h.
b) Determine the speed of the cart when it reaches the bottom of the incline.
c) After rolling down the incline and across the horizontal surface, the cart collides with a bumper of
negligible mass attached to an ideal spring, which has a spring constant k. Determine the distance the
spring is compressed.

8. A billiard ball has mass M, radius R, and moment of inertia about the center of mass I. The ball is struck by a
cue stick along a horizontal line through the ball's center of mass so that the ball initially slides with a velocity v
= 2 MR²/5 o as shown above. As the ball moves across the rough billiard table (coefficient of sliding friction µ),
its motion gradually changes from pure translation through rolling with slipping to rolling without slipping.
a) Develop an expression for the linear velocity v of the center of the ball as a function of time while it is
rolling with slipping.
b) Develop an expression for the angular velocity ω of the ball as a function of time while it is rolling
with slipping.
c) Determine the time at which the ball begins to roll without slipping.
d) When the ball is struck it acquires an angular momentum about the fixed point P on the surface of the
table. During the subsequent motion the angular momentum about point P remains constant despite the
frictional force. Explain why this is so.
5.5 – Angular Momentum
1. A particle travels along a line with x intercept at A and y intercept at B. The mass of the particle is 𝑚 and it
has speed 𝑣. The coordinates of the particle are (C,D). What is the magnitude of the particles angular
momentum about the origin?

2. A 55 kg student stands on the rim of a merry-go-round which is rotation at 0.5 rev/s about its center. The ride
has a mass of 120 kg and a radius of 4 m. Find the total angular momentum of the student-ride system.

3. Derek sits on a freely rotating stool holding two dumbbells, each of mass 3.00 kg.
When his arms are extended horizontally, the dumbbells are 1.00 m from the axis of
rotation and the student rotates with an angular speed of 0.750 rad/s. The moment of
inertia of the student plus stool is 3.00 kg·m2. The student pulls the dumbbells
inward horizontally to a position 0.300 m from the rotation axis
a) Find the new angular speed of Derek.
b) Find the kinetic energy of the rotating system before and after he pulls the
dumbbells inward.

4. A disc with momentum of inertia 𝐼 and angular velocity 𝜔 spins on an axle. A disc
that is not spinning is slid along the axle until it makes contact with the first disc. If
the 2 disc stick together:
a) What is their combined angular velocity?
b) What percent of the original kinetic energy of the disc is conserved?

5. A puck on a frictionless air-hockey table has a mass of 0.05 kg and is attached to a

cord passing through a hole in the table as shown. The puck originally revolves at a
distance of 0.2 m from the hole with an angular velocity of 3 rad/s. The cord is then
pulled in from below, and the cord is shortened to 0.1 m. Consider the puck as a
point mass.
a) What is new angular velocity?
b) What is the amount of work done by the person who pulled the cord?

6. A large turntable of radius 2.0 m and total mass 120 kg is rotating about a vertical axis through its center,
with angular velocity of 3.0 rad/s. A 100 kg crate is dropped vertically onto the turntable on its outer edge.
a) Find the angular velocity of the turntable after the crate is dropped.
b) Compute the change in kinetic energy.

7. A lump of clay of mass 𝑚 and velocity of 𝑣 is fired at a solid cylinder of

mass M and radius R. The cylinder is initially at rest and is mounted on a fixed
horizontal axle that runs through its center of mass. The line of motion of the
projectile is perpendicular to the axle and at a distance d from the center. Find
the angular speed of the system just after the clay strikes and sticks to the
surface of the cylinder.
8. A 0.00500-kg bullet traveling horizontally with speed 1,000 m/s strikes an 18.0-kg
door, embedding itself 10.0 cm from the side opposite the hinges as shown. The
1.00-m wide door is free to swing on its frictionless hinges.
a) Before it hits the door, does the bullet have angular momentum relative to
the door’s axis of rotation? If so, evaluate this angular momentum. If not,
explain why there is no angular momentum.
b) Is the mechanical energy of the bullet– door system constant during this
collision? Answer without doing a calculation.
c) At what angular speed does the door swing open immediately after the
collision?
d) Calculate the total energy of the bullet–door system.

5.6 – Statics
1. A uniform scaffold 4.0 m long hangs horizontally by a rope at each end. The scaffold weights 400 N. A 700
N painter stands 1.5 m from the left end. How much tension is in each rope?

2. A 25 kg ladder leans against a wall as shown.

a) Find all forces acting on the ladder.
b) What is the minimum coefficient of friction between the ladder and the ground which
allows the ladder to stand without slipping?

3. A uniform beam of length 7.60 m and weight 450 N is carried by two workers, Righteous Roger and Trippy
Tim, as shown below. Determine the force that each person exerts on the beam.

4. In exercise physiology studies, it is sometimes important to determine the location of a person’s center of
mass. This determination can be done with the arrangement shown above. A light plank rests on two scales,
with scale 1 reading 380 N and scale 2 reading 320. A distance of 1.65m separates the scales. How far from the
woman’s feet is her center of mass?

5. An 8.0-meter uniform plank of mass 100̅ kilograms rests on the top of a building
with 3.0 meters extended over the edge as shown. How far can a 75.0 kg person
venture past the edge of the building before the plank begins to tip?
6. A 10,000-N shark is supported by a rope attached to a 4.00-m rod that can pivot
at the base.
a) Calculate the tension in the cable between the rod and the wall,
assuming the cable is holding the system in the position shown.
b) Find the horizontal force and
c) Find the vertical force exerted on the base of the rod. Ignore the weight
of the rod.

7. The horizontal uniform rod shown above has length 0.60 m and mass 2.0 kg. The left end of the rod is
attached to a vertical support by a frictionless hinge that allows the rod to swing up or down. The right end of
the rod is supported by a cord that makes an angle of 30° with the rod. A spring scale of negligible mass
measures the tension in the cord. A 0.50 kg block is also attached to the right end of the rod.
a) Draw and label vectors to represent all the forces acting on the rod. Show each force vector
originating at its point of application.
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b) Calculate the reading on the spring scale. The rotational inertia of a rod about its center is 12 𝑀𝐿2 ,
where M is the mass of the rod and L is its length.
c) Calculate the rotational inertia of the rod-block system about the hinge.
d) If the cord that supports the rod is cut near the end of the rod, calculate the initial angular acceleration
of the rod-block system about the hinge.

8. A uniform pole is propped between the floor and the ceiling of a room. The height of the room is 7.80 ft and
the coefficient of static friction between the pole and the ceiling is 0.576. The coefficient of static friction
between the pole and the floor is greater than that between the pole and the ceiling. What is the length of the
longest pole that can be propped between the floor and the ceiling?