How do I solve for the value of areal density given the mass and radius?

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The discussion focuses on calculating the areal density (D) of a solid disk with a mass of 15.6 kg and a radius of 0.25 m. The user initially struggled with the transition from linear density (C) of a meter stick to areal density for the disk. The solution involves integrating the surface density over the disk's area, using the formula M = ∫∫(σ dA) and converting to polar coordinates where the area element is dA = r dr dθ. The correct approach is to integrate from 0 to 0.25 m for the radius and from 0 to 2π for the angle.

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I've ran aground on my physics 4a homework.

Consider a solid disk of mass M=15.6kg and areal density =Dx3. Determine the value D if the radius of the disk is 0.25m.

I solved the problem before it: (a)Consider a two meterstick of mass M=8.2kg and linear density =Cx5. Determine the value C.

by taking the intergral of the linear density and setting it equal to the mass and plugging in 2 meters for the x and solving for C.

Changing the object to a disk from a meter stick somehow destroys the problem from me and I can't figure out what to do to get it to work. I've tried finding area pi(r)^2 using the radius that gave, and I've tried circumferance 2pi(r).

What I'm I missing?
 
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Could it be that x in Dx3 stands for the radius of the disk? In this case, you can proceed exactly as with the stick; integrating the surface density from 0 to 0.25m (and 0 to 2pi) and then solve for D.
 
Last edited:
I start again...

Use the fact that the mass is the surface integral of the areal density over the whole surface. I.e.

[tex]M = \iint_{surface} \sigma dA[/tex]

And use the fact that the areal density is given to you as a function of the radius to integrate in polar coordinate. Recall that in polar coordinate, the area element is [itex]dA = rdrd\theta[/itex].
 

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