What indicates that they arrive at the same time? I don't follow your reasoning. You said it's because the friction forces are the same? They are, I think, but they must also provide different torques if they're applied at different distances from the axis of rotation...
Thanks, but the prof who asked this question claimed that one of them reached the ground first. Unfortunately I can't remember which and am unable to ask him right now.
They both start with the same potential energy, but once they're rolling, one of them spins faster and so has less...
I don't have a scanner, so I had to make the image myself:
In case that doesn't work: http://imgur.com/Wx4Ym
The mass of the extra bits on cylinder B can be ignored because both objects have the same total mass and same moment of inertia...
Homework Statement
Two cylinders (radius R) start from rest and roll without slipping down ramps. They both have the same masses and moments of inertia. The ramps are both at the same angle. One cylinder (A) is directly on the ramp. The other (B) is hanging from two smaller cylindrical bits...
I've seen the gyroscopic effect explained in terms of angular momentum, but I feel that there should be a much more tangible and easily understood solution - one that would make sense to a person without any understanding of algebra.
Specifically, I'm looking for an explanation that looks at...