How Does a Hollow Sphere Accelerate Down an Inclined Plane?

[Eats Dirt]

Homework Statement

A hollow sphereical shell rolls without slipping down a 38 degree slope, mass 2kg, find the acceleration the friction force and the minimum coefficient of friction needed to prevent slipping

Homework Equations

mgh, E=1/2mv^2=1/2Iw^2

The Attempt at a Solution

i don't really know where to start, i know moment of inertia will affect how fast this will accelerate due to gravity but I am not given it so i don't know to solve it, hints would be great please!

 

[wwj]

the gravity provides the ball with a torque which is mg*cos(38)
when the friction is big enough to cancel out the turning effect caused by the torque

 

[LawrenceC]

the gravity provides the ball with a torque which is mg*cos(38)
when the friction is big enough to cancel out the turning effect caused by the torque

How can this be a torque when the units are wrong?

 

[LawrenceC]

Time for some hints. First of all write an equation energy of the object when it has moved an arbitrary distance (D) along the slope.

Next, determine the torque that causes the ball to rotate.

Think about whether acceleration will be a constant. Based on your decision, more equations of motion might come to mind.