How Far Does a Hamster Run in Its Wheel in One Night?

[katie beisel]

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known
A hamster runs in its wheel for 2.7 hours every night. If the wheel has a 6.8 cm radius and its average angular velocity is 3.0 radians per second, how far does the hamster run in one night?

Homework Equations

w= delta theta/change in time

The Attempt at a Solution

6.8 cm x .001m/1 cm = .0068 m
2.7 hrs x 3600s/1 hr = 9720 s
c = 2pi(.0068m) = .0427 m
3.0 rad/s = delta theta / 9720 s
=29160
the correct answer is 2.0 x 10^3[/B]

 

[jedishrfu]

Check your centimeter to meter conversion? Remember there are 100 cm per meter right.

 

[katie beisel]

oh whoops yeah

Check your centimeter to meter conversion? Remember there are 100 cm per meter right.

then its .068 m
im still not sure where to go from there

 

[SteamKing]

oh whoops yeah

then its .068 m
im still not sure where to go from there

You've converted the radius of the wheel from centimeters to meters.

You know that the hamster spins the wheel at 3 rad/s. How fast is this for a wheel with a radius of 0.068 m?

You could use the definition of radian here to help you.

 

[katie beisel]

so

You've converted the radius of the wheel from centimeters to meters.

You know that the hamster spins the wheel at 3 rad/s. How fast is this for a wheel with a radius of 0.068 m?

You could use the definition of radian here to help you.

i got that one rotation takes .157 seconds but i still don't know where to go from there

 

[SteamKing]

so

i got that one rotation takes .157 seconds but i still don't know where to go from there

You still haven't applied the definition of what a radian is to this problem.