Kinetic Energy of a Bowling Ball

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
3 replies · 16K views
PeachBanana
Messages
189
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



A bowling ball of mass 7.2 kg and radius 9.1 cm rolls without slipping down a lane at 3.0 m/s.

What is the total kinetic energy of the bowling ball?

Homework Equations


KE rot. = 1/2 Iω^2

The Attempt at a Solution



KE initial = 0 J (I'm assuming it started from rest).
I = 2/5 (7.2 kg)(0.091 m)^2
I = 0.0238492 kg * m^2
I used the formula for a uniform sphere to calculate this.

3.0 m/s / 0.091 m = 0.3296 rad./s

KE final = 1/2 (0.0238492 kg*m^2)(0.3296 rad./s)^2
KE final = 1.3 * 10 ^ -3 J

I'm thinking I messed up at the "I" variable because my answer is tiny.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
PeachBanana said:
3.0 m/s / 0.091 m = 0.3296 rad./s
Recheck this calculation.

Also: Don't forget the translational KE.
 
DocAl - I redid the calculation and read the exponent of 3.296 as -1 and not +1. I added in the translational kinetic energy and got the right answer of 45 J.