Solve Physics Problem: Acceleration of Hoop Down Ramp

In summary, the problem described is about a hollow spherical shell with a mass of 2.50kg rolling down a slope at an angle of 30.0 degrees with an unknown acceleration. The frictional force acting on the shell is also unknown. Another problem is described involving a circular hoop with unknown mass, radius, and angle, and the task is to find its acceleration using physical constants and given quantities. The speaker expresses frustration and difficulty understanding physics. The equation for finding the rotational inertia is mentioned as a potential solution.
  • #1
RhysticGenesis
10
0
Ok here is the problem A hollow spherical shell with mass 2.50kg rolls without slipping down a slope that makes an angle of 30.0 degrees with the horizontal.
> Find the acceleration a_cm of the center of mass of the spherical shell.
> Take the free-fall acceleration to be g=9.80m/s^2.
> I got 24.2068 but again I was wrong

- I though it was mgsin(theta) was it not?


> Find the frictional force acting on the spherical shell.
Im not sure but wouldn't it be coefficient of friction (which I do not know) times the normal force (which would be the answer to the above I think?)


Another problem is :
A circular hoop of mass m, radius r, and infinitesimal thickness rolls without slipping down a ramp inclined at an angle theta with the horizontal. View Figure
> http://session.masteringphysics.com/problemAsset/1010918/22/MAD_ia_2_v1.jpg
> What is the acceleration a of the center of the hoop?
> Express the acceleration in terms of physical constants and all or some of the quantities m, r, and theta.

and to be honest I have no clue whatsoever on how to do that problem :/ man I am beginning to hate physics I don't understand it at all
:rolleyes:
 
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  • #2
Well, you know that the mass is 2.5 Kg, now find an equation to find I, the rotational inertia, given that all of the mass is in the spherical shell.
 
  • #3


For the first problem, you are on the right track with using the formula mgsin(theta) to find the acceleration of the center of mass. However, you also need to take into account the moment of inertia of the spherical shell, which will affect its acceleration down the ramp. The formula for the moment of inertia of a hollow spherical shell is I = 2/3 * mr^2. So the complete formula for the acceleration of the center of mass would be a_cm = (mgsin(theta)) / (m + 2/3 * mr^2). Plugging in the given values, the acceleration comes out to be approximately 4.9 m/s^2.

For the second problem, the key is to use the formula for rotational motion, which relates the angular acceleration (alpha) to the linear acceleration (a) and the radius (r). The formula is alpha = a/r. We can also use the formula for the moment of inertia of a hoop, which is I = mr^2. Combining these two formulas, we get alpha = a/r = (mgsin(theta)) / (mr^2). Rearranging this, we get a = (mgsin(theta)) / (mr). So the acceleration of the hoop down the ramp would depend on the mass, the gravitational acceleration, the angle of the ramp, and the radius of the hoop.
 

Related to Solve Physics Problem: Acceleration of Hoop Down Ramp

1. What is the formula for calculating acceleration in a physics problem?

The formula for acceleration is a = (vf - vi) / t, where a is acceleration, vf is final velocity, vi is initial velocity, and t is time.

2. How is the acceleration of a hoop down a ramp different from other objects?

The acceleration of a hoop down a ramp is different because the hoop has both rotational and linear motion. This means that the acceleration is affected by both the linear speed and the rotational speed of the hoop.

3. How do you calculate the acceleration of a hoop down a ramp?

To calculate the acceleration of a hoop down a ramp, you will need to use the formula a = (vf - vi) / t, but you will also need to account for the rotational motion of the hoop by using the formula a = αR, where α is the angular acceleration and R is the radius of the hoop.

4. What factors can affect the acceleration of a hoop down a ramp?

The factors that can affect the acceleration of a hoop down a ramp include the angle of the ramp, the mass of the hoop, the radius of the hoop, and the coefficient of friction between the hoop and the ramp.

5. How does the angle of the ramp affect the acceleration of a hoop down a ramp?

The angle of the ramp affects the acceleration of a hoop down a ramp because it determines the component of gravity that is acting on the hoop. A steeper ramp will result in a larger component of gravity, leading to a greater acceleration of the hoop.

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