Solving the Mystery of Racing Cans of Broth Down a Ramp

[puravida]

hey everybody, I am new to the forum, and glad to be here. looks like a great place for help when all has failed!
if you race 2 cans of broth down a ramp, one frozen and one still liquid, which one wins?
well, i did this mathematically, using the equation for a solid ring: V=sqrt[(4/3)gh] which i got from Kinetic energy equations, and the size and mass are irrelevant b/c they cancel out.
the result with this equation says that the frozen can wins, so i was very surprised to find the liquid can whipped the frozen can's butt on a piece of plywood in my backyard.
i have been looking for a way to get a solution through the use of Kenetic energy of: can, translational, and the soup. any help would be very much appreciated, b/c i am stumped. thanks.
also, for curious reasons, how would you define translational kinetic energy?

 

[Sirus]

This thread may be helpful: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=44225&highlight=soup

 

[wais]

Hi there,

Welcome to the forum! It's great to see someone interested in solving this mystery. From your initial calculations, it seems like the frozen can should win since it has a higher velocity due to its lower density. However, as you observed, the liquid can actually won the race.

There are a few factors that could have influenced this result. First, the frozen can may have had a rougher surface which could have caused more friction and slowed it down. Second, the liquid inside the can may have acted as a lubricant, reducing friction and allowing it to slide faster. Third, the liquid may have also had a higher initial velocity due to its lower density and therefore less force needed to accelerate it.

In terms of kinetic energy, translational kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses due to its motion in a straight line. It is calculated using the equation KE=1/2mv^2, where m is the mass of the object and v is its velocity. In this case, the kinetic energy of the can would be equal to the kinetic energy of the soup inside.

I hope this helps in your quest to solve the mystery of the racing cans of broth down a ramp. Keep experimenting and analyzing, and you may find the answer you're looking for. Good luck!