Vito"Do Balls Rolling Uphill Stop at the Same Point? - MarkoDeVito

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter MarkoDe
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Balls Rolling
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
Sign up Log in
2 replies · 3K views
MarkoDe
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Hi folks,

I'm imagining the following situation:
Two balls lie at the base of a hill, side by side, not touching. One is larger and masses more than the other. They are made from the same material. Suddenly, they both experience the same acceleration towards the hill. They don't ever come into contact with each other. They don't experience any friction or air resistance.

So my question is, do they both stop an equal ways up the hill?

Thanks!

MarkoDe
 

Discussion

Physics news on Phys.org
Assuming both balls arrive at the base of the hill at the same speed, they will climb up the hill by the same amount.

Note that the larger ball's center of mass starts off higher because of it's larger radius, and it's initial contact with the hill is also at a higher point than the smaller ball, so after both balls climb up the hill by the same amount the point of contact of the larger ball will be higher by the same amount as it was at the point of initial contact with the hill (if the hill is a flat ramp). Not sure if you were concerned about this minor detail.
 
my question is, why would they both stop?
There is an acceleration and the other forces are constant. I feel you are talking about an impulse not acceleration