What is the final linear speed of a basketball rolling down an incline?

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a basketball rolling down an incline with an initial linear speed, and participants are exploring the final linear speed as it rolls off the incline. The context includes concepts from rotational dynamics and energy conservation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the conservation of energy and the relationship between kinetic and potential energy. There are attempts to set up equations involving kinetic energy, potential energy, and the moment of inertia of the basketball.

Discussion Status

Guidance has been provided regarding the conservation of total mechanical energy as the ball rolls down the slope. Participants are actively working on setting up the equations to relate initial and final energies, with some expressing uncertainty about how to simplify the equations.

Contextual Notes

There is mention of the basketball being a thin spherical shell and the height of the incline, but specific values for mass and radius are not provided, leading to questions about how to handle these variables in the equations.

df102015
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Homework Statement


upload_2016-5-11_17-21-27.png

The image above shows a basketball (a thin spherical shell I=⅔ mR^2) rolling don an incline of height 8.4 m. If the ball is already rolling with an initial linear speed of 3.0 m/s then what will be the final linear speed when it rolls off the incline?

Homework Equations


I = 2/3 m R^2
KE = 1/2 m v^2 + 1/2 I ω^2
ω = v / R
PE = m g h

The Attempt at a Solution


I know that i am missing some equations but honestly i don't know where to start other than substituting for ω and I.

KE = 1/2 m v^2 + 1/2 (2/3 m R^2) [(v / R)^2]

i do not think that i need the potential energy equation, but i mentioned it just incase. Also, how do i cancel out the mass and radius since they are not given in the problem?
 
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You have all the equations. You just need the concept. Is anything conserved in this problem?
 
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TSny said:
You have all the equations. You just need the concept. Is anything conserved in this problem?
Energy, so would i set KE=PE ?
 
Energy, yes. But there is no law that says that KE should always equal PE. What about total mechanical energy: E = KE + PE? What can you say about E as the ball rolls down the slope?
 
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Hint:
Total Initial Energy = Total final energy
(As the ball rolls without slipping no heat is lost due to friction)
 
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Okay so would i use the equation that i have already set up? ...
KE = 1/2 m v^2 + 1/2 (2/3 m R^2) [(v / R)^2]
And would i add PE (mgh) and set equal to ME?
 
Sahil Kukreja said:
Hint:
Total Initial Energy = Total final energy
(As the ball rolls without slipping no heat is lost due to friction)
But how do i set the equations up so that the variables i need cancel and everything else remains?
 
df102015 said:
But how do i set the equations up so that the variables i need cancel and everything else remains?
Do what you proposed in post #6 (add in PE), write the KE+PE expressions for each of the starting and ending circumstances, and set them equal.
 
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haruspex said:
Do what you proposed in post #6 (add in PE), write the KE+PE expressions for each of the starting and ending circumstances, and set them equal.
Okay i think i have it...
1/2 m Vinitial^2 + 1/2 (2/3 m R^2) [(Vinitial / R)^2] + m g h = 1/2 m Vfinal^2 + 1/2 (2/3 m R^2) [(Vfinal / R)^2]

Is this correct?
 
  • #10
df102015 said:
Okay i think i have it...
1/2 m Vinitial^2 + 1/2 (2/3 m R^2) [(Vinitial / R)^2] + m g h = 1/2 m Vfinal^2 + 1/2 (2/3 m R^2) [(Vfinal / R)^2]

Is this correct?
Yes.
 
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  • #11
haruspex said:
Yes.
Thanks! I got the right answer!
 

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