A wooden cylinder (in the form of a thin disk) of uniform density and a steel hoop are set side by side, released from rest at the same moment, and roll down an inclined plane towards a wall at the bottom. The cylinder has a larger radius than the hoop, but the hoop weighs more than the cylinder. Required:
Who reaches the bottom first and why?

a. The wooden cylinder b. the wooden cylinder reaches the bottom first because its translational kinetic energy is greater.

Explanation:

a. Who reaches the bottom first

The kinetic energy of the objects is given by

K = 1/2mv² + 1/2Iω² where m = mass of object, v = velocity of object, I = moment of inertia and ω = angular velocity = v/r where r = radius of object

For the wooden cylinder, I = mr²/2 where m = mass of wooden cylinder and r = radius of wooden cylinder and v = velocity of wooden cylinder

So, its kinetic energy, K = 1/2mv² + 1/2(mr²/2)(v/r)²

K = 1/2mv² + 1/4mv²

K = 3mv²/4

For the steel hoop, I' = mr'² where m' = mass of steel hoop and r' = radius of steel hoop and v' = velocity of steel hoop

So, its kinetic energy, K' = 1/2m'v'² + 1/2(m'r'²)(v'/r')²

K' = 1/2m'v'² + 1/2m'v'²

K' = m'v'²

Since both kinetic energies are the same, since the drop from the same height,

K = K'

3mv²/4 = m'v'²

v²/v'² = 4m/3m'

v²/v'² = 4/3(m/m')

v/v' = √[4/3(m/m')]

Since the hoop weighs more than the cylinder m/m' < 1 and 4/3(m/m') < 4/3 ⇒ √ [4/3(m/m')] < √4/3 ⇒ v/v' < 1.16 ⇒ v'/v > 1/1.16 ⇒ v'/v > 0.866. Since 0.866 < 1, it implies v' < v.

Since v' = speed of steel hoop < v = speed of wooden cylinder, the wooden cylinder reaches the bottom first.

b. Why

Since the kinetic energy, K = translational + rotational

We find the translational kinetic energy of each object.

For the wooden cylinder,

K = K₀ + 1/2Iω² where K₀ = translational kinetic energy of wooden cylinder

K - 1/2Iω² = K₀

3/4mv² - 1/2(mr²/2)(v/r)² = K₀

3/4mv² - 1/4mv² = K₀

K₀ = 1/2mv²

For the steel hoop,

K' = K₁ + 1/2I'ω'² where K₁ = translational kinetic energy of steel hoop

K' - 1/2I'ω'² = K₁

m'v'² - 1/2(m'r'²)(v'/r')² = K₁

m'v'² - 1/2m'v'² = K₁

K₁ = 1/2m'v'²

So, K₀/K₁ =  1/2mv²÷1/2m'v'² = mv²/m'v'² = (m/m')(v²/v'²) = (m/m')4/3(m/m') = 4/3(m/m')².

Since (m/m') < 1 ⇒  (m/m')² < 1 ⇒ 4/3(m/m')² < 4/3 ⇒ K₀/K₁  < 1.33 ⇒ K₀ > K₁

So, the kinetic energy of the wooden cylinder is greater than that of the steel hoop.

So, the wooden cylinder reaches the bottom first because its translational kinetic energy is greater.

second mirror gathers light from a faraway object and reflects it to another mirror. - a.

lol

explanation: