AP® College Board Physics 15 mins 15 questions

Multiple Choice Questions

Conservation of
Angular Momentum
Conservation of Angular Momentum / Angular Momentum of a System

Medium (5 questions) /5 Scan here to return to the course

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Hard (5 questions) /5

Very Hard (5 questions) /5

Total Marks /15

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Medium Questions
1

A small ball of clay is dropped from rest onto a large rotating disk, as shown in the figure.
Following the collision, the clay sticks to the disk.

How does the total angular momentum and kinetic energy of the wheel-clay system
change after the collision?

Angular Momentum Kinetic Energy

A Increases Decreases

B Increases Remains Constant

C Remains Constant Decreases

D Remains Constant Remains Constant

(1 mark)

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2

Two objects each of mass m and speed v collide with the ends of a thin uniform rod of
length L , as shown in the figure. After the collision, the objects remain stuck to the rod.

Which of the following expressions represents the magnitude of the angular impulse
exerted on the objects by the rod?

1
A. mvL
4
1
B. mvL
2
C. mvL
D. 2mvL
(1 mark)

A rigid rod of length L and mass M is initially at rest on a frictionless surface and not
pivoted at any point. A small object of mass m , where m < M , moves perpendicular to
2L
the rod, as shown in the figure. The object hits and sticks to the rod at a distance
3
from the top end of the rod.

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 Which of the following best describes the linear motion and rotational motion of the
object-rod system after the collision?

Linear motion Rotational motion

A None About the center of mass of the rod

B None About the center of mass of the object-rod

system

C In the same initial direction as the About the center of mass of the rod
object

D In the same initial direction as the About the center of mass of the object-rod
object system

(1 mark)

An object moving with linear momentum pi collides with the end of a thin uniform rod
of length x , as shown in the figure. After the collision, the object rebounds with linear
momentum p f , and the rod rotates about a pivot at its other end.

Which of the following gives the magnitude of the angular momentum of the rod after
the collision?

A. p f − p i

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 B. p f + p i

C. (p f − p i ) x

D. (p f + p i ) x
(1 mark)

5 A spherical star of mass M and radius R rotates about its axis. It has a rotational inertia
2
of MR 2 . The star explodes, ejecting mass in space radially and symmetrically. The
5
1 1
remaining star is left with a mass of M and a radius of R.
10 50

What is the ratio of the star's final angular velocity to its initial angular velocity?

1
A.
25 000
1
B.
500
C. 500
D. 25 000
(1 mark)

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Hard Questions
1

A system consists of a disk rotating on a frictionless axle and a ball of clay moving toward
it, as shown in the figure. At time t =
0 , the edge of the disk moves at a linear speed v ,
and the clay moves at speed 2v . At time t = t , the clay sticks to the outside edge of the
0
disk.

Which of the following graphs could represent the angular momentum of the system as
a function of time?

A.

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 B.

C.

D.

(1 mark)

2 A ball of mass50 g is thrown at a door of mass 20 kg . The ball strikes the center of the
door perpendicularly with a velocity of 20 m/s and rebounds at 15 m/s . The door has a
height of 200 cm and a width of 80 cm .

1
Taking the rotational inertia of the door about its hinges as ML 2 , which of the
3
following is most nearly the angular speed of the door after the collision?

A. 0 . 02 rad/s
B. 0 . 08 rad/s

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 C. 0 . 16 rad/s
D. 0 . 40 rad/s
(1 mark)

A tetherball is suspended from the top of a vertical stationary pole by a massless rope,
as shown in the figure. The ball is given an initial speed v and the rope starts to wrap
around the pole. The rotational inertia of the ball is mr 2 , where r is the distance
between the ball and the pole.

Which of the following correctly represents the speed of the ball when the rope has
become wrapped around the pole such that the distance between the ball and the pole
has reduced by half?

1
A. v
4

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 1
B. v
2
C. 2v
D. 4v
(1 mark)

kg · m2 rotates at a constant rate of

4 A pottery wheel with a rotational inertia of 8 . 2
22 rpm . The artist drops a lump of clay of mass 1 . 8 kg on the wheel, where it sticks at a
distance of 46 . 0 cm from the axis of rotation.

If no net external torque acts on the system, which of the following is most nearly the
angular speed of the wheel after the clay is dropped on it?

A. 2 . 1 rad/s
B. 2 . 2 rad/s
C. 2 . 3 rad/s
D. 2 . 4 rad/s
(1 mark)

5 According to the accretion model of the Solar System, the planets formed from a slowly
rotating nebula that collapsed under gravity.

Which of the following correctly describes why planets spin faster than the original
nebula?

A. As the nebula collapses, the gravitational forces between the particles increase,
causing the net torque on the nebula to increase

B. As the nebula collapses, the gravitational forces between the particles increase,
increasing the angular momentum of the system

C. As the nebula collapses, the rotational inertia decreases, and the angular
momentum remains constant

D. As the nebula collapses, the rotational inertia increases, causing an increase in

angular acceleration
(1 mark)

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Very Hard Questions
1

A circular track of mass M is placed on a massless horizontal ring which is free to rotate
about a frictionless vertical axis, as shown in the figure. A battery-driven toy car of mass
m is initially at rest on the track. As the car begins to move, it causes the track to rotate
in the opposite direction. When the car moves with linear speed v , the angular speed of
ω . The distance from the axis to the ring's outer edge is r and to the ring's
the ring is
3 1
inner edge is r . The rotational inertia of the track-ring system is I = M r 2 + r 22) ,
5 2 (1
where r is the inner radius and r is the outer radius.
1 2

Which of the following expressions correctly represents the angular speed of the ring ω?

5mv
A.
8Mr

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 15mv
B.
17Mr
20mv
C.
17Mr
25mv
D.
17Mr
(1 mark)

An object of mass m and speed v collides and sticks to the rim of a wheel of radius r
1
and rotational inertia Mr 2 which is free to rotate about a frictionless axle at its center,
2
as shown in the figure. Before the collision, the wheel is initially at rest.

Which of the following expressions correctly represents the linear speed of the object
after the collision?

mvr
A.
1
m+ M
2
mv
B.
1
m− M
2
2mv
C.
M

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 mv
D.
1
m+ M
2
(1 mark)

3 The main body of a satellite in space rotating with initial angular velocity ω can be
0
modeled as a cylinder of rotational inertia I 0 . When a system of solar panels unfolds and
extends outward from the main body, the satellite then has rotational inertia I and
f
angular velocity ωf .

Which of the following is true about the rotational inertia and angular velocity of the
satellite?

A. I 0 = I f and ω 0 = ω f

B. I 0 < I f and ω 0 > ω f

C. I 0 < I f and ω 0 = ω f

D. I 0 > I f and ω 0 > ω f

(1 mark)

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4

A uniform rod of mass 3 kg and length L = 1 . 2 m is free to rotate about a frictionless

pivot at its upper end. Initially, the lower end of the rod hangs vertically at rest before
being struck by an object of mass 1 kg traveling at a speed of 10 m/s perpendicular to
the rod. Immediately after the collision, the object moves at an angle θ below the
horizontal, and the bar swings upward, coming to rest in a horizontal position, as shown
1
in the figure. The rotational inertia of a rod about one of its ends is ML 2 .
3

If kinetic energy is conserved in the collision, which of the following is most nearly the
magnitude and direction of the velocity of the object immediately after the collision?

A. 4 m/s at 30° below the horizontal

B. 4 m/s at 60° below the horizontal
C. 8 m/s at 30° below the horizontal
D. 8 m/s at 60° below the horizontal
(1 mark)

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5

Disk X rotates freely about a frictionless axle at its center. An identical disk Y, which is
initially at rest, is dropped directly onto disk X and the two disks stick together, as shown
in the figure.

How does the total angular momentum and total kinetic energy of the two-disk system
compare to that of the system before disk Y was dropped?

Total Angular Momentum Total Kinetic Energy

A Is one-half its original value Is one-half its original value

B Is one-half its original value Is one-quarter of its original value

C Remains the same Is one-half its original value

D Remains the same Is one-quarter of its original value

(1 mark)

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