Physics 160, Winter 2024 – Practice Final Exam

The actual final takes place on Thursday, April 25, 2024

Your name: ________________________________________________________

Your uniqname: ________________________________________________

Fill in your name and uniqname in the spaces above.

All cell phones, text messaging devices, computers, and communication devices of any type must be
turned off and stowed out of sight.
The exam is closed book. You may use six 3" × 5" (7.5 cm × 12.5 cm) notecards (both sides) or one
8.5" × 11" sheet of paper (both sides). You may also use a calculator that cannot communicate with
the outside world.
You cannot share calculators, notecards, scratch paper, or exam booklets. Exam responses must be
based on your individual work only.
The final is 2 hours (120 minutes) long. There are 15 questions (a combination of multiple-choice and
fill in the answer). All questions are of equal value. There is no penalty for guessing.
You must circle the correct answer or write the correct answer on the line provided to get credit for
each problem. There is no partial credit for multiple-choice questions.
At the end of the exam, hand in this final exam booklet.

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Constants and equations you may find useful:
g = 9.8 m/s2
G = 6.67 × 10-11 N·m2/kg2
REarth = 6.38 × 106 m
MEarth = 5.97 × 1024 kg

x = x0 + v0xt + axt2/2
vx = v0x + axt
vx2 = v0x2 + 2ax(x – x0)

p = mv
!
𝐽⃗ = ∆𝑝⃗ = ' 𝐹⃗ 𝑑𝑡 = 𝐹⃗#$%& ∆𝑡
"

v = Rω
atan = dv/dt = Rα
arad = v2/R = ω2R
I = m1r12 + m2r22 + ··· = ∫r2dm
I = ICM + Md2
τ=r×F
L = r × p = Iω

Fk = μkN
Fair = CAρv2/2
Fspr,x = – k(x – x0)
Fgrav = Gm1m2/r2

x(t) = Acos(ωt + φ)
ax = – ω2x
ω = (k/m)1/2
ω = 2πf = 2π/T
!
𝑊 = ' 𝐹⃗ · 𝑑𝑠⃗
"
Fx = – dU/dx
𝐹⃗ = −∇ 0⃗𝑈
PEelastic = k(x – x0)2/2
PEgravity = – Gm1m2/r
KEtranslation = mv2/2
KErotation = Iω2/2
KEi + PEi + Wnon-cons = KEf + PEf
rCM = (m1r1 + m2r2 + ···)/(m1 + m2 + ···) = ∫rdm/∫dm

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1. The five doors shown in the diagrams all have the same mass and are free to rotate about the vertical
axes at their left ends as shown. Each door is initially at rest and subsequently experiences an identical
brief impulse that acts at the locations indicated by the small circles perpendicularly to the door. The
impulse causes each door to rotate, so that it will eventually rotate through 90° (and then be open). Which
door takes the longest to open? Doors A and B have height H = 2 m and width W = 2 m; doors C and D
have H = 1 m and W = 4 m; and door E has H = 4 m and W = 1 m.

A C

B D

2. A small block rests on top of a fixed frictionless hemisphere of radius R. The block is given a tiny
kick and slides downward. At what height does it lose contact with the hemisphere?

Answer ___________________

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3. A block with mass M rests on a frictionless surface and is connected to a horizontal spring of force
constant k. The other end of the spring is attached to a wall. A second block with mass m rests on top
of the first block. The coefficient of static friction between the blocks is µs. As the amplitude of
oscillations is increased from zero, it reaches a maximum of Amax, at which point the top block starts to
slip. Find the coefficient of static friction µs in terms of the other parameters of the problem.

Answer ___________________

4. The Centennial Fountain (pictured) is located in Downtown

Chicago. Water is ejected from the base of this fountain with velocity
of 30 m/s at 53° above the horizontal. What is the displacement (x
and y coordinates) of the highest point of each drop’s trajectory with
respect to the base of the fountain (the ejection point)? Consider each
drop as a separate projectile. Ignore all types of friction and neglect
Chicago’s infamous wind.

Answer ___________________

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5. An object of mass m is placed in a region of space, where the object’s potential energy depends only
on the object’s x coordinate and is given by U(x) = U0 [(x/a)4 - (x/b)2], where a, b, and U0 are some
positive constants.
What is the angular frequency of small oscillations of the object near the minimum of the potential
energy?

Answer ___________________

6. A block of mass M is attached to an ideal horizontal spring with spring constant k. The block is initialy
at rest while the spring is at its unstretched length. A second block of mass m initially travelling at speed
v0 then hits the block of mass M. After the collision, the two blocks stick together. What is the amplitude
of the resulting oscillation?

k M
v0 m

Answer ___________________

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7. A small block with a mass m is attached to a frictionless cord passing through
a small hole in a frictionless, horizontal surface, as shown. The block is
originally revolving at a distance r0 from the hole with a speed v0. The cord is
then pulled from below, shortening the radius of the circle in which the block
revolves to a value of r0/4. How much work was done by the person who pulled
on the cord?

Answer ___________________

8. A block of mass m = 5 kg is attached through a rope to a uniform solid disk of radius R = 0.2 m and
mass M = 10 kg free to rotate around an axle through its center of mass. The block is initially held at
rest and then released. What is the tension in the rope as the mass m descends? Neglect friction in the
axle bearings.
M

Answer ___________________ R

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9. A particle of mass m moves in a potential given by 𝑈(𝑟) = β𝑟 ' where b and k are constants. If the
particle has angular momentum L about the origin, what is the radius of its circular orbit?

Answer ___________________

10. A ladder leans against a frictionless wall but it has friction with the ground.

frictionless
If the coefficient of static friction with the ground is µs, what is the smallest angle
q the ladder can make with the ground and not slip? The ladder has uniform mass
density along its length.

Answer ___________________
θ
friction

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11. A thin uniform rod of total mass M is bent into a square of side length a. It is
then spun about an axis that passes through the center of the square and is parallel
to two of its sides (shown by the dashed line in the figure). If a torque t is applied
to the axis, what is the angular acceleration of the square object?
a
Answer ___________________

12. A young child is standing on the edge of a rotating merry-go-

round. The merry-go-round has a radius of 1.5 m is rotating
completely around once every two seconds. The mass of the
child and merry-go-round is 30 kg and 100 kg respectively. The
child decides that it is time to get off and jumps tangentially to the
ground in the direction that allows her to land with zero velocity
relative to the ground. What is the new period of rotation of the
merry-go-round? Assume the merry-go-round is a uniform disk
and ignore all drag forces.

Answer ___________________

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13. A thin uniform rod of length L and mass m has a point mass m attached
at one end. The rod can rotate around a frictionless horizontal axle at the
other end. The rod is released and is falling downward (rotating clockwise).
What is the magnitude of the tangential acceleration of the center of mass
of this combined object when it is at an angle of 45° to the horizontal as
shown?

Answer ___________________

14. A comet approaches a star of mass M in a parabolic orbit. In this orbit, the comet has nearly zero
speed when it is very far from the star. What is the speed of the comet when it is a distance r from the
center of the star?

a) 6𝐺𝑀/𝑟
b) 62𝐺𝑀/𝑟
c) 6𝐺𝑀/𝑟 (
d) 62𝐺𝑀/𝑟 (
e) Not enough information is provided to determine the speed

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15. A frictionless sliding hockey puck and two rolling objects, a hoop and a disk, are moving on a
horizontal surface side by side with the same initial speed v toward an inclined plane. All three objects
have the same mass M. Both rolling objects have the same radius R and roll without slipping. Ignore
air resistance. Which object will go the furthest up the incline?

all have same initial speed v

puck hoop disk

a) Puck
b) Hoop
c) Disk
d) Hoop and disk (tie)
e) All three objects reach the same maximum height

10 | P a g e