PHYS 101 – General Physics I Final Exam

Duration: 120 minutes Sunday, 18 May 2025; 09:30

1. A cylinder of mass 𝑚 and radius 𝑟 is on top of a larger immobile

half cylinder of radius 𝑅. There is enough friction between the
cylinders so that the upper cylinder can always roll without slipping.
The upper cylinder, which has a moment of inertia 𝑚𝑟 2 ⁄2 around its
symmetry axis, is released from the top point (𝜃 = 0) with a negligible
initial velocity, and it rolls down and loses contact with the lower
cylinder. Gravitational acceleration is 𝐠⃗.

(a) (12 Pts.) Find the center of mass velocity of the cylinder after it has
rolled by an angle 𝜃, as shown in the figure.

(b) (13 Pts)At which angle 𝜃 do the two cylinders lose contact?

Solution:

(a) Total mechanical energy is conserved. Let 𝑈𝑔 = 0 when 𝜃 = 0.

1 1
𝐸𝑖 = 0 , 𝐸(𝜃) = 𝑚𝑣𝑐2 + 𝐼𝜔2 − 𝑚𝑔(𝑅 + 𝑟)(1 − cos 𝜃)
2 2
Since the cylinder is rolling, the velocity of its center satisfies 𝑣𝑐 = 𝑟𝜔. We have

1 1 1 4
𝑚𝑣𝑐2 + ( 𝑚𝑟 2 ) 𝜔2 − 𝑚𝑔(𝑅 + 𝑟)(1 − cos 𝜃) = 0 → 𝑣𝑐 = √ g(𝑅 + 𝑟)(1 − cos 𝜃)
2 2 2 3

(b) The free body diagram of the cylinder implies

𝑣𝑐2 ⃗
𝒏
𝑚g cos 𝜃 − 𝑛 = 𝑚
𝑅+𝑟
⃗𝒇
The cylinder looses contact when 𝑛 = 0, Therefore

𝑣𝑐2
𝑚g cos 𝜃 = 𝑚 .
𝑅+𝑟

𝜽 ⃗
𝑚𝐠
Using the expression for 𝑣𝑐 found in part (a), we get
4 4
𝑚g cos 𝜃 = 𝑚g(1 − cos 𝜃) → cos 𝜃 = .
3 7
4
𝜃 = arccos ( )
7
2. A block of mass 𝑚 is moving with speed 𝑣0 on a horizontal surface towards two stationary blocks with the same mass,
which are connected by a spring of stiffness constant 𝑘. Assume that the collision is instantaneous, and that there is no friction
in the system.

If the collision is elastic:

(a) (10 Pts.) What will be maximum compression of the spring in the resulting motion?

𝑚 𝑚 𝑘 𝑚
If the collision is completely inelastic:
𝐯⃗0

(b) (5 Pts.) What will be the center of mass speed of the whole system?
(c) (10 Pts.) What will be the oscillation frequency of the spring-mass system?

Solution: (a) If the collision is elastic, both linear momentum and kinetic energy will be conserved in the collision.
1 1 1
𝑚𝑣0 = 𝑚𝑣1′ + 𝑚𝑣2′ → 𝑣1′ + 𝑣2′ = 𝑣0 , 𝑚𝑣02 = 𝑚𝑣1′2 + 𝑚𝑣2′2 → −𝑣1′ + 𝑣2′ = 𝑣0
2 2 2
Solving the two equations, we get 𝑣1′ = 0 , 𝑣2′ = 𝑣0 . So, following the collision, the block which is initially moving will stop,
and the target block will start moving with speed 𝑣0 . The velocity of the center of mass and the total mechanical energy of the
two block system after the collision are
1 2
𝑣𝑐𝑚 = 𝑣0 ⁄2 , 𝐸 = (2𝑚)𝑣𝑐𝑚 + 𝐸rel
2
where 𝐸rel is the energy of the two blocks relative to the center of mass. At maximum compression of the spring, the two
blocks will be at rest relative to each other therefore all relative energy will be in potential energy form. Since total mechanical
energy is conserved, we have

1 1 1 𝑚𝑣02 𝑚
𝑚𝑣02 + 𝑘Δ2 = 𝑚𝑣02 → Δ=√ = 𝑣0 √ .
4 2 2 2𝑘 2𝑘

(b) Since linear momentum is conserved,

𝑣0
3𝑚 𝑣𝑐𝑚 = 𝑚 𝑣0 → 𝑣𝑐𝑚 = .
3

(c) The system will be oscillating around the center of mass. If we let 𝑥1 and 𝑥2 denote displacements relative to the center of
mass of the two masses from equilibrium length of the spring, we have 2𝑚𝑥1 − 𝑚𝑥2 = 0. Total extension of the spring is
𝑥1 + 𝑥2 = 3𝑥1 . Therefore, the force acting on the 2𝑚 mass will be 𝐹 = −3𝑘𝑥1 . Newton’s second law is written as

𝑑2 𝑥1 𝑑2 𝑥1 3𝑘 3𝑘
2𝑚 = −3𝑘𝑥1 → = − ( ) 𝑥1 → 𝜔=√ .
𝑑𝑡 2 𝑑𝑡 2 2𝑚 2𝑚
3. A uniform rod of mass 3𝑚 and length ℓ is connected to the ceiling by a frictionless pivot, and is at rest in a vertical position.
The moment of inertia of the rod around its center of mass is 𝑚ℓ2 ⁄4. A small particle of mass 𝑚 collides with the rod with a
horizontal velocity 𝐯⃗0 at ℓ⁄4 above the lowest point of the rod. Gravitational acceleration is g.

If the collision is elastic:

(a) (6 Pts.) What is the rebound velocity of the particle? (Assume that it rebounds with a 3𝑚
horizontal velocity)
ℓ
(b) (6 Pts.) How high would the rod swing? (Give the cosine of the largest angle it makes with the 𝑚 𝐯⃗0
vertical)
ℓ⁄4 ⃗
𝐠
If the collision is completely inelastic

(c) (13 Pts.) What is the frequency of small oscillation of the combined rod-particle system?

Solution: Angular momentum with respect to the pivot is conserved during the collision. Let 𝑣′ be the velocity of the particle
and let 𝜔 be the angular speed of the rod immediately after the collison. The moment of inertia of the rod about the pivot is
ℓ 2
found by using the parallel axis theorem as 𝐼𝑝 = 𝐼𝑐𝑚 + 3𝑚 (2) = 𝑚ℓ2 . Hence

3ℓ 3 3ℓ 3 4
𝐿𝑖 = 𝑚𝑣0 ( ) = 𝑚𝑣0 ℓ , 𝐿𝑓 = 𝑚𝑣 ′ ( ) + 𝐼𝑝 𝜔 = 𝑚𝑣 ′ ℓ + 𝐼𝑝 𝜔 , 𝐿𝑖 = 𝐿𝑓 → 𝑣′ = 𝑣0 − ℓ𝜔
4 4 4 4 3

(a) If the collisison is elastic, kinetic energy is also conserved in the collision. So
2
1 1 1 4
𝑚𝑣02 = 𝑚𝑣 ′2 + (𝑚ℓ2 )𝜔2 → 𝑣02 = 𝑣 ′2 + ℓ2 𝜔2 → 𝑣02 = (𝑣0 − ℓ𝜔) + ℓ2 𝜔2
2 2 2 3
The rebound velocity of the particle is found as 𝑣 ′ = − 7𝑣0 ⁄25, and 𝜔 = 24𝑣0 ⁄25ℓ .

(b) Kinetic energy of the rod immediately after the collision is 𝐾 = 𝐼𝜔2 ⁄2. At the highest point of the swing, this will be equal
to the gravitational potential energy of the center of mass of the rod. Therefore

1 2 ℓ 1 24𝑣0 2
𝐼𝜔 = 3𝑚g ( ) (1 − cos 𝜃𝑚 ) → cos 𝜃𝑚 = 1 − ( ) .
2 2 3gℓ 25

(c) If the collision is completely inelastic, the particle will stick to the rod. The center of mass of the system will be at a
distance 𝑟𝑐𝑚 = 9ℓ⁄16 from the pivot. The restoring torque will be 𝜏 = −4𝑚g(9ℓ⁄16) sin 𝜃. Total moment of inertia of the
rod plus the particle will be 𝐼 = (25⁄16)𝑚ℓ2. Therefore, Newton’s second law is written as

𝑑2 𝜃 25 𝑑2 𝜃 9ℓ 𝑑2 𝜃 36𝑔
𝐼 =𝜏 → 𝑚ℓ2 2 = − 𝑚g sin 𝜃 → = −( ) sin 𝜃.
𝑑𝑡 2 16 𝑑𝑡 4 𝑑𝑡 2 25ℓ
for small oscillations sin 𝜃 ≈ 𝜃, so

𝑑2 𝜃 36𝑔 6 g
2
= −( )𝜃 → 𝜔= √ .
𝑑𝑡 25ℓ 5 ℓ
4. A thin ring is rotating and sliding without friction on ice. The radius of the ring is 𝑅, and its mass is 𝑚. At a particular
moment in time the center of the ring is at position 𝐫 = 𝑥0 𝐢̂ + 𝑦0 𝐣̂. At this moment, the velocity of the topmost point of the
ring (point A) with respect to the origin is 𝐯⃗𝐴 = 𝑣0 𝐢̂ + 2𝑣0 𝐣̂, while the x component of the velocity of the rightmost point of
the ring (point B) with respect to the origin is 𝑣𝐵𝑥 = 2𝑣0 .
𝑦
(a) (8 Pts.) What is the angular velocity of rotation of the ring with respect to its
center of mass? Is it clockwise or counter clockwise? (Explain.)
𝐴 𝐯⃗𝐴
(b) (7 Pts.) What is the velocity of the center of mass of the ring with respect to 𝑚
the origin O? 𝑅 ⃗𝐵
𝒗
(c) (5 Pts.) What is the kinetic energy of the ring? 𝐵
(d) (5 Pts.) What is the magnitude of the angular momentum of the ring with 𝐫
respect to the origin?
𝑥
𝑂
Solution: (a) Given that 𝐯⃗𝐴 = 𝑣0 𝐢̂ + 2𝑣0 𝐣̂, and 𝐯⃗𝐵 = 2𝑣0 𝐢̂ + 𝑣𝑦 𝐣̂.

Let 𝐫′𝐴 , 𝐯⃗′𝐴 and 𝐫′𝐵 , 𝐯⃗′𝐵 denote positions and velocities of the points A and B respectively, relative to the center of the ring, and
𝐯⃗𝐶 denote the velocity of the center of the ring. Hence, 𝐯⃗𝐴 = 𝐯⃗𝐶 + 𝐯⃗′𝐴 , and 𝐯⃗𝐵 = 𝐯⃗𝐶 + 𝐯⃗′𝐵 , which means 𝐯⃗𝐴 − 𝐯⃗𝐵 = 𝐯⃗′𝐴 − 𝐯⃗′𝐵 .
Since the ring is rotating rigidly, 𝐯⃗′𝐴 is perpendicular to 𝐫′𝐴 , and 𝐯⃗′𝐵 is perpendicular to 𝐫′𝐵 , therefore 𝐯⃗′𝐴 − 𝐯⃗′𝐵 must be
perpendicular to 𝐫′𝐴 − 𝐫′𝐵 , or

[𝑣0 𝐢̂ + 2𝑣0 𝐣̂ − (2𝑣0 𝐢̂ + 𝑣𝑦 𝐣̂)] ∙ (𝐢̂ − 𝐣̂) = 0 → 𝑣𝑦 = 3𝑣0 → 𝐯⃗𝐴 − 𝐯⃗𝐵 = −𝑣0 (𝒊̂ + 𝐣̂).

Assuming that the direction of rotation is counter clockwise, we have

𝑣0
𝐯⃗𝐴 = 𝐯⃗𝐶 − 𝑅𝜔 𝐢̂, and 𝐯⃗𝐵 = 𝐯⃗𝐶 + 𝑅𝜔 𝐣̂ → 𝐯⃗𝐴 − 𝐯⃗𝐵 = −𝑅𝜔(𝒊̂ + 𝐣̂) = −𝑣0 (𝒊̂ + 𝐣̂) → 𝜔= .
𝑅
Since 𝜔 > 0, our assumption of counter clockwise rotation is true.

(b) Using above results,

𝐯⃗𝐶 = 𝐯⃗𝐴 + 𝑅𝜔 𝐢̂ → 𝐯⃗𝐶 = 2𝑣0 𝐢̂ + 2𝑣0 𝐣̂

(c)
1 1 1 1 𝑣0 2 9
𝐾 = 𝑚𝑣𝐶2 + 𝐼𝜔2 = 𝑚(8𝑣02 ) + (𝑚𝑅 2 ) ( ) = 𝑚𝑣02
2 2 2 2 𝑅 2

(d)

⃗ =𝒓
𝑳 ⃗ × 𝑚𝐯⃗𝐶 + 𝐼𝝎
⃗⃗⃗ → 𝑳 ̂
⃗ = [2𝑚(𝑥0 − 𝑦0 )𝑣0 + 𝑚𝑅𝑣0 ] 𝐤

⃗ | = [2(𝑥0 − 𝑦0 ) + 𝑅]𝑚𝑣0
|𝑳