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Which will have the greater acceleration rolling down an incline - a large ball or a small ball? Why? The right answer is both, but I don't know why.(Use principles of Inertia please)

Respuesta :

Answer:

Both have the same acceleration.

Explanation:

Energy is conserved. The initial potential energy at the top of the incline = the final translational kinetic energy at the bottom + the rotational energy.

PE = KE + RE

mgh = ½ mv² + ½ Iω²

For a sphere, I = ⅖ mr². For rolling without slipping, ω = v/r.

mgh = ½ mv² + ½ (⅖ mr²) (v/r)²

mgh = ½ mv² + ⅕ mv²

gh = ½ v² + ⅕ v²

gh = ⁷/₁₀ v²

v² = ¹⁰/₇ gh

The final velocity is independent of the mass or radius. So two balls that roll down an incline from the same height will have the same velocity at the bottom, and therefore the same acceleration.