Name: B-Number (optional):

Physics 131 Wednesday, November 13th , 2024

HOUR EXAM II

Instructions:

1. Please print your full name on the first page and initial each successive page.

2. There are 8 problems; each are worth 10 points. Problems are of unequal difficulty.

3. We suggest you read through the entire exam before starting and mark the difficult
problems.

4. We suggest you limit the time to 6-7 minutes per problem, leaving 5-10 minutes to
check your work.

5. Cross out all unwanted work. Incorrect work may cost you points.

6. You may use a scientific or graphing calculator.

7. If you evaluate an answer, get the correct significant figures or state the accu-
racy of the result in ±✏ form.

8. For multiple choice questions, a # means choose just one of the answers, a 2 means
choose all the correct answers.

9. No notes allowed. Do not consult your textbook or another individual. Cheating will
be referred to the Academic Honesty Committee.
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1. Using a rope, a man pulls a block of ice across a frozen

pond at a constant velocity, as shown in the figure. While the
coefficients of static and kinetic friction for ice are low, they
are not zero. Consider this problem to involve friction. Let
T be the tension in the rope, Fk the force of kinetic friction,
Fn the normal force, and Fg the force of gravity.

(7 points) (a) Select one answer from the options below

(3 points) (b) Explain your solution.

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2. A spring with a spring constant of k is initially

compressed by a block a distance d from its unstretched
length. The block is on a horizontal surface with co-
efficients of static and kinetic friction µs and µk , re-
spectively, and it has a mass of m. Refer to the fig-
ure.

(7 points) (a) Assuming the block has just begun to move, find an expression for the block’s
acceleration in the x-direction.

Expression: ax =

(3 points) (b) Now let the block’s location be a general point x on the x-axis and let its
velocity be v. Find a general expression for the block’s acceleration in the x-direction as-
suming the spring force is greater than the force of static friction whenever the block stops
moving.

Expression: ax =
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3. Consider the following situations:

(1) The normal force pushes upward on Jean as she rides an escalator to a higher floor at
the mall.

(2) The towrope exerts a force on a water skier who is towed behind a speedboat.

(3) A rock falls to the ground under the influence of the gravitational force.

(4) The frictional force slows a car as it skids to a stop.

(5) The gravitational force on a bus is directed downward as the bus moves over a horizontal
road.

(6) The normal force pushes upward on a bicycle as it rides over horizontal ground.

(7) A block slides down an inclined plane, and the normal force is perpendicular to the
plane.

(8) Emily pulls upward on her briefcase to support it as she stands at the bus stop, waiting
for the bus to arrive.

(9) A batted baseball is slowed by the gravitational force as it rises into the air.

(3 points) (a) In which of the above situations does the force in question do positive work?
Check all that apply.

(1) 2 (2) 2 (3) 2 (4) 2 (5) 2 (6) 2 (7) 2 (8) 2 (9) 2

(3 points) (b) In which of the above situations does the force in question do negative work?
Check all that apply.

(1) 2 (2) 2 (3) 2 (4) 2 (5) 2 (6) 2 (7) 2 (8) 2 (9) 2

(3 points) (c) In which of the above situations does the force in question do zero work?
Check all that apply.

(1) 2 (2) 2 (3) 2 (4) 2 (5) 2 (6) 2 (7) 2 (8) 2 (9) 2

(1 point) (d) If the force in question is the only force, what happens to the kinetic energy in
each of the above three cases?
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4. A particle of mass m is subject to a con-

servative force F = Fx ı̂ that acts in the x-
direction. The associated potential function is
shown in the graph.

(3 points) (a) What is the x-component, in

newtons, of the force when the particle is po-
sitioned at x = 0.17m?

Fx =
Numeric: A numeric value is expected and not an expression.

(3 points) (b) What is the x-component, in newtons, of the force when the particle is posi-
tioned at x = 2.78m?

Fx =
Numeric: A numeric value is expected and not an expression.

(3 points) (c) What is the x-component, in newtons, of the force when the particle is posi-
tioned at x = 4.95m?

Fx =
Numeric: A numeric value is expected and not an expression.

(1 points) (d) What is a general relationship between the potential U (x) and the x-component
Fx (x) of the force?

Expression:
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5. An object’s speed is increased by a factor of three.

(5 points) (a) How does the object’s momentum change?

# It increases by a factor of three.

# The momentum does not change.

# It decreases by a factor of three.

# It decreases by a factor of more than three.

# It increases by a factor of more than three.

# There is not enough information.

(5 points) (b) How does the object’s kinetic energy change?

# It increases by a factor of three.

# The kinetic energy does not change.

# It decreases by a factor of three.

# It decreases by a factor of more than three.

# It increases by a factor of more than three.

# There is not enough information.

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6. A thin wire has mass m and length L. It

is bent into a semicircular shape. The wire is
placed in the x-y plane such that it is symmetri-
cal across the x-axis, and the two end points of the
wire are placed at x = 0, as shown in the fig-
ure.

(2 points) (a). What is the linear mass density of the wire?

Expression: =

(4 points) (b) Show that the center of mass in the x-direction is given by the integral
Z ⇡/2
L
xcm = 2 cos ✓d✓.
⇡ ⇡/2

(2 points) (c) Find an expression for the center of mass xcm in the x-direction.

Expression: xcm =

(2 points) What is the center of mass ycm in the y-direction?

Expression: ycm =
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7. Four graphs of angular acceleration versus time are shown. You can assume that each
grid cell has width 1s and height 1rad/s2 , though actual numeric values are not required for
ranking as long as all axes are scaled the same.

Space for calculations and explainatory notes.

(5 points) (a) Select the choice that ranks the graphs in order from the most negative change
in angular velocity to the most positive.

# !d < !c < !b = !a

# !a = !c = !d < !b

# !b < !a = !c = !d

# !a = !b < !c < !d

# !d < !a = !b < !c

# !c < !b = !a < !d

(5 points) (b) Suppose the initial angular velocity is !0 = 5rad/s. Rank the graphs from
the smallest to the greatest final angular speed.

# !d < !a = !b < !c

# !b < !a = !c = !d

# !c < !a < !b < !d

# !a = !b < !c < !d

# !b = !c < !a < !d

# !d < !c < !a = !b
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8. A marble, which may be approximated as uniform, solid

sphere, rolls without slipping down an incline that makes and
angle of ✓ = 30.1 with the horizontal. It is released from
rest.

(5 points) (a). What is the magnitude of the linear acceler-

ation, in meters per second squared, of the marble?

a=
Numeric : A numeric value is expected and not an expression.

(4 points) (b). What distance d, in meters, does the marble roll in t = 2.6s?

d=
Numeric : A numeric value is expected and not an expression.

(1 point) (c) Why is your solution to (a) and (b) correct? Answer by arguing it passes one
check.