Warm-Up Exercise for lecture 16

Due 8:00 am, Thurs, Oct 23

Physics 105, Fall 2008

If the net torque on an object is zero, its
☐ angular speed
☑ angular acceleration
must be zero.

Moment of inertia is biggest for:
☐ compact objects
☑ objects that are spread out
☐ neither; doesn’t depend on shape

Compare a ball rolling down a ramp (with no slipping) with a block sliding down a similar ramp (with no friction). Which one will reach the bottom first?
☐ the ball
☑ the block
☐ same time

Ralph heard his instructor say "Moment of inertia plays the same role in rotational motion that mass does in linear motion." This confuses him. In your own words, explain to Ralph what that means. (I don't want equations. I just want a short conceptual explanation.)

Mass describes how much objects resist acceleration when forces are applied. Moment of inertia describes how much objects resist rotational acceleration when torques are applied.

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