Question

A solid uniform cylinder is rolling without slipping. What fraction of its kinetic energy is rotational?

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

Let m be the mass of cylinder and r be the radius. It is moving with velocity v and angular velocity is ω. Let I be the moment of inertia of the cylinder.

I = 0.5 mr²

Total kinetic energy, T = 0.5 mv² + 0.5 Iω²

T = 0.5 (mv² + 0.5 mr²ω²)

v = rω

So, T = 0.5 (mv² + 0.5 mv²) = 0.75 mv²

Rotational kinetic energy is

R = 0.5 Iω² = 0.5 x 0.5 mr²ω²

R = 0.25 mv²

So, R / T = 0.25 / 0.75 = 1/3