AP-C Mechanics

Rotation
Learning Guide
Enduring Understanding
The motion of an object or system depends on the point of application of a force or forces.

Essential Questions
1. What's are the connections between translational and rotational motion?
2. How does a net force applied away from the center of mass of an object affect its acceleration?
3. Can the moment of inertia of an object change?
4. Is there a limit to the translational acceleration a torque can produce?
5. Can an object possess translation kinetic energy without rotational kinetic energy; rotational kinetic
energy with translational kinetic energy?
6. What is the relationship between Newton's Third Law of Motion and angular
momentum?

Readings - https://openstax.org/details/books/university-physics-volume-1
Chapter 10 and 11, Omit Section 11.4

Vocabulary
Understand and apply the definitions of the following terms
1. Angular Acceleration 9. Conservation of Angular 18. Right Hand Rules
2. Angular Displacement Momentum 19. Rotational Motion
3. Angular Frequency 10. Cross Product 20. Rolling
4. Angular Momentum 11. Frequency 21. Translational Motion
5. Angular Speed 12. Fulcrum 22. Torque
6. Angular Velocity 13. Lever Arm 23. q
7. Arc Length 14. Moment of Inertia 24. t
8. a 15. Parallel Axis Theorem 25. w
16. Period
17. Revolution

Equations
Understand and memorize the equations below along with any equations derived in class.
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/Physics_equation_tables.pdf

𝜔 = 𝜔! + 𝛼𝑡 1
𝐾 = 𝐼𝜔#
𝝉=𝒓×𝑭 2
1
𝜃 = 𝜃" + 𝜔" 𝑡 + 𝛼𝑡 # 𝑳 = 𝒓 × 𝒑 = 𝐼𝜔
2 0 𝜏 = 𝜏%&' = 𝐼𝛼
𝑣 = 𝑟𝜔
𝐼 = 3 𝑟 # 𝑑𝑚 = 0 𝑚𝑟 #
𝑣#
𝑎$ = = 𝜔# 𝑟
𝑟
 Learning Targets
Torque and Rotational Statics
1. Students should understand the concept of torque so they can:
(A) Calculate the magnitude and sense of the torque associated with a given force.
(B) Calculate the torque on a rigid object due to gravity.
2. Students should be able to analyze problems in statics so they can:
(A) State the conditions for translational and rotational equilibrium of a rigid object.
(B) Apply these conditions in analyzing the equilibrium of a rigid object under the combined influence of a
number of coplanar forces applied at different locations.
3. Students should develop a qualitative understanding of rotational inertia so they can:
(A) Determine by inspection which of a set of symmetric objects of equal mass has the greatest
rotational inertia.
(B) Determine by what factor an object’s rotational inertia changes if all its dimensions are increased by
the same factor.
4. Students should develop skill in computing rotational inertia so they can find the rotational inertia of:
(A) A collection of point masses lying in a plane about an axis perpendicular to the plane.
(B) A thin rod of uniform density, about an arbitrary axis perpendicular to the rod.
(C) A thin cylindrical shell about its axis, or an object that may be viewed as being made up of coaxial
shells.
5. Students should he able to state and apply the parallel-axis theorem.
Rotational Kinematics
6. Students should understand the analogy between translational and rotational kinematics so they can write
and apply relations among the angular acceleration, angular velocity, and angular displacement of an
object that rotates about a fixed axis with constant angular acceleration.
7. Students should be able to use the right-hand rule to associate an angular velocity vector with a rotating
object.
8. Students should understand the dynamics of fixed-axis rotation so they can:
(A) Describe in detail the analogy between fixed-axis rotation and straight-line translation.
(B) Determine the angular acceleration with which a rigid object is accelerated about a fixed axis when
subjected to a specified external torque or force.
(C) Determine the radial and tangential acceleration of a point on a rigid object.
(D) Apply conservation of energy to problems of fixed-axis rotation.
(E) Analyze problems involving strings and massive pulleys.
9. Students should understand the motion of a rigid object along a surface so they can:
(A) Write down justify, and apply the relation between linear and angular velocity, or between linear and
angular acceleration, for an object of circular cross-section that rolls without slipping along a fixed
plane and determine the velocity and acceleration of an arbitrary point on such an object.
(B) Apply the equations of translational and rotational motion simultaneously in analyzing rolling with
slipping.
(C) Calculate the total kinetic energy of an object that is undergoing both translational and rotational
motion, and apply energy conservation in analyzing such motion.
 Angular Momentum and Its Conservation
10.Students should be able to use the vector product and the right-hand rule so they can:
(A) Calculate the torque of a specified force about an arbitrary origin.
(B) Calculate the angular momentum vector for a moving particle.
(C) Calculate the angular momentum vector for a rotating rigid object in simple cases where this vector
lies parallel to the angular velocity vector.
11.Students should understand angular momentum conservation so they can:
(A) Recognize the conditions under which the law of conservation is applicable and relate this law to
one- and two-particle systems such as satellite orbits or the Bohr atom.
(B) State the relation between net external torque and angular momentum, and identify situations in
which angular momentum is conserved.
(C) Analyze problems in which the moment of inertia of an object is changed as it rotates freely about a
fixed axis.
(D) Analyze a collision between a moving particle and a rigid object that can rotate about a fixed axis or
about its center of mass.
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Flowcharts and Help Sheets – www.GravityKills.net

 AP-C Mechanics
Rotation
Practice Multiple-Choice Test
Multiple Choice
Select the best answer.

1. When a rigid body rotates about a fixed axis, all the points in the body have the same
a) tangential speed.
b) angular acceleration.
c) tangential acceleration.
d) linear displacement.
e) centripetal acceleration.
2. A tire is rolling along a road, without slipping, with a velocity v. A piece of tape is attached to the tire. When
the tape is opposite the road (at the top of the tire), its velocity with respect to the road is
a) 2v.
b) v.
c) 1.5v.
d) zero.
e) The velocity depends on the radius of the tire.

3. A 95 N force exerted at the end of a 0.50 m long torque wrench gives rise to a torque of What is
the angle (assumed to be less than 90 degrees) between the wrench handle and the direction of the
applied force?
a) 18 degrees
b) 14 degrees
c) 22 degrees
d) 25 degrees
4. Consider a uniform solid sphere of radius R and mass M rolling without slipping. Which form of its kinetic
energy is larger, translational or rotational?
a) Its translational kinetic energy is larger than its rotational kinetic energy.
b) Its rotational kinetic energy is larger than its translational kinetic energy.
c) Both forms of energy are equal.
d) You need to know the speed of the sphere to tell.
5. A uniform disk, a uniform hoop, and a uniform solid sphere are released at the same time at the top of an
inclined ramp. They all roll without slipping. In what order do they reach the bottom of the ramp?
a) disk, hoop, sphere
b) hoop, sphere, disk
c) sphere, disk, hoop
d) sphere, hoop, disk
e) hoop, disk, sphere
6. The angular momentum of a system remains constant
a) when the total kinetic energy is constant.
b) when no net external force acts on the system.
c) when the linear momentum and the energy are constant.
d) when no torque acts on the system.
e) all the time since it is a conserved quantity.
7. If the torque on an object adds up to zero
a) the forces on it also add up to zero.
b) the object is at rest.
c) the object cannot be turning.
d) the object could be accelerating linearly but it could not be turning.
e) the object could be both turning and accelerating linearly.

8. A heavy boy and a lightweight girl are balanced on a massless seesaw. If they both move forward so that
they are one-half their original distance from the pivot point, what will happen to the seesaw? Assume that
both people are small enough compared to the length of the seesaw to be thought of as point masses.
a) It is impossible to say without knowing the masses.
b) It is impossible to say without knowing the distances.
c) The side the boy is sitting on will tilt downward.
d) Nothing will happen; the seesaw will still be balanced.
e) The side the girl is sitting on will tilt downward.
9. A 4.50-kg wheel that is 34.5 cm in diameter rotates through an angle of 13.8 rad as it slows down uniformly
from 22.0 rad/s to 13.5 rad/s. What is the magnitude of the angular acceleration of the wheel?
a) 0.616 rad/s2
b) 5.45 rad/s2
c) 111 rad/s2
d) 22.5 rad/s2
e) 10.9 rad/s2
10. In the figure, point P is at rest when it is on the x-axis. The linear speed of point P when it reaches the y-
axis is closest to

a) 0.18 m/s.
b) 0.24 m/s.
c) 0.35 m/s.
d) 0.49 m/s.
e) 0.71 m/s.
11. A uniform solid sphere has a moment of inertia I about an axis tangent to its surface. What is the moment
of inertia of this sphere about an axis through its center?
a) 1/7 I
b) 2/7 I
c) 2/5 I
d) 3/5 I
e) 7/5 I
12. While spinning down from 500.0 rpm to rest, a solid uniform flywheel does 5.1 kJ of work. If the radius of
the disk is 1.2 m, what is its mass?
a) 5.2 kg
b) 4.4 kg
c) 6.0 kg
d) 6.8 kg
13. A wheel has a radius of 0.40 m and is mounted on frictionless bearings. A block is suspended from a rope
that is wound on the wheel and attached to it (see figure). The wheel is released from rest and the block
descends 1.5 m in 2.00 s without any slipping of the rope. The tension in the rope during the descent of the
block is 20 N. What is the moment of inertia of the wheel?

a) 3.5 kgm2
b) 3.7 kgm2
c) 3.9 kgm2
d) 4.1 kgm2
e) 4.3 kgm2
14. Three solid, uniform, cylindrical flywheels, each of mass 65.0 kg and radius 1.47 m rotate independently
around a common axis. Two of the flywheels rotate in one direction at 3.83 rad/s; the other rotates in the
opposite direction at 3.42 rad/s. Calculate the magnitude of the net angular momentum of the system.
a) 298 kgm2/s
b) 778 kgm2/s
c) 257 kgm2/s
d) 222 kgm2/s
15. As you are leaving a building, the door opens outward. If the hinges on the door are on your right, what is
the direction of the angular velocity of the door as you open it?
a) up
b) down
c) to your left
d) to your right
e) forwards
16. When you ride a bicycle, in what direction is the angular velocity of the wheels?
a) to your left
b) to your right
c) forwards
d) backwards
e) up
17. If an irregularly shaped object (such as a wrench) is dropped from rest in a classroom and feels no air
resistance, it will
a) accelerate but will not spin.
b) accelerate and turn until its center of gravity reaches its lowest point.
c) accelerate and turn about its center of gravity with uniform angular speed.
d) accelerate and turn about its center of gravity with uniform angular acceleration.
e) accelerate and spin until its center of gravity reaches its highest point.
18. A ball is released from rest on a no-slip surface, as shown in the figure. After reaching its lowest point, the
ball begins to rise again, this time on a frictionless surface as shown in the figure. When the ball reaches its
maximum height on the frictionless surface, it is

a) at a greater height as when it was released.

b) at a lesser height as when it was released.
c) at the same height as when it was released.
d) It is impossible to tell without knowing the mass of the ball.
e) It is impossible to tell without knowing the radius of the ball.
19. The angular momentum of a system remains constant
a) when the total kinetic energy is constant.
b) when no net external force acts on the system.
c) when the linear momentum and the energy are constant.
d) when no torque acts on the system.
e) all the time since it is a conserved quantity.
20. A turbine blade rotates with angular velocity ω(t) = 2.00 rad/s- 2.1.00 rad/s3 t2. What is the angular
acceleration of the blade at t = 9.10 s?
a) -38.2 rad/s2
b) -19.1 rad/s2
c) -86.0 rad/s2
d) -36.2 rad/s2
e) -172 rad/s2
21. A 4.50-kg wheel that is 34.5 cm in diameter rotates through an angle of 13.8 rad as it slows down uniformly
from 22.0 rad/s to 13.5 rad/s. What is the magnitude of the angular acceleration of the wheel?
a) 0.616 rad/s2
b) 5.45 rad/s2
c) 111 rad/s2
d) 22.5 rad/s2
e) 10.9 rad/s2
22. A piece of thin uniform wire of mass m and length 3b is bent into an equilateral triangle. Find the moment of
inertia of the wire triangle about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the triangle and passing through one
of its vertices.
a)
mb2

b)
mb2

c)
mb2

d)
mb2

e)
mb2
23. A 72.0-kg person pushes on a small doorknob with a force of 5.00 N perpendicular to the surface of the
door. The doorknob is located 0.800 m from axis of the frictionless hinges of the door. The door begins to
rotate with an angular acceleration of 2.00 rad/s2. What is the moment of inertia of the door about the
hinges?
a) 4.28 kg·m2
b) 7.52 kg·m2
c) 1.88 kg·m2
d) 0.684 kg·m2
e) 2.74 kg·m2
24. A torque of 12 N · m is applied to a solid, uniform disk of radius 0.50 m, causing the disk to accelerate at
5.7 rad/s2. What is the mass of the disk?
a) 17 kg
b) 13 kg
c) 8.5 kg
d) 4.3 kg
25. A thin cylindrical shell is released from rest and rolls without slipping down an inclined ramp that makes an
angle of 30° with the horizontal. How long does it take it to travel the first 3.1 m?
a) 1.4 s
b) 1.1 s
c) 2.1 s
d) 1.6 s
e) 1.8 s
26. A uniform solid cylindrical log begins rolling without slipping down a ramp that rises 28.0° above the
horizontal. After it has rolled 4.20 m along the ramp, what is the magnitude of the linear acceleration of its
center of mass?
a) 9.80 m/s2
b) 4.60 m/s2
c) 3.29 m/s2
d) 3.07 m/s2
e) 2.30 m/s2
27. A solid, uniform sphere of mass 2.0 kg and radius 1.7 m rolls from rest without slipping down an inclined
plane of height 7.0 m. What is the angular velocity of the sphere at the bottom of the inclined plane?
a) 5.8 rad/s
b) 9.9 rad/s
c) 11 rad/s
d) 7.0 rad/s
28. A figure skater rotating at 5.00 rad/s with arms extended has a moment of inertia of 2.25 kg·m2. If the arms
are pulled in so the moment of inertia decreases to 1.80 kg·m2, what is the final angular speed?
a) 2.25 rad/s
b) 4.60 rad/s
c) 6.25 rad/s
d) 1.76 rad/s
e) 0.810 rad/s
29. A 5.0-m radius playground merry-go-round with a moment of inertia of 2000 kg·m2 is rotating freely with an
angular speed of 1.0 rad/s. Two people, each having a mass of 60 kg, are standing right outside the edge
of the merry-go-round and step on it with negligible speed. What is the angular speed of the merry-go-
round right after the two people have stepped on?
a) 0.20 rad/s
b) 0.40 rad/s
c) 0.60 rad/s
d) 0.80 rad/s
e) 0.67 rad/s

30. A flat object resting on a horizontal frictionless surface is acted on by forces of equal magnitude as shown.
The center of gravity of the object is indicated in each case. The object is in translational equilibrium in
figure(s)

a) 4 only
b) 3 and 4
c) 1 and 2
d) 2 and 4
e) 1 only

31. A woman sits on a stool that can turn friction-free about its vertical axis. She is handed a spinning bicycle
wheel that has angular momentum L0 and she turns it over (that is, through 180º). She thereby acquires
an angular momentum of magnitude

a) 4L0
b) 0
c) 2L0
d) L0
e) 1.5 L0
32. A and B are two solid cylinders made of aluminum. Their dimensions are shown. The ratio of the rotational
inertia of B to that of A about the common axis X-X' is:

a) 4
b) 16
c) 8
d) 2
e) 32

33. The angular momentum of a body about a particular axis as a function of time is shown in the graph. The
external torque acting on the body along this axis at t = 2 s is

a) 0
b) 10 Nm
c) 40 Nm
d) 5 Nm
e) 20 Nm
34. If all of the objects illustrated in the figure have equal masses, the moment of inertia about the indicated
axis is largest for the

a) cube
b) cross
c) sphere
d) rod
e) ring
35. A torque is applied to a bolt by hanging a weight w from the end of the wrench, as shown. The coordinate
axis along which the torque vector is directed is

a) –y
b) x
c) –x
d) z
e) y

Answers
1. B 8. D 15. B 22. E 29. B
2. A 9. E 16. A 23. C 30. E
3. A 10. C 17. A 24. A 31. C
4. A 11. B 18. B 25. D 32. E
5. C 12. A 19. D 26. D 33. D
6. D 13. E 20. A 27. A 34. E
7. E 14. A 21. E 28. C 35. C
 AP-C Mechanics
Rotation
Test and QUEST Breakdown
Test Breakdown
Multiple-Choice Test QUEST Breakdown
• 25 AP Level and Style Questions Kinematics #1-11
Free Response Test Moment of Inertia #12-18
• 2-3 Free Response Level and Style Questions Torque #19-29
Energy #30-37
Angular Momentum #38-42

Multiple-Choice Questions
Practice multiple-choice questions with answers are available on the Learning Guide.

Free Response Problems

One or more of the free response problems below, in part or in whole, will be integrate into the Free
Response test. In addition, one or more free response problems will be selected from past AP exam
problems, QUEST, in-class activities or class notes.

Many Methods
Two blocks are connected by a massless rope that passes over a
pulley with radius r. The ropes are aligned with each boxes’ center of
mass. The blocks are initially at rest. The blocks have mass m1 and
m2; the pulley has mass m3 and moment of inertia I.

Let m1 = ___ kg, m2 = ___ kg, m3 = ___ kg, r = ___ m, and I = ____

IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU DRAW FBDs.

A. Calculate the minimum coefficient of static friction to hold the blocks at rest.

B. Derive an equation for the acceleration of the blocks for each of the scenarios below.

i. Using summation of FORCES and TORQUES find the acceleration of the blocks if:
a. the blocks are sliding along a smooth tabletop.
b. the blocks are sliding along a rough tabletop with coefficient of kinetic friction, µ. Let µ = ___.

ii. Using CONSERVATION OF ENERGY and KINEMATICS find the acceleration of the blocks if:
a. the blocks are sliding along a smooth tabletop.
b. the blocks are sliding along a rough tabletop with coefficient of kinetic friction, µ. Let µ = ___.

iii. Using CONSERVATION OF ENERGY and CALCULUS find the acceleration of the blocks if:
a. the blocks are sliding along a smooth tabletop.
b. the blocks are sliding along a rough tabletop with coefficient of kinetic friction, µ. Let µ = ___.

C. Using your derived equation calculate the acceleration using the given values above.

D. Calculate the angular momentum for m1, m2, the pulley ___ seconds after its released from rest about the
center of the pulley when the tabletop is smooth.