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Ch 10: Dynamics of Rotational Motion
Chapter 10, Problem 10

CP A 15.0-kg bucket of water is suspended by a very light rope wrapped around a solid uniform cylinder 0.300 m in diameter with mass 12.0 kg. The cylinder pivots on a frictionless axle through its center. The bucket is released from rest at the top of a well and falls 10.0 m to the water. (b) With what speed does the bucket strike the water?

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Identify the forces acting on the system. The weight of the bucket (W = mg) acts downward, and the tension in the rope (T) acts upward on the bucket. The tension in the rope also creates a torque on the cylinder.
Apply Newton's second law to the bucket. Since the bucket is in free fall with only the tension acting upwards, the net force is F = mg - T. Use F = ma to find the acceleration of the bucket, where m is the mass of the bucket.
Apply the rotational form of Newton's second law to the cylinder. The torque (\(\tau\)) due to the tension in the rope is given by \(\tau = T \cdot r\), where r is the radius of the cylinder. Since \(\tau = I\alpha\) and \(\alpha = a/r\) (where \(\alpha\) is the angular acceleration, a is the linear acceleration of the bucket, and I is the moment of inertia of the cylinder), you can relate the torque and the tension to find the acceleration.
Calculate the moment of inertia (I) of the cylinder using the formula for a solid cylinder, \(I = \frac{1}{2}MR^2\), where M is the mass of the cylinder and R is its radius.
Use the kinematic equation \(v^2 = u^2 + 2as\) to find the final velocity of the bucket as it strikes the water, where u is the initial velocity (0 m/s), a is the acceleration found from the previous steps, and s is the distance the bucket falls.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Conservation of Energy

The principle of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another. In this scenario, the potential energy of the bucket at the top of the well is converted into kinetic energy as it falls. This concept is crucial for determining the speed of the bucket just before it strikes the water.
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Rotational Dynamics

Rotational dynamics involves the study of the motion of objects that rotate about an axis. In this case, the solid cylinder acts as a pulley, and its rotational inertia affects how the falling bucket's gravitational potential energy is converted into both translational kinetic energy of the bucket and rotational kinetic energy of the cylinder. Understanding this relationship is key to solving the problem.
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Kinematic Equations

Kinematic equations describe the motion of objects under constant acceleration. They relate displacement, initial velocity, final velocity, acceleration, and time. In this problem, these equations can be used to calculate the final speed of the bucket as it falls, given the distance it travels and the acceleration due to gravity.
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Related Practice
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Textbook Question
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