Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 1]
- Exam
- Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 1]
- Subject
- Physics
- Chapter
- Rotational Mechanics
Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 1] · Physics · Rotational Mechanics
A string is wound around a wheel having a moment of inertia of 0.20...
A string is wound around a wheel having a moment of inertia of and a radius of . The string then passes over a light pulley to suspend a block of mass , as shown in the figure. Determine the acceleration of the block.

Options
- A
- B
- C
- D
Correct answer
C.
Step-by-step solution
Let be the downward acceleration of the block and be the tension in the string.
For the block of mass , the equation of motion is:
For the wheel, the tension provides the torque for its rotation. The equation of rotational motion is:
Since the string does not slip, the linear acceleration is related to the angular acceleration by:
Substituting in the torque equation:
Substituting the expression for into the block's equation of motion:
Given values are:
Calculating the equivalent mass of the wheel:
Now, substituting the values to find :
For the block of mass , the equation of motion is:
For the wheel, the tension provides the torque for its rotation. The equation of rotational motion is:
Since the string does not slip, the linear acceleration is related to the angular acceleration by:
Substituting in the torque equation:
Substituting the expression for into the block's equation of motion:
Given values are:
Calculating the equivalent mass of the wheel:
Now, substituting the values to find :