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Concept:
The figure below shows the basketball player making a foul shot:
It can be seen from the figure that the effective horizontal distance to
make that shot is
14ft 1ft=13ft whereas the effective vertical distance travelled by the
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ball is 10 ft 7 ft = 3 ft
Assume that the angle at which the ball is released with initial
velocity v0 is θ such that the horizontal component of initial velocity
is v0x = v0 cosθ and the vertical component of initial velocity
is v0y =v0 sinθ.
The time taken by the ball to reach the basket can be written in terms
of horizontal component of velocity and the effective horizontal
distance travelled by the ball as:
t = 13 ft / v0x
Substitute v0x = v0 cosθ,
t = 13 ft / v0 cosθ …… (1)
Similarly, one can write the time t in terms of the vertical component
on initial velocity and the effective vertical distance travelled by the
ball as:
3ft = v0yt – ½ gt2
Substitute v0y = v0 sinθ,
3ft = (v0 sinθ)t – ½ gt2
Substitute t = 13 ft/ v0 cosθ from equation (1),
Substitute the value of θ and g to obtain the value of v0.
Solution:
Substitute 55º for θ and 32.2 ft/s2 for g in equation
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Therefore, the magnitude of initial velocity of the ball is 23 ft/s.
Question 2:A spherical hollow is made in a lead sphere of radius R,
such that its surface touches the outside surface of the lead sphere
and passes through its center (see below figure). The mass of the
sphere before hollowing was M. With what force, according to the law
of universal gravitation, will the hollowed lead sphere attract a small
sphere of mass m, which lies at a distance d from the center of the
lead sphere on the straight line connecting the centers of the spheres
and of the follow? [1946, Olympic, Moscow State University]
Concept:
The force of gravity on the small sphere of mass due to the lead
sphere after it is made hollow is equal to the force of gravity from a
solid lead sphere minus the force which would have been contributed
by the smaller lead sphere which would have filled the hole.
Solution:
From the Newton’s law of universal gravitation, the force of attraction
between the lead sphere and the small sphere is
F 1 = GMm/d2
Here, gravitational constant is G, total mass of the lead sphere is M,
mass of the small sphere is m and distance between the centers of
the spheres is d.
So, we need to know about the size and mass of the lead which was
removed to make the hole.
The density of the lead is given by
3
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ρ = M/[(4/3)(πR3)]
Here, radius of the lead sphere is R.
The spherical sphere has a radius of R/2.
If the density is constant, then the mass of the hole will be the density
times the volume of the hollow sphere. Thus, the mass of the hollow
sphere is
The hole is closer to the small sphere. This means the center of the
hole is d(R/2) away from the small sphere.
Now, the gravitational force between the hollow sphere and the small
sphere is
The force of attraction with which the lead sphere after it is made
hollow and the small sphere is equal to the force of the whole lead
sphere before it is made hollow minus the force of the hollow lead
sphere. The corresponding force is
Therefore, the required force from the lead sphere which attract the
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small sphere is
Question 3:A certain triplestar system consists of two stars, each of
mass m, revolving about a central star; mass M, in the same circular
orbit. The two stars stay at opposite ends of a diameter of the circular
orbit; see below figure. Derive an expression for the period of
revolution of the stars; the radius of the orbit is r.
Concept:
The gravitational force due to the two stars to the central star is
F 1 = GMm/r2 + GMm/r2
= 2 GMm/r2
Here, gravitational constant is G, mass of the central star is M, mass
of the orbiting stars is m and radius of the orbit is r.
Also, the gravitational force between the orbiting stars is,
F 2 = Gmm/(2r)2
= Gm 2/4r 2
The net gravitational force acting on the stars is equal to the sum of
the gravitational forces acting on the system. It is given as,
F net = F 1+F 2
= 2 GMm/r2 + Gm2/4r2
= Gm/r2 [(2M)+m/4]
The centripetal force that makes the stars to orbit around the central
star is
F c = 4π2mr/T 2
Here, period of the stars around the central star is T.
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Solution:
The centripetal force is provided by the net gravitational force acting
on the system of stars. Thus,
F net = F c
Substitute Gm/r2 [(2M)+m/4] for F net and 4π2mr/T 2 for F c in the
above equation.
F net = F c
Gm/r2 [(2M)+m/4] = 4π2mr/T 2
So, T = √16π2r3/[G(8M+m)]
Therefore, the expression for the period of revolution of the stars is
√16π2r3/[G(8M+m)].
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