Question

Consider a two perlect cylinders, identical in thape. However, one of the cylinders made from a lightweight material and the other is very massive. If you roll the two cyfinders down an indined plane, which one will reach the bottom the fastest?

a. The heavy one
b. The light one
c. They reach the boltom at the same time

Answer 1

The lightweight cylinder will reach the bottom of the inclined plane faster than the massive cylinder due to their different moments of inertia.

Step-by-step explanation:

The lightweight cylinder will reach the bottom of the inclined plane faster than the massive cylinder. This is because the rate at which an object rolls down an incline is determined by its rotational inertia and the distribution of its mass.

Rotational inertia, also known as moment of inertia, depends on the mass and shape of an object. For a solid cylinder, the moment of inertia is given by the formula I = 0.5 * m * r^2, where m is the mass of the cylinder and r is the radius.

The lightweight cylinder has less mass compared to the massive cylinder. Therefore, it will have a smaller moment of inertia and will rotate faster down the inclined plane, reaching the bottom faster.