Final answer:
The change in angular velocity of a spinner when flicked can be determined by equating the kinetic energy from the flick to the rotational kinetic energy of the spinner. By calculating the rotational inertia and using the conservation of energy, we can solve for the angular velocity (option C).
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine how the angular velocity of a spinner changes when flicked, we must first understand the concept of rotational inertia and angular momentum. In this scenario, the spinner is a thin rod, which can be approximated using the rotational inertia of a rod spinning about its center. We're given a 12 cm long spinner with a mass of 10 g, and it's flicked with a force equivalent to a 15 g mass traveling at 5.0 m/s. According to the conservation of energy, the kinetic energy of the flick will be fully converted into rotational kinetic energy of the spinner.
The kinetic energy of the flick is calculated by the formula KE = 1/2 m v^2, where 'm' is the mass and 'v' is the velocity. Using the provided measurements, the kinetic energy equals 1/2 (0.015 kg)(5.0 m/s)^2. The rotational kinetic energy of the spinner is given by KErot = 1/2 I ω2, where 'I' is rotational inertia and 'ω' is angular velocity. The rotational inertia of a rod spinning about its center is I = 1/12 ml2. We can set the kinetic energy equal to the rotational kinetic energy and solve for ω to find the angular velocity.
Applying this to our spinner, we can calculate the rotational inertia using the mass and length of the spinner and then solve for angular velocity using the energy conversion. This will allow us to understand how the angular velocity changes as a result of the flick.
Hence, the answer is option C.