Final answer:
To find the acceleration of a falling yo-yo, calculate its moment of inertia, use Newton’s second law for rotation to find the angular acceleration, and relate this to the linear acceleration using the radius.
Step-by-step explanation:
Calculating the Acceleration of a Falling Cylinder (Yo-Yo)
For a solid cylinder (yo-yo) with mass m and radius r that falls as the string unwinds without slipping, we need to calculate the linear acceleration of the cylinder. The moment of inertia of a solid cylinder is I = 1/2 MR², where M is the mass and R is the radius. The torque (τ) exerted by the tension T in the string is equal to T × r. This torque is related to the angular acceleration α by τ = Iα. Since the cylinder does not slip, its angular acceleration is related to the linear acceleration a by a = rα. By combining these equations, we can solve for a.
Here are the steps:
- Calculate the moment of inertia (I) using I = 1/2 Mr².
- Apply Newton’s second law for rotation, net τ = Iα, to find α.
- Use the relationship a = rα to find the linear acceleration a.