Physics Lecture 4 Momentum, Machin

nes and Ra
adioactive Decay
Examkrackers MCAT Com mprehensive Co
ourse, Charles Feng
http://fenguin.net/mcat fenguin@gmail.
f .com (224) 5332-0039

M
Momentum
Measure of ana objects ten ndency to conttinue along its present path
(unnits: kg m/s)
Is a vector so
o split it into co
omponents
Always consserved for any collision

Co
ollisions
Elastic: whenn mechanical energy
e is conseerved (most caases: no U so oonly K is conseerved)
, , , , , ,
Inelastic: when some energgy turns into in
nternal energyy/heat i.e. wheen objects stickk together afteer colliding
, , , , ,
Always split momentum in nto and components and calculate separately

Im
mpulse
Relates chan nge in momentum with averrage force app plied:

For an objecct with a certain momentum, taking more time to slow itt down (largerr ) will requiire less force.
Taking less time
t to slow it down will require more forcce
Object boun ncing off a wall has initial mo
omentum , final momen tum o
so 2

M
Machines
BASIC GUIDE
ELINE: Force an
nd distance ap
pplied are inve
ersely proporti onal to do thee same amoun nt of work
OTHER BASIC
C GUIDELINE: Assume
A minimmum applied fo orce to move tthe object; i.e.. dynamic equilibrium

Lifting straight up
u
Resisting forrce:
Distance:
Total work done:
d

Raamp
Force along the ramp: sin
Distance alo
ong the ramp: / sin
Total work done:
d
Decrease by a factor off sin incrrease by a factor
f of 1/ siin

Leever
Choose rotation point to be b fulcrum, sett (dont forg
get weight of leever if its not massless)
If lever is maassless, weightt is a distance from fulcrum; force is app plied to a distaance on th
he other side:

Force applie ed: /
Distance: angles are the saame, so if object mo oves up
Total work done:
d
Decrease by a factor off increasse by a factor of

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 Physics Lecture 4 Momentum, Machin
nes and Ra
adioactive Decay
Examkrackers MCAT Com mprehensive Co
ourse, Charles Feng
http://fenguin.net/mcat fenguin@gmail.
f .com (224) 5332-0039

Co
oncentric pulle
ey
Count the # of tensions be eing used to pu
ull the mass uppwards, lets c all it
Force applie
ed: /
Distance app plied:
Total work done:
d
Decrease by a factor off increasse by a factor of

Ecccentric pulleyy
Actually a levver in disguise e, but the force
e applied channges at every p
point
Choose rotation point to be b rotation poiint of pulley, set (dont forrget weight off lever)
If pulley is massless,
m weighht rope is fro om rotation point; force roppe is :

Force applie ed: F mg/a
Distance: if objecct moves up
Total work done:
d
Decrease by a factor off increasse by a factor of

Geeneral rule for levers/eccentric

l c pulleys:
When weigh ht is closer to rotation point, you need to apply
a less forcee over greater distance to lifft it

Ra
adioactive De ecay
If an atom haas lots of proto
ons, it needs many
m more neuutrons to stabiilize the nucleus.
Half-life: the amount of tim
me it takes for half of a substance to disapp
pear
o After half lives, the substance
s will be left with of its origiinal amount
Types of deccay remembe er to balance equations
e
o Alpha deccay: atom loses helium nucle eus, or
o Beta deca ay: atom loses an electron, or (a neutron turns into a proton)
o Positron emission:
e atomm loses a positrron, or (a proton
p turns in
nto a neutron))
o Electron capture:
c atom absorbs
a an ele
ectron (a proton turns into a
neutron),, emits a gamm ma ray
o Annihilattion: electron and
a positron co ombine to formm two gammaa rays
Fusion: two nuclei combin ne to form heavier nucleus
o Energy iss released whe en small nuclei undergo fusioon because theey form
a more sttable nucleus or
o have higherr binding enerrgy
Fission: a nucleus splits to form two lighter nuclei
o Energy iss released whe en large nuclei undergo fissio
on because theey form
a more sttable nucleus or
o have higherr binding enerrgy

M
Mass Defect
, so
ome mass is used as energy tot hold nucleu us together
Sum of massses of all parts of an atom > actual
a mass off the atom

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