Questions from Modern Physics

Q: Two springs with the same unstretched length but different force constants k1

Two springs with the same unstretched length but different force constants k1 and k2 are attached to a block with mass m on a level, frictionless surface. Calculate the effective force constant keff i...

Q: The preceding problems in this chapter have assumed that the springs had

The preceding problems in this chapter have assumed that the springs had negligible mass. But of course no spring is completely massless. To find the effect of the spring’s mass, consider a spring wit...

Q: Two identical stars with mass M orbit around their center of mass

Two identical stars with mass M orbit around their center of mass. Each orbit is circular and has radius R, so that the two stars are always on opposite sides of the circle. (a) Find the gravitational...

Q: Two stars, with masses M1 and M2, are in circular

Two stars, with masses M1 and M2, are in circular orbits around their center of mass. The star with mass M1 has an orbit of radius R1; the star with mass M2 has an orbit of radius R2. (a) Show that th...

Q: Comets travel around the sun in elliptical orbits with large eccentricities.

Comets travel around the sun in elliptical orbits with large eccentricities. If a comet has speed 2.0 × 104 m/s when at a distance of 2.5 × 1011 m from the center of the sun, what is its speed when at...

Q: At what point in the motion of a simple pendulum is the

At what point in the motion of a simple pendulum is the string tension greatest? Least? In each case give the reasoning behind your answer.

Q: The planet Uranus has a radius of 25,360 km and

The planet Uranus has a radius of 25,360 km and a surface acceleration due to gravity of 9.0 m>s2 at its poles. Its moon Miranda (discovered by Kuiper in 1948) is in a circular orbit about Uranus at a...

Q: Consider a spacecraft in an elliptical orbit around the earth. At

Consider a spacecraft in an elliptical orbit around the earth. At the low point, or perigee, of its orbit, it is 400 km above the earth’s surface; at the high point, or apogee, it is 4000 km above the...

Q: A rocket with mass 5.00 × 103 kg is in

A rocket with mass 5.00 × 103 kg is in a circular orbit of radius 7.20 × 106 m around the earth. The rocket’s engines fire for a period of time to increase that radius to 8.80 * 106 m, with the orbit...

Q: A 5000-kg spacecraft is in a circular orbit 2000 km

A 5000-kg spacecraft is in a circular orbit 2000 km above the surface of Mars. How much work must the spacecraft engines perform to move the spacecraft to a circular orbit that is 4000 km above the su...