Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2010 / ia / Paper 4 / 9B / Solution

For the moment of inertia of a uniform solid sphere, write the mass density as $\rho =3m/(4\pi a^3)$. In spherical coordinates about the chosen axis, the squared perpendicular distance is $R^2{\sin }^2\vartheta$. The volume element is $R^2\sin \vartheta dRd\vartheta d\phi$, so

Take $0<\alpha <\pi /2$ and $\ell >0$, with a fixed plane. The normal force has magnitude $N=mg\cos \alpha$ and is perpendicular to the plane. On the perfectly smooth plane there is no friction. Both gravity and the normal force have zero torque about the marble's centre, so a marble released from rest does not rotate. The component of Newton's second law down the plane is $m{A}_1=mg\sin \alpha$, henceThe normal force does no work because the velocity is tangent to the plane. Gravity is conservative, so mechanical energy, the sum of translational kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy, is conserved.

For rolling without slipping, let the static friction force have magnitude $f$, pointing up the plane. It supplies the torque that spins the marble while reducing its translational acceleration. If $\Omega$ is the angular velocity and $A_2$ the acceleration down the plane, the rolling constraint is $a\Omega =\dot{s}$, hence $a\dot{\Omega }=A_2$. The translation and rotation equations areThus $f=I{A}_2/a^2$ andThese are the equations for rolling acceleration with rotational inertia; the plane must be rough enough to supply this static friction.

The point of contact is instantaneously at rest relative to the fixed plane, so static friction does no total work on the rolling marble. Equivalently, its translational power is $-f\dot{s}$ and its rotational power is $fa\Omega =f\dot{s}$, which cancel. The normal force also does no work. Consequently mechanical energy is conserved here too, now with rotational kinetic energy included:where $H$ is the centre's height. No energy loss is implied by the presence of ideal static friction. Constant acceleration from rest gives

For the hollow marble, put $I=\lambda m{a}^2$ in the same equations. The smooth-plane time is unchanged, while the rolling acceleration becomes $g\sin \alpha /(1+\lambda )$. ThereforeThis again assumes rolling without slipping and enough static friction; the ratio depends on the mass distribution through its moment of inertia.