Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 12 - Rotation of a Rigid Body - Conceptual Questions - Page 347: 7

Answer

Yes.

Work Step by Step

Yes, we can distinguish between them by applying what we understand from the moment of inertia. The hollow sphere has greater inertia than the solid sphere since the mass in the hollow sphere is concentrated away from its center of mass while in the solid sphere, the mass is uniformly distributed. Thus, we can push the same balls with two identical springs that are compressed at the same distance. The faster ball is the solid one since we know that the hollow one is harder to be moved since it has larger inertia than the other. Or you can make both of them roll from the top of an inclined surface at the same moment. The one that reaches the ground first is then the solid sphere and the slower is the hollow sphere.
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