Branislav Kisačanin Eric K.

Zhang

DRAFT VERSION

2011-2018 Solutions Manual

c AAPT
⃝
 12 Year 2011

Answers, Problem Difficulty, and Topics

ToC
2011.1 A ⋆ linear motion

2011.2 E ⋆ linear motion

2011.3 D ⋆ linear motion

2011.4 B ⋆ linear motion

2011.5 B ⋆ circular motion
2011.6 E ⋆ collisions

2011.7 B ⋆ conservation of angular momentum

2011.8 D ⋆ Archimedes’ Principle

2011.9 C ⋆ springs, Hooke’s Law

2011.10 C ⋆⋆⋆ simple pendulum

2011.11 C ⋆⋆ Archimedes’ Principle

2011.12 C ⋆ gravitation
2011.13 D ⋆⋆ torque, static friction, tension

2011.14 D ⋆⋆ linear motion

2011.15 D ⋆⋆⋆ springs, preloading, energy

2011.16 E ⋆ static friction

2011.17 D ⋆⋆⋆ kinetic friction, work, conservation of energy
2011.18 A ⋆ kinetic friction, work, conservation of energy

2011.19 C ⋆⋆ springs, oscillations

2011.20 B ⋆⋆ springs, conservation of energy

2011.21 A ⋆ dimensional analysis

2011.22 D ⋆⋆ power, torque
2011.23 E ⋆⋆⋆ Kepler’s Laws

2011.24 A ⋆⋆ power, kinetic friction

2011.25 C ⋆⋆⋆ rolling motion, kinetic friction
Year 2012 35

Answers, Problem Difficulty, and Topics

ToC
2012.1 D ⋆ linear motion

2012.2 A ⋆⋆ projectile motion

2012.3 C ⋆ center of mass

2012.4 B ⋆ conservation of linear momentum

2012.5 D ⋆⋆ collisions, energy
2012.6 B ⋆ linear motion

2012.7 E ⋆ linear motion

2012.8 B ⋆⋆ kinetic friction, springs, work, energy

2012.9 C ⋆⋆ gravitation
2012.10 D ⋆⋆⋆ rolling motion, conservation of energy

2012.11 B ⋆⋆ kinetic friction, tension

2012.12 D ⋆⋆ forces, equilibrium
2012.13 E ⋆⋆ kinetic energy, work

2012.14 A ⋆⋆ torque
2012.15 A ⋆⋆ power

2012.16 E ⋆⋆ springs, oscillations

2012.17 A ⋆ data analysis
2012.18 B ⋆ springs, oscillations

2012.19 D ⋆⋆⋆ fluids, work, power

2012.20 E ⋆⋆ Archimedes’ Principle

2012.21 C ⋆⋆ springs, Hooke’s Law

2012.22 A ⋆ dimensional analysis
2012.23 C ⋆⋆ thought experiments, power

2012.24 C ⋆⋆⋆ springs, Hooke’s Law

2012.25 C ⋆⋆⋆ Kepler’s Laws
Year 2013 61

Answers, Problem Difficulty, and Topics

ToC
2013.1 E ⋆ linear motion

2013.2 C ⋆ projectile motion

2013.3 E ⋆ projectile motion

2013.4 E ⋆⋆ torque, equilibrium, static friction

2013.5 C ⋆ linear motion, forces
2013.6 C ⋆ linear motion

2013.7 D ⋆ linear momentum, kinetic energy

2013.8 A ⋆ work, kinetic energy

2013.9 E ⋆ linear momentum, kinetic energy

2013.10 B ⋆⋆ moment of inertia, rolling motion

2013.11 C ⋆⋆ forces
2013.12 B ⋆⋆ rolling motion, torque, conservation of energy
2013.13 A ⋆ rotational motion

2013.14 B ⋆⋆ collisions
2013.15 D ⋆⋆⋆ Archimedes’ Principle, torque

2013.16 D ⋆⋆ dimensional analysis

2013.17 B ⋆⋆⋆ rotating reference frame, equilibrium
2013.18 E ⋆ conservation of linear momentum

2013.19 B ⋆ simple pendulum, tension

2013.20 E ⋆⋆ simple pendulum, tension

2013.21 A ⋆⋆⋆ simple pendulum, oscillations

2013.22 D ⋆ torque, tension, equilibrium
2013.23 E ⋆ springs, energy, Hooke’s Law

2013.24 A ⋆ springs, energy, Hooke’s Law

2013.25 D ⋆⋆ kinetic friction
Year 2014 89

Answers, Problem Difficulty, and Topics

ToC
2014.1 E ⋆ circular motion, angular momentum

2014.2 E ⋆ forces, static friction

2014.3 D ⋆ Archimedes’ Principle

2014.4 C ⋆⋆ conservation of linear momentum

2014.5 C ⋆⋆ forces, static friction
2014.6 B ⋆ center of mass, conservation of linear momentum

2014.7 D ⋆ torque
2014.8 D ⋆ springs, oscillations

2014.9 C ⋆ linear momentum

2014.10 E ⋆⋆ circular motion

2014.11 E ⋆ conservation of energy

2014.12 E ⋆ dimensional analysis
2014.13 D ⋆⋆ dimensional analysis

2014.14 D ⋆⋆⋆ kinetic energy

2014.15 A ⋆⋆ power

2014.16 B ⋆⋆⋆ collisions

2014.17 C ⋆⋆⋆ gravitation
2014.18 B ⋆ forces

2014.19 B ⋆⋆⋆ forces, tension, air friction

2014.20 B ⋆⋆ centripetal force, moment of inertia

2014.21 A ⋆⋆⋆ torque, generalized Atwood machine

2014.22 E ⋆⋆⋆ gravitation, binary stars
2014.23 A ⋆⋆ conservation of linear momentum

2014.24 C ⋆⋆⋆ conservation of linear momentum

2014.25 A ⋆⋆ kinetic friction, work
 116 Year 2015

Answers, Problem Difficulty, and Topics

ToC
2015.1 D ⋆ linear motion

2015.2 A ⋆ linear motion

2015.3 B ⋆⋆ power, air friction

2015.4 A ⋆⋆ friction (static and kinetic)

2015.5 E ⋆ projectile motion
2015.6 A ⋆ collisions, center of mass

2015.7 A ⋆ collisions
2015.8 B ⋆⋆ collisions

2015.9 A ⋆ collisions, conservation of linear momentum

2015.10 E ⋆⋆ collisions, kinetic energy

2015.11 C ⋆ Archimedes’ Principle

2015.12 E ⋆⋆ simple pendulum
2015.13 D ⋆ simple pendulum

2015.14 C ⋆ circular motion, centripetal force

2015.15 D ⋆⋆ conservation of angular momentum, energy

2015.16 E ⋆ potential energy, force

2015.17 E ⋆⋆ dimensional analysis
2015.18 D ⋆ data analysis

2015.19 A ⋆⋆ oscillations, fluids

2015.20 B ⋆ forces, fluids

2015.21 B ⋆⋆⋆ linear motion

2015.22 D ⋆⋆⋆ rolling motion, friction, energy
2015.23 B ⋆⋆⋆ springs, preloading, energy

2015.24 A ⋆⋆⋆ sound, waves

2015.25 A ⋆⋆ springs, oscillations
Year 2016 147

Answers, Problem Difficulty, and Topics

ToC
2016.1 E ⋆ circular motion

2016.2 B ⋆⋆ Archimedes’ Principle

2016.3 E ⋆ linear motion

2016.4 D ⋆⋆ circular motion, composite 3D motion

2016.5 C ⋆ projectile motion
2016.6 A ⋆ projectile motion

2016.7 C ⋆⋆⋆ springs, oscillations

2016.8 B ⋆⋆ Kepler’s Laws

2016.9 E ⋆⋆ centripetal force, conservation of energy

2016.10 D ⋆ forces

2016.11 A ⋆⋆ dimensional analysis

2016.12 C ⋆ Archimedes’ Principle
2016.13 E ⋆⋆⋆ collisions

2016.14 A ⋆⋆ springs, oscillations

2016.15 C ⋆⋆⋆ springs, oscillations

2016.16 C ⋆ projectile motion

2016.17 A ⋆⋆ rolling motion, torque, angular momentum
2016.18 E ⋆ circular motion

2016.19 D ⋆⋆ projectile motion, conservation of energy

2016.20 E ⋆⋆ static friction, center of mass

2016.21 A ⋆ center of mass, conservation of linear momentum

2016.22 A ⋆ conservation of energy
2016.23 D ⋆⋆⋆ springs, Hooke’s Law, centripetal force

2016.24 B ⋆⋆⋆ moment of inertia, parallel axis theorem

2016.25 A ⋆⋆ measurement error analysis
 172 Year 2017

Answers, Problem Difficulty, and Topics

ToC
2017.1 D ⋆ static friction, centripetal force

2017.2 B ⋆⋆ springs, oscillations

2017.3 B ⋆ center of mass

2017.4 B ⋆⋆ linear motion

2017.5 C ⋆⋆⋆ projectile motion
2017.6 E ⋆⋆ forces, torque, equilibrium

2017.7 D ⋆ kinetic energy

2017.8 E ⋆⋆ linear momentum

2017.9 D ⋆⋆ pressure
2017.10 B ⋆⋆ pressure

2017.11 B ⋆ center of mass

2017.12 E ⋆ torque
2017.13 D ⋆⋆ forces, Atwood machine

2017.14 A ⋆ rolling motion, moment of inertia

2017.15 E ⋆ rolling motion, moment of inertia

2017.16 D ⋆⋆⋆ linear motion

2017.17 B ⋆ linear motion
2017.18 D ⋆⋆⋆ circular motion

2017.19 D ⋆⋆ kinetic friction

2017.20 A ⋆⋆ collisions

2017.21 D ⋆⋆ collisions
2017.22 C ⋆⋆ collisions
2017.23 C ⋆ waves

2017.24 A ⋆⋆ springs, collisions, energy

2017.25 A ⋆⋆⋆ Kepler’s Laws
 202 Year 2018

Answers, Problem Difficulty, and Topics

ToC
2018-A.1 D ⋆ air friction, projectile motion

2018-A.2 B ⋆ conservation of linear momentum, collisions

2018-A.3 B ⋆ collisions

2018-A.4 A ⋆⋆ Kepler’s Laws, kinetic energy

2018-A.5 E ⋆ conservation of linear momentum
2018-A.6 A ⋆⋆ kinetic friction, work, energy

2018-A.7 E ⋆ linear motion

2018-A.8 D ⋆⋆ rolling motion

2018-A.9 B ⋆⋆ circular motion, torque

2018-A.10 E ⋆ air friction, projectile motion

2018-A.11 D ⋆⋆ springs, oscillations

2018-A.12 D ⋆⋆⋆ measurement error analysis
2018-A.13 E ⋆ forces

2018-A.14 C ⋆⋆ physical pendulum, oscillations

2018-A.15 A ⋆⋆ conservation of energy, gravitation

2018-A.16 B ⋆⋆⋆ rotating reference frame, Coriolis force

2018-A.17 D ⋆⋆ inertia, projectile motion
2018-A.18 C ⋆⋆⋆ circular motion, centripetal force, energy

2018-A.19 E ⋆⋆ collisions, pressure

2018-A.20 C ⋆ springs, Hooke’s Law

2018-A.21 A ⋆⋆ torque, kinetic friction

2018-A.22 A ⋆⋆⋆ Archimedes’ Principle
2018-A.23 C ⋆⋆ rolling motion, friction

2018-A.24 E ⋆⋆ simple pendulum

2018-A.25 B ⋆⋆ measurement error analysis
 228 Year 2018

Answers, Problem Difficulty, and Topics

ToC
2018-B.1 B ⋆ projectile motion

2018-B.2 D ⋆ kinetic friction

2018-B.3 C ⋆ collisions, kinetic energy

2018-B.4 E ⋆ collisions, kinetic energy

2018-B.5 D ⋆ circular motion
2018-B.6 D ⋆ dimensional analysis

2018-B.7 A ⋆⋆ simple pendulum, oscillations

2018-B.8 C ⋆ kinetic friction

2018-B.9 E ⋆⋆ collisions
2018-B.10 D ⋆⋆ Archimedes’ Principle

2018-B.11 C ⋆⋆ waves, centripetal force, tension

2018-B.12 C ⋆⋆ rotating reference frame
2018-B.13 D ⋆ static friction

2018-B.14 B ⋆⋆ rolling motion,

2018-B.15 E ⋆ forces

2018-B.16 C ⋆ power, air friction

2018-B.17 E ⋆⋆ springs, energy
2018-B.18 B ⋆⋆ springs, Hooke’s Law

2018-B.19 E ⋆⋆ measurement error analysis

2018-B.20 A ⋆⋆⋆ static friction, tension

2018-B.21 B ⋆⋆⋆ physical pendulum, oscillations

2018-B.22 B ⋆⋆⋆ tension, Atwood machine, oscillations
2018-B.23 A ⋆⋆ circular motion

2018-B.24 E ⋆⋆⋆ gravitation, pressure

2018-B.25 D ⋆⋆ measurement error analysis
Useful “Stuff ”
ToC
Greek alphabet

A α alpha I ι iota P ρ rho

B β beta K κ kappa Σ σ sigma
Γ γ gamma Λ λ lambda T τ tau
∆ δ delta M µ mu Υ υ upsilon
E ε epsilon N ν nu Φ ϕ phi
Z ζ zeta Ξ ξ xi X χ chi
H η eta O o omicron Ψ ψ psi
Θ θ theta Π π pi Ω ω omega

Decimal prefixes

Factor Prefix Symbol Factor Prefix Symbol

1018 exa- E 10−1 deci- d

1015 peta- P 10−2 centi- c
1012 tera- T 10−3 milli- m
109 giga- G 10−6 micro- µ
106 mega- M 10−9 nano- n
103 kilo- k 10−12 pico- p
102 hecto- h 10−15 femto- f
101 deca- da 10−18 atto- a
240 USEFUL “STUFF”

Rules for approximate calculations

Let P = 3.14 and E = 2.718 be approximations of π and e to 3 and 4 significant

digits, respectively. Between them, the minimum number of significant digits
is 3.

• Addition and subtraction: the result should have the minimum of the
number of significant digits of the terms. For example,

P + E = 3.14 + 2.718 = 5.858 ≈ 5.86.

• Multiplication and division: The numbers being multiplied are first

rounded to the minimum number of significant digits, multiplied, and
rounded to the minimum number of significant digits. For example,

P · E = 3.14 · 2.718 ≈ 3.14 · 2.72 = 8.5408 ≈ 8.54.

• Raising to the second or third power: The result should have the same
number of significant digits as the base. For example,

P 2 = 3.142 = 9.8596 ≈ 9.86.

• Extracting a square or cube root: The result should have the same
number of significant digits as the radicand. For example,
√ √
E = 2.718 = 1.6486350 ≈ 1.649.
 241

Summary of Trigonometry

sin θ, cos θ, and tan θ in the trigonometric circle

−1 ≤ sin θ ≤ 1 − 1 ≤ cos θ ≤ 1

sin2 θ + cos2 θ = 1

sin θ
tan θ =
cos θ

sin 2θ = 2 sin θ cos θ cos 2θ = cos2 θ − sin2 θ

1 − cos 2θ 1 + cos 2θ
sin2 θ = cos2 θ =
2 2

x+y x−y x+y x−y

sin x + sin y = 2 sin cos cos x + cos y = 2 cos cos
2 2 2 2

sin(x + y) = sin x cos y + cos x sin y cos(x + y) = cos x cos y − sin x sin y
242 USEFUL “STUFF”

Summary of logarithms (b > 0)

bx = a ⇔ x = logb a
logb 1 = 0
log x = log10 x ln x = loge x
log x ln x
logb x = =
log b ln b
x
logb xy = logb x + logb y logb = logb x − logb y
y
logb xy = y logb x

Frequently used series and approximations (for |x| ≪ 1)

!a" !a"
(1 + x)a = 1 + ax + 2 x2 + 3 x3 + . . . ≈ 1 + ax

x2 x3
ex = 1+x+ + + ... ≈ 1+x
2! 3!

x2 x3 x4
ln(1 + x) = x− + − + ... ≈ x
2 3 4

x3 x5 x7
sin x = x− + − + ... ≈ x
3! 5! 7!

x2 x4 x6 x2
cos x = 1− + − + ... ≈ 1−
2! 4! 6! 2

x3 2x5 17x7
tan x = x+ + + + ... ≈ x
3 15 315

x3 x5 x7
arctan x = x− + − + ... ≈ x
3 5 7
 243

Moments of inertia of simple shapes

point mass m at distance r from axis I = mr 2

ring with mass m and radius r,

axis perpendicular to ring plane I = mr 2
through ring center
disk with mass m and radius r,
axis perpendicular to disk plane I = 21 mr 2
through disk center
hollow cylinder with mass m and radius r,
axis perpendicular to cylinder base I = mr 2
through center of base
solid cylinder with mass m and radius r,
axis perpendicular to cylinder base I = 21 mr 2
through center of base
hollow sphere with mass m and radius r,
axis through center of sphere I = 23 mr 2

solid ball with mass m and radius r,

axis through center of sphere I = 25 mr 2

stick of length L and mass m

1 2
axis perpendicular to stick I= 12 mL
through center of stick
stick of length L and mass m
axis perpendicular to stick I = 31 mL2
through end of stick
244 USEFUL “STUFF”

Period of oscillations of various harmonic oscillators

m always denotes the mass of the pendulum,
I its moment of inertia, and g the gravitational acceleration

Simple pendulum #
ℓ
ℓ is the length of the pendulum T = 2π
g

Physical pendulum #
I
d is the pivot-centroid distance T = 2π
mgd

Spring-mass (elastic) oscillator #

m
k is the spring constant T = 2π
k

Torsional oscillator #
I
f is the torsional constant of the string T = 2π
f

U-shaped tube with liquid #

ℓ
ℓ is the total length of liquid T = 2π
2g

A length-ℓ vertical stick with density ρ #

ρℓ
floating in liquid with density ρ0 T = 2π
ρ0 g