A hollow sphere and a solid sphere each made from the same material and having equal maximum radius are rolled from rest (without slipping) the same distance down an inclined plane. At the bottom of the incline, the kinetic energy of the hollow sphere is
A) smaller than the kinetic energy of the solid sphere.
B) larger than the kinetic energy of the solid sphere.
C) the same as the kinetic energy of the solid sphere.
D) unknown; more information is needed to work out the answer.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The kinetic energy of the hollow sphere is smaller than that of the solid sphere because the hollow sphere has a larger moment of inertia than the solid sphere, meaning it requires more energy to rotate. This results in less translational kinetic energy at the bottom of the incline compared to the solid sphere.

A Hollow Sphere and a Solid Sphere Each Made from the Same