Unit 1

Question 1

What is non-inertial frame of reference?

Answer 1

Frame of reference that are accelerating (with respect to an inertial frame)

Question 2

What is the equivalence principle?

Answer 2

It is impossible to tell the difference between the effects of gravity and acceleration.

Question 3

A conical pendulum consists of a mass moving with a constant speed, why is the mass accelerating?

Answer 3

The velocity is changing

Question 4

What forces act on a sphere swinging round in a circle motion tied to a piece of strong?

Answer 4

Weight acting downwards always
Torque acting downwards at the balls maximum height.
Torque acting upwards at the balls minimum height.

Question 5

What is moment of inertia?

Answer 5

A measure of an objects resistance to angular acceleration around a given axis.
It takes into account mass and mass around an axis.

Question 6

What is the Conservation of angular momentum?

Answer 6

in the absence of external torques, total angular momentum before equals total angular momentum after.

Question 7

A clock on the surface of earth and an identical clock is on board an accelerating rocket. Which runs slower?

Answer 7

The clock on the surface of earth would run slower. The effective gravitational field for the rocket is smaller.

Question 8

What is meant by the term schwarzschild radius?

Answer 8

The distance from the centre of a mass such that, the escape velocity at that distance would equal the speed of light.