Which will reach the bottom first if you roll a disk a sphere and a ring down a slope?

If these two objects, of the same mass and radius, are released simultaneously, the disk will reach the bottom first. Reason: more of its gravitational potential energy becomes translational kinetic energy, and less becomes rotational. slides down the ramp without friction.

How does a sphere roll?

When an object slides, the two surfaces are moving relative to each other and friction acts opposite to the motion. This opposite force does negative work on the block and slows it down. While the sphere might slide at first, it will normally be rolling.

Does a ring or a disk roll faster?

It is shown that the one that reaches the bottom first depends not on the mass or radius, but on the shape. To illustrate this further, a wooden disk, clad with a metal ring, rolls down faster than the hoop but slower than the wooden disk. and we see that the disk rolls faster and thus reaches the bottom first.

Why would the sphere reach the bottom first?

The sphere will have a greater speed and it will reach the bottom first, because its moment of inertia is smaller. Since both objects have the same mass, the cylinder has less translational kinetic energy because it is moving slower.

Which rolls faster a disk or a sphere?

At any point on the slope, the sphere is going faster. It’s a quirk of the math that all “rollers” of any shape will roll down together. All solid spheres of any size will roll together to beat all discs: all discs of any size will roll together to beat all rings.

What forces act on a ball rolling down a ramp?

The force of gravity points straight down, but a ball rolling down a ramp doesn’t go straight down, it follows the ramp. Therefore, only the component of the gravitational force which points along the direction of the ball’s motion can accelerate the ball.