A hollow sphere, a solid sphere, a hollow right cylinder (or hoop), and a solid right cylinder having the same total mass and identical maximum radius are rolled (without slipping) the same distance down an inclined plane. The object with the shortest travel time is the
A) hollow sphere.
B) solid sphere.
C) hollow right cylinder (or hoop).
D) solid right cylinder.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The solid sphere has the shortest travel time because it has the smallest moment of inertia relative to its mass, which means it accelerates faster down the incline under the same conditions compared to the other shapes.

A Hollow Sphere, a Solid Sphere, a Hollow Right Cylinder