One solid sphere and disc of same radius are falling along an inclined plane without slip. One reaches earlier than the other due to what

1 answer

The solid sphere reaches earlier than the disc due to its lower rotational inertia.

When an object is rolling without slip, its velocity is a combination of its linear velocity (translational motion) and its angular velocity (rotational motion). The rotational inertia, also known as the moment of inertia, is a measure of an object's resistance to changes in its rotational motion.

For the same mass and radius, the solid sphere has a smaller rotational inertia compared to the disc. This means that when both objects are rolling down an inclined plane, the solid sphere can accelerate more quickly compared to the disc.

As a result, the solid sphere reaches the bottom of the inclined plane earlier than the disc.