Physics I / Rotational Kinematics and Torque
Practice question · Multiple choice

A disk and a hoop of equal mass and radius roll down the same ramp, and the disk wins. Why does mass cancel while the shape does not?

Hints
  1. Write I=βmr2I = \beta m r^{2} and put it into the rolling equation.
  2. See what survives the cancellation.
Show the answer

B. Because mass divides out and only its DISTRIBUTION remains

Why

Only β\beta survives: 1/2 for the disk, 1 for the hoop. Distribution, not amount, decides the race, which is why the result holds for any mass and any radius.

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