44: Rolling Bodies
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The motion of a body like a sphere or a cylinder rolling (without slipping) down an inclined plane introduces a complication into the motion: the body as a whole moves down the incline, while at the same time the body rotates about its axis. The net movement of the body is a combination of both motions: a translational movement of the whole body down the incline, together with a rotational motion about its axis. We'll examine here the velocity, acceleration, and kinetic energy of a round body rolling down an incline.