Chapter 9, Problem 9.93PP

BIO THE SPINNING EEL. American eels (Anguilla rostrata) are freshwater fish with long, slender bodies that we can treat as uniform cylinders 1.0 m long and 10 cm in diameter. An eel compensates for its small jaw and teeth by holding onto prey with its mouth and then rapidly spinning its body around its long axis to tear off a piece of flesh. Eels have been recorded to spin at up to 14 revolutions per second when feeding in this way. Although this feeding method is costly in terms of energy, it allows the eel to feed on larger prey than it otherwise could.

9.93    The eel is observed to spin at 14 spins per second clockwise, and 10 seconds later it is observed to spin at 8 spins per second counterclockwise. What is the magnitude of the eel’s average angular acceleration during this time? (a) 6/10 rad/s²; (b) 6π/10 rad/s²; (c) 12π/10 rad/s²; (d) 44π/10 rad/s².