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Ch 12: Rotation of a Rigid Body
Knight Calc - Physics for Scientists and Engineers 5th Edition
Knight Calc5th EditionPhysics for Scientists and EngineersISBN: 9780137344796Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 12, Problem 88b

A rod of length L and mass M has a nonuniform mass distribution. The linear mass density (mass per length) is λ = cx2, where x is measured from the center of the rod and c is a constant. Find an expression for c in terms of L and M.

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Start by understanding the given linear mass density λ = cx^2, where λ represents the mass per unit length of the rod, x is the position along the rod measured from its center, and c is a constant to be determined.
The total mass M of the rod can be found by integrating the linear mass density λ over the length of the rod. The rod extends from -L/2 to L/2 (since x is measured from the center). The total mass is given by: M = ∫(λ dx) from -L/2 to L/2.
Substitute λ = cx^2 into the integral: M = ∫(cx^2 dx) from -L/2 to L/2.
Evaluate the integral. Since x^2 is an even function, the integral from -L/2 to L/2 can be simplified as: M = 2 * ∫(cx^2 dx) from 0 to L/2. This simplifies to M = 2c * ∫(x^2 dx) from 0 to L/2.
Solve the integral ∫(x^2 dx) from 0 to L/2, which is (1/3)x^3 evaluated at the limits. Substitute this result into the equation for M, and solve for c in terms of M and L.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Linear Mass Density

Linear mass density (λ) is defined as the mass per unit length of an object. In this case, it varies along the length of the rod, given by the equation λ = cx², where c is a constant and x is the distance from the center. Understanding this concept is crucial for determining how mass is distributed along the rod and for integrating to find total mass.
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Integration

Integration is a mathematical process used to find the total quantity from a rate of change. In this context, we need to integrate the linear mass density over the length of the rod to find the total mass (M). This involves setting up the integral of λ from -L/2 to L/2, which accounts for the nonuniform distribution of mass.
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Mass Distribution

Mass distribution refers to how mass is spread out in an object. In this problem, the rod has a nonuniform mass distribution, meaning that different sections of the rod have different densities. This affects calculations of total mass and requires careful consideration of how to express the relationship between the total mass (M), length (L), and the constant (c) in the linear mass density equation.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

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Textbook Question

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Textbook Question

A rod of length L and mass M has a nonuniform mass distribution. The linear mass density (mass per length) is λ = cx2 , where x is measured from the center of the rod and c is a constant. Find an expression in terms of L and M for the moment of inertia of the rod for rotation about an axis through the center.

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Textbook Question

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Textbook Question

Objects that rotate in air or water experience a torque due to drag. With quadratic drag, a drag torque that's negligible at low rpm quickly becomes significant as the rpm increases. Consider a square bar with cross section a x a and length L. It is rotating on an axle through its center at angular velocity ω in a fluid of density ρ. Assume that the drag coefficient C𝒹 is constant along the length of the bar. Find an expression for the magnitude of the drag torque on the bar. Hint: Begin by considering the drag force on a small piece of the bar of length dr at distance r from the axle.

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