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Ch. 11 - Angular Momentum; General Rotation
Giancoli Douglas - Physics for Scientists and Engineers 5th edition
Giancoli Douglas5th editionPhysics for Scientists and EngineersISBN: 9780137488179Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 11, Problem 56

Suppose the solid wheel of Fig. 11–42 has a mass of 260 g and rotates at 85 rad/s; it has radius 6.0 cm and is mounted at the center of a horizontal thin axle 25 cm long. At what rate does the axle precess?

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Convert the given quantities into SI units: mass (m) = 260 g = 0.260 kg, radius (r) = 6.0 cm = 0.060 m, and angular velocity (ω) = 85 rad/s. The length of the axle (L) is 25 cm = 0.25 m.
Understand the concept of precession: Precession occurs when a torque is applied to a spinning object, causing its axis of rotation to move in a circular path. The precession rate (Ω) is given by the formula: Ω = τL, where τ is the torque and L is the angular momentum.
Calculate the angular momentum (L) of the spinning wheel using the formula: L = Iω, where I is the moment of inertia of the wheel and ω is its angular velocity. For a solid disk, the moment of inertia is given by: I = 12mr2.
Determine the torque (τ) acting on the wheel due to gravity. The torque is given by: τ = rF, where F is the gravitational force acting on the center of mass of the wheel. The gravitational force is: F = mg, where g = 9.8 m/s² is the acceleration due to gravity.
Substitute the values of τ and L into the precession rate formula: Ω = τL. Simplify the expression to find the precession rate. Ensure all units are consistent throughout the calculation.

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Key Concepts

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

Angular Momentum

Angular momentum is a measure of the rotational motion of an object and is defined as the product of the moment of inertia and the angular velocity. For a solid wheel, the moment of inertia depends on its mass distribution relative to the axis of rotation. Understanding angular momentum is crucial for analyzing how the wheel's rotation affects the precession of the axle.
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Intro to Angular Momentum

Precession

Precession is the phenomenon where the axis of a rotating object moves in a circular path due to an external torque. In this case, the gravitational force acting on the wheel creates a torque that causes the axle to precess. The rate of precession can be calculated using the relationship between angular momentum and the torque applied.

Torque

Torque is a measure of the rotational force applied to an object and is calculated as the product of the force and the distance from the pivot point (lever arm). In the context of the rotating wheel, the torque due to gravity influences the precession rate of the axle. Understanding how torque affects rotational motion is essential for solving the problem.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

A toy gyroscope consists of a 170-g disk with a radius of 5.5 cm mounted at the center of a thin axle 21 cm long (Fig. 11–42). The gyroscope spins at 45 rev/s. One end of its axle rests on a stand and the other end precesses horizontally about the stand. How long does it take the gyroscope to precess once around?

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Textbook Question

A merry-go-round with a moment of inertia equal to 860 kg·m² and a radius of 3.0 m rotates with negligible friction at 1.70 rad/s. A child initially standing still next to the merry-go-round jumps onto the edge of the platform straight toward the axis of rotation causing the platform to slow to 1.25 rad/s. What is her mass?

Textbook Question

The position of a particle with mass m traveling on a helical path (see Fig. 11–48) is given by r\(\overrightarrow{r}\) = R cos (2πz/d) î + R sin (2πz/d) ĵ + zk̂ where R and d are the radius and pitch of the helix, respectively, and z has time dependence z = v𝓏t where v𝓏 is the (constant) component of velocity in the z direction. Determine the time-dependent angular momentum L\(\overrightarrow{L}\) of the particle about the origin.

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Textbook Question

On a level billiards table a cue ball, initially at rest at point O on the table, is struck so that it leaves the cue stick with a center-of-mass speed v₀ and ω₀ a “reverse” spin of angular speed (see Fig. 11–41). A kinetic friction force acts on the ball as it initially skids across the table. If ω₀ is 10% smaller than ωC , i.e., ω₀ = 0.90ωC, determine the ball’s cm velocity vCM when it starts to roll without slipping.

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Textbook Question

On a level billiards table a cue ball, initially at rest at point O on the table, is struck so that it leaves the cue stick with a center-of-mass speed v₀ and ω₀ a “reverse” spin of angular speed (see Fig. 11–41). A kinetic friction force acts on the ball as it initially skids across the table. Using conservation of angular momentum, find the critical angular speed ωC such that, if ω₀=ωC, kinetic friction will bring the ball to a complete (as opposed to momentary) stop.

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Textbook Question

The time-dependent position of a point object which moves counterclockwise along the circumference of a circle (radius R) in the xy plane with constant speed υ is given by r\(\overrightarrow{r}\) = î R cos ωt + ĵ R sin ωt where the constant ω = v/R. Determine the velocity v\(\overrightarrow{v}\) and angular velocity w\(\overrightarrow{w}\) of this object and then show that these three vectors obey the relationv=ω×r\(\overrightarrow{v}\)=\(\overrightarrow{\omega}\[\times\]\overrightarrow{r}\).

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