Piece of Cement in a Rotating Cement Mixer

[tahayassen]

Is it possible for a piece of cement in a rotating cement mixer to travel at constant speed?

If we graph a cement mixer (circle) on the Cartesian plane with a radius of 1, then at (1, 0), there would be a gravity vector pointing down and a normal force pointing towards (0, 0). Are there any other vectors that can cause the net force to point towards the centre of the cement mixer (to cancel out the gravity vector)?

 

[tony_physic]

The problem of resolving the forces in a cement mixer is complicated surely by the coriolis effect through the medium from the centre to the perimeter

 

[tahayassen]

The problem of resolving the forces in a cement mixer is complicated surely by the coriolis effect through the medium from the centre to the perimeter

I'm referring to a free body diagram relative to the ground.

 

[nasu]

Is it possible for a piece of cement in a rotating cement mixer to travel at constant speed?

If we graph a cement mixer (circle) on the Cartesian plane with a radius of 1, then at (1, 0), there would be a gravity vector pointing down and a normal force pointing towards (0, 0). Are there any other vectors that can cause the net force to point towards the centre of the cement mixer (to cancel out the gravity vector)?

Friction with the wall. Without friction the cement will just be at rest and the mixer will rotate nicely around it.

 

[PJC01]

Yes, it is possible for a piece of cement in a rotating cement mixer to travel at a constant speed. This is due to the concept of centripetal force, which acts towards the center of rotation and is responsible for keeping the object moving in a circular path. In the case of a cement mixer, the centripetal force is provided by the rotation of the mixer itself, which creates a centrifugal force on the cement particles, pushing them towards the outer edge of the mixer. This force counteracts the gravity vector and maintains a constant speed for the cement particles. Additionally, the friction between the cement particles and the walls of the mixer also helps to keep the particles moving at a constant speed. Therefore, as long as the mixer is rotating at a constant speed, the cement particles will also travel at a constant speed.