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MathematicalPhysicist
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a small block slides from rest from the top of a frictionless sphere of radius R, how far below the top x does it lose contact with the sphere? the sphere doesn't move.
the question is from kleppner's in troduction to mechanics page 196 problem 4.6. (my scanner doesn't work so i can't scan the picture).
anyway, x is the displacement from when the block was on top the shpere up until where it loses contact with the sphere.
what i got so far is:
i calculated the tan of the angle of velocity, i got that tan(a)=sqrt(2Rx-x^2)/x and i got by energies that v^2=2xg and i know that v_y/v_x=tg(a) and v^2=v_y^2+v_x^2
and that v_y^2=xg, but after all that i didnt get the answer in the book, which is R/3.
can someone help me here?
thanks in advance.
the question is from kleppner's in troduction to mechanics page 196 problem 4.6. (my scanner doesn't work so i can't scan the picture).
anyway, x is the displacement from when the block was on top the shpere up until where it loses contact with the sphere.
what i got so far is:
i calculated the tan of the angle of velocity, i got that tan(a)=sqrt(2Rx-x^2)/x and i got by energies that v^2=2xg and i know that v_y/v_x=tg(a) and v^2=v_y^2+v_x^2
and that v_y^2=xg, but after all that i didnt get the answer in the book, which is R/3.
can someone help me here?
thanks in advance.