Simple rotation/elasticity problem

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves an amusement park ride with airplane-shaped cars attached to steel rods, focusing on the effects of rotation on the stretching of the rods. The context includes parameters such as rod length, cross-sectional area, angular speed, Young's modulus, and gravitational acceleration.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the relationship between centripetal force and tensile force in the rods, questioning the effects of rotation on stretching. There are attempts to derive formulas for force and stretching, with some participants seeking clarification on the radius of rotation and the orientation of the rods.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring various interpretations of the problem. Some have provided calculations and expressed confusion over results, while others have suggested checking the conversion of angular speed and the assumptions made regarding the setup.

Contextual Notes

Participants are considering whether to assume the rods are horizontal during operation and are grappling with the implications of the rotation on the stretching of the rods. There is a noted need for clarity on the radius of rotation, which remains unspecified.

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An amusement park ride consists of airplane-shaped cars attached to steel rods. Each rod has a length of 14.0 m and a cross-sectional area of 0.000780m^2. When operating, the ride has a maximum angular speed of 8.00 rev/min. How much is the rod stretched?

Take the Young's modulus for the rod to be Y = 2×10^11 Pa and the free fall acceleration to be g = 9.80 m/s^2

Umm... I am really just stumped on this one. Really its just the rotation part that's messing me up. What outward force would be caused by the rotation? Would the rotation even change the amount stretched from a still position? Haha, I would really appreciate a push in the right direction. :confused:
 
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The cars are going around in circles. Each car is subject to a centripetal force provided by the rods. The rods are being stretched by the force of the car and attachment at the axis of rotation.

Was the rotation axis specified? Is the motion horizontal?
 
ok so to find the tensile force, I will use the centripetal force. so F=(mv^2)/R. And v=R(omega). So F=R(omega)^2(m). But to find this force wouldn't I need to know the radius of the rotation?
 
ninjagowoowoo said:
Each rod has a length of 14.0 m
You'll have to decide if you want to assume that the rods are horizontal at the time you are interested in. I would simply because it would make things easier.
 
Nope still not working. using the formula for F that I gave earlier, and that
changeinlength = F(originallength)/(crosssectionalarea)(modulus)
I get that:
change in length = r(omega^2)m(orig length) / AY where Y is the modulus.
so I use the following values:
R = 14m
omega = 3015.92895rad/s (converted from rev/min)
m = 203.0612245 (1990N/9.8m/s/s)
orig length = 14m
A = 0.00078m^2
Y=2*10^11
and when i plug in the numbers I get a rediculous number (2320.602127m). Any other suggestions?
 
ninjagowoowoo said:
omega = 3015.92895rad/s (converted from rev/min)

and when i plug in the numbers I get a rediculous number (2320.602127m). Any other suggestions?

See if you can fix that ridiculous value for omega :smile:
I did not check the rest of your calculation
 
well if it was in rev/min wouldn't i have to convert it to rad/s?

*(2pi*60)?

8*2*pi = 50.2654825 radian/min * 60 = 3015.92... rad/sec
 
Last edited:
[tex]\omega = \frac{8\ \ rev}{min} \cdot \frac{2\pi\ \ rad}{rev} \cdot \frac{1\ \ min}{60\ \ sec}[/tex]

Usually a good idea to write units.
 

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