Solving the Yo-Yo's Limit Angle for Acceleration

In summary, the conversation discusses a yo-yo with a little cylinder and two big disks as wheels, and a force applied to the rope at an angle theta. The goal is to determine the limit angle for the yo-yo's acceleration to be positive or negative. The equations used to solve this problem involve the weight, reaction force, friction force, and torque around the point where the yo-yo contacts the ground.
  • #1
dany-vai
6
0

Homework Statement


We have a yo-yo, formed by a little cylinder tied to a little rope, and two big disks as wheels, one for each side of the central cylinder. We do a force T on the rope; its slope is an angle θ over the horizontal x-axis.
We are given the mass m of the cylinder, the mass M of each wheel, the radius of the cylinder R1 and the radius of each wheel R2. We want to know the limit angle θ , for the acceleration to be positive or negative.
I try to explain it better: under a certain angle, the yo-yo have a pure roll in the positive direction, over this angle it goes "back" and rolls towards the negative direction.

The Attempt at a Solution


I put in all the forces, the weight $mg$, the reaction $N$, and the friction force (static, since it's roling) towards the left side.
My equations are:
T*sinθ + N = m*g
T*cosθ - f[itex]_{s}[/itex] = m*a[itex]_{cm}[/itex]
f[itex]_{s}[/itex]*R2 - T*R1 = I[itex]_{G}[/itex]*α = I[itex]_{G}[/itex] * a[itex]_{cm}[/itex] / R2

But I'm always obtaining a non-sense answer solving the system, I guess I'm doing wrong something about the signes. Can someone help me?
Thanks a lot.
 
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  • #2


when it rolls, its rotation is around the point where it contacts the ground.
If the torque around this point is zero, it does not roll (alpha = 0).
 
  • #3


Thank you very much| Now I got it :D
 

1. What is the yo-yo's limit angle?

The yo-yo's limit angle is the maximum angle at which the yo-yo can be tilted before it starts to roll down instead of spinning.

2. Why is it important to solve the yo-yo's limit angle for acceleration?

Solving the yo-yo's limit angle for acceleration is important because it helps us understand the physical principles behind the yo-yo's motion and allows us to calculate its maximum acceleration.

3. How do you calculate the yo-yo's limit angle?

The yo-yo's limit angle can be calculated using the equation θ = arctan((2πr)/L), where θ is the limit angle, r is the radius of the yo-yo, and L is the length of the string.

4. What factors affect the yo-yo's limit angle?

The yo-yo's limit angle is affected by the radius of the yo-yo, the length of the string, and the weight distribution of the yo-yo.

5. How does the yo-yo's limit angle affect its acceleration?

The yo-yo's limit angle directly affects its acceleration, as a smaller limit angle means the yo-yo can tilt at a steeper angle before rolling down, resulting in a higher acceleration. This is because the yo-yo has a smaller moment of inertia when it is tilted at a steeper angle, allowing it to spin faster and accelerate more quickly.

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