Checking a Problem: Speed of Bending Rod Tip

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    Bending Rod Speed
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The discussion centers on calculating the speed of the tip of a thin rod bent into a quarter circle as it rotates about the x-axis. The potential energy of the rod was calculated using integration, yielding U=(2/pi)MgR, and the moment of inertia was found to be I=(1/2)MR^2. The user then derived the speed formula v=4[gR/pi]^(1/2) by equating the initial potential energy to the kinetic energy at the bottom of the rotation. There is a request for verification of these calculations, particularly the moment of inertia. The term "thing rod" was clarified to mean "thin rod."
Ja4Coltrane
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I made up a problem and wanted to make sure that I did everything right.

A thing rod with mass M is bent into the shape of a quarter circle with radius R. It is positioned so that it looks like the arc made as theta moves from terminal position (+ x axis) to 90 degrees counterclockwise. I am going to let this arc rotate freely about the x-axis. My problem is to determine the speed of the tip of the wire when it has rotated all the way to the bottom.

First I calculated the potential energy of the rod using the x-axis as a refrence frame. I did this by integrating over the rod noting that the height of each piece is Rsin@

U=(2/pi)MgR.

Then I calculated the moment of inertia using the same integration techniques.

I=(1/2)MR^2

(Is that really true??!)

Finally I doubled the initial potential energy to get the kinetic when it has spun around and set that equal to (1/2)Iw^2

v=4[gR/pi]^(1/2)

If anyone would check this I would be very appreciative.
 
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Should I perhaps move this question to a different forum?
 
define "thing rod"
 
403036387 said:
define "thing rod"
He means thin rod.
 
The book claims the answer is that all the magnitudes are the same because "the gravitational force on the penguin is the same". I'm having trouble understanding this. I thought the buoyant force was equal to the weight of the fluid displaced. Weight depends on mass which depends on density. Therefore, due to the differing densities the buoyant force will be different in each case? Is this incorrect?

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