Acceleration of Rest Point for Rolling without Slipping

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the instantaneous acceleration vector of the rest point of a wheel rolling without slipping, particularly when the wheel is accelerating. The context is within classical mechanics, focusing on the behavior of the wheel under different conditions of motion.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant defines the rest point of a wheel as the point in contact with the surface that has zero instantaneous velocity and notes that when rolling at constant velocity, the instantaneous acceleration vector points toward the center of the wheel.
  • The same participant poses a question regarding the direction of the instantaneous acceleration vector of the rest point when the wheel is accelerating.
  • Several participants inquire about the context of the question, specifically whether it pertains to schoolwork, indicating a concern about the forum's rules regarding academic assistance.
  • One participant clarifies that their interest in physics is for personal learning rather than for homework purposes.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is no consensus on the specific direction of the instantaneous acceleration vector when the wheel is accelerating, as the discussion did not progress to address this question. Participants generally agree on the importance of context regarding schoolwork but do not resolve the original inquiry.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not include any mathematical analysis or exploration of the conditions under which the acceleration vector's direction might change, leaving these aspects unresolved.

0pt618
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Let's ignore gravity in this problem for simplicity. For a wheel rolling without slipping on some surface, the rest point is the point at a given instant of time that is in contact with the surface (the rest point has zero instantaneous velocity). If the wheel is rolling at constant velocity, the instantaneous acceleration vector of the rest point points toward the center of the wheel.

Question: if the wheel is accelerating, in which direction is the instantaneous acceleration vector of the rest point?

(This is a question in the domain of classical mechanics, so all speeds are much less than the speed of light.)
 
Last edited:
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Is this for schoolwork?
 
berkeman said:
Is this for schoolwork?
No - why do you ask?
 
Question edited to be more precise.
 
Because we have rules here at the PF about how to handle schoolwork (you do the bulk of the work so we don't help you to cheat in your classes -- this applies to self-study as well). What is the context of your question? Is this for your work?
 
berkeman said:
Because we have rules here at the PF about how to handle schoolwork (you do the bulk of the work so we don't help you to cheat in your classes -- this applies to self-study as well). What is the context of your question? Is this for your work?
Okay, makes sense. I read and learn physics for fun. It's not a homework problem.
 
0pt618 said:
Okay, makes sense. I read and learn physics for fun. It's not a homework problem.
Okay, please post all schoolwork-type questions in the Homework Help forums, and fill out the HH Template that you are provided when you start a new thread there. That includes the Relevant Equations and your Attempt at a Solution. That helps you to organize your thoughts, and helps up to help you answer your question.

This thread is locked as a misplaced schoolwork type post. Please repost in HH Intro Physics.
 

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