Angular Momentum of a counterweight

In summary, the problem involves a 4.60 kg counterweight attached to a spool with a light cord. The torque on the system about point O is 3.61 Nm. The total angular momentum of the system about O is 0.42 kg*m^2/s. To solve for the acceleration of the counterweight, the derivative of angular momentum is taken, resulting in an acceleration of 8.60 m/s^2. The units for the final answer are in m/s^2.
  • #1
Sheneron
360
0
[SOLVED] Angular Momentum

Homework Statement


A 4.60 kg counterweight is attached to a light cord, which is wound around a spool (refer to Fig. 10.20). The spool is a uniform solid cylinder of radius 8.00 cm and mass 1.30 kg.
(a) What is the net torque on the system about the point O?
Magnitude
(b) When the counterweight has a speed v, the pulley has an angular speed = v/R. Determine the total angular momentum of the system about O.
(c) Using the fact that = dL/dt and your result from (b), calculate the acceleration of the counterweight.

Homework Equations


[tex] L = r X P[/tex]
[tex] \tau = r X F[/tex]
[tex] L = I\omega[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution


I was able to solve the first part:
[tex] \tau = rF [/tex]
[tex] \tau = (0.08)(4.6)(9.8) = 3.61 Nm[/tex]

I am not sure how to solve part B though, here is what I tried but it was wrong:

[tex] L_{net} = rp + I\omega [/tex]
[tex] L_{net} = r X mv + I*\frac{v}{r} [/tex]
[tex] L_{net} = v (r X m + \frac{I}{r})[/tex]

I factored out the v because it doesn't give you the velocity, and the answer space looks like this:

________ X v kg *m^2/s
 
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  • #2
Sheneron said:
I am not sure how to solve part B though, here is what I tried but it was wrong:

[tex] L_{net} = rp + I\omega [/tex]
[tex] L_{net} = r X mv + I*\frac{v}{r} [/tex]
[tex] L_{net} = v (r X m + \frac{I}{r})[/tex]
Looks OK to me--keep going.

Hint: What's the rotational inertia of a solid cylinder?
 
  • #3
Rotational inertia of a solid cylinder is 0.5MR^2

With my equation there, at the rXm, do I have to do the cross product?
 
  • #4
Sheneron said:
Rotational inertia of a solid cylinder is 0.5MR^2
Good.

With my equation there, at the rXm, do I have to do the cross product?
You can only take cross products of vectors, so r X m doesn't make sense. (I was wondering if you meant that X as a cross product or just as multiplication.) The time to do the cross product is before you factor out the speed.

In the definition of angular momentum of a particle, [itex]\vec{L} = \vec{r}\times m\vec{v}[/itex], [itex]\vec{r}[/itex] is the position vector of the particle. The cross product turns out to be easy to evaluate in terms of r (the radius). So what is the angular momentum of the particle?
 
  • #5
I don't know. I am a little unclear about how to do cross products.
 
  • #6
Can someone tell me how I would go about cross producting [itex] \vec{L} = \vec{r}\times m\vec{v}
[/itex]
 
  • #7

Homework Statement


A 4.60 kg counterweight is attached to a light cord, which is wound around a spool (refer to Fig. 10.20). The spool is a uniform solid cylinder of radius 8.00 cm and mass 1.30 kg.
(a) What is the net torque on the system about the point O?
Magnitude
(b) When the counterweight has a speed v, the pulley has an angular speed = v/R. Determine the total angular momentum of the system about O.
(c) Using the fact that = dL/dt and your result from (b), calculate the acceleration of the counterweight.


Homework Equations


[tex] L = r X P [/tex]
[tex] \tau = r X F [/tex]
[tex] L = I\omega [/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution


I was able to solve the first part:
[tex] \tau = rF [/tex]
[tex] \tau = (0.08)(4.6)(9.8) = 3.61 Nm [/tex]

I am not sure how to solve part B though,

[tex] L_{net} = rp + I\omega [/tex]
[tex] L_{net} = (r)mv + I*\frac{v}{r} [/tex]

[tex] L_{net} = v (rm + \frac{I}{r}) [/tex]
[tex]L_{net} = v [ (.08)(4.6) + \frac{1}{2}(1.30)(.08)]} [/tex]
[tex]L_{net} = v(0.42)[/tex]

I factored out the v because it doesn't give you the velocity, and the answer space looks like this:

________ X v kg *m^2/s

Is that how I would go about part B? Thanks
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #8
Looks good to me.
 
  • #9
Can you help me with part c?
 
  • #10
Sheneron said:
Can you help me with part c?
What's the full statement of part c? (Your initial post has something missing.) You'll need to take the derivative of L (that's what dL/dt means).
 
  • #11
sorry, yes I know i have to take the derivative...
Here is the post:
Using the fact that t = dL/dt and your result from (b), calculate the acceleration of the counterweight.

so would it be: 3.61 = dL/dt and dL/dt= 0.42dv/dt and dv/dt is acceleration so would it be a= 3.61*0.42
 
  • #12
Sheneron said:
so would it be: 3.61 = dL/dt and dL/dt= 0.42dv/dt and dv/dt is acceleration
Good.
so would it be a= 3.61*0.42
Divide, not multiply, by 0.42.
 
  • #13
haha yeah i just realized that.

Thank ye
 
  • #14


just wondering what units the final answer is in - if the counterweight is just accelerating downwards, do we still write the answer in rads/sec^2 ?
 
  • #15


or would it be in N*s/kg?

(N*m)/(kg*m^2/s)
 
  • #16


FailWhale42 said:
just wondering what units the final answer is in - if the counterweight is just accelerating downwards, do we still write the answer in rads/sec^2 ?
The final answer for what question? rads/sec^2 are units for angular acceleration; the counterweight has linear acceleration, which has units of m/s^2.
 
  • #17


Doc Al said:
The final answer for what question? rads/sec^2 are units for angular acceleration; the counterweight has linear acceleration, which has units of m/s^2.

thankyou! :) i was thinking angular acceleration *facepalm* :)
 

1. What is Angular Momentum?

Angular momentum is a physical quantity that describes the rotational motion of an object. It is a vector quantity that depends on the mass, velocity, and distance from the axis of rotation.

2. How is Angular Momentum related to a counterweight?

Angular momentum is related to a counterweight through the conservation of angular momentum. This means that the total angular momentum of a system remains constant, even if there are external forces acting on it. In the case of a counterweight, the angular momentum of the counterweight is equal and opposite to the angular momentum of the object it is balancing.

3. How does the mass of a counterweight affect the Angular Momentum?

The mass of a counterweight directly affects the Angular Momentum. As the mass of the counterweight increases, so does the Angular Momentum. This is because the angular momentum is directly proportional to the mass of the object.

4. What is the relationship between the distance of a counterweight from the axis of rotation and its Angular Momentum?

The distance of a counterweight from the axis of rotation is inversely proportional to its Angular Momentum. This means that as the distance increases, the Angular Momentum decreases. This relationship is known as the moment of inertia, which describes how the mass is distributed around the axis of rotation.

5. Can Angular Momentum be transferred from a counterweight to another object?

Yes, Angular Momentum can be transferred from a counterweight to another object. This transfer can occur through collisions or interactions between the two objects. However, the total angular momentum of the system will remain constant, as stated by the law of conservation of angular momentum.

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