Calculating Angular Speed of a Bar/Glob System After Impact

AI Thread Summary
A glob of clay strikes a bar on a frictionless table, and the problem involves calculating the angular speed of the combined system after impact. The initial angular momentum is calculated using L_i = R × P, where R is the distance from the center of the bar to the point of impact. The mistake identified was using the wrong reference point for angular momentum; it should be calculated about the center of mass of the system instead of the center of the bar. After correcting the calculation, the correct angular speed is determined to be 5.743 rad/s. The discussion highlights the importance of using the appropriate reference point in angular momentum calculations.
americanforest
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Homework Statement


http://loncapa2.physics.sc.edu/res/msu/physicslib/msuphysicslib/21_Rot3_AngMom_Roll/graphics/prob21a_bar.gif

On a frictionless table, a glob of clay of mass 0.38 kg strikes a bar of mass 0.90 kg perpendicularly at a point 0.55 m from the center of the bar and sticks to it. If the bar is 1.30 m long and the clay is moving at 8.1 m/s before striking the bar, at what angular speed does the bar/clay system rotate about its center of mass after the impact?

Homework Equations



L_i=RXP=I\omega

cm_[new]=\frac{all m*d}{total mass}

Parallel Axis Theorem

The Attempt at a Solution



M is mass of rod and m is mass of glob.

L_i=RXP=mvb=1.6929

L_f=I_{glob}\omega+I_{rod}\omega

\delta=distance from old cm to new cm

\delta=\frac{mb}{m+M}=.1633 m

I_{glob}=m(b-\delta)^2

I_{rod}=\frac{M(L)^2}{12}+M\delta^2

L_i=L_f

I get 8.15 rad/s which is wrong, the right answer is 5.743. What did I do wrong?
 
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americanforest said:
L_i=RXP=mvb=1.6929
This is the angular momentum of the blob about the center of the bar. What you need is the angular momentum about the center of mass of the system--that is the quantity that is conserved.
 
So I should have L_i=mv(b-\delta) ?

Thanks, I got it.
 
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