- #1
Raziel2701
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Homework Statement
A Yo-Yo is made up of twp solid disks each with radius R and mass M. The axle has radius r and is essentially massless. The Yo Yo is released to unwind.
Find the angular acceleration of the YoYO as it falls in terms of r, R and g.
Homework Equations
[tex]\Sigma\tau=I\alpha[/tex]
I = 1/2MR^2
I set up the sum of torques to be the tension from the string times r, plus 2MgR, though I don't see what difference there would be if it were 2Mgr:
[tex]\Sigma\tau=Tr +2MgR=I\alpha[/tex]
I setup the following too:
[tex]\Sigma\F_y = T -2Mg = 2Ma[/tex] To solve for T and substitute into my equation for the sum of torques.
Then solving for [tex]\alpha[/tex] I finally get:
[tex]\frac{g(r+R) + ar}{R^2}[/tex] I don't think my answer should have a term for linear acceleration, unless it's gravity too?
I feel like I'm doing things blindly. I know that the sum of torques should equal the moment of inertia times the angular acceleration, but this business with the different radii is confusing me and I am uncertain as to whether or not what I'm doing makes sense.
UNRELATED: I tried previewing the post after doing some modifications and it shows all out of formatting. Please excuse any oddities.