Find the angular acceleration of a hinged beam

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around finding the angular acceleration of a hinged beam, with specific reference to the dynamics involving torques and forces acting on the system. The problem involves concepts from rotational motion and the application of Newton's laws to a rigid body.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the application of torque equations and the moment of inertia for a rod. There are questions about the placement of the center of gravity and whether to include the mass of an additional box in the calculations. Some participants express confusion regarding the sum of torques and the relationship between linear and angular acceleration.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants sharing their attempts at calculations and expressing confusion about certain aspects of the problem. Guidance has been offered regarding the need to consider the acceleration of the mass and to develop equations symbolically before substituting numerical values.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of homework rules, which may limit the amount of direct assistance they can receive. There is uncertainty regarding the correct interpretation of the physical setup, particularly concerning the center of gravity and the inclusion of the box's mass in the calculations.

UselessLadder
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Hi,
I have the following problem that I'm lost on.
problem_zpsc81959fc.jpg


The answer is 41.4 rad/s2 but I don't understand how to arrive at it.

Homework Equations


ƩT=I(alpha)
I=1/3 ML2 for a rod with axis through one end.

The Attempt at a Solution


I solved the above equations to get (alpha)=T/I, but no matter what I try from here I get small numbers under 5.
I'm confused on a couple points: is the center of gravity in the middle of the rod or the tip? Should I add the mass of the box (since the cable is cut, not the rope)? And I'm really confused as to how to write the sum of torques.
I tried following this example, with and without the box, but it I'm getting small numbers not even close to 41. Could someone please explain clearly to go about solving this? Thank you!
 
Last edited:
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Pls post your working.
 
I converted the masses to Newtons to get 833N for the beam and 4214N for the box. Then I used trig to get the length of the beam (3m) and the angles: 37degrees below the beam and 53 above. Then I tried this, based on an example from my class notes (assuming the center of the beam's gravity is in the middle):
untitled_zps9b5acb68.jpg
,
substituting 5047N for m and 3 for L, then solving for alpha. But that's clearly wrong.
Then I tried following this example exactly as shown, with units as shown, but I got 4.4(without the box) and 3.9 (with the box's weight added). Not even close to 41.
 
Last edited:
You're overlooking that the mass will accelerate too. Let the tension in the rope be T. Develop the free body equations for the beam and the mass separately. The relationship between the beam's angular acceleration and the mass's vertical acceleration will need a bit of care.
I recommend doing all working symbolically, only plugging in numbers as the final step. That goes for the angles too. It makes it much easier to follow the reasoning and to spot mistakes.
 

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