Find the angular speed of the system right after the collision

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the angular speed of a system consisting of a projectile and a pivoted rod after a collision. The projectile has a mass of 1.8 kg and a speed of 24.8 m/s, while the rod has a mass of 6.75 kg and a length of 1.71 m. The initial approach incorrectly applied the moment of inertia for the combined mass of the projectile and rod. The correct method involves calculating the individual momenta of the rod and the projectile, leading to an angular speed of 18.319 rad/s after the collision.

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The problem:
A projectile of mass m=1.8 kg moves to the right with speed v=24.8 m/s. THe projectile strikes and sticks to the end of a stationary rod of mass M=6.75 kg and length d=1.71 m that is pivoted about a frictionless axle through its center. Find the angular speed of the system right after the collision.
I know the I of a thin rod pivoting about its center is 1/12 Md^2 and that angular momentum is mrv. So with that, I tried this:
I_{i}\omega_{i}=I_{f}\omega_{f}
rmv=\frac{1}{12}\left(m+M\right)d^{2}\omega_{f}
\omega_{f}=\frac{12rmv}{\left(m+M\right)d^{2}}
\omega_{f}=\frac{12\left(\frac{1.71m}{2}\right)\left(1.8kg\right)\left(24.8\frac{m}{s}\right)}{\left(1.8kg+6.75kg\right)1.71m^{2}}
\omega_{f}=18.319\frac{rad}{s}
Wrong answer. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!
 
Last edited:
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error is in the 2nd line, where you have taken the inertia as being for a mass of (m+M) rotating about the rod axle.

You should have the sum of two separate momenta here, one for M rotating about the rod axle and the other for a point mass, m, rotating about the rod axle, at a distance d/2, with the the same angular velocity.
 
Awesome, got it. Thanks a million for your help! :smile:
 

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