Finding the Speed of a Wedge and Rod System

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a thin rod placed on a wedge, both of which can move, with the goal of finding the speed of the wedge when the rod makes a specific angle with the floor. The scenario is set in a frictionless environment and involves concepts from dynamics and rotational motion.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss applying conservation of momentum and energy to the system, questioning the need for a constraint relation between the velocities of the wedge and the rod. There is exploration of the components of velocity related to the angles involved and the motion of the rod.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problem, raising questions about the relationships between different components of velocity and the implications of the rod's motion. Some hints and guidance have been provided regarding the constraints at the ends of the rod, but no consensus has been reached on the specific approach to take.

Contextual Notes

There are ongoing discussions about the definitions of angular velocity and the direction of components, which may affect the interpretation of the problem. The participants are considering the implications of the rod's rotation and its relationship to the wedge's motion.

  • #61
Tanya Sharma said:
How did you use I=ml^{2}/12 in the above expression ?


That was my mistake .It should be l(length of rod).Sorry:shy:
 
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  • #62
Velocity of A perpendicular to the contact surface=[5V-\frac{ω}{4}]cos150 \hat{i}-\frac{√3 ω}{2}cos60\hat{j}
According to wedge constraint the velocities of wedge and rod perpendicular to the to the contact surface should be same.
So,
Vcos30=-\frac{√3}{2}[5V-\frac{ω}{4}]\hat{i}-\frac{√3 ω}{4}\hat{j}
Is it right?
 
Last edited:
  • #63
Satvik Pandey said:
Velocity of A perpendicular to the contact surface=[5V-\frac{ω}{4}]cos150 \hat{i}-\frac{√3 ω}{2}cos60\hat{j}
According to wedge constraint the velocities of wedge and rod perpendicular to the to the contact surface should be same.
So,
Vcos30=-\frac{√3}{2}[5V-\frac{ω}{4}]\hat{i}-\frac{√3 ω}{4}\hat{j}
Is it right?


This is incorrect .The last equation doesn't even make any sense.
 
Last edited:
  • #64
I tried to use dot product approach in finding the component of V_{A} perpendicular to the surface.
Unit vector perpendicular to the surface \vec{U}=-\frac{√3}{2}\hat{i}-\frac{1}{2}\hat{j}.


\vec{A}=[5V-\frac{ω}{4}]\hat{i}-\frac{√3 ω}{2}\hat{j}

Projection of A on U =\vec{A}.\vec{U}/U

={[5V-\frac{ω}{4}]\hat{i}-\frac{√3 ω}{2}\hat{j}}.{-\frac{√3}{2}\hat{i}-\frac{1}{2}\hat{j}}/1


=\frac{-5√3V}{2}+\frac{3√3}{8}
But this is equal to Vcos(30)
So -20V+3ω=4V

Hence ω=8V.
Now
V_{C}=\frac{MV}{m}\hat{i}-\frac{lωcosθ}{2} \hat{j}

V_{c}=√37 V

As
(mgl/2)(sin60° – sin30°) = (1/2)MV2+ (1/2)mv2+ (1/2)Iω2
On putting values-
\frac{3(√3-1)g}{2}=142V^2

V=√3(√3-1)/142

Now I think it is right. At last I found it.:smile:
 
  • #65
Thank you TSny for guiding me.
And thank you Tanya Sharma for posting this question.
 
  • #66
Satvik Pandey said:
\frac{3(√3-1)g}{2}=142V^2

GOT IT!

V=√3(√3-1)/142



What happened to g and the factor of 2 in the denominator?
 
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  • #67
TSny said:
GOT IT!
What happened to g and the factor of 2 in the denominator?
Sorry I missed that.My foolish mistakes continue.:cry:
V=√15(√3-1)/142.
Are my other steps correct?
THANK YOU TSny for guiding me.You helped me a lot.:smile:
 
  • #68
Tanya mam I forgot to wish you "HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY".
Thank you.
 
  • #69
Satvik Pandey said:
V=√15(√3-1)/142.
Are my other steps correct?


Yes, everything looks good to me.

Good work!
 
  • #70
TSny said:
Yes, everything looks good to me.

Good work!

It couldn't have been possible without your help.

:smile:
 
  • #71
Hey Guys,
I'm a little confused. Why would some of the P.E from the center of mass of the rod be converted to Rotational Kinetic energy? The the rod is not rotating. I see the idea that as it slips down its "rotating" about the center of mass, but is it correct to imply that in our reference frame its actually rotating. If this was the case, it seems like all problems of this sort would involve a rotational kinetic energy. If a ladder was perched up on a wall and fell over, you wouldn't assume that some of the P.E is converted into rotational K.E would you (assuming the end on the ground was stationary)? Or a rod was sliding down a parabola shaped ramp? I just have a weird feeling about it. Would any of you guys care to explain?
 
  • #72
You would have to take rotation into account in all of the examples you described. Also if you consider a ball rolling down a slope you would have to take rotation into account. The point is that you cannot just describe things based on how the CoM moves, this will in general not give you the full kinetic energy.

Of course you could consider the movement of every single mass point in an object and how it moves (including any motion from rotation), but you can just as well split the energy cleverly into rotation and translation and end up with a simpler problem.
 

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