Friction of a rolling cylinder on an incline

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the frictional forces acting on a rolling cylinder on an incline, exploring the mechanics of torque, friction, and motion. Participants examine the conditions under which the cylinder rolls without sliding, the nature of frictional forces, and comparisons to other scenarios involving friction, such as blocks sliding down inclines and cars accelerating on flat surfaces.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions how frictional torque is applied to a rolling cylinder and seeks clarification on the direction of the force creating the torque.
  • Another participant asserts that friction opposes the downhill motion of the wheel, producing an uphill force that creates torque.
  • Concerns are raised about the interaction of downward forces and upward frictional forces, with one participant expressing confusion about why they do not cancel each other out.
  • Some participants propose that the friction force on the cylinder can be expressed as a function of the incline angle and the coefficient of friction, suggesting a specific angle at which rolling occurs.
  • There is a discussion about the direction of frictional forces in different scenarios, such as a sliding block and a car accelerating, highlighting the differences in how friction acts in these cases.
  • One participant emphasizes the need for torque to create angular acceleration in the rolling wheel, detailing the equations of motion involved.
  • Another participant corrects a mathematical expression related to the forces acting on the wheels of a car, while also discussing the role of torque from the engine in the context of acceleration.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints on the mechanics of friction and torque, with no clear consensus reached. Disagreements exist regarding the interpretation of forces and the conditions for rolling versus sliding.

Contextual Notes

Some participants' equations and reasoning are presented with assumptions that may not be fully explored, such as the dependence on specific coefficients of friction and the conditions under which rolling occurs. The discussion includes multiple models and interpretations of the physical phenomena involved.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to students and enthusiasts of physics, particularly those exploring concepts of friction, torque, and motion in rolling objects.

  • #31
Chenkel said:
Does a static axis mean that some apparatus allows rotation about the center of mass but prevents translation?
Consider the front wheel on a bike as an example.
 
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  • #32
Chenkel said:
Impulse is Newton seconds, velocity is meters per second, Energy is Newton meters, so I am guessing (but not sure) that you take the dot product of the impulse and velocity vector to get the work done.
Okay, but why more work for the same impulse at the rim compared to at the centre?
 
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  • #33
PeroK said:
Okay, but why more work for the same impulse at the rim compared to at the centre?
I'm not sure how to answer that question, and I'm also not sure if my equation for energy is correct... I cannot keep treating objects as point masses, I'll only get so far with that 😏 I must learn nature's secret.
 
  • #34
Chenkel said:
I'm not sure how to answer that question, and I'm also not sure if my equation for energy is correct... I cannot keep treating objects as point masses, I'll only get so far with that 😏 I must learn nature's secret.
Try drawing a diagram of each case. Hint: don't make the time of the impulse too short.
 
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  • #35
I'm not trying to hijack Chenkels thread, but maybe someone could help us solve for the acceleration of the following wheel and it would be beneficial to both our understanding?

Rolling Wheel.jpg


I'm imagining a constant torque applied to the wheel ##T##. What is the acceleration of the wheel?

$$ \sum F_y = N - mg = 0 \implies N = mg \tag{1} $$

$$ \sum F_x = f_r = ma \tag{2}$$

From ##(1)##:

$$ f_r = \mu mg $$

## \mu## is not a constant with respect to ##a##. I believe it must be the case that if the wheel is not slipping:

$$\mu = \frac{1}{g}a \leq \mu_s\tag{3}$$

Now applying a torque balance about the axis ## \circlearrowright^+##

$$ \sum \tau = T - \mu mg R = I \alpha $$

With no slip : ## \alpha = \frac{a}{R}##

$$T - \mu mg R =I \frac{a}{R} \tag{4}$$

Substitute ##(3) \to (5)##:

$$ \implies a = \frac{T R}{ I + m R^2} $$

We have the condition that ## a \leq \mu_s g ##

Which means for the wheel not to slip:

$$ T \leq \mu_s g \frac{1}{R} \left( I + m r^2 \right)$$

correct?

EDIT:

It seems so be in agreement with what @haruspex gave in for the same geometry.

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/a-spring-disk-and-pulley-system.1016701/post-6651212

$$ \tau \leq \frac{3}{2}\mu_s N R$$
 
Last edited:
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  • #36
Which wheel is this? Can we have a picture?
 
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  • #37
kuruman said:
Which wheel is this? Can we have a picture?
yeah, I forgot to put it in!
 
  • #38
I started a parallel thread here in the guise of a test to diagnose the doubts, confusion and misunderstandings that some participants may have and take corrective action. The idea is to keep this thread started by @Chenkel focused on the original question.
 

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