- #1
quawa99
- 67
- 2
Is it possible to determine which side of a coin is going to turn up when you toss one?If possible what all information would be required to do so?
You about to enter a big quarter flipping contest?
Assuming that we know the impulse imparted to the coin,the point of application of impulse ,the dimensions and mass of the disc:
1)The angular velocity of the coin can be calculated.
2)The time of flight can be calculated.
In addition, it is not clear that imparting the impulse will result in a pure rotation about a single horizontal axis.
It doesn't need to rotate purely about a horizontal axis does it?
Anyway the impulse will give the center of mass a linear vertical velocity plus some angular moment about a horizontal axis passing through it.So the coin undergoes rotational as well as translatory motion.The angular momentum about the axis passing through the center of mass should remain constant as gravity is the only force which cannot cause any torque.Hence the angular velocity will remain constant.
The impulse will not neccessarily give an angular moment about a horizontal axis. It may include a component about a vertical axis.
What if the disc is kept horizontal and a perfectly vertical impulse is given