Help Needed: Determining Speed of Dart After Being Fired

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on determining the tension in the cord of a pendulum system consisting of a dart and a block after the dart is fired. Participants analyze the forces acting on the system, concluding that the tension (T) at the lowest point of the swing is equal to the gravitational force acting on the combined mass of the dart and block, expressed as T = (m + M)g. There is debate regarding the role of centripetal force, with some arguing that tension must account for both gravitational and centripetal forces, while others assert that tension alone is sufficient at the lowest point of the trajectory.

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  • Understanding of Newton's laws of motion
  • Knowledge of centripetal force and gravitational force
  • Familiarity with pendulum dynamics
  • Basic principles of energy conservation (kinetic and potential energy)
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  • #61
do you know the formulas of potential energy and kinetic energy, if no, here is the formulas:
PE= mgh (h is the height between the object and the floor)
KE= 1/2 mv^2
and the total energy is PE+KE
since energy cannot come out from nothing, the total energy for the system at anytime is the same... just compute the total energy at the lowest point and the highest point... set them equal... vala, you have the formulas of conservation of energy...
 
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  • #62
Simple.In this case,the law of total energy conservation can be applied and it reads,for two arbitrary states.

KE(1)+PE(1)=KE(2)+PE(2)
The explicit expression i posted can be deduced from the geometry of the figure.
You chose the lowest point of the circular trajectory as to have 0 potential energy and the upmost to have only potential energy and the kinetic one to be zero.Analyzing the geometry,u can reach the formula almost immediately.

Daniel.
 
  • #63
Thanks, I'll let you know if i get the right answer when I do it out----THANKS!
 
  • #64
dextercioby said:
Okay,the two bodies which are joint together are in a circular movement round the point of suspension "O".
The Second law of Dynamics for this body,projected onto the radial direction reads
T-(m+M)g\cos\theta =\frac{(m+M)v^{2}}{l} (1)
,where \theta is the angle at center,"T" is the tension in the in wire and \frac{v^{2}}{l} [/tex] is the radial acceleration.<br /> <br /> Now,write down the law of energy conservation between the highest point (in which the system has only potential energy) and the lowest point in which the system has only kinetic energy:<br /> \frac{(m+M)v^{2}}{2}=(m+M)gl(1-\cos\theta_{max}) (2)<br /> Note that this formula yields the maximum linear velocity the body (total) can have.Therefore,combining (1) and (2),taking into account that in both formulas,the subscript &#039;max&#039; for angles and velocity interviens<br /> T_{max}=(m+M)g+2(m+M)g(1-\cos\theta_{max})(3)<br /> <br /> ,which can be simplified to<br /> T_{max}=(m+M)g(3-2\cos\theta_{max})(4)<br /> <br /> The reason for why I&#039;ve set \theta=0 is that u must maximize the function T.Which means maximize the velocity (which is done in formula (2)) and maximize the gravity as well,which is done by setting \cos\theta =1 or,equivalently,\theta=0<br /> <br /> Daniel.
<br /> <br /> For your equation for the second law of dynamics... is it basically saying the sum of the forces equals mass x (radial)acceleration which is also equal, in this case, to Tension minus Fg (minus because Fg is negative). .. ? So you set them equal... (?)
 
  • #65
YAY! I did it on my own using what you had said about setting energies in different positions equal and I got the same answer as yoU! thanks.
 
  • #66
The second law reads in vector form
m\vec{a}=\vec{G}+\vec{N}

Project this law on radial direction.U'll find my equation.


Daniel.
 
  • #67
dextercioby said:
The second law reads in vector form
m\vec{a}=\vec{G}+\vec{N}

Project this law on radial direction.U'll find my equation.


Daniel.

is one of the equations set up T-(M+m)g = ...(that's G + N, right?)
because (M+m)g is negative... ?
 

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