How does a screw roll down an inclined plane?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the motion of a screw or cone rolling down an inclined plane, particularly focusing on the effects of friction and the nature of its movement. Participants explore both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the motion, including experimental observations and theoretical considerations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Experimental/applied

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes the motion of a screw or cone on an inclined plane, suggesting it oscillates as it rolls down, resembling a zigzag pattern.
  • Another participant proposes that the base of the cone rolls downward about its apex, with the apex remaining stationary, leading to a similar zigzag motion.
  • A suggestion is made to conduct experiments using an ice cream cone to observe the motion practically.
  • One participant notes that they have conducted experiments but struggles with the quantitative analysis of the motion.
  • Another participant assumes the screw rolls on its head and tip, discussing the role of centrifugal effects and kinetic friction in the motion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various hypotheses about the motion of the screw, with no consensus reached on the exact nature of the motion or the quantitative analysis. Multiple competing views remain regarding how the screw behaves on the inclined plane.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the effects of friction and centrifugal forces but do not resolve the complexities involved in analyzing the motion quantitatively. The discussion remains open-ended regarding the specific mechanics at play.

Tanreom
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TL;DR
How would the motion of a screw rolling down an inclined plane work?
I was thinking about how various objects would slide down on an inclined plane, and I just couldn't figure this problem out.

So let's say I have this screw or cone on its side, on an inclined plane. If friction exists, what would the motion of the screw be as it slides down the inclined plane?

There is no initial velocity and no air resistance either. The only forces acting on the object would be gravity, normal force, and friction.

I know that the screw is apparently supposed to pendulate back and forth as it rolls down, kinda like a zigzag curve, but I'm not sure how that would be...

Edit: I have tried experiments, and the screw seems to oscillate as it rolls down the incline. What I don't know is how to quantitatively anaylze the motion using mechanics.
 
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I imagine the base of the cone would begin to roll downward about its apex. The apex wouldn't move. The effect would be like a pendulum rolling on a plane about its apex.

Or the base of the cone would begin to roll downward about its apex. The apex in turn would be pulled down too, and the base of the cone would track a kind of zigzag curve as it rolled back and forth sliding down the plane.

And some math to go along with it:

https://www.mathpages.com/home/kmath227/kmath227.htm
 
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Have you thought about doing an experiment? An ice cream cone might work, without the ice cream of course.
 
Tanreom said:
Summary: How would the motion of a screw rolling down an inclined plane work?

I was thinking about how various objects would slide down on an inclined plane, and I just couldn't figure this problem out.

So let's say I have this screw or cone on its side, on an inclined plane. If friction exists, what would the motion of the screw be as it slides down the inclined plane?

There is no initial velocity and no air resistance either. The only forces acting on the object would be gravity, normal force, and friction.

I know that the screw is apparently supposed to pendulate back and forth as it rolls down, kinda like a zigzag curve, but I'm not sure how that would be...
Screws and inclined planes are INCREDIBLY easy to come by. Do an experiment.
 
I have done experiments, in fact. But I don't know how to quantitatively analyze the motion...
 
Welcome!
I assume the screw is rolling only on its head and tip.
If in static condition, with the tip pointing up, the screw does not slide down the plane, but it does when rolling and swinging, then the centrifugal efect when the tangential velocity of the head is around maximum value, as well as kinetic friction, should be what makes the difference.
 
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