Newton's second law for rotations

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around Newton's second law for rotations, specifically addressing the conditions under which a homogeneous bar can be made to rotate about an axis. Participants explore concepts of torque, moment of inertia, and the forces required to initiate rotation, while also considering static equilibrium and the effects of friction.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant reflects on a mistake related to forgetting Newton's second law for rotations and seeks verification of their calculations regarding the force needed to rotate a bar.
  • Another participant questions what force is resisting rotation, prompting clarification about the context of static equilibrium.
  • It is noted that in the absence of a resisting force, any applied force will result in movement and rotation of the bar.
  • Participants discuss the relationship between linear acceleration and angular acceleration, drawing parallels between F = ma and T = Iα.
  • Concerns are raised about the interpretation of a linked image and whether it holds significance or should be disregarded.
  • One participant mentions that gravity acts through the center of the bar, suggesting it does not produce a torque about that point.
  • A suggestion is made to apply force through the center of mass to avoid creating opposing torques.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express some agreement on the principles of rotation and the effects of forces, but there remains uncertainty regarding specific interpretations of the problem and the significance of the attached image. The discussion does not reach a consensus on the interpretation of the calculations or the image.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved questions about the definitions of terms like "win" in this context and the implications of static equilibrium. The discussion also highlights the potential influence of friction, which some participants acknowledge but do not fully explore.

pedrovisk
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TL;DR
What is the minimum force to start rotation in a bar?
EDIT: I forgot about Second Newton's law for rotations and this led to a mistake. Anyway, thanks for the people who answered it and remembered me about law of inertia.

I was thinking about how to "make" things to move without rotate the object, then i tried to calculate the minimum force to start a homogeneous bar to rotate in a x axis. I attached a link.
Could someone check if my answer is correct?

 
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:welcome:

What force is resisting rotation?
 
PeroK said:
:welcome:

What force is resisting rotation?
Hi! The bar is at static equilibrium. What I meant with this force F is what "push" I need to do in order to "win" the moment of inertia.
 
pedrovisk said:
Hi! The bar is at static equilibrium. What I meant with this force F is what "push" I need to do in order to "win" the moment of inertia.
I don't know what "win" means in this context. In the absence of a resisting force, any force (no matter how small) will move and rotate the bar.
 
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It is like asking what force is required to make an object accelerate when there is no resisting force. F = ma tells you that any net force will result in an acceleration, just as ##T = I\alpha## tells you any net torque will result in an angular acceleration.
 
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Orodruin said:
It is like asking what force is required to make an object accelerate when there is no resisting force. F = ma tells you that any net force will result in an acceleration, just as ##T = I\alpha## tells you any net torque will result in an angular acceleration.
Can't believe i forgot about this. Basic Newton's first law for rotations.

I think I was confused when I was trying to rotate a bar like that. I probably just forgot about the friction.

Anyway, now I'm curious. Is there any meaning for the pic I attached?
 
PeroK said:
I don't know what "win" means in this context. In the absence of a resisting force, any force (no matter how small) will move and rotate the bar.
Thanks, you are absolutely right. I was having trouble to understand rotations as a extension of Newton's laws.

Asking the same question I did to Orodruin, what is a possible interpretation for the pic? Did it have a meaning or I should just torn it apart the paper and throw it to the trash? The development of the equations looks so smooth.
 
pedrovisk said:
Thanks, you are absolutely right. I was having trouble to understand rotations as a extension of Newton's laws.

Asking the same question I did to Orodruin, what is a possible interpretation for the pic? Did it have a meaning or I should just torn it apart the paper and throw it to the trash? The development of the equations looks so smooth.
You have a torque of ##F\frac l 2##. Somehow you have an opposing torque of ##\frac{mlg}{4}##.
 
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PS gravity acts through the centre of the bar, so it should not produce a torque on the bar about its centre.
 
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  • #10
pedrovisk said:
I was thinking about how to "make" things to move without rotate the object,
Apply all force through the center of mass, otherwise make sure that the torques cancel.
 

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