Understanding the Paradox of Centripetal Force in a Frictionless System

In summary, a frictionless hollow tube with a ball that fits perfectly inside will cause the ball to swoop out of the other end when the tube is rotated with a constant angular velocity. This motion can be explained by the absence of a radial force due to the lack of friction, which is necessary to change the state of motion according to Newton's first law. The ball's acceleration will be tangential and its velocity will have a radial component as the directions change. This is why the ball pops out of the tube, as there is no force acting inwards to keep its radius constant.
  • #1
Mausam
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If we have a frictionless hollow tube and a ball which just fits into it. All the surfaces are frictionless.

Now if we put in the ball about at the center of tube and rotate the tube about one of its ends with a constant angular velocity ,then the ball swoops out of
the other end .

If we see from the ground frame then no radial force is acting as friction is absent,then how can we explain the motion of the ball.According to Newton's first law we need a force to change the state of motion.

How do we explain this
 
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  • #2
Mausam said:
According to Newton's first law we need a force to change the state of motion.
Yes, the acceleration will be tangential only (perpendicular to the tube axis), which is not a constant direction in the ground frame.
 
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  • #3
To expand a bit on what @A.T. has said, the acceleration which is applied now and is tangential now results in a velocity which is tangential now but which is retained and will have a radial component a moment from now when the "radial" and "tangential" directions change.
 
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  • #4
hello mausam
Mausam said:
According to Newton's first law we need a force to change the state of motion.
exactly , very reason why the ball pops out , cause there's no force acting inwards to keep its radius const.
ball tries tries to move in one line . think of tangent to a circle , as you move along tangent,you move further away from circle centre
 

1. What is the "Paradox of Centripetal Force"?

The "Paradox of Centripetal Force" refers to the apparent contradiction between the centripetal force required to keep an object moving in a circular path and the absence of an outward force acting on the object.

2. How is the centripetal force calculated?

The centripetal force can be calculated using the formula F = mv²/r, where F is the force, m is the mass of the object, v is its velocity, and r is the radius of the circular path.

3. What is the relationship between centripetal force and centripetal acceleration?

Centripetal force and centripetal acceleration are directly proportional to each other. This means that an increase in centripetal force will result in an increase in centripetal acceleration, and vice versa.

4. Does the centripetal force always point towards the center of the circle?

Yes, the centripetal force always points towards the center of the circle. This is because it is responsible for keeping the object moving in a circular path and preventing it from moving in a straight line tangent to the circle.

5. How does the "Paradox of Centripetal Force" relate to Newton's First Law of Motion?

The "Paradox of Centripetal Force" is often used to illustrate Newton's First Law of Motion, which states that an object will remain at rest or in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force. In the case of an object moving in a circular path, the centripetal force acts as the external force that causes the object to change its direction and maintain its circular motion.

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