Moment of Inertia & Angular Motion of a Stick

In summary, the stick has a mass of 7.5kg and length of 1m, and is pivoted about an axle 0.12m from one end. Its moment of inertia is 1.708 kg m2. When released, it has an angular speed of 5.7217 rad/s as it passes through the vertical position. Its angular acceleration and the vertical component of the force exerted by the stick on the axle can be found by considering the normal reaction and weight as the resultant force for the centripetal force.
  • #1
humpdebump19
4
0
A stick of uniform density with mass M = 7.5 kg and length L = 1 m is pivoted about an axle which is perpendicular to its length and located 0.12 m from one end. Ignore any friction between the stick and the axle.


a) What is the moment of inertia of the stick about this axle?
Iaxle = kg m2
A: 1.708 OK

The stick is held horizontal and then released.
b) What is its angular speed as it passes through the vertical

w = rad/s
A: 5.7217 OK



This is where I'm having problems, I'm not exactly sure how to do these last two.

c) What is its angular acceleration as it passes through the vertical position?
a = rad/s2

d) What is the magnitude of the vertical component of the force exerted by the stick on the axle when the stick passes through the vertical?
|Fvertical| = N
 
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  • #2
The weight produces a torque, [itex] \tau = I \alpha [/itex]
 
  • #3
I logically discovered that there would be no torque from weight at the vertical, but what about part d?

I think the only forces acting are gravity and the centripetal force, but how would i solve this?

I know the weight = m*g = 73.575
and centripetal force acts in two directions, up and down, with each piece.

Fc = m*(v^2/r)
and v = w*r
so Fc = m*(w*r)^2/r
or Fc = m*r*w^2

so centripetal force down would be...
m*(.88)(5.7217)^2 = 216.07

and up would be...
m*(.12)(5.7217)^2 = 29.46

To get the total, I would add weight + down - up, but I don't have the right values.
What's wrong with my equations?
 
  • #4
You will have a normal reaction and the weight. The resultant of those two provide the centripetal force.
Centripetal force is a resultant force, so on a free body diagram you do not include it.
 
  • #5
rock.freak667 said:
You will have a normal reaction and the weight. The resultant of those two provide the centripetal force.
Centripetal force is a resultant force, so on a free body diagram you do not include it.

well, what's the normal reaction? I am not sure what you mean.
like the force opposing weight? wouldn't that mean the total force would be 2*w?
 
  • #6
humpdebump19 said:
well, what's the normal reaction? I am not sure what you mean.
like the force opposing weight? wouldn't that mean the total force would be 2*w?

on the axle, there is a reaction just due to the stick being contact.

The normal force is upwards, the weight is downwards. The resultant of these two is the centripetal force (which points to the center of rotation, or in this case upwards)
 
  • #7
so then how would i find that force if it isn't the same as weight?
 
  • #8
humpdebump19 said:
so then how would i find that force if it isn't the same as weight?

Because the resultant of the normal reaction and the weight is the centripetal force.

You have the angular speed as it passes through the vertical, so you can get the centripetal force.

I also do not know what up and down centripetal force you refer to.

Your radius would be the distance from the center of mass of the stick to the center of rotation (axle)
 

Related to Moment of Inertia & Angular Motion of a Stick

1. What is moment of inertia?

Moment of inertia is a measure of an object's resistance to changes in its rotational motion. It is also known as angular mass or rotational inertia.

2. How is moment of inertia calculated?

The moment of inertia of an object is calculated by multiplying the mass of the object by the square of its distance from the axis of rotation. It is represented by the symbol I and has units of kg*m^2.

3. What factors affect the moment of inertia of a stick?

The moment of inertia of a stick is affected by its mass, length, and distribution of mass along its length. The shape and orientation of the stick can also impact its moment of inertia.

4. How does moment of inertia affect angular motion?

The moment of inertia of an object determines how quickly it will rotate when subjected to a given torque or force. Objects with a larger moment of inertia will rotate slower, while objects with a smaller moment of inertia will rotate faster.

5. How is moment of inertia related to the angular acceleration of a stick?

According to Newton's second law for rotational motion, the angular acceleration of a stick is directly proportional to the applied torque and inversely proportional to its moment of inertia. This means that a larger moment of inertia will result in a smaller angular acceleration, and vice versa.

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