Pulley problem, acceleration, angular velocity, inertia

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving two blocks connected by a pulley system. The blocks have specified masses, and the pulley is described as being frictionless. The problem requires calculating the acceleration of the blocks, the tensions in the cords, the angular acceleration of the pulley, and its rotational inertia, based on the distance one block falls over a given time.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the relationship between the accelerations of the two blocks and question whether the acceleration can equal gravitational acceleration. There are attempts to apply Newton's second law to both masses, leading to discussions about the directions of the tensions and accelerations. Some participants express confusion over their calculations and the algebra involved in solving for acceleration.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants providing hints and questioning each other's reasoning. Some guidance has been offered regarding the application of Newton's laws and the relationship between average and final velocities. There is a recognition of the need to clarify assumptions about the pulley and the nature of the forces involved.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the importance of not rounding off answers prematurely and the implications of assuming the pulley is massless. There is also a mention of the need for a clear understanding of the definitions of average and final velocities in the context of constant acceleration.

  • #31
Noctisdark said:
Vavg =(Vf+Vi)/2, initial velocity is 0 so Vavg = Vf/2,
i thought Vavg=final position - initial postion / final time - initial time = (.71-0)/(5-0) so that's Vf/5

so where is the 2 coming from?
 
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  • #32
Just work it out, you're almost there, try this because it's very simple,assuming no initial velocity if a is constant then x = 1/2 at^2 , a = 2*x/t^2, for t = 5, x = 0.071, work it out !
 
  • #33
Noctisdark said:
Just work it out, you're almost there, try this because it's very simple,assuming no initial velocity if a is constant then x = 1/2 at^2 , a = 2*x/t^2, for t = 5, x = 0.071, work it out !
ok i got a=.0568m/s/s
 
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  • #34
J-dizzal said:
ok i got a=.0568m/s/s
OK thanks, so let me get this straight. to solve for acceleration when given average velcocity, just use a kinematic equation; x=v0t+.5at2 and solve for t. and we use this equation because we know x, v0, and t
 
  • #35
X = at2/2 + v0t + x0, to be more precise, so Δx = at2/2 + v0t, if you know that acceleration is constant !
 
  • #36
Noctisdark said:
X = at2/2 + v0t + x0, to be more precise, so Δx = at2/2 + v0t, if you know that acceleration is constant !
yes I am a noob acceleration must be constant.
 
  • #37
No, just keep it up !
 
  • #38
Noctisdark said:
No, just keep it up !
ok part e is getting me now. I am not sure what formula to use for rotational inertial here. assuming the mass of the pulley is 0. I=Σmr2 where m is the mass of blocks and r is the radius of the pulley.

edit; i also tried the equation for a hoop I=1/2 MR2
 
  • #39
The value of acceleration a tells us that the mass of the pully isn't 0, remember the 0.8002 you got before, that is only true when the mass is 0, so you need a another method, what about setting a relation btw α and a ?,
 
  • #40
Noctisdark said:
The value of acceleration a tells us that the mass of the pully isn't 0, remember the 0.8002 you got before, that is only true when the mass is 0, so you need a another method, what about setting a relation btw α and a ?,
i know that tangential acceleration is = rotational acceleration times radius of the pulley then just solve for α=a/r = (.0568/.053)=1.072 rad/s/s. this is incorrect, now I am trying to relate the gravitational potential energy and angular velocity and using eq K=1/2 Iω2 then solve for I. kinda like my last thread.

is radial acceleration the same as angular acceleration? it must not be
 
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  • #41
Noctisdark said:
The value of acceleration a tells us that the mass of the pully isn't 0, remember the 0.8002 you got before, that is only true when the mass is 0, so you need a another method, what about setting a relation btw α and a ?,
I don't see why this doesn't work: ar=v2r = 0.3805rad/s/s
 
  • #42
J-dizzal said:
I don't see why this doesn't work: ar=v2r = 0.3805rad/s/s
You would need to divide by r, not multiply by r, but that's just the magnitude of the radial acceleration of the cord where it's in contact with the pulley.

Moreover, it's entirely irrelevant for this problem.
 
  • #43
SammyS said:
You would need to divide by r, not multiply by r, but that's just the magnitude of the radial acceleration of the cord where it's in contact with the pulley.

Moreover, it's entirely irrelevant for this problem.
rotational inertial will have something to do with the Mass of the system and the radius of the pulley. is finding gravitational potential energy on the right track?
 
  • #44
J-dizzal said:
i also tried the equation for a hoop I=1/2 MR2
Two problems with this. (Well, zeroth, it applies to a disc not a hoop.) First, it assumes the density of the disc is uniform, which is not given. Second, you don't know the mass of the pulley.

J-dizzal said:
i know that tangential acceleration is = rotational acceleration times radius of the pulley then just solve for α=a/r = (.0568/.053)=1.072 rad/s/s.
Okay, now what is the torque on the pulley?

J-dizzal said:
is finding gravitational potential energy on the right track?
It's possible to solve the problem with energy considerations, (consider the change in energy after a time dt) but I would suggest you just consider the torque, instead.
 
  • #45
Nathanael said:
Two problems with this. (Well, zeroth, it applies to a disc not a hoop.) First, it assumes the density of the disc is uniform, which is not given. Second, you don't know the mass of the pulley.Okay, now what is the torque on the pulley?It's possible to solve the problem with energy considerations, (consider the change in energy after a time dt) but I would suggest you just consider the torque, instead.
ok torque=Fd
the forces acting on the pulley should be the difference of the tensions (T2-T1) multiplied by distance to axis of rotation (0.053m) look right?

edit; rotational torque T=Iα I don't know T or α , but i suspect i can find α if i knew what it was beyond it being called rotational acceleration.
 
  • #46
J-dizzal said:
ok torque=Fd
the forces acting on the pulley should be the difference of the tensions (T2-T1) multiplied by distance to axis of rotation (0.053m) look right?
Yep
 
  • #47
Nathanael said:
Yep
rotation torque is relate to torque how?

edit: ok here is where I am stuck, net torque = T1-T2=(.23261382-.273967388)=-.041353568 but the correct answer is -0.038644208, i don't know how they got that, I've double checked my forces using 9.81m/s/s...
 
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  • #48
J-dizzal said:
rotation torque is relate to torque how?

edit: ok here is where I am stuck, T=Iα, I=T/α =(.041354/1.072)=.385760896 kg m2
You miscalculated. It should be 0.03(...) not 0.3(...)

Anyway your answer is a bit off from rounding errors... If you were to solve it with symbols (:devil:) you would get ##I=R^2\big(\frac{g}{a}(m_2-m_1)-(m_1+m_2)\big)## which is approximately 0.036 not 0.038
 
  • #49
Nathanael said:
You miscalculated. It should be 0.03(...) not 0.3(...)

Anyway your answer is a bit off from rounding errors... If you were to solve it with symbols (:devil:) you would get ##I=R^2\big(\frac{g}{a}(m_2-m_1)-(m_1+m_2)\big)## which is approximately 0.036 not 0.038
I did get a value of .036048701 for I but that is incorrect. Edit, nevermind i had it negative which is incorrect. 0.36048701 is correct.
 
  • #50
J-dizzal said:
I did get a value of .036048701 for I but that is incorrect. Edit, nevermind i had it negative which is incorrect. 0.36048701 is correct.
I solved the problem with a completely different method (the energy one) and got the same answer. I even just double checked right now by solving it with Newton's laws and I get the exact same expression ##I=R^2\big(\frac{g}{a}(m_2-m_1)-(m_1+m_2)\big)##. I strongly doubt that it's incorrect.

If they want 3 significant figures then it should be 0.0361 (but I doubt they want 3 sig.figs., because the information was given only to 2 sig.figs.)

edit:
I wish I saw your edit... solved it twice for no reason :oldtongue:
 

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