Reason for body to slip away from centre of a rotating disc

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the reasons why a body placed on a rotating disc tends to slip away from the center, focusing on the roles of centrifugal and centripetal forces, inertia, and friction. The scope includes theoretical explanations and conceptual clarifications related to rotational dynamics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that centrifugal forces are responsible for the body slipping away from the center, while others argue that inertia is the primary factor causing the slip.
  • One participant states that centrifugal forces are necessary for the disc's integrity during rotation, but this view is contested by others who emphasize the role of internal stiffness and friction.
  • It is noted that for a body to maintain circular motion, centripetal force must be exerted by the disc, which is limited by the friction between the disc and the body.
  • Another participant explains that if friction is absent, the body would move in a straight line, indicating the importance of friction in maintaining circular motion.
  • There is a discussion about the distinction between centrifugal force as a fictitious force in a rotating frame and the real forces acting in an inertial frame.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the roles of centrifugal and centripetal forces, as well as the influence of inertia and friction. There is no consensus on the primary reason for the body slipping away from the center of the disc.

Contextual Notes

Some statements depend on the choice of reference frame, and the discussion includes unresolved aspects regarding the definitions and implications of forces in rotating versus inertial frames.

andyrk
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Why does a body kept on a rotating disc tend to slip away from the centre?
 
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Centrifugal forces (or centripetal forces, different view on the same thing).
It does not slip if you hit the center exactly, but you'll never get that.
 
I disagree. Centrifugal forces are what keeps the disc together as it rotates. Inertia is what causes a body to slip away from the center.
 
paisiello2 said:
Centrifugal forces are what keeps the disc together as it rotates.
That is wrong in both relevant coordinate systems.
In rotating coordinates, centrifugal forces point outwards and the internal stiffness of the disk has to counter them.
In nonrotating coordinates, the elements of the disk need an inwards force to move in a circle, which is provided by the internal stiffness.

For objects on the disk, friction replaces the role of internal stiffness.
 
You're absolutely right. A centrifugal force is an inertial force.
 
In order for the body to travel in a circle, centripetal force needs to be exerted by the disc onto the body, but this is limited by the friction force between the disc and body, and if the body slides on the disc, it moves in a spiral like pattern with both centripetal and tangential acceleration. If the friction force was zero, the body would move in a straight line (assuming it had some initial velocity).

In an inertial frame of reference, centrifugal reaction force would be the real outwards force that the body exerts on the disc. In a rotating frame of reference, centrifugal force is the fictitious force exerted on the body, and there is still a Newton third law pair of forces, the inwards force exerted by the disc onto the body, and an outwards force exerted by the body onto the disc. In a rotating frame of references where the body does not slide on the disc, it experiences no acceleration with respect to the rotating frame.
 
Last edited:

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