Rotating on a small platform attached by massless rods to a pivot

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a monkey named Bob on a rotating platform attached to a frictionless pivot. The scenario explores concepts of rotational inertia and angular momentum in a system consisting of Bob and the platform, with specific parameters provided for mass and radius.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Problem interpretation, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the calculation of rotational inertia for both Bob and the platform, questioning the appropriate formulas and parameters needed. There are attempts to clarify the moment of inertia for a sphere and a disk, as well as the implications of treating the platform as a point mass.

Discussion Status

Several participants have provided guidance on the formulas for rotational inertia and angular momentum. There is ongoing exploration of how to set up equations to solve for angular momentum, with some participants questioning assumptions about initial conditions and the contributions of different components of the system.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the absence of a specified radius for the disk, which affects the calculations. There is also discussion about the initial state of the system before Bob begins to spin, highlighting the importance of understanding conservation of angular momentum.

  • #31
If the Monkey spins clockwise (viewed from above, say)
the platform and he will turn slowly counterclockwise ... Yes!

(To spin clockwise, he pushed on the platform with counter-clockwise Forces)
 
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  • #32
Okay, but is my equation correct?
 
  • #33
yes, it appears that the units cancel.
 
  • #34
Thanks, what about the second part of the question:

How long does it take for Bob to get his snack?
 
  • #35
FlipStyle1308 said:
So I get a negative w?
Yes, because the platform will rotate around the central axis is the opposite direction to Bob's.

~H
 
  • #36
FlipStyle1308 said:
Thanks, what about the second part of the question:

How long does it take for Bob to get his snack?
You've presumably found \omega, now use it. How many radians must he traverse to reach the banana?
 
  • #37
Radians = pi, right?
 
  • #38
FlipStyle1308 said:
Radians = pi, right?

What do you mean by that?

~H
 
  • #39
He travels a total distance of pi, which is the distance of 1/2 a circle.
 
  • #40
FlipStyle1308 said:
He travels a total distance of pi, which is the distance of 1/2 a circle.

Yeah, that's right (sorry I didn't read the Doc's post above). Yes, he must travel pi radians to reach his prize.

~H
 
  • #41
What other info do I need? Is it w initial and w final? Is the w I found the initial or final?
 
  • #42
FlipStyle1308 said:
What other info do I need? Is it w initial and w final? Is the w I found the initial or final?

The monkey's \omega is given to you (70 rad\s). You should have found the \omega of the monkey and the platform rotating about the central pole, (this should be negative).

~H
 
  • #43
So pi = [(70 + 0.707)/2]t ? By the way, on WebAssign, when I put in my answer of -0.707 for the first part of the question, it was wrong, but when I put 0.707 without the -, it was correct, so I guess I have to use 0.707 in this equation. But is this the right equation to use?
 
  • #44
FlipStyle1308 said:
So pi = [(70 + 0.707)/2]t But is this the right equation to use?

No. The 70 rad/s is simply how fast the platform is rotating about its own axis, not how fast the platform is rotating about the central pole. You need to use the 0.707 rad/s, this is a constant speed (because no net torques act). You can simply use speed = distance/time . Regarding the negative answer, the negative sign simply indicates that the platform is rotating about its own axis in the opposite direction to which it is rotating about the central pole. Do you understand this? I don't think I explained it very well?

~H
 
  • #45
Um...so pi = [(0.707 + pi/t)/2]t ?
 
  • #46
FlipStyle1308 said:
Um...so pi = [(0.707 + pi/t)/2]t ?

Not quite, its probably so simple your trying to overcomplicate things. As I said above;

v = \frac{ds}{dt} \Rightarrow \omega = \frac{d\theta}{dt}

dt = \frac{\theta}{\omega}

Where \omega is the angle of travel in radians.

Can you go from here?

~H
 
  • #47
So w=d/t, t=d/w=pi/0.707?
 
  • #48
FlipStyle1308 said:
So w=d/t, t=d/w=pi/0.707?

That's what I'd do :smile:

~H
 
  • #49
Thank you!
 

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