Solving for Angular Velocity and Rotation Angle in a Collision System

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a collision system with a long thin rod and two attached masses, focusing on calculating the angular velocity after a collision and the angle of rotation before coming to a stop. The context is rooted in rotational dynamics and conservation of angular momentum.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the application of conservation of angular momentum and the moment of inertia of the rod and attached masses. There are attempts to relate linear velocity to angular velocity and questions about the correct interpretation of the system's parameters.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring various approaches to the problem. Some have provided insights into the relationships between linear and angular quantities, while others express confusion about specific terms and their derivations, particularly regarding the angle of rotation and the role of gravitational acceleration.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the need for careful consideration of the relationships between the lengths and velocities involved in the problem. There is also mention of potential mistakes in earlier calculations and the importance of distinguishing between initial and final velocities in the context of the collision.

vu10758
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The problem is problem 6 at

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=128765607&imageID=1460003525

A long thin rod of mass M and length L with two balls of mass M1 (same mass for both) attached is allowed to rotate about the horizontal axis shown. The bar is initially stationary. It is then hig with a piece of putty of mass M2 and speed v which sticks to one of the M1's.

a) Find the angular velocity of the system after the collision. The correct answer should be 6M2*v/ (6M1L + 3M2L + ML)

b) What angle will the system rotate through before coming to a stop? Assume that it must be between 180 and 270 degrees.



For part a,

Am I suppose to use the conservation of angular momentum.

IW = I_f*W_f
(1/12)ML^2 *w= (1/12)(M1+M2)*L^2*W_f

I am stuck though since I don't know how to account for v.

For part b,

The answer is 180 + arcsin(V^2/gL)

I don't know how to get to v^2/gL.
 
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The rod with attached masses has a moment of inertia you can calculate and no initial angular momentum. You account for v by looking up the fundamental definition of angular momentum (for a moving particle; not the derived expression involving moments of inertia for a rigid assumbly of particles). It involves the mass and velocity and what else?
 
Angular momentum = m*r*v

I know that I for a rod is (1/12)ML^2

so L = Iw

then

L = (1/12)ML^2*v^2/L^2
L = (1/12)MV^2*L^2

r = 2L



If I have

IW = I_f*W_f

W_f = I/I_f * W

W_f = (1/12)ML^2/(I_f) * W

I am stuck. I don't know what to do from here.
 
vu10758 said:
Angular momentum = m*r*v

I know that I for a rod is (1/12)ML^2

so L = Iw

then

L = (1/12)ML^2*v^2/L^2
L = (1/12)MV^2*L^2

r = 2L



If I have

IW = I_f*W_f

W_f = I/I_f * W

W_f = (1/12)ML^2/(I_f) * W

I am stuck. I don't know what to do from here.
You need to fix the relationships between r and L and between v and ω. Be careful to distinguish the initial particle velociy from the velocity after the collision, and be careful about the lengths involved in the problem.
 
I made some mistakes. L = 2r, r = (1/2)L

w=v/r
w^2=v^2/r^2 or v^2/(1/2*L)^2 = 4v^2/L

Is M in this case 2M1 since we have two masses in the system before collision. Should the mass be 2M1 + M2 after collision?
 
For conservation of the angular momentum of the interacting system:

L_{before}=L_{after}

therefore

L_{putty}=L_{system}

\frac{l}{2}p_{putty} = \left(I_{rod} + I_{m_1m_2} + I_{m_1}\right) \omega
 
Thanks. For part b, I still don't know where v^2/gl come from. G is an acceleration due to gravity, l is a length, and v^2 is m^2/s^2. After division, v^2/gl is just a number with no unit. However, I don't know where the term come from.
 
Try and approach it along these lines

W_{torques} = \Delta K

The system experiences two torques, \Gamma _1,\ \Gamma_{12} which is from the weights of m1 and (m1 + m2). The torques will change as the system rotates so you need to integrate to find the work done by these.

The final kinetic energies are zero. So we are left with only the initial rotational kinetic energies of the three components of the system.
 
Last edited:
Note that from part a that

\omega _i = \frac{pl}{2 I_s}

where I_s is the moment of inertia of the system

also note that the change in kinetic energy of the system will be

\Delta K = -\frac{1}{2} I_s {\omega _i}^2
 
Last edited:
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Changed previous post.
 

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