Tension, centrifugal force, two objects rotating

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of tension and fictitious forces in a system involving two spheres connected by a string. It is clarified that tension is not exactly a force, but rather a pair of equal and opposite forces. The role of the centrifugal force and the third law of dynamics is also discussed. It is noted that the centripetal force is not an applied force, but rather the component of the resultant force orthogonal to the direction of motion. Finally, it is explained that in the frame of reference of a mass, fictitious forces are introduced to balance the net force acting on the mass.
  • #1
physics user1

Homework Statement

[/B]there's an image of the situation

Homework Equations

[/B]F= mω^2 R

The Attempt at a Solution

[/B]so, in the image there are two spheres that exerts a tension on the string using their centrifugal, since the centrifugal bodies are two I expect that the tension is the sum in intensity of the two forces, do you agree? Another question is: why the centrifugal forces acts to the string? Aren't these forces supposed to act just on the spheres?
 

Attachments

  • Rotating-sphere_forces.PNG
    Rotating-sphere_forces.PNG
    5.5 KB · Views: 468
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #3
haruspex said:
haruspex said:

Ahh thanks, but, doesn't both of the spheres acts on the string? However, is the centrifugal force the reaction to the centripetal force (third law of dynamics)? In general is the third law implied in the fictitious forces? (I noticed that all the fictitious force are opposite and with the same magnitude of the "real one" )example a guy in a bus that is stopping in the non inertial frame of system of the bus the guy is accelerating because of a force equal but opposite of the force that stops the bus
 
  • #4
Cozma Alex said:
doesn't both of the spheres acts on the string?
Yes, but as I wrote in that article, tension is not exactly a force - it is more like a pair of equal and opposite forces.
Consider the string as made up of a number of short sections. A sphere at one end pulls on an end section with force T. That section pulls on the next section with the same force, and the reaction from that section pulls on the first section with force T. And so on all along the way - it' always T, not 2T.
Cozma Alex said:
is the centrifugal force the reaction to the centripetal force
No. The centripetal force is not an applied force. It is the component of the resultant force orthogonal to the direction of motion. The action and reaction law is only for applied forces.
See https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/frequently-made-errors-pseudo-resultant-forces/.
Cozma Alex said:
I noticed that all the fictitious force are opposite and with the same magnitude of the "real one"
Yes. Suppose the net force on a mass m is ##\vec F##. That produces an acceleration ##\frac 1m\vec F##. In the frame of reference of the mass m, there is no acceleration. To explain this in that reference frame, we must introduce a fictitious force to balance ##\vec F##, so that will be ##-\vec F##.
 
  • Like
Likes physics user1
  • #5
haruspex said:
Yes, but as I wrote in that article, tension is not exactly a force - it is more like a pair of equal and opposite forces.
Consider the string as made up of a number of short sections. A sphere at one end pulls on an end section with force T. That section pulls on the next section with the same force, and the reaction from that section pulls on the first section with force T. And so on all along the way - it' always T, not 2T.

No. The centripetal force is not an applied force. It is the component of the resultant force orthogonal to the direction of motion. The action and reaction law is only for applied forces.
See https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/frequently-made-errors-pseudo-resultant-forces/.

Yes. Suppose the net force on a mass m is ##\vec F##. That produces an acceleration ##\frac 1m\vec F##. In the frame of reference of the mass m, there is no acceleration. To explain this in that reference frame, we must introduce a fictitious force to balance ##\vec F##, so that will be ##-\vec F##.

Thanks
 

1. What is tension?

Tension is a force that arises when there is a pull on an object. It is a reaction force that occurs when an object is being stretched or pulled in opposite directions.

2. How is tension related to centrifugal force?

Tension and centrifugal force are related in the sense that they both act on objects that are rotating. Centrifugal force is the outward force that is experienced by an object moving in a circular path, and tension is the force that is applied in the direction of the object's movement.

3. Can tension and centrifugal force be equal?

Yes, tension and centrifugal force can be equal in certain situations. For example, if two objects are connected by a string and are rotating in opposite directions with the same angular velocity, the tension in the string will be equal to the centrifugal force acting on the objects.

4. What happens to tension and centrifugal force as the speed of rotation increases?

As the speed of rotation increases, both tension and centrifugal force also increase. This is because the faster an object is rotating, the greater the centrifugal force acting on it and the greater the tension required to keep it in its circular path.

5. How do two objects rotating together affect the tension and centrifugal force?

If two objects are rotating together, the tension in the connecting string or rope will increase to keep the objects in their circular path. The centrifugal force acting on each object will also increase, but the total centrifugal force acting on both objects combined will remain the same.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
19
Views
802
  • Mechanical Engineering
2
Replies
35
Views
3K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
975
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
641
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
12
Views
2K
Replies
18
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
28
Views
3K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
8
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
15
Views
3K
Back
Top