Tension in the string holding a falling chain
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
37 replies · 7K views
Physics news on Phys.org
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Gold Member
- 14,826
- 4,810
No parts of the left side are in free fall. All parts of the left side are at rest. The left side is just getting longer as more links are added to the left side.Vibhor said:Which part of the string is in free fall ?Is left part in free fall ?
YesAre you suggesting that only the right part is in free fall ?
Can you show how you get the answer assuming the left side is in free fall?Why do we get correct answer by assuming left part to be in free fall ?
Vibhor
- 971
- 40
TSny said:Can you show how you get the answer assuming the left side is in free fall?
Thrust force is λv2 . If we assume tip of left string to be in free fall ,it falls by a distance y/2 . Hence the speed is √(2g(y/2)). This is how I got the thrust force λgy .
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Gold Member
- 14,826
- 4,810
I'm afraid I don't follow your argument.Vibhor said:Thrust force is λv2 . If we assume tip of left string to be in free fall ,it falls by a distance y/2 . Hence the speed is √(2g(y/2)). This is how I got the thrust force λgy .
haruspex outlined how to get the force in #27.
The rate, dm/dt, at which mass on the right is coming to rest is the rate at which mass on the right is reaching the (moving) blue line. This is λ times the velocity of the right side relative to the blue line: dm/dt = λ(vred dot - vblue line) =λ(v - v/2) = λv/2, where v is the velocity of free fall of the right side: v = √(2gy). The magnitude of the force required to bring elements of the right side to rest is equal to the magnitude of the rate of change of momentum of these elements:
F = (dm/dt)⋅v = (λv/2)⋅v = λv2/2 = λgy.
Vibhor
- 971
- 40
TSny said:The rate, dm/dt, at which mass on the right is coming to rest is the rate at which mass on the right is reaching the (moving) blue line. This is λ times the velocity of the right side relative to the blue line: dm/dt = λ(vred dot - vblue line) =λ(v - v/2) = λv/2, where v is the velocity of free fall of the right side: v = √(2gy). The magnitude of the force required to bring elements of the right side to rest is equal to the magnitude of the rate of change of momentum of these elements:
F = (dm/dt)⋅v = (λv/2)⋅v = λv2/2 = λgy.
Thanks .This clears up the confusion.
Vibhor
- 971
- 40
TSny said:I'm afraid I don't follow your argument.
Now ,even I don't follow my argument
The remarkable thing is that ,despite getting the dynamics of the problem wrong in every step ,I got the correct answer in first try
Similar threads
Tension in a string holding a spinning object
- Tibriel
- · Replies 3 ·
- Introductory Physics Homework Help
- Replies
- 3
Why is the tension in a falling chain not equal to ρgy?
- Rikudo
- · Replies 4 ·
- Introductory Physics Homework Help
- Replies
- 4
Why does a falling chain accelerate at g after its first part touches the ground?
- phantomvommand
- · Replies 7 ·
- Introductory Physics Homework Help
- Replies
- 7
Finding the Force Applied by a Support on a Falling Chain
- LCSphysicist
- · Replies 2 ·
- Introductory Physics Homework Help
- Replies
- 2
Working out tension of string holding a ball underwater
- Alice Martin
- · Replies 3 ·
- Introductory Physics Homework Help
- Replies
- 3
Why is m*dv/dt 0 in the Falling Chain Problem?
- al_9591
- · Replies 5 ·
- Introductory Physics Homework Help
- Replies
- 5
What is the Tension in the String Holding a Submerged Cork?
- DLH112
- · Replies 3 ·
- Introductory Physics Homework Help
- Replies
- 3
What is the force exerted by a falling chain on a table?
- Jordan&physics
- · Replies 2 ·
- Introductory Physics Homework Help
- Replies
- 2
Calculating the tesion in a string holding a 1 meter stick
- saurabheights
- · Replies 3 ·
- Introductory Physics Homework Help
- Replies
- 3
What is the acceleration and velocity of a falling chain on a cylinder?
- manosairfoil
- · Replies 6 ·
- Introductory Physics Homework Help
- Replies
- 6