Thin rod at rest gets shot with bullet and rotates? Ang momentum problem? help

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the angular momentum problem involving a uniform thin rod of length 0.500 m and mass 4.0 kg, which is struck by a 3.0 g bullet at an angle of θ = 60°. The bullet lodges in the rod, resulting in an angular velocity of 10 rad/s post-collision. The conservation of angular momentum is applied, leading to the equation rmvsinθ = (1/12 ML^2 + mr^2)ω, where I = Irod + mr^2 represents the moment of inertia of the system. The participants clarify the concept of rigid bodies and the application of the parallel axis theorem in calculating moments of inertia.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of angular momentum conservation principles
  • Familiarity with moment of inertia calculations
  • Knowledge of rigid body dynamics
  • Basic trigonometry for resolving forces and angles
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation of the moment of inertia for various shapes, including rods and disks
  • Learn about the parallel axis theorem and its applications in physics
  • Explore the concept of angular momentum in collisions and its implications
  • Investigate rigid body motion and the conditions under which it applies
USEFUL FOR

Physics students, educators, and anyone interested in mechanics, particularly those studying angular momentum and rigid body dynamics.

nchin
Messages
172
Reaction score
0
A uniform thin rod of length 0.500 m and mass 4.0 kg can rotate in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis through its center. The rod is at rest when a 3.0 g bullet traveling in the rotation plane is fired into one end of the rod. As viewed from above, the bullet's path makes angle θ = 60° with the rod. If the bullet lodges in the rod and the angular velocity of the rod is 10 rad/s immediately after the collision, what is the bullet's speed just before impact?

Solution with diagram on page 4m problem #11.55:
http://www.ifm.liu.se/edu/coursescms/TFYA16/lessons/Le-8-extra.pdf

Moment inertia of system: I = Irod + mr^2

Solution:
conservation of ang momentum:

rmvsinθ = (1/12 ML^2 + mr^2)ω


So conservation of ang momentum is

Linitial = Lfinal

but this problem uses: ang momentum of a particle = ang momentum of a rigid body?

What i don't understand:

Why is the Moment inertia of system I = Irod + mr^2? what i did was before looking up the solution was:

ML^(2)/12 ω = rmvsinθ + MR^(2)ω

because ang momentum inital was just the rod rotating by itself and then comes the bullet so ang momentum of a bullet plus ang momentum of the rod. rmvsinθ = (Irod + mr^2)ω doesn't make sense to me. Also can someone explain to me what a rigid body is? because i know rigid body is L = Iω. Are rigid bodies like a rod, ring, disk or shell?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
hi nchin! :smile:

(try using the X2 button just above the Reply box :wink:)
nchin said:
Also can someone explain to me what a rigid body is? because i know rigid body is L = Iω. Are rigid bodies like a rod, ring, disk or shell?

a rigid body is anything, of any shape, that doesn't change shape

(ie it has no separately-moving parts …

eg a rod with a ring free to move along it is not a rigid body :wink:)
Why is the Moment inertia of system I = Irod + mr^2? what i did was before looking up the solution was:

ML^(2)/12 ω = rmvsinθ + MR^(2)ω

because ang momentum inital was just the rod rotating by itself and then comes the bullet so ang momentum of a bullet plus ang momentum of the rod. rmvsinθ = (Irod + mr^2)ω doesn't make sense to me.

the angular momentum of the bullet after the collision is rmvf

but vf = rω, doesn't it?

so rmvf = mr2ω :smile:

(but since the bullet has become part of the rod, it's easier to use the moment of inertia of the bullet-plus-rod about the centre of the rod, which is the sum of the two moments of inertia, I + mr2

mr2 of course comes from the parallel axis theorem, 0 + mr2 :wink:)
 
tiny-tim said:
the angular momentum of the bullet after the collision is rmvf

but vf = rω, doesn't it?

so rmvf = mr2ω :smile:

(but since the bullet has become part of the rod, it's easier to use the moment of inertia of the bullet-plus-rod about the centre of the rod, which is the sum of the two moments of inertia, I + mr2

mr2 of course comes from the parallel axis theorem, 0 + mr2 :wink:)

so the moment of inertia can only be used when two moments of inertia come together as one?

so what about the ang momentum before? since the rod is at rest it would just be I(0) + rmvsinθ = rmvsinθ, right?
 
also when we calculate the r, that would be half of the length of the rod? i thought radius only applied to circles.
 
hi nchin! :smile:
nchin said:
so the moment of inertia can only be used when two moments of inertia come together as one?

the moment of inertia of a large body can only be used when the large body moves as one

if its parts move separately, they will have separate angular velocities, and maybe separate centres of rotation, and so we must use the separate moments of inertia, and calculate each part's angular momentum separately :wink:
so what about the ang momentum before? since the rod is at rest it would just be I(0) + rmvsinθ = rmvsinθ, right?

right :smile:
nchin said:
also when we calculate the r, that would be half of the length of the rod? i thought radius only applied to circles.

which r are you talking about?

the r in r x mv is the displacement from the point about which you're taking moments

the r in the parallel axis theorem is usually written d (so as not to confuse it with radius!), and is the distance from the centre of mass of the part to the centre of rotation
 
Got it. Thanks!
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
5K
  • · Replies 18 ·
Replies
18
Views
3K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
5K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
4K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
5K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 24 ·
Replies
24
Views
3K