Trying to find the angular speed of a rod.

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around calculating the angular speed of a uniform rod rotating about a horizontal axis after being released from rest. The moment of inertia was calculated using the parallel axis theorem, yielding a value of approximately 0.5833. The potential energy before release was analyzed, with attempts to equate it to kinetic energy at the lowest position. The correct height to use for potential energy was clarified as 0.5m, leading to the final angular speed calculation of approximately 4.1. The participants confirmed the accuracy of this result after resolving initial confusion regarding the height and energy equations.
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Homework Statement


A uniform rod (length = 2.0m) is mounted to rotate freely about a horizontal axis that is perpendicular to the rod and that passes through the rod at a point of 0.5m from one end of the rod. If the rod is released from rest in a horizontal position, what is the angular speed of the rod as it rotates through its lowest position?


Homework Equations


I believe (although I might be wrong on some of them):
\tau = I \alpha
K = \frac{1}{2} I \omega^{2}
L_{z} = I \omega
For a rod the moment of inertia is:
\frac{1}{12} M L^{2}
And the parallel axis thereom:
I = I_{cm} + M D^{2}

The Attempt at a Solution


So far I have used the parallel axis theorem and the moment of inertia for a rod to get the moment of inertia to be 0.5833 for this rods rotation.
I am not sure exactly what to do after that. I can figure it out if it is the moment right after release, but not sure how to do it when the rod is at the bottom.
 
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Energy?
 
I first started thinking I could take the potential energy the system has before release as (mgh) and then at the bottom i could take mgh = (1/2)I*w^2 and find omega... But I couldn't figure out how to use it right...
 
That's the right method. Just need to figure out h and I. Any ideas?
 
I believe I have found I for the entire rod. The issue is with the height I think. I want to say the height is 1.5 but what about the 0.5 end? I try using m = 1, g = 9.8 and h = 1.5.

1.5*9.8 = 14.7
14.7 = (1/2)(0.5833333)(w^2)
29.4 = 0.5833(w^2)
50.4 = w^2
w = 7.099

But the answer is supposedly 4.1...
I then tried subtracting the small 0.5 stub:
0.5*9.8*1 (mgh)
4.9 = (1/2)(0.5833)(w^2)
9.8 = (0.5833)w^2
16.8 = w^2
w = 4.099

Subtracting the two gives 3.00 which is not right either though.
 
I was found using doing the following:

I = I_cm + m*d^2

I = (1/12)m*L^2 + m*d^2

d = 0.5 since there is a 0.5 shift from the center.

I = (1/12)*1*4 + 1*(0.5^2)

I = (0.5833333)
 
Actually never mind I should use h = 2 not 1.5 for the first part of my original attempt and then everything else should be the same.

1.5*9.8 = 14.7
14.7 = (1/2)(0.5833333)(w^2)
29.4 = 0.5833(w^2)
50.4 = w^2
w = 8.199

0.5*9.8*1 (mgh)
4.9 = (1/2)(0.5833)(w^2)
9.8 = (0.5833)w^2
16.8 = w^2
w = 4.099

8.199 - 4.099

Thanks!

Although I am still not sure why I should use 2...
 
No, 0.5m is right for h (it's the distance the CoM descends).
You should have
mgh = (1/2)m(L2/12+h22
4.9*2 = (1/3+1/4)ω2
ω ≈ 4.1
Are you saying the given answer is 8.2?
 
Oh, my bad. Haha the given answer was 4.1, for some reason I didn't even realize using h = 0.5 gives the answer approx. 4.1. My bad thanks again!
 
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