What Are the Cartesian Coordinates of a Rotating Pendulum?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on deriving the Cartesian coordinates (x, y, z) of a pendulum in a fixed reference frame, based on the coordinates (x', y', z) of a rotating frame attached to a horizontal rod. The user attempts to express the coordinates using the equations x = x' cos(ωt), y = y' cos(ωt), and z = z, with specific definitions for x', y', and z. The challenge lies in ensuring that the primed coordinates correctly depend on the unprimed coordinates to represent a proper rotation, as failure to do so results in a singular transformation at t = 1/ω.

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Homework Statement

rod.png
[/B]
Find the Cartesian coordinates (x, y, z) of a fixed reference frame expressed in terms of the coordinates (x', y' , z) of a rotating frame, which rotates with the horizontal rod HR. Choose the x' -axis to point along the horizontal rod in the direction OA.
Use this to find the Cartesian coordinates (x, y, z) of the pendulum expressed in terms of θ and t

2. Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


I tried this:
##x = x' cos(\omega t)##
##y = y' cos(\omega t)##
##z = z##

##x' = a\hat{i}##
##y' = b sin(\theta)\hat{j}##
##z = -b cos(\theta)\hat{k}##

So: ##\vec{r} = (acos(\omega t), bsin(\theta)cos(\omega t), -bcos(\theta)) ##

Im later supposed to get a Lagrangian that looks like this:
##L =1/2mb^2\dot{\theta^2}+mab\omega cos(\theta)\dot{\theta}+1/2mb^2 \omega^2sin^2(\theta)+mgbcos(\theta)##
but its not quite working. Any tips?
 
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Yout primed x and y coordinates should depend on both unprimed x and y coordinates in order to represent a rotation. If not, your coordinate transformation is singular at ##t = 1/\omega## (and represents a time dependent rescaling, not a rotation).
 

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