Why friction plays no role in this non-slipping billiard ball problem?

In summary, the book solution for this exercise only considers the non-existence of friction between the ball and the table. This is due to the theoretical treatment of sudden impulses, where the impact is taken as an arbitrarily large force acting for an arbitrarily brief time. In this case, the frictional force is limited by the weight of the ball and can be ignored. This assumption holds true for actual billiard balls and tables, where the collision time is short enough for the force to greatly exceed the static friction.
  • #1
andresB
626
374
Homework Statement
Consider the following exercise
Relevant Equations
.
245504


===================

Now, I can get the solution in the book by writing and solving the force and the torque equations together with the non-slipping relation between the angular acceleration and the center of mass acceleration. However, the book solution only arises if there no friction between the ball and the table.

I don't get why friction is not taken into account.
 
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  • #2
andresB said:
Problem Statement: Consider the following exercise
Relevant Equations: .

View attachment 245504

===================

Now, I can get the solution in the book by writing and solving the force and the torque equations together with the non-slipping relation between the angular acceleration and the center of mass acceleration. However, the book solution only arises if there no friction between the ball and the table.

I don't get why friction is not taken into account.
It's to do with (the theoretical treatment of) sudden impulses.
The impact is taken as consisting of an arbitrarily large force acting for an arbitrarily brief time. Only the product of these, the momentum, is knowable.
The friction between the ball and the table is limited by ##\mu_smg##. Over the arbitrarily short period of the impact, that can only exert an arbitrarily small impulse, so can be ignored.
The situation is different if there is a vertically downward component to the delivered impulse, since there will be a corresponding component to the normal force, and hence to the frictional force.
 
  • #3
So, the idea is that in the short duration of the hit, the force (horizontally) hitting the ball is just much bigger than the static friction. Is that an accurate assumption in the case of actual billiard balls and tables?
 
  • #4
andresB said:
So, the idea is that in the short duration of the hit, the force (horizontally) hitting the ball is just much bigger than the static friction. Is that an accurate assumption in the case of actual billiard balls and tables?
Yes, and yes.
According to http://dbkcues.ru/articles-2/collision-of-billiard-balls/?lang=en, the collision time is around 250-300μs. Plug in numbers for the speed and mass and see what the forces must reach.
 
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1. Why is friction not a factor in the non-slipping billiard ball problem?

Friction is not a factor because the problem assumes ideal conditions where there is no loss of energy due to friction. This simplifies the problem and makes it easier to solve mathematically.

2. How does the absence of friction affect the motion of the billiard balls?

Without friction, the billiard balls will continue moving with the same velocity and direction as they did before the collision. They will not slow down or change direction due to frictional forces.

3. Can friction ever play a role in this problem?

In theory, yes, friction can play a role if the problem includes factors such as a rough playing surface, uneven or damaged balls, or other external forces. However, in the ideal conditions assumed in this problem, friction is negligible and can be ignored.

4. What would happen if friction was considered in the non-slipping billiard ball problem?

If friction was considered, the problem would become much more complex and difficult to solve. The presence of friction would introduce additional forces and energy losses, making the calculations more complicated.

5. Is friction always ignored in billiard ball problems?

No, in real-world scenarios, friction is an important factor in the motion of billiard balls. However, in simplified problems or ideal conditions, it is often ignored for the sake of simplicity and ease of calculation.

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