Will a Floating Disk Rotate or Move Linearly if Force is Applied off Center?

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Applying a force off-center on a floating disk will result in both linear movement and rotation. The disk's center of mass is free to move, which allows for this dual response. The absence of a fixed axis or force couple does not negate the rotational effect. The consensus is that the disk will not only translate but also spin due to the applied force. Understanding these dynamics is crucial in analyzing the motion of rigid bodies in space.
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if a rigid body, let's say a disk,is floating in space and we exert a force outside its center of mass will it rotate or just start a linear move? its center of mass is free to move.sorry if my English are not so good.I hope that you understood the question
 
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freephoton said:
if a rigid body, let's say a disk,is floating in space and we exert a force outside its center of mass will it rotate or just start a linear move? its center of mass is free to move.sorry if my English are not so good.I hope that you understood the question

It will do both.
 
thanks for the reply Chestermiller! Thats also what i think but because there is not fixed axis or a force couple i was not really sure.
 

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