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Edition 2.3
Abstract
These class notes are designed for use of the instructor and students of the course PHYS-2010:
General Physics I taught by Dr. Donald Luttermoser at East Tennessee State University. These
notes make reference to the College Physics, 7th Edition (2005) textbook by Serway and Faughn.
X. Rotational Equilibrium and Rotational Dynamics
A. Torque.
τ =Fd . (X-1)
i) τ ≡ torque (N·m).
d = r sin φ , (X-2)
τ = r F sin φ . (X-3)
X–1
X–2 PHYS-2010: General Physics I
r F
φ
x
φ
positive
torque
(CCW)
negative
torque
(CW)
Donald G. Luttermoser, ETSU X–3
Example X–1. Problem 8.2 (Page 253) from the Serway & Faughn
textbook: A steel band exerts a horizontal force of 80.0 N on a tooth at
point B in Figure P8.2 (of the textbook). What is the torque on the root of
the tooth about point A? y
r = 1.20 cm
r d
48.0o
φ = 42.0o
F B
Solution:
The distance from point A to point B is r = 1.20 cm = 1.20 × 10−2 m.
As can be seen from the figure above, the lever arm is
B. Static Equilibrium.
C. Center of Gravity.
R center of
gravity at
r=0, y=L/2
L y = L/2 r
y=0 center of
r
gravity at
r=0
x1 = 1.4 m x2
m1 m2
Here, τ1 , τ2 , τs , and τn are the torques of mass 1, mass 2, the mass of the
seesaw, and the normal force, respectively. Mass m1 = 42 kg and m2 =
34 kg. The lever arm on mass 1 is x1 = 1.4 m. We want to find the lever
arm on mass 2, which will be the distance that the second child is from the
fulcrum (i.e., the balance point), x2 , since this distance is perpendicular
to the force vector w2 . Since the equation above, has only one unknown
in it, we do not need the first condition of equilibrium for this problem
P
(e.g., F = n − w1 − w2 − ws = 0). Solving the above torque equation
gives
m1 42 kg
x2 = x1 = (1.4 m) = 1.7 m .
m2 34 kg
Ft = mat .
Ft r = mr 2 α .
τ = mr 2 α , (X-10)
X–8 PHYS-2010: General Physics I
2. The total torque on a rotating object is then the sum of all the
torques on each mass of the rotating object(s):
N
X N
X
τnet = τi = mi ri2 α , (X-11)
i=1 i=1
or
I = m1 r12 + m2 r22 + · · · + mN rN
2
=⇒ [I] = kg m2.
τ = Iα . (X-13)
Example X–3. Problem 8.35 (Page 258) from the Serway &
Faughn textbook: A 150-kg merry-go-round in the shape of a uniform,
solid, horizontal disk of radius 1.50 m is set in motion by wrapping a rope
about the rim of the disk and pulling on the rope. What constant force must
be exerted on the rope to bring the merry-go-round from rest to an angular
speed of 0.500 rev/s in 2.00 s?
Solution:
This problem is clear enough without drawing a diagram. We first need
to calculate the moment of inertia for the merry-go-round. Since we are
told it has a solid disk shape rotating about its center,
1 1
I = MR2 = (150 kg)(1.50 m)2 = 169 kg · m2 .
2 2
We also can calculate the angular acceleration based on the information
given:
ω − ω◦ 0.500 rev/s − 0 π
α= = = 0.25 rev/s2 · (2π rad/rev) = rad/s2 .
∆t 2.00 s 2
X–10 PHYS-2010: General Physics I
τ = F d = Iα ,
where the lever arm here is just the radius of the merry-go-round: d = r.
As such,
Iα (169 kg · m2 )(π/2 rad/s2 )
F = = = 177 N .
r 1.50 m
c) PE ≡ potential energy.
Example X–4. Problem 8.41 (Page 258) from the Serway &
Faughn textbook: A horizontal 800-N merry-go-round of radius 1.50 m is
started from rest by a constant horizontal force of 50.0 N applied tangentially
to the merry-go-round. Find the kinetic energy of the merry-go-round after
3.00 s. (Assume it is a solid cylinder.)
Solution:
This problem is clear enough without drawing a diagram. We first need
to calculate the moment of inertia for the merry-go-round. Since we are
told it is a solid cylinder rotating about its center,
!
1 1 w 1 800 N
I = MR2 = R2 = 2 2
2 (1.50 m) = 91.8 kg · m .
2 2 g 2 9.80 m/s
We also can calculate the angular acceleration from the torque equations:
τ F · R (50.0 N)(1.50 m)
α= = = 2
= 0.817 rad/s2 .
I I 91.8 kg · m
With this angular acceleration, we can now calculate the angular speed
after 3.00 s starting from rest with
ω = ω◦ + αt = 0 + (0.817 rad/s2)(3.00 s) = 2.45 rad/s .
Finally, we can calculate the rotational kinetic energy with Eq. (X-14):
1 1
KEr = Iω 2 = (91.8 kg · m2 ) (2.45 rad/s)2 = 276 J .
2 2
X–12 PHYS-2010: General Physics I
G. Angular Momentum.
τ = Iα .
L≡Iω . (X-16)
Solution (a):
This problem is clear enough without drawing a diagram. The
angular momentum is L = Iω. If we treat the Earth as a solid
sphere spinning about its center, the moment of inertia is
2 2 2
I rot = MR2 = M⊕ R2⊕ = (5.98 × 1024 kg)(6.38 × 106 m)2
5 5 5
37 2
= 9.74 × 10 kg m .
The angular speed of the Earth’s rotation is
2π 2π 1 hr
ω rot = = · = 7.27 × 10−5 rad/s .
T rot 24 hr 3600 s
This then gives the angular momentum of the Earth’s spin as
L rot = I rot ω rot = (9.74 × 1037 kg m2 )(7.27 × 10−5 rad/s)
= 7.08 × 1033 J · s .
Solution (b):
Considering the orbital motion, we consider the Earth to be a
point mass a distance of r⊕ = 1.496 × 1011 m from the Sun in a
circular orbit, so
2
I orb = M⊕ r⊕ = (5.98×1024 kg)(1.496×1011 m)2 = 1.34×1047 kg m2 .
The angular speed of the Earth in its orbit is
2π 2π 1.00 yr 1.00 day 1.00 hr
ω orb = = · · ·
T orb 1.00 yr 365.24 day 24.00 hr 3600 s
= 1.99 × 10−7 rad/s .
X–14 PHYS-2010: General Physics I
is
ax
Cloudlet
Li = Lf
I iω i = I fω f
2 2
M i r 2i ω i = M fr 2f ω f ,
5 5
and since the mass is conserved during collapse, Mi = Mf ,
r 2i ω i = r 2f ω f
!
ri 2
ωf = ωi .
rf
d) The faster the cloud spins, the flatter it got =⇒ “centrifu-
gal” acceleration as shown in the following diagram.
Disk
axis
Bulge
IR Light
Protostar
Protoplanet