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A Physics Problem!

Blogs > micronesia
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micronesia
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States24799 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-07-11 08:20:09
July 11 2008 08:19 GMT
#1
Well I finally broke in my new whiteboard a bit, by solving a somewhat complicated physics problem. Well... I did the problem at 4am so I'm kinda concerned I didn't do it 100% correctly. SO I will state the problem and compare my answer with someone else if they solve it.


A car rests at the top of an inclined straight road of height h, and is elevated at an angle theta above the horizontal. It then begins to roll down to the bottom. The car's body has a mass m1, and each of the four wheels has a mass m2 and radius R. Assume the wheels roll without slipping.

Find:
a) The time it takes the car to reach the bottom.
b) The magnitude of the frictional force acting on one tire.

I think I made the assumption that the body's mass would evenly distribute along the four tires.

If you solve it and get an answer, please post your work if you can.

Edit: btw I made up this problem on the fly while I was standing at my whiteboard

*****
ModeratorThere are animal crackers for people and there are people crackers for animals.
popnfreshspk
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
United States93 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-07-11 09:43:15
July 11 2008 08:36 GMT
#2
Okay I'm gonna have a crack at it since I'm bored and there aren't any games on tonight.

I'll start off by using conservation of energy, since the wheels roll without slipping, no energy is lost due to work done by non-conservative forces:

(m1 + 4m2)gh = 1/2 (m1) v^2 + 1/2 (4) I * w^2 (1)

, where I is the inertia of the wheel, w is the angular velocity of the wheel and v is the linear velocity of the wheel once it reaches the bottom of the hill.

Assuming the wheels of the car are thin solid disks, I = 1/2 m2 * R^2. Also, since the car's wheels roll without slipping, we can say w = v/R.

Thus, equation (1) becomes

(m1 + 4m2)gh = 1/2 (m1) v^2 + 2*(1/2) m2 * R^2 * m2^2/R^2 => (m1 + 4m2)gh = v^2 (1/2 m1 + m2).

Therefore,

v = [(m1 + 4m2)gh / (1/2 m1 + m2)]^(1/2).

Since the car is elevated a height h, at an angle theta above the horizontal, the total distance the car travels before it reaches the bottom of the hill is h*sin(theta).

The cart moves under constant acceleration so we can use the equations for 1D kinematics.

vf^2 = v0^2 + 2a(delta s)
=> a = [(m1 + 4m2)gh / (h/sin(theta)(1/2 m1 + m2))].

Thus, h/sin(theta) = 1/2 at^2 =>

t = h/sin(theta)[(1/2m1 + m2)/((m1+4m2)gh)]^(1/2).

Since we have the acceleration now, the angular acceleration of the wheels.

alpha = a/R => alpha = [(m1 + 4m2)gh / (h*R/sin(theta)(1/2 m1 + m2))].

The friction force on each wheel produces the torque on the wheels that cause the wheels to rotate.

Torque = I(alpha) => f(static) * R = I (alpha),

thus the amount of friction force required to rotate each wheel is

f(static) = I(alpha)/R =>

f(static) = 1/2 m2 *[(m1 + 4m2)gh / (h/sin(theta)(1/2 m1 + m2))].




*Edit 1* wow, I need to learn to read. I'm gna go back and figure out the rest of this stuff. Haha.

*Edit 2* okay finished. Hope I didn't just make a fool out of myself.

Cheers :D

*Edit 3* fixed for stupid mistakes. Confirmed that I've succeeded in making a fool out of myself.
hey you
Not_Computer
Profile Blog Joined January 2007
Canada2277 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-07-11 08:45:13
July 11 2008 08:41 GMT
#3
so I guess you didn't go along with what yubee suggested

edit: I'll give it a shot when I have more time, gtg now
"Jaedong hyung better be ready. I'm going to order the most expensive dinner in Korea."
micronesia
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States24799 Posts
July 11 2008 09:21 GMT
#4
On July 11 2008 17:36 popnfreshspk wrote:
Since the car is elevated a height h, at an angle theta above the horizontal, the total distance the car travels before it reaches the bottom of the hill is h*sin(theta).

I believe this is erroneous. Sin(theta)=h/hypotenuse
ModeratorThere are animal crackers for people and there are people crackers for animals.
popnfreshspk
Profile Blog Joined September 2007
United States93 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-07-11 09:33:51
July 11 2008 09:31 GMT
#5
On July 11 2008 18:21 micronesia wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 11 2008 17:36 popnfreshspk wrote:
Since the car is elevated a height h, at an angle theta above the horizontal, the total distance the car travels before it reaches the bottom of the hill is h*sin(theta).

I believe this is erroneous. Sin(theta)=h/hypotenuse


Ah whoops. Went through it too quick. Guess all the * sin(theta) becomes / sin(theta) then? Fixed in my original post.

Sorry about that. It'd be nice if the hypotenuse of the right triangle is longer then one of the legs yeah, yeah? = =.

Were there any other errors?
hey you
aqui
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
Germany1023 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-07-11 13:47:16
July 11 2008 10:58 GMT
#6
used lagrange formalism:
L= T-U = 0,5 m1*v^2+ 2 *I *V^2/R^2 + m1*g*sin()*x
proper potential energy with U(h=0) = 0 would be U=(s*sin-x*sin)*m1*g not just -x*sin*m1*g but it doesnt matter anyway when derivated.

solving the lagrange equation to get the differential equiation for x/v:
d/dt(d/dv L) - d/dx L = 0
=> (m1+ 4* I /R^2) a - m1*g*sin() = 0 with (m1+4 *I / R^2) := b
=> a= m1* g* sin()/b = const.
(reasonable result, for m1>>m2 a becomes g*sin as one would expect)

=> 0,5 a*t^2 = s = h/ sin() => t=sqrt( 2 s/ a) = sqrt( 2h*(m1+4 *I/ R^2) / (m1*sin^2()*g))
ez^^
(if you dont want to ignore the rolling resistance you dont need to add a dissipative force. should work to just decrease the potential energy by Cr*Fn(s-x) where Cr is the coefficent for the roling resistence and Fn the normal component of G. this way the acceleration would be a= m1* g* (sin()- cos()*Cr)/b hence slighty smaller.
(I = 0,5 m2*R^2 if the tires are cylinder.)
HeavOnEarth
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States7087 Posts
July 11 2008 11:10 GMT
#7
what the hell T_T i attempted it with my little physics I high school knowledge
but..
>.<
"come korea next time... FXO house... 10 korean, 10 korean"
wo0py
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
Netherlands922 Posts
July 11 2008 11:23 GMT
#8
this is way above my level of physics. im like whut?
We shouldnt recreate anger of the non-virtual world
Maenander
Profile Joined November 2002
Germany4927 Posts
Last Edited: 2008-07-11 13:45:14
July 11 2008 13:39 GMT
#9
On July 11 2008 19:58 aqui wrote:
used lagrange formalism:
L= T-U = 0,5 m1*v^2+ 2 *I *V^2/R^2 + m1*g*sin()*x
proper potential energy with U(h=0) = 0 would be U=(s*sin-x*sin)*m1*g not just -x*sin*m1*g but it doesnt matter anyway when derivated.

solving the lagrange equation to get the differential equiation for x/v:
d/dt(d/dv L) - d/dx L = 0
=> (m1+ 4* I /R^2) a - m1*g*sin() = 0 with (m1+4 *I / R^2) := b
=> a= m1* g* sin()/b = const.
(reasonable result, for m1>>m2 a becomes g*sin as one would expect)

=> 0,5 a*t^2 = s = h/ sin() => t=sqrt( 2 s/ a) = sqrt( 2h*(m1+4 *I/ R^2) / (m1*sin^2()*g))
ez^^
(I = 0,5 m*R^2 if the tires are cylinder.)


Haha aqui, that´s like one of the first things one does in theoretical physics I: mechanics.
Lagrange formalism is ez, that´s true. Anyways nicely done, good old memories

just for some nitpicking: I=0.5*m2*R^2 if the tires are cylinders
micronesia
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States24799 Posts
July 11 2008 16:40 GMT
#10
Neat. I applied Newton's law to the displacement formula where t and frictional force were unknown, and then did the same thing for rotation to get a second equation, and solved the system.
ModeratorThere are animal crackers for people and there are people crackers for animals.
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