Tagged Questions

0
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0answers
17 views

What determines the motion in a Newton's craddle? [duplicate]

Let's say we have a Newton's cradle with five metal balls, each with a mass $m$. You pick up one and release it, and right before impact it has a velocity $v$. What determines weather the ball at the ...
2
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1answer
49 views

Energy in a wind instrument?

My physics teacher said that he saw a guy playing a very large wind instrument on TV, and the guy apparently calculated that the total energy present in the instrument when he was playing was almost ...
0
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1answer
129 views

Tension in a massless string around a pulley

A pulley having some mass has a massless string around it,with two unequal masses at the end of the string .Sufficient friction is present between pulley and the string such that the string does not ...
2
votes
2answers
48 views

Rotating spring system: Is my intuition correct?

Consider a solid spherical object of uniform density that is rotating on an axis A1. Perpendicular to that axis one can draw another line that passes through the sphere. On this axis, on both sides of ...
1
vote
0answers
33 views

Finding the force of an object? [closed]

Sorry if my initial question was seen as a "homework question" but I don't really know how to go about asking this type of question. I have a feeling I have to use Newtons law but there is no ...
4
votes
0answers
60 views

Scaling arguments for the Contact mechanics between two elastic spheres

I am studying a bit granular dynamics and I have seen that two spheres of radius $R$ in contact with a contact area of radius $a$ would need an applied force $F$ on this two spheres that is nonlinear ...
2
votes
2answers
132 views

Whats the anti-torque mechanism in horizontal take-off aircraft?

In most helicopters there is the anti-torque tail rotor to prevent the body from spinning in the opposite direction to the main rotor. What's the equivalent mechanism in horizontal takeoff single ...
0
votes
1answer
58 views

Hollow stone columns provide more support?

In history class in elementary school I remember learning that the Greeks would build their stone columns hollow because they thought this provided more support. Is it true that a hollow column is ...
4
votes
1answer
91 views

Finding the acceleration of a cart rolling on a table

The cart is rolls frictionless on the table. It has a mass of $1 kg$. Attached to it are 2 strings, that go through two frictionless sheaves. The weights have masses as in the picture. ...
2
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4answers
211 views

Pseudo force in rotating frames

A bug of mass $m$ crawls out along a radial scratch of a phonographic disc rotating at $\omega$ angular velocity. It travels with constant velocity $v$ with respect to the disc. What are the forces ...
3
votes
4answers
398 views

Difference between torque and moment

What is the difference between torque and moment? I would like to see mathematical definitions for both quantities. I also do not prefer definitions like "It is the tendancy..../It is a measure of ...
0
votes
1answer
146 views

By how much will water resistance and upthrust slows down a fully submerged object?

Consider the following example: While running, I do work and I have a certain velocity and acceleration. When I'm in a pool (my feet are touching the bottom), I do the same work but, I have less ...
1
vote
3answers
497 views

Is it possible to find out the distance traveled by a car if the force applied on it is given?

Say you have car which produces $F$ amount of force which is transferred to the wheels directly. Now assuming that there is air friction which is causing a retarding force proportional to the ...
2
votes
4answers
1k views

Physics behind Wheel Slipping

Lets say that I'm in a car and I apply full acceleration suddenly. Now, the wheels would slip and hence the car doesn't displace much. But If I start with some constant acceleration, slipping doesn't ...
1
vote
1answer
381 views

Direction of friction on particle placed on a rotating turntable

If a particle is placed on a rotating turntable then the particle has a tendency to slip tangentially with respect to the underneath surface... So the friction should act tangentially to the ...
2
votes
4answers
326 views

Which angle causes an object to land quickest?

Say a canon is where the circle is, and it shoots two different canonballs at different angles, but at the same speed, which angle would make the cannonball hit the ground first? Intuitively I'd ...
0
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0answers
179 views

tension on the hanging chain [closed]

A flexible chain of mass $m$ hangs between two fixed points $a$ and $b$ at the same level. Let the inclination of the chain with horizontal line of the two points of support is $\theta$. What would be ...
4
votes
3answers
420 views

An example of non-Hamiltonian systems

I am preparing for the exam. And I need to know the answer to one question which I can't understand. "Give an example of non-Hamiltonian systems: in case of infinite number of particles; for a finite ...
2
votes
2answers
214 views

What sustains a rigid body's rotation at its constant angular(rotational) speed?

Continuing from the following scenario from my previous question Centripetal force of a rotating rigid body? : Consider someone pushing a roundabout in a playground. Initially the roundabout is ...
2
votes
2answers
320 views

What happens when the string slackens during vertical circular motion?

Consider a particle attached to one end of a string of length $l$ moving anti-clockwise in a vertical circle whose centre is $O$. What exactly happens physically when the string becomes slack and ...
0
votes
0answers
120 views

Best book for learning sensor fusion, specifically regarding IMU and GPS integration [closed]

I have a requirement of building an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) from the following sensors: Accelerometer Gyroscope Magnetometer I must integrate this data to derive the attitude of the sensor ...
4
votes
4answers
750 views

How do levers amplify forces?

This is really bothering me for a long time, because the math is easy to do, but it's still unintuitive for me. I understand the "law of the lever" and I can do the math and use the torques, or ...
1
vote
1answer
212 views

How to find the value of the parameter a in this transfer function? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: How to find the value of the parameter $a$ in this transfer function? I am given a transfer function of a second-order system as: $$G(s)=\frac{a}{s^{2}+4s+a}$$ and I ...
1
vote
1answer
85 views

How to find the value of the parameter $a$ in this transfer function?

I am given a transfer function of a second-order system as: $$G(s)=\frac{a}{s^{2}+4s+a}$$ and I need to find the value of the parameter $a$ that will make the damping coefficient $\zeta=.7$. I am not ...
2
votes
1answer
167 views

Static plane in an inertial frame of reference

Suppose we are given a mechanical frame consisting of two points. How can we prove that assuming any initial conditions there is an inertial frame of reference in which these points will be in a ...
1
vote
2answers
506 views

What are the expressions for rotational and translational kinetic energies of a system of point particles?

Consider a system of point particles , where the mass of particle $i$ is $\mu_i$ and its position vector is $r_i$. What are the expressions for translational kinetic energy and rotational kinetic ...
1
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3answers
84 views

I think there is something wrong with this problem. How do you know if the vertical acceleration is zero?

Suppose a block with mass 3kg is on a frictionless table and a force of 15N pulls it from an angle of 38 degrees above the horizontal. 1) What is the apparent weight of the block? 2) What is the ...
2
votes
2answers
153 views

Movement of a nudged block on a high friction surface

If I apply a single force to an object ‘floating in free space’, then it will either translate (if the force is in line with the Cof G ) or more generally it‘ll rotate about the C of G due to the ...
2
votes
3answers
682 views

Initial vs Constant Orbital Velocity

I am working on some basic physics simulation for a game and need to simulate gravity. I have a system working that is behaving more or less correctly so far, but I want to see if I can send a ...
2
votes
2answers
269 views

a question on Lagrange's equation when the time derivative of the generalized co-ordinates is constant

Consider a system whose generalized co-ordinates are $q_i$ and is under the constraints $\dot{q_i} = K_i \forall i = 1,2,3,...$ where $K_i$ are constants. I have a problem in writing the Lagrange's ...
14
votes
6answers
5k views

What is the difference between Newtonian and Lagrangian mechanics in a nutshell?

What is Lagrangian mechanics, and what's the difference compared to Newtonian mechanics? I'm a mathematician/computer scientist, not a physicist, so I'm kind of looking for something like the ...
4
votes
3answers
671 views

Why does the cart move? [duplicate]

A while ago someone proposed the following thought experiment to me: A horse attached to a cart is resting on a horizontal road. If the horse attempts to move by pulling the cart, according to the ...
5
votes
4answers
6k views

Is pushing actually easier than pulling?

It is generally assumed that pushing a cart is more easier than pulling one. But why? Is there any difference in terms of force required to achieve the same amount of displacement? Or is it just a ...
0
votes
1answer
1k views

What is the direction of the friction force on a rolling ball?

Suppose you have a solid ball on a horizontal table. What is the direction of friction force when the ball I pushed horizontally and starts rolling? Why is the direction of friction as it is? Which ...