Rotation

1. A uniform wooden block has a mass m . On it is resting half of an identical block, as

shown above. The blocks are supported by two table legs, as shown.
(a) Which table leg, if either, should provide a larger force on the bottom block?
Answer with specific reference to the torque equation.
(b) In terms of given variables and fundamental constants, what is the force of the
right-hand table leg on the bottom mass?

2. A small ball of mass m moving on a frictionless horizontal surface is attached to a

rubber band whose other end is fixed at point P . The ball moves along the dotted line
in the preceding figure, stretching the rubber band. When it passes Point A , its velocity
is vdirected as shown.
(a) Is the angular momentum of the ball about Point P conserved between positions A
and B?
(b) Is the linear momentum of the ball conserved between positions A and B?
(c) Describe a system in this problem for which mechanical energy is conserved as the
ball moves from A to B.
(d) Explain why the net force on the ball at Point B is not .
3. A smooth, solid ball is released from rest from the top of an incline, whose surface is
very rough. The ball rolls down the incline without slipping.
(a) Describe in words the energy conversion for the ball from its release until it reaches
the bottom of the incline.
(b) Is the mechanical energy of the ball-Earth system conserved during its roll?
(c) This ball is replaced by a new ball, whose surface and mass are identical to the first
ball, but which is predominantly hollow inside. Describe any differences in its roll
down the incline without slipping, with explicit reference to forms of energy.

Solutions to Practice Problems

1. (a) Call the force of the left support F L , and the force of the right support F R .
Consider the middle of the bottom block as the fulcrum. Then one clockwise torque
acts: F L ·(L/ 2). Two counterclockwise torques act, though: F R ·(L/ 2) and
(1/2)m ·(1/4)L . The point is that if you have to add something to the torque
provided by the right support to get the torque provided by the left support, the
left support thus provides more torque. Because the supports are the same distance
from the center, the left support provides more force, too.
(b) You certainly could use the reasoning in Part (a) with the fulcrum in the center,
along with the total support force equaling 1.5Mg(vertical equilibrium of forces).
However, it’s much easier mathematically to just call the left end of the rod the
fulcrum. Then the counterclockwise torque is F R · L . The clockwise torque is
(1/2)mg · (L /4) + mg · (L/ 2). Set these equal and play with the fractions to get
.

2. (a) Angular momentum is conserved when no torques external to the system act.
Here the system is just the ball. The only force acting on the ball is the rubber band,
which is attached to Point P . The force applied by the rubber band can’t have any
lever arm with respect to P and thus provides no torque about point P , so the
ball’s angular momentum about point P can’t change. Angular momentum is
conserved.
(b) Linear momentum is conserved when no forces external to the system act. Here the
system is just the ball. The rubber band is external to the system and applies a force;
therefore, linear momentum is not conserved.
(c) Mechanical energy is conserved when no force external to the system does work.
The rubber band does work on the ball, because it applies a force and stretches in a
direction parallel to the force it produces. Consider the rubber band part of the
system. The post at Point P still applies a force to the ball–rubber band system, but
since the post doesn’t move, that force does no work on the ball–rubber band
system. Any kinetic energy lost by the ball will be stored as elastic energy in the
rubber band. The mechanical energy of the ball–rubber band system is conserved.
(d) The general form of this equation is fine—the ball’s path at Point P is, at least in
the neighborhood of P , approximately circular. The ball experiences a centripetal
acceleration at Point B , and centripetal acceleration is v 2 /r . The problem is that if
the r term is 1.0 m, then the v term must represent the speed at Point B . With
angular momentum conserved, the total of mvr must always be the same. The
ball’s mass doesn’t change. The distance r from Point P gets bigger from A to B ,
 so the speed must get smaller. The equation given uses the given variable v which
represents the speed of the ball at Point A , not the speed at B , and so is invalid.
3. (a) Gravitational energy at the top (because the ball is some vertical height above its
lowest position) is converted to both rotational and translational kinetic energy at
the bottom—rotational because the ball will be spinning, and translational because
the ball’s center of mass will move down the incline.
(b) Mechanical energy is conserved when no non-conservative forces act. Here the
Earth’s gravitational field can give the ball kinetic energy, but since the Earth is
part of the system and since the gravitational force is conservative, that still allows
for conservation of mechanical energy. Friction is a nonconservative force, but here
friction does no work.
(c) The hollow ball of the same mass will have greater rotational inertia, because the
mass is concentrated farther from the center of rotation. The ball’s gravitational
energy before the rolling begins is the same as the previous scenario, because the
height of the incline is the same. The total kinetic energy at the bottom will not
change; the question is how much of that kinetic energy will be rotational, and how
much will be translational.
Rotational KE is ½Iω 2 ; the angular speed ω depends on the translational
speed v . (The faster the ball is moving, the more it’s rotating, too.) Therefore,
rotational kinetic energy depends on v 2 . Translational kinetic energy also depends
on v 2 in the formula ½mv 2 . The hollow ball has bigger I . The speed v must be
lower for the hollow ball so that ½Iω 2 + ½mv 2 adds to the same value for both
balls.
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