Solution
(a) The point on the rim travels a greater distance in the same amount of time, since
it has to make a bigger orbit.
(b) Both points move through the same angle.
(c) The speed is v = r. Since point particles change their angle by the same amount
in the same time, the point with the bigger radius has the bigger velocity. So, the
point on the rim moves with the greater speed.
(d) Since the angular speed is , and both points travel through the same angle in
the same time, they both have the same angular speed.
(e) The problem states that the disk is turing at increasing angular velocity, and
so is increasing. Thus, v = r is increasing. The tangential acceleration is
atang = r. So, the particle with the bigger radius has the bigger tangential
acceleration; i.e., the point on the rim has the bigger tangential acceleration.
(f) The angular acceleration is , and is the same for both points.
(g) The centripetal acceleration is acent = v 2 /r = (r)2 /r = r 2 . Since is the same
for both points, the point on the rim has the bigger centripetal acceleration, since
it has the bigger value of r.
2. What is the angular speed of Earth in radians per second as it rotates about its axis?
Solution
. The Earth rotates through an angle of 2 radians in 24
The angular speed is =
t
hours. 24 hours is 24 3600 seconds, or 86,400 seconds. So, the angular speed is
Earth =
2
=
= 7.3 105 rad/sec.
t
86400
= 0.0415 kg m 2
difference
andfour
I app is:
3.The
Thepercent
methane
moleculebetween
(CH4 ) Ihas
hydrogen atoms located at the vertices of
a regular tetrahedron of edge length 0.18
II
0.0415 kg m 2 0.0400 kg m 2
nm, with the carbonappatom
= at the center
= 3.6 %
2
I
0.0415
of the tetrahedron. Find the moment
of kg m
inertia of this molecule for rotation about
an axis that passes through the centers of
(bthe
) The
rotational inertia would increase because Icm of a hollow sphere is greater
carbon atom and one of the hydrogen
than
Icm of a solid sphere.
atoms.
49
The methane molecule (CH4) has four hydrogen atoms located at the
vertices of a regular tetrahedron of edge length 0.18 nm, with the carbon atom at
the center of the tetrahedron (Figure Solution
9-48). Find the moment of inertia of this
molecule for rotation about an axis that passes through the centers of the carbon
Because
of rotation
is through
atom
and the
oneaxis
of the
hydrogen
atoms. the
2 cos 30
C
H
H
a
I = 1.67 10 27 kg 0.18 10 9 m
i
2
2
3mH
a
= mH a 2
=
mH=a 3mH
3 2
= (1.67 1027 ) (0.18 109 )
=
5.41 1047 kg m2 .
a
3
2
)(
= 5.4 10 47 kg m 2
4. During most of its lifetime, a star maintains an equilibrium size in which the inward
force of gravity on each atom is balanced by an outward pressure force due to the heat of
the nuclear reactions in core. But after all the hydrogen fuel is consumed by nuclear
fusion, the pressure force drops and the star undergoes gravitational collapse until it
becomes a neutron star. In a neutron star, the electrons and protons are squeezed
together by gravity until they form neutrons. Neutron stars spin very rapidly and emit
intense pulses of radio and light waves, one pulse per rotation. These pulsing stars
were discovered in the 1960s and are called pulsars.
(a) A star with the mass (M = 2.0 1030 kg) and size (R = 7.0 108 m) of our
sun rotates once every 30 days. After undergoing gravitational collapse, the star
forms a pulsar that is observed by astronomers to emit radio pulses every 0.10
seconds. By treating the neutron star as a solid sphere, deduce its radius.
(b) What is the speed of a point on the equator of the neutron star? Your answer will
be somewhat too large because a star cannot be accurately modeled as a solid
sphere. Even so, you will be able to show that a star, whose mass is 106 larger
than the earths, can be compressed by gravitational forces to a size smaller than
a typical state in the United States!
Solution
(a) As the star collapses, it speeds up by the conservation of angular momentum. Its
initial angular momentum is Li = M vi Ri = M Ri2 i = 2fi M Ri2 , where we have
recalled that v = R, and that = 2f , where f is the rotation frequency. The
angular momentum after the collapse is, then, Lf = 2ff M Rf2 . Conservation of
angular momentum says that Li = Lf , and so
s
r
fi
Tf
Rf =
Ri =
Ri ,
ff
Ti
where weve re-expressed the radius in terms of the rotation period. Now, the
initial frequency is once per 30 days, so Ti = 3600 24 30 = 2.6 106 seconds,
while Tf = 0.10 seconds. Thus,
r
r
Tf
0.1
Ri =
7 108 = 1.37 105 m = 137 km.
Rf =
Ti
2.6 106
(b) The speed of a point on the equator is v = Rf f = 2Rf /T = 2(1.37105 )/0.1 =
8.6 106 m/s.
Solution
r
T
at /L, then at =
at =
L
,
I
r
mg
or
L
mgL2 sin
=
= g sin ,
I
mL2
to the free-body
ress the component of
gent to the circular path
nd
Ft = mg sin
a =
Ft
mg sin
= g sin
Solution
(a) When the ring is just hanging straight down, it has zero potential energy. When
its released from its initial height, h = R, then it has potential energy mgh =
mgR. Now, at the bottom of the path, all the energy is kinetic. Since its rotating,
the energy is all rotational kinetic energy, KE = 12 I 2 . Whats I? We can look
up the moment of inertia of the ring about an axis through the center to find
I = mR2 . Since the ring is rotating about its rim, then we can use the parallel
axis theorem to write the moment of inertia about the rim as Irim = Icenter +md2 =
mR2 + mR2 = 2mR2 . So, the kinetic energy is KE = 12 I 2 = mR2 2 .
So, if energy is conserved, then KE = P E mR2 2 = mgR. Solving for gives
r
g
.
=
R
Plugging in the numbers gives
r
r
g
9.8
=
=
= 3.61 rad/sec.
R
0.75
(b) Now we want to figure out how fast wed need to rotate it around in order for it
to rotate to the top. In this case, it still has the same kinetic energy, for some ,
KE = mR2 2 . Now it has to get to the top, changing its height by R, so
p that
its final potential energy is P E = mgR. Solving for KE = P E = g/R,
exactly the same as in part (a).
890 Chapter 9
7. A uniform solid sphere of mass M and radius R is free rotate about a horizontal axis
is wrapped
A uniform solid sphere of mass M and radius R is free t
through its center. 77
A string
around the sphere and
is attached
to through
an
horizontal
axis
its center. A string is wrapped around the s
object of mass m. Assume
that
the
string
attached to an object of mass m (Figure 9-58). Assume that the stri
does not slip on the sphere. Find
(a)
on the sphere. Find (a) the acceleration of the object, and (b) the te
the accelerationstring.
of the object and
Picture the Problem The force diagram shows the forces acting
responsible
acceleration ofSolution
the sphere and the difference between the weight o
the tension is the net force acting on the hanging object. We can us
We can draw the force diagram for the syslaw to obtain two equations in a and T that we can solve simultane
(a)
F
T
R
0
mg
2
T =
Ma
5
T = m (g a) .
I sphere
= mg T = ma
) Ra
Eliminate
T between
(2) T = 2 M a to findg
(b) Now we just substitute
this result
back inequations
to the expression
5
and (3) and solve for a to obtain:
a=
1+
2 Mg
2M mg
T =
=
.
2M
5 1 + 5m
5m + 2M
T=
2M
5m
2mMg
5m + 2 M
8. A basketball rolls without slipping down an incline of angle . The coefficient of static
friction is s . Model the ball as a thin spherical shell. Find
Picture
Problem
three
(a) the acceleration
of the the
center
of mass of The
the ball,
the frictional force. Let the mass of the basketball be m and app
Solution
law to find a system
of simultaneous equations that we can solve f
(a) We can begin
by writing
Newtons statement.
called
for indown
the problem
laws for
P
P Fx
PFy
i
= mg sin + Ff = ma
= mg cos + Fn =
0
=
Ff R
= I.
Furthermore, since the ball is rolling without slipping, we have that a = R. So, we
have enough to solve this system of equations. Plugging in Ff = I/R = Ia/R2 to
the first equation and solving for a gives
a=
r
Fn
m
x
r
0
r
mg
mg sin
.
m + I/R2
nd
r
f
(aof) Apply
law
in both
The moment
inertia ofNewtons
the spherical2shell
is just
I = 23 mR2 , and soFx
translational and mg
rotational
form
to
sin
3
a=
=
g
sin
.
m + 2m/3R2
5
the ball:
(b) Since Ff =
I
a
R2
2
mR2
3
R2
a = 23 ma, we have
2
Ff = mg sin .
5
= mg sin f s =
= Fn mg cos =
and
= f s r = I 0
a this
Because
basketball
(c) Now, we know
that thethe
frictional
force isisFfrolling
= s FN = s mg cos . Setting
=
equal to ourwithout
result from
part (b) we
we find
r
slipping
know that:
2
5
mg sin = s mg cos tan = s .
5
2
a
Substitute
in
equation
(3)
to
So, the maximum angle of the incline that the ball will roll without
f s rslipping
= I 0 is
r
obtain:
5
1
= tan
s .
2
Table
9-1 we
have:from the sliding case.
The rolling From
of the ball
increases
the angle
8 in equation
Substitute for I0 and
(4) and solve for fs:
I 0 = 23 mr 2
fs r =
2
3
mr 2
) ar f
Solution
The distance that each ball goes after leaving the ramp depends on its speed upon
leaving the ramp. Since both balls take the same amount of time to reach the ground
then L = vt, while L0 = v 0 t, where v is the speed of the shell and v 0 is the speed
of the sphere at the bottom of the ramp. Now, the ratio L0 /L = v 0 /v. So, we need to
know the speed of the balls. Each ball starts off with the same potential energy, mgH.
The final energy of each ball at the bottom of the ram is made up of translational and
rotational kinetic energy,
1
mv 2 + 12 Ishell 2
2
1
mv 02 + 12 Isphere 02
2
KEshell =
KEsphere =
Now, since the balls are rolling without slipping, = v/R, while 0 = v 0 /R. Plugging
in these expressions gives
2
shell
KEshell = 21 1 + ImR
2 mv
Isphere
KEsphere = 12 1 + mR
mv 02
2
Since energy is conserved KEshell = KEsphere = mgH. So,
2
shell
mgH = 12 1 + ImR
2 mv
Isphere
mgH = 12 1 + mR
mv 02
2
Taking the ratio v 0 /v gives
v
u
u 1 + Ishell2
v
mR
=t
.
Isphere
v
1 + mR2
0
10. According to the Standard Model of Particle Physics, electrons are pointlike particles
having no spatial extent. (This assumption has been confirmed experimentally, and
the radius of the electron has been shown to be less than 1018 meters.) The intrinsic
spin of an electron could in principle be due to its rotation. Let us check to see if this
conclusion is feasible.
(a) Assuming that the electron is a uniform sphere whose radius is 1.00 1018 m,
what angular speed would be necessary to produce the observed intrinsic angular
momentum of ~/2?
(b) Using this value of the angular speed, show that the speed of a point on the
equator of a spinning electron would be moving faster than the speed of light.
What is your conclusion about the spin angular momentum being analogous to a
spinning sphere with spatial extent?
Solution
(a) The angular momentum can be expressed in terms of the moment of inertia, I,
and the angular velocity, , as L = I. Thus, the angular speed is = L/I.
Now, for a uniform sphere, I = 25 M R2 , and for L = ~/2, we find
=
5~
L
=
.
I
4M R2
5 1.05 1034
5~
=
= 1.44 1032 rad/sec.
2
31
18
2
4M R
4 9.11 10
(10 )
(b) The speed is v = R, so using our results from part (a) gives
v = R = 1018 1.44 1032 = 1.44 1014 m/s!
This is much faster than light. So, if we require that these points on the equator
cant spin faster than light, we have to abandon the model of the electron as a tiny
little spinning sphere.
10