Math 1302, Week 7: Variable mass systems

Example: Coupling of two moving carriages

Consider two train carriages of mass m
1
, m
2
moving on the same track with speeds U
1
and U
2
,
where U
1
> U
2
(see gure 1). When they catch each other up they couple together to make a
single coupled pair of carriages that moves with speed V . Find V .
Solution: We have conservation of momentum:
m
1
m
2
m
1
+m
2
U
1
U
2
V
Figure 1: Two carriages coupling together into a single
mass
momentum before = momentum after
m
1
U
1
+ m
2
U
2
= (m
1
+ m
2
)V
So that
V =
m
1
U
1
+ m
2
U
2
m
1
+ m
2
.
Thus the coupled carriages move with the speed of the centre of mass of the uncoupled carriages.
What about energy changes? Before colliding the total kinetic energy is
T
b
=
1
2
m
1
U
2
1
+
1
2
m
2
U
2
2
,
and after colliding and joining the kinetic energy is
T
a
=
1
2
(m
1
+ m
2
)
_
m
1
U
1
+ m
2
U
2
m
1
+ m
2
_
2
1
Hence the change in kinetic energy T = T
a
T
b
is given by
T =
1
2
(m
1
+ m
2
)
_
m
1
U
1
+ m
2
U
2
m
1
+ m
2
_
2

1
2
m
1
U
2
1

1
2
m
2
U
2
2
=
1
2
m
2
1
U
2
1
+ m
2
2
U
2
2
+ 2m
1
m
2
U
1
U
2
m
1
+ m
2

1
2
m
1
U
2
1

1
2
m
2
U
2
2
=
1
2(m
1
+ m
2
)
_
m
2
1
U
2
1
+ m
2
2
U
2
2
+ 2m
1
m
2
U
1
U
2
) (m
2
1
+ m
1
m
2
)U
2
1
(m
1
m
2
+ m
2
2
)U
2
2

=
1
2(m
1
+ m
2
)
_
2m
1
m
2
U
1
U
2
) (m
1
m
2
)U
2
1
(m
1
m
2
)U
2
2
_
=
m
1
m
2
(U
1
U
2
)
2
2(m
1
+ m
2
)
< 0.
Thus energy is lost in the collision. (Where does it go?) Notice that this is just the same as two
bodies colliding, but with coecient of restitution e = 0.
Changing mass systems
When the mass of a system is changing with time, we will need a generalisation of Newtons
second law. We will use that
force = rate of change of momentum.
This reduces to Newtons 2nd law when the mass is constant with time.
Motion of particle through cloud of stationary dust
m,v
m + m, v + v,
M M - m
t
Figure 2: Particle moving through a cloud of stationary
dust particles
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We consider a particle moving through a cloud of stationary dust (see gure 2). The particle
has mass m(t) at time t, and the total mass of the dust cloud is M(t). Since the cloud dust is
stationary, it has no momentum. Let the velocity of the particle at time t be v(t) and at time
t + t let it be v + v. Then
total momentum at t = mv
..
momentum of particle
+ M0
..
momentum of dust
= mv.
total momentum at t + t = (m + m)(v + v)
. .
mtm of particle
+ (M m)0
. .
zero mtm of dust
= mv + mv + mv + mv.
Hence
change in momentum
t
=
1
t
{(mv + mv + mv + mv) (mv)}
Now let t 0 to obtain
rate of change of momentum = lim
t0
1
t
(mv + mv + mv) = m
dv
dt
+
dm
dt
v =
d
dt
(mv).
When there is an external force F acting on the system we obtain
F = rate of change of momentum =
d
dt
(mv). (1)
Example: falling raindrop
Suppose that a raindrop falls through a cloud and accumulates mass at a rate kmv where k > 0
is a constant, m is the mass of the raindrop, and v its velocity. What is the speed of the raindrop
at a given time if it starts from rest, and what is its mass?
Solution: We are taking x as distance fallen and v = x. Then the external force is its weight
mg and so from (1) we have
mg =
d
dt
(mv) = m
dv
dt
+ v
dm
dt
= m
dv
dt
+ kmv
2
,
since we are told that dm/dt = kmv. Cancelling the mass and rearranging
dv
dt
= g kv
2
,
so that
_
v
0
dv
g kv
2
=
_
t
0
dt = t.
Now set V
2
= g/k and use partial fractions to get
t =
_
v
0
dv
g kv
2
=
1
2kV
_
v
0
1
V + v
+
1
V v
dv =
1
2kV
log
_
V + v
V v
_
so V + v = (V v)e
2kV t
, i.e. v = V
_
e
2kV t
1
e
2kV t
+1
_
= V tanh(V kt), so that
v =
_
g
k
tanh(
_
kgt).
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Now we may nd the mass: We have
dm
dt
= kmv = km
_
g
k
tanh(

kgt) = m

kg tanh(

kgt).
Thus
_
t
0
1
m
dm
dt
dt =
_
t
0
_
kg tanh(
_
kgt) dt
_
m
m
0
dm
m
=
_
t
0
_
kg tanh(
_
kgt) dt
log mlog m
0
= log cosh(
_
kgt)
which gives
m = m
0
cosh(
_
kgt).
Example: Raindrop falling through a cloud accumulating mass a given rate
A raindrop falls through a cloud while accumulating mass at a rate r
2
where r is its radius
(assume that the raindrop remains spherical) and > 0. Find its velocity at time t if it starts
from rest with radius a.
Solution: We have that
dm
dt
= r
2
. But m =
4
3
r
3
where is the density. So
r
2
=
dm
dt
=
d
dt
_
4
3
r
3

_
= 4r
2
dr
dt
.
This gives dr/dt = where =

4
, which gives
r = t + C,
where C is a constant. Using r = a at t = 0 we obtain C = a and hence r = t + a. Now we
have
1
m
dm
dt
=
3
4r
3
r
2
=
3
4r
=
3
(t + a)
.
Thus from
d
dt
(mv) = mg we obtain vm + v m = mg so that v +
m
m
v = g and hence
dv
dt
+
3
(t + a)
v = g.
This can be solved using the integrating factor I = exp(
_
3
(t+a)
dt) = exp(3 log(a + t)) =
(a + t)
3
. This gives
d
dt
[v(a + t)
3
] = g(a + t)
3
.
Integrating v(a + t)
3
= C

+
g
4
(a + t)
4
. Using v(0) = 0 we get C

= ga
4
/4 and so
v(t) =
g
4
_
(a + t) a
4
(a + t)
3
_
.
4
m
v
v + v
m + m
m -
v + v
t
Figure 3: Particle moving and gaining m > 0 or losing
m < 0 mass from mass moving at zero relative velocity
Mass lost or gained at zero relative velocity
The example to keep in mind here is a hot air balloon containing a bag of sand. The sand is
released to control the height of the balloon. As the sand trickles out it is (eectively) stationary
relative to the balloon. Consider, then, gure 3. Particle has mass m and is moving with velocity
v at time t. At a later time t + t it has mass m + m and velocity v + v. The mass moving
with the particle with zero relative velocity has mass m and velocity v + v. Hence
momentum at t = mv,
and
momentum at t + t = (m + m)(v + v) + (m)(v + v)
rate of change of momentum = lim
t0
1
t
{(m + m)(v + v) + (m)(v + v) mv}
= lim
t0
1
t
{mv + mv + mv + mv mv mv mv}
= m
dv
dt
.
Hence for an external force of F we get
F = m
dv
dt
. (2)
Balloon rising
Suppose a balloon constant mass M contains a bag of sand mass m
0
experiences a constant
upward thrust of C. Initially it is in equilibrium, and then the sand is released at a constant
rate so that it is all released in time t
0
. Find the height of the balloon and its velocity when all
the sand has been released.
5
Solution: As the sand leaves the bag its speed relative to the ground is the same as that of the
balloon, i.e. its speed relative to the balloon is zero, so we may use (2):
(M + m)
dv
dt
= C (M + m)g.
Thus
dv
dt
=
C
M + m
g.
Now the sand empties in time t
0
at a constant rate, say . Thus m(t) = m
0
t (solve
dm/dt = ). If at time t
0
we have m = 0 then we must have = m
0
/t
0
. Hence
dv
dt
=
C
M + m
0
t
g.
Integrating over t:
v(t) v(0) = gt
C

[log(M + m
0
t)]
t
0
= gt
C

log
_
M + m
0
t
M + m
0
_
.
Now if the balloon is initially in equilibrium the upward thrust equals its weight: C = (M+m
0
)g.
Thus using that v(0) = 0 and = m
0
/t
0
we arrive at:
v(t) = gt
(M + m
0
)gt
0
m
0
log
_
1
m
0
t
(M + m
0
)t
0
_
.
To nd the height, lets rst set = m
0
/(t
0
(M + m
0
)). Then we have
dx
dt
= v = gt
g

log(1 t).
Hence
x(t) =
gt
2
2

g

_
log(1 t) dt + K.
We clearly need the integral
_
log z dz. To do this we can either argue that
d
dz
(z log z) =
log z + z/z = log z + 1, so that
d
dz
(z log z z) = log z and hence
_
log z dz =
_
d
dz
(z log z z) dz = z log z z + constant,
or we may use integration by parts after splitting log z = log z 1 and use u = log z, dv/dz = 1,
etc. The end result is that using the substitution z = 1 t
_
log(1t) dt =
_
log z
_
1

_
dz =
1

z(log z 1) +K

=
1

(1t)[log(1t) 1] +K

.
This yields
x(t) = K

gt
2
2
+
g

2
(1 t) {log(1 t) 1} ,
where K

is found from initial conditions:

x(t) = x(0) +
g

2

gt
2
2
+
g

2
(1 t) {log(1 t) 1}
6
m
v
v + v
m + m
t
M
u
u + u
M + M
Figure 4: Particle moving with velocity v and gaining
m > 0 or losing m < 0 mass from mass M moving at
velocity u.
General variable mass problems
Consider gure 4. We have
momentum before = mv + Mu,
and
momentum after = (m + m)(v + v) + (M + M)(u + u).
Thus
rate of change in momentum = lim
t0
1
t
{(m + m)(v + v) + (M + M)(u + u) (mv + Mu)}
= lim
t0
1
t
{mv + mv + mv + Mu + Mu + Mu}
= v
dm
dt
+ m
dv
dt
+ u
dM
dt
+ M
du
dt
.
Now, we may also use that m = M (mass conservation), so that dm/dt = dM/dt and
rate of change in momentum =
d
dt
(mv) u
dm
dt
+ M
du
dt
.
This is a general result. Note that when u = 0, we obtain rate of change in momentum =
d
dt
(mv)
as in equation (1). Also, when u = v we have rate of change in momentum = (m + M)
dv
dt
as in
equation (2).
Example: Rocket motion (I)
A rocket of mass m emits mass backwards at speed u relative to the rocket at a constant rate
k. Ignoring gravity and air resistance nd its speed v at time t if at t = 0 it has speed v
0
and
7
m
m + m
v v + v
( m)
v + v - u
Figure 5: Rocket burning fuel that is ejected at velocity
u relative to the rocket.
mass M
0
= M + m
0
, where m
0
is the amount of fuel for burning.
Solution: Let m be the mass of the rocket and fuel at time t. We refer to gure 5.
rate of change in momentum = lim
t0
1
t
{(m + m)(v + v) + (m)(v + v u) mv}
= lim
t0
1
t
{mv + mv + mv mv + ummv}
= m
dv
dt
+ u
dm
dt
.
There is no external force acting so the rate of change of momentum is zero:
m
dv
dt
= u
dm
dt
.
But dm/dt = k is the constant loss of fuel mass. Thus m(t) = M
0
kt = M + m
0
kt for
t < m
0
/k (after which there is no more fuel to burn).
Thus
dv
dt
=
ku
M
0
kt
,
which integrates to give
v(t) = ulog (M
0
kt) + K.
Since t = 0 we have v = v
0
we obtain
v(t) = v
0
ulog
_
1
k
M
0
t
_
, (t m
0
/k).
Example: Rocket motion (II)
The rocket now moves under the pull of gravity and air resistance kmv
2
and the fuel is burned
so that m = m
0
e
bt
where b > g/u is a constant.
8
We have F = mg kmv
2
for the external force. This equals the rate of change of momentum:
F = m
dv
dt
+ u
dm
dt
.
m
dv
dt
+ u
dm
dt
= mg kmv
2
.
Expanding and dividing by m,
dv
dt
+
u
m
dm
dt
= g kv
2
.
Now we are told that m = m
0
e
bt
, so that
1
m
dm
dt
= b. This gives
dv
dt
bu = g kv
2
,
which we rewrite as
dv
dt
=
2
kv
2
, where
2
= bu g > 0.
We use partial fractions to obtain
_
1

kv
+
1
+

kv
dv = 2t + C,
where C is a constant. Thus
log
_
+

kv

kv
_
= 2

kt + C

.
Using that v(0) = 0 we get C

= 0. Tidying up we nally obtain

v(t) =

k
tanh(

kt).
As t we have
v lim
t

k
tanh(

kt)
= lim
t

k
_
1 e
2

kt
1 + e
2

kt
_
=

k
.
Thus the rocket reaches a limiting velocity

k
=
_
bug
k
.
Example (2004 Exam question 5)
The mass of a spacecraft at time t is m(t) and its velocity is V (t). For t < 0, m(t) = M and
V = Ui where M and U are constants and i is a constant unit vector. For 0 < t < T, the
craft encounters a stream of particles which have velocity w(cos i +sin j) where w and are
constants and j is a unit vector orthogonal to i.
A constant mass of the particles enter the craft per unit time and these particles are thereafter
stationary relative to the craft.
9
(a) If V = ui + vj, show that
m
du
dt
+
dm
dt
u = wcos , m
dv
dt
+
dm
dt
v = wsin ,
dm
dt
= .
(b) Solve these equations to show that at time T the direction of motion of the craft has been
turned through an angle , where
tan =
wT sin
MU + wT cos
Solution: Consider the before and after picture shown in gure 6 for the momentum change
Figure 6: Rocket in a stream of particles
in time t. Since the particles pass through the box at a constant rate, in the absence of the
spaceship the mass inside a xed virtual box (we need only consider 2D) is some constant M.
Suppose the spaceship is passing through the box and is there at t (before gure) and t + t
(after gure). At time t the momentum inside the box is
M(wcos i + wsin j) + mv,
whereas at time t + t it is
(M m)(wcos i + wsin j) + (m + m)(v + v).
Since there is no external force, these must be the same:
M(wcos i + wsin j) + mv = (M m)(wcos i + wsin j) + (m + m)(v + v)
10
Thus expanding and cancelling we obtain
mv + mv + mv m(wcos i + wsin j) = 0.
Now divide by t and take the limit as t tends to zero:
m v + mv = m(wcos i + wsin j).
Mass is accumulating in the spacecraft at rate so that dm/dt = . This gives
m u + u = wcos (3)
m v + v = wsin (4)
which is the same as the equations stated (since m = ).
Now m = can be integrated to give m = C +t where C is constant. But at t = 0, m(0) = M
so that C = M and m = M + t. From (4) we get
(M + t) u + u = wcos .
The LHS is just
d
dt
[(M + t)u] and hence
d
dt
[(M + t)u] = wcos ,
which integrates to
(M + t)u = K + wcos t,
where K is a constant. At t = 0, u = U, and so K = MU and hence
u(t) =
MU + (wcos )t
M + t
.
Similarly,
(M + t)v = K

+ wsin t,
where K

is a constant. But v(0) = 0 and hence K

= 0.
After time T, the spaceship has turned through angle where tan =
v(T)
u(T)
which gives
tan =
(wsin )T
MU + (wcos )T
.
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