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Physics Challenge Questions

1) The document solves two challenge problems about the motion of a sleigh on asphalt and oscillations of a suspended ring. 2) For the sleigh problem, it derives equations showing that the sleigh's motion is simple harmonic and finds expressions for the braking distance and time in terms of the sleigh's initial velocity and friction coefficients. 3) For the suspended ring problem, it provides a hint to estimate the period of small torsional oscillations by considering how the ring's center of mass rises when it is rotated slightly.

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Atharva Chavan
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71 views3 pages

Physics Challenge Questions

1) The document solves two challenge problems about the motion of a sleigh on asphalt and oscillations of a suspended ring. 2) For the sleigh problem, it derives equations showing that the sleigh's motion is simple harmonic and finds expressions for the braking distance and time in terms of the sleigh's initial velocity and friction coefficients. 3) For the suspended ring problem, it provides a hint to estimate the period of small torsional oscillations by considering how the ring's center of mass rises when it is rotated slightly.

Uploaded by

Atharva Chavan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1 Solution to challenge problem 6

Let the sleigh have length 1 , mass m, and initial velocity v0 , and let the
coecient of sliding friction on asphalt be µ. From the moment the sleigh
drives onto the asphalt, the equation of its motion (see gure ) will be
m
mx′′ = −µg x
l

This is the equation for simple harmonic motion, which gives the dependence
of distance on time as
x(t) = X1 sin ω0 t
where ω0 = µg/l and X1 is the coordinate of the sleigh at the moment it
p

stops (this corresponds to the amplitude of "oscillation"). At that moment


all the initial kinetic energy of the sleigh will have been dissipated in working
against the frictional force. The value of X1 can be obtained by the law of
conservation of energy:
mv02 1 mX1 µmgX12
= µg X1 =
2 2 l 2l
(1/2µgmX1 /l is the average force of friction), from which we obtain
s
l v0
X1 = v0 = .
µg ω0

The period t1 from the moment the sleigh slides onto the asphalt to the rst
time it stops is a quarter of the period of oscillation with frequency ω0 -that is,
s
2π π l
t1 = = .
4ω0 2 µg

In the second case, when the sleigh is again given a velocity v0 , the equation
of its motion will be the same (see equation (1)). The time-dependence of the
x-coordinate (x > X1 ) will be

x(t) = X̃1 sin ω0 t,

where X̃1 is the sleigh's coordinate at the moment it stops for the second time
(the new amplitude of oscillation).

1
To nd the braking time and the braking distance in the second case, we
assume that the sleigh comes onto the asphalt with a velocity u0 , and after
sliding a distance X1 , travels at a velocity v0 . So, according to the law of
conservation of energy,
mu20 1 mX̃1 µmg X̃12
= µg X̃1 = ,
2 2 l 2I
from which we get s
l u0
X̃1 = u0 = .
µg ω0
The velocity u0 can be obtained from the equation
mu20 mv02 1 mX̃12
− = µg ,
2 2 2 l
which reduces to √
u0 = v0 2.
Thus
V0 √
X̄1 = 2.
ω0
The distance the sleigh has slid between the rst and second times it stopped
is equal to
V0 √
X2 = X̄1 − X1 = ( 2 − 1),
ω0
and the ratio of the braking distances is
√
X1 : X2 = 1 : ( 2 − 1)
√
Given an initial velocity of the sleigh u0√= v0 2, it travels a distance X1 in a
time t̃1 dened by the condition u0 = v0 2 cos φ0
bart1 -that is, s
π l
t̄1 =
4 µg
Before it stops for the last time, the sleigh moves for a period
s
π l
t1 =
2 µg

(keep in mind that the period of oscillation does not depend on the initial
velocity). Thus the time during which the sleigh moves after it is pushed until
it stops again is s
π l
t2 = t1 − t̄1 =
4 µg
and the ratio of the braking times is
t1 : t2 = 2 : 1 .

2
2 Challenge problem 7
A thin homogenous ring of radius R = L/2 is suspended by three identical
vertical pieces of nonstretchable string of length L, their xed ends forming
a horizontal equilateral triangle (g.). Estimate the period of small torsional
oscillations of the ring. (S. Krotov) Hint: when you rotate the ring slightly its
CM rises, try working on this idea.

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