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Newton's Laws: Physics Assignment 1

This document outlines 8 physics problems related to Newton's laws of motion. Problem 1 asks about the velocity and height of an object experiencing drag force as it falls. Problem 2 asks about the angular frequency of an object swinging on a string. Problem 3 asks about the speeds and angles of elastic collision between two balls. The remaining problems cover additional concepts in mechanics, oscillations, gravitational force, and measuring the mass and radius of the Earth.

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Tuhin Shaikh
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16 views3 pages

Newton's Laws: Physics Assignment 1

This document outlines 8 physics problems related to Newton's laws of motion. Problem 1 asks about the velocity and height of an object experiencing drag force as it falls. Problem 2 asks about the angular frequency of an object swinging on a string. Problem 3 asks about the speeds and angles of elastic collision between two balls. The remaining problems cover additional concepts in mechanics, oscillations, gravitational force, and measuring the mass and radius of the Earth.

Uploaded by

Tuhin Shaikh
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

PHY 204 Assignment 1:

Review of Newton’s Laws


Tibra Ali
MNS Brac University
[Link]@[Link]
Due: 10 March 11.59 PM

Total Marks = 55 Point


1. (5 points) An object is dropped from rest at height h above the ground, We assume that the
object experiences a drag force proportional to its velocity: Fd = − βv, where β is the drag
coefficent. What is the velocity and height of the object as a function of time?
2. (5 points) An object with mass m hands by a massless string of length ℓ. The object swings
around in a horizontal circle, with the string making a constant angle θ with the vertical. What
is the angular frequency ω of the motion?
3. (5 points) A ball with speed v hits another identical stationary ball. The balls collide elastically
(kinetic energy is conserved) in a way such that the incoming ball gets deflected by an angle
θ. What are the final speeds of the balls and what is the angle φ at which the stationary ball is
deflected?
4. (5 points) Show that the gravitational force inside a spherical shell is zero by showing that
the pieces of mass at the ends of the thin cones give canceling forces at any point inside the
spherical shell.

Figure 1: The gravitational force inside a spherical shell of mass.

1
5. (5 points) If you push on a wall with your hand, you don’t do any work, because your hand
doesn’t move. But in the reference frame of a person moving past you (from front to back),
you do, in fact, do work because your hand moves. And since the person’s speed can be made
arbitrarily large, you can do an arbitrarily large amount of work in the person’s frame. It
therefore seems like you should quickly use up your dinner from the night before and become
very hungry. But you don’t. Why not?

6. (10 points) (a) (5 points) For small oscillations, the time period of the simple pendulum is
given by the approximate formula

ℓ
T ≃ 2π . (1)
g

For finite oscillations, using dt = dx/v, show that the exact time period is given by
s
8 ℓ θ0 dθ
Z
T= √ . (2)
g 0 cos θ − cos θ0

(b) (5 points) Show an approximation to this T, up to second order in θ0 , by expanding the


integrand as a Taylor series in θ0 and then integrating term by term. In this way show
that
s !
ℓ θ02
T ≃ 2π 1+ +... (3)
g 16

7. (10 points) Measuring the weight of the earth


According to Newton’s second law and the law of universal gravitation, the acceleration due
to gravity near the surface of the earth is

GME
g= (4)
R2
where G is Newton’s constant, ME is the mass of the earth and R is its radius. While historically
humans could measure g and R, there was no obvious to measure G and ME separately. It
was Henry Cavendish who devised an ingenious experiment to determine G (the experiment
was earlier proposed by John Michell but he died before the experiment could have been
performed).
The Cavendish experiment setup
Consider the setup in figure 2 which shows the top view. A dumbbell with two masses m on
its end hangs from a very thin wire. The dumbbell is free to twist, although if it twists, the
wire will provide a tiny restoring torque. The dumbbell starts with no twist in the wire, and
then two other masses M are placed (fixed) at the positions shown. These masses produce
attractive forces on the dumbbell masses and cause the dumbbell to and cause the dumbbell
to twist counterclockwise. The dumbbell will oscillate back and forth before finally settling
down at some tiny angle θ away from the initial position. This experimental setup is also
known as a torsional balance.

Page 2
Figure 2: The Cavendish-Michell Experimental Setup

Once the equilibrium position is established, the distance between each pair of masses M and
m is measured to be d. The half-length of the dumbbell arm is ℓ.
The torque on the dumbbell that arises from the twist in the wire takes the form of τ = −bθ
(with counterclockwise torque taken to be positive), where b is a constant that depends on the
thickness and makeup of the wire. This linear relation between τ and θ holds for small θ for
all the same reasons that the F = −kx, Hooke’s law.
(a) (5 points) From the equilibrium condition of the torsional balance, find an expression for
G in terms of M, m, d, θ, b, and ℓ.
(b) (5 points) In the expression above we still can’t extract G, since the value of b is unknown.
By modelling the oscillatory motion of the balance as a simple harmonic oscillator, derive
an expression for b in terms of its time period T and the moment of inertia I of the torsional
balance.
What is the expression for G?
8. (10 points) Sand drops vertically (from a negligible height) at a rate σ kg/s onto a moving
conveyor belt.
(a) What force must you apply to the belt in order to keep it moving at a constant speed v?
(b) How much kinetic energy does the sand gain per unit time?
(c) How much work do you do per unit time?
(d) How much energy is lost to heat per unit time?

Page 3

Common questions

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By symmetry and using calculus, it can be shown that the gravitational forces exerted by mass elements on the surface of a spherical shell cancel out within the shell. This is due to the mass distribution being uniform and symmetrical about any point within the shell. The forces exerted by opposing elements across the diameter are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, resulting in a net force of zero on any mass inside the shell. This can be demonstrated by considering the canceling effects of infinitesimally small mass elements arranged symmetrically .

To maintain the conveyor belt moving at constant velocity v when sand of mass flow rate σ (kg/s) is dropped onto it, a force F = σv is necessary to keep momentum conserved. The kinetic energy gained by the sand per unit time is calculated by considering the change in kinetic energy as the sand comes to velocity v, resulting in an energy gain rate of (1/2)σv² .

The exact period T of a simple pendulum with finite oscillations is derived by integrating the equation T = √(8ℓ/g) ∫(dθ/√(cos θ - cos θ_0)), where θ_0 is the initial angle. To approximate T for small oscillations, expand √(cos θ - cos θ_0) using a Taylor series in terms of θ_0, then integrate term by term to get T ≃ 2π√(ℓ/g)(1 + θ_0²/16 + ...), which provides a more accurate period approximation within the context of small angles .

In the reference frame of an observer moving past you, a force applied against a stationary wall can be perceived as work, since your hand appears to move relative to the observer. However, from your frame of reference, no work is done as there is no displacement. The perceived work doesn’t actually translate to physical energy expenditure because work is frame-dependent, while energy conservation and metabolic consumption remain bound to actual physical displacement and metabolic processes, which are independent of the observer's frame .

In an elastic collision of two identical balls, the velocities are always exchanged. The initially stationary ball moves off with speed v in a direction determined by the conservation of momentum and kinetic energy. The incoming ball, initially moving with speed v and eventually being deflected by angle θ, will deflect with a final speed of v, maintaining the angle θ from its original direction. The stationary ball will deflect at an angle φ that satisfies momentum conservation laws, calculated using trigonometric identities derived from the collision conditions .

The Cavendish experiment measured G by using a torsional balance to detect the gravitational attraction between known masses. By observing the twist angle θ of a dumbbell apparatus with masses m at its ends, which oscillated due to attractive forces from fixed masses M, Cavendish could calculate the torque force involved. The torque τ is given as τ = -bθ, and by accounting for the distance d between the masses and the torsional stiffness b (through the oscillation period and system moment of inertia), Cavendish derived a formula for G in terms of measurable quantities, thus allowing for G's first experimental determination .

The velocity of an object experiencing a drag force proportional to its velocity, F_d = -βv, can be found by solving the differential equation produced by Newton's second law. This results in the velocity as a function of time being v(t) = (mg/β)(1 - e^(-βt/m)), where m is the mass of the object and g is the gravitational acceleration. Integrating the velocity function with respect to time gives the height as a function of time: h(t) = h - (m^2g/β^2)(1 - e^(-βt/m) - βt/m), indicating that the object reaches terminal velocity as time approaches infinity .

Historically, g (acceleration due to gravity) and R (Earth's radius) could be measured by observing pendulum swings or astronomical phenomena. However, separating G and M_E for independent measurement wasn't immediate. The Cavendish experiment filled this gap, allowing determination of G by utilizing small masses to create measurable gravitational attraction in a controlled apparatus, subsequently enabling calculation of Earth's mass when combined with known g and R .

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