Tutorial Sheet 2
Classical Physics
Even Semester, 2022-23
Problem 1
A box of mass M is hanging from a rope of linear mass density λ(y)
and length L. The system is completely still. What is the tension in the
string at a distance l from the top? Work out the special case where
λ(y) is linear in y and the total mass of the rope is m.
L
Solution: The mass of rope below the point y = l is l λ(y) dy.
This mass and the mass M of the box must be supported by the tension
in the rope at point y = l, therefore tension as a function of distance is
L
T (l) = M g + g λ(y) dy.
l
For the special case, lets say λ(y) = ay, then the total mass of the rope
L
is 0 ay dy = aL2 /2. But this must equal m, therefore a = 2m/L2 . The tension is
l2
T (l) = M g + mg 1 − 2 .
L
Problem 2
Suppose it is found that the viscous force in a particular medium scales quadratically with velocity,
that is Fvisc = −kv 2 with k being a positive constant. Solve the equation of motion in one
dimension assuming no other forces and initial velocity v0 , and calculate the velocity as a function
of time. Find the time it takes for the velocity to be reduced to half.
Solution: The equation of motion is
dv
m = −kv 2 .
dt
This has a solution −1
kt
v(t) = +C .
m
1
The constant of integration C is actually the reciprocal of initial velocity C = . So we have
v0
−1
kv0 t
v(t) = +1 v0 .
m
1
m
The time it takes for velocity to be reduced to half is .
kv0
Problem 3
Find the center of mass of a homogeneous right-angled triangular plate of negligible thickness.
The perpendicular sides both measure to length L and the total mass is M .
Solution: Setup the coordinates such that the two equal sides are along the axes. Then the
vertex between these two sides lies on the origin. Intuitively the COM should be at the centroid.
We can use the definition of COM to verify this. As an area-integral, the location of COM is given
by
1
R= r σ(r) da, r = xx̂ + y ŷ.
M
But since the plate is homogeneous, the area density of mass (σ) is a constant, so we have
M = σL2 /2 and
2 2
R = 2 r da = 2 r dx dy.
L L
The integral is restricted to the area covered by the plate and therefore the x and y integrals are
not independent. Note that the hypotenuse of the triangle has the equation x + y = L. This
means for a given x the y-values in the integral can not exceed L − x. With this information we
can solve the integrals. The x-component of R is
L L−x L
2 2 L
Rx = 2 dx x dy = 2 dx x(L − x) = .
L 0 0 L 0 3
The y-component of R should be same by symmetry, and the following calculation confirms it.
L L−x L
2 1 L
Ry = dx dy y = dx (L − x)2 = .
L2 0 0 L2 0 3
Problem 4
See the image on right. The spring is ideal and the masses
are not joined in any way, but are merely touching. Both
masses are compressed by length L. Find how far and how
long the mass M travels before coming to a halt once the
compressed system is released, given that there is no friction
πL
on the surface for the first distance measured from the
2
point of equilibrium and past this distance the coefficient of
kinetic friction is µ. You must solve this problem without using the energy formalism.
Solution Let us setup the x-coordinate such that x = −L indicates the location of left
edge of mass M when the spring is maximally compressed. Then the equation of motion is
(m + M )ẍ = −kx which has the general solution
x(t) = A sin(ωt) + B cos(ωt), v(t) = Aω cos(ωt) − Bω sin(ωt),
2
p
where ω = k/(m + M ) and A, B are constants of integration (or initial data). These can be
fixed by noting that x(0) = −L and v(0) = 0, which give B = −L and A = 0 respectively. So
the actual trajectory is given by
x(t) = −L cos(ωt), v(t) = Lω sin(ωt).
At the point where the spring starts expanding (x = 0), the masses will detach because at this
point the mass m is being pulled back towards the spring, while the mass M has no horizontal
force acting on. Their common velocity at this point is Lω, and the time taken is one fourth of
the total time period, π/(2ω). The equation of motion written above is no longer valid.
Subsequently the mass M will travel to x = πL/2 with constant velocity, at which point it
will encounter the frictional surface. The time taken from detaching to arriving at x = πL/2 is
distance/speed = (πL/2)/(Lω) = π/(2ω). The total time taken so far is π/ω.
Once the mass M is in the frictional area it faces a retarding force of magnitude µM g, and
therefore the equation motion is ẍ = −µg with general solution
1
x(t) = − µgt2 + Ct + D, v(t) = −µgt + C.
2
π πL π
The coefficients C and D can be determined by noting that x = and v = Lω. The
ω 2 ω
values for C, D are
πµg πL π 2 µg
C = Lω + , D=− − .
ω 2 2ω 2
The box comes to a halt at whichever value of time satisfies v(t) = 0, that is at
C π Lω
t= = + .
µg ω µg
At this time the location of the particle is
Lπ L2 ω 2
C
x t= = + .
µg 2 2µg
Using the energy formalism makes solving this problem significantly less tedious.
Problem 5
Is Earth an inertial frame of reference? Use the fact that rotational speed of earth at equator is
460 m/s and the equatorial radius is 6400 km to arrive at a conclusion. If you are concerned about
the contribution from revolution of earth around the sun, then use the following numbers - speed
of earth around sun is 30 km/s and the distance from sun is 1.5 x 108 km.
Solution: At the equator the centrifugal force due to rotation of earth on an object is only
roughly 0.4 % of its weight. Away from the equator, the force will be even less. The centrifugal
force due to revolution of earth is about 0.06% of an object’s weight. Evidently, any non-inertial
effects are marginal, and therefore the earth is very nearly inertial.
3
Problem 6
An atwood machine is placed on a weighing machine and its weight is noted. Then the masses
are released and weight noted once again. Is the new reading shown on the machine different
from the first one? Arrive at a conclusion using physical principles alone, and then verify your
answer using calculations based on a free body diagram. You can make the standard assumptions
to simplify your calculations.
Solution: The weighing machine only senses the normal forces from the atwood machine, and
the internal forces will not affect the net outgoing forces. Therefore the weight is unaffected by
the motion of the blocks.
Drawing a standard free body diagram will verify this. If the masses on the atwood machine
are m1 > m2 , then the force balance is given by
m1 g − T = m1 a, T − m2 g = m2 a.
Combining the two equations we get
2m1 m2 g
T = .
m1 + m2
The force balance for the pulley (mass = mp , normal force from weighing machine = N ) is
N − 2T − mp g = 0 =⇒ N = 2T + mp g.
N depends on fixed quantities, therefore the weight shown on machine is also fixed.
Problem 7
What is the range of values of the coefficient of friction of the material coating the floor and the
wall such that a stick of mass m and length L can rest against the wall without slipping? It is
known that centre of mass of the stick is located at a length a from bottom and that both floor
and wall have same coefficient of friction. Work out the special case a = L/2.
Solution: For equilibrium all the forces and moments must cancel out. We can also connect
the normal forces and friction forces when everything is static: F1 = µN1 and F2 = µN2 .
Force balancing along horizontal direction gives
N1 − F2 = 0.
Force balancing along vertical direction gives
F1 + N2 − mg = 0.
From these the normal forces can be calculated:
µmg mg
N1 = 2
, N2 = .
1+µ 1 + µ2
The fact that forces are balanced out merely implies that the COM doesnt move. So the moments
also need to balance. This is also obvious from the fact that the above conditions are clearly
insufficient to help us determine whether the stick will balance or slide. The moment balance,
with COM as the reference point, is
N2 a cos θ − F2 a sin θ − F1 (L − a) cos θ − N1 (L − a) sin θ = 0
4
L
Define α = − 1 for brevity. Then we have
a
N2 − F1 α 1 − α µ2
tan θ = = .
N1 α + F2 (1 + α)µ
This is sufficient to determine equilibrium, given the coefficient µ and location of centre of mass
through α. As long as the RHS is positive, a physical solution exists. Since a can bever be larger
than L, we have α ≥ 0. So the condition for equilibrium is
r
2 1 a
µ < =⇒ µ < .
α L−a
Here it is clear that as the center of mass drops lower, the required friction also decreases.
For a homogeneous stick, or one symmetrical about the center, a = L/2. In this case the
condition is µ < 1.