Analysis of a Tipping Rod on a Frictionless Rail

1 Setup and Fundamental Principles

1.1 Coordinate System and Variables
Let the horizontal rails define the x-axis, and the vertical direction be the y-axis. The origin
(0, 0) is the initial position of the Center of Mass (CM).

• m: mass of the rod.

• L: length of the rod.

• ϕ: the angle of the rod with the positive y-axis (ϕ = 0 is the initial upright position).
dϕ
• ω= dt : angular velocity of the rod.

• α= dω
dt : angular acceleration of the rod.

• N : the total normal force from the rails on the axle (acting in the y-direction).

1.2 Conservation of Horizontal Momentum

The system consists of the rod and the Earth. The external forces are gravity (vertical) and
the normal force from the rails (vertical). There are no external horizontal forces. Therefore,
the horizontal momentum of the system’s center of mass must be conserved. Since the system
starts from rest, the initial horizontal momentum is zero.

pcm,x (t) = mvcm,x (t) = 0 for all t

This implies that the CM has no horizontal velocity, and its x-coordinate remains fixed at its
initial position, which we define as x = 0.

xcm (t) = 0
L
The position of the CM is related to the axle’s position, xa , by xcm = xa + 2 sin ϕ. The
constraint xcm = 0 gives us a crucial kinematic relationship:
L
xa (t) = − sin ϕ(t) (1)
2
The CM falls straight down. The position of the CM is given by (xcm , ycm ) = (0, L2 cos ϕ).

1.3 Conservation of Mechanical Energy

The normal force N acts Ron the axle, which moves only horizontally. Since N is purely vertical,
it does no work (WN = F⃗N · d⃗ra = 0). The only other external force doing work is gravity,
which is conservative. Thus, the total mechanical energy E is conserved.

• Initial State (ϕ = 0): The rod is at rest. Ui = mgycm (0) = mg L2 . Ki = 0.

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 • General State (ϕ): U (ϕ) = mg L2 cos ϕ. The kinetic energy K is the sum of translational
energy of the CM and rotational energy about the CM.

vcm,x = 0
 
d L L
vcm,y = cos ϕ = − ω sin ϕ
dt 2 2
 2 
1 2 1 L 2 2 1
Ktrans = mvcm = m ω sin ϕ = mL2 ω 2 sin2 ϕ
2 2 4 8
 
1 1 1 1
Krot = Icm ω 2 = mL2 ω 2 = mL2 ω 2
2 2 12 24
mL2 ω 2 2
The total kinetic energy is K(ϕ) = Ktrans + Krot = 24 (3 sin ϕ + 1).

By conservation of energy, Ei = E(ϕ):

L L mL2 ω 2
mg = mg cos ϕ + (1 + 3 sin2 ϕ)
2 2 24
Solving for the angular velocity squared, ω 2 :
12g 1 − cos ϕ
ω2 = (2)
L 1 + 3 sin2 ϕ

2 Derivation of the Normal Force N (ϕ)

We apply Newton’s second law for translation and rotation.

1. Translational Motion (y-direction): The net vertical force determines the vertical
acceleration of the CM, acm,y .
X
Fy = N − mg = macm,y (3)

2. Rotational Motion (about the CM): The net torque about the CM determines the
angular acceleration α. The force of gravity provides no torque about the CM. The normal
force N at the axle provides the only torque.
     
L L L L
⃗ra/cm = ⃗ra − ⃗rcm = − sin ϕ, 0 − 0, cos ϕ = − sin ϕ, − cos ϕ
2 2 2 2
F⃗N = (0, N )
 
⃗ NL
⃗τcm = ⃗ra/cm × FN = − sin ϕ k̂
2
1
mL2 α:
P
Using τcm = Icm α = 12

NL 1 6N sin ϕ
− sin ϕ = mL2 α =⇒ α=− (4)
2 12 mL

2
3. Kinematic Relation for Acceleration: We must relate acm,y to α and ω. Using the
relative motion formula ⃗acm = ⃗aaxle + ⃗acm/axle provides the most robust method.

⃗aaxle = (ax , 0)
⃗acm/axle = α⃗ × ⃗rcm/axle − ω 2⃗rcm/axle
 
L L
⃗rcm/axle = sin ϕ, cos ϕ
2 2
 
αL αL
⃗ × ⃗rcm/axle = αk̂ × (. . . ) = −
α cos ϕ, sin ϕ
2 2
ω2L ω2L
 
2
−ω ⃗rcm/axle = − sin ϕ, − cos ϕ
2 2

The y-component of the CM acceleration is therefore:

αL ω2L
acm,y = sin ϕ − cos ϕ (5)
2 2

4. Solving for N: Substitute α from Eq. (4) into Eq. (5):

ω2L ω2L
 
L 6N sin ϕ 3N
acm,y = − sin ϕ − cos ϕ = − sin2 ϕ − cos ϕ
2 mL 2 m 2

Now substitute this acm,y into the force equation, Eq. (3):

ω2L
 
3N 2
N − mg = m − sin ϕ − cos ϕ
m 2
mLω 2
N − mg = −3N sin2 ϕ − cos ϕ
2
mLω 2
N (1 + 3 sin2 ϕ) = mg − cos ϕ
2
Finally, substitute the expression for ω 2 from Eq. (2):
 
2 mL 12g 1 − cos ϕ
N (1 + 3 sin ϕ) = mg − cos ϕ
2 L 1 + 3 sin2 ϕ
cos ϕ(1 − cos ϕ)
N (1 + 3 sin2 ϕ) = mg − 6mg
1 + 3 sin2 ϕ
(1 + 3 sin2 ϕ) − (6 cos ϕ − 6 cos2 ϕ)
 
2
N (1 + 3 sin ϕ) = mg
1 + 3 sin2 ϕ
1 + 3 sin2 ϕ − 6 cos ϕ + 6 cos2 ϕ
N = mg
(1 + 3 sin2 ϕ)2

Simplifying the numerator using sin2 ϕ = 1 − cos2 ϕ:

1 + 3(1 − cos2 ϕ) − 6 cos ϕ + 6 cos2 ϕ = 4 − 6 cos ϕ + 3 cos2 ϕ

This gives our final expression for the normal force as a function of ϕ:

4 − 6 cos ϕ + 3 cos2 ϕ
N (ϕ) = mg (6)
(1 + 3 sin2 ϕ)2

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3 Results
3.1 Normal Force at Specific Angles
• At ϕ = 0◦ (Initial Position): cos(0) = 1, sin(0) = 0.

4 − 6(1) + 3(1)2
N (0◦ ) = mg = mg(1) = mg
(1 + 0)2
This is expected, as the normal force balances the weight in the initial static position.

• At ϕ = 90◦ (Horizontal Position): cos(90) = 0, sin(90) = 1.

4−0+0 4 mg
N (90◦ ) = mg 2 2
= mg 2 =
(1 + 3(1) ) 4 4
The force is positive, meaning the rail is still pushing up on the axle.

• At ϕ = 180◦ (Hanging Position): cos(180) = −1, sin(180) = 0.

4 − 6(−1) + 3(−1)2
N (180◦ ) = mg = mg(4 + 6 + 3) = 13mg
(1 + 0)2
A very large upward force is required as the rod swings through its lowest point.

3.2 Plot of Normal Force vs. Angle

The derived formula for N (ϕ) is plotted below. The denominator (1 + 3 sin2 ϕ)2 is always
positive, so the function is continuous and well-behaved for all angles. The graph shows the
normal force, normalized by mg, as a function of the angle ϕ.

Figure 1: Plot of the normalized normal force N/mg versus the angle ϕ. Key points at 0◦ , 90◦ ,
and 180◦ are marked.

The plot shows that the normal force starts at mg, decreases to a minimum value of mg/4
when the rod is horizontal, and then increases dramatically to a maximum of 13mg when the
rod is hanging straight down.