OpenQA23

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course PHY 121

4.16.11 at 12pm

023. Forces (atwood, chains)

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Question: `q001. Note that this assignment contains 3 questions.

. A chain 200 cm long has a density of 15 g/cm. Part of the chain lies on a tabletop,

with which it has a coefficient of friction equal to .10. The other part of the chain

hangs over the edge of the tabletop.

If 50 cm of chain hang over the edge of the tabletop, what will be the acceleration of the

chain?

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Your solution:

50cm * 15 g = 750 g = 0.75kg

Fnet = a/m

Fnet = 9.8m/sec^2/0.75kg

Fnet = 13.1 N

confidence rating #$&*:

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Given Solution:

The part of the chain hanging over the edge of the table will experience an unbalanced

force from gravity and will therefore tend to accelerate chain in the direction of the

hanging portion. The remainder of the chain will also experience the gravitational force,

but this force will be countered by the upward force exerted on the chain by the table.

The force between the chain and the table will give rise to a frictional force which will

resist motion toward the hanging portion of the chain.

If 50 cm of chain hang over the edge of the tabletop, then we have 50 cm * (15 g/cm) = 750

grams = .75 kg of chain hanging over the edge. Gravity will exert a force of 9.8

meters/second ^ 2 * .75 kg = 7.3 Newtons of force on this mass, and this force will tend to

accelerate the chain.

The remaining 150 cm of chain lie on the tabletop. This portion of the chain has a mass

which is easily shown to be 2.25 kg, so gravity exerts a force of approximately 21 Newtons

on this portion of the chain. The tabletop pushes backup with a 21 Newton force, and this

force between tabletop and chain results in a frictional force of .10 * 21 Newtons = 2.1

Newtons.

We thus have the 7.3 Newton gravitational force on the hanging portion of the chain,

resisted by the 2.1 Newton force of friction to give is a net force of 5.2 Newtons.

Since the chain has a total mass of 3 kg, this net force results in an acceleration of 5.2

N / (3 kg) = 1.7 meters/second ^ 2, approximately.

STUDENT COMMENT: need to think of friction as a component with the force of table on chain

, not chain on table even though these are the

same.

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE: The frictional force arises from the mutual opposing normal forces

exerted between chain and tabletop.

STUDENT COMMENT: also, the normal force is not according to the total mass, just the part

on the table. i would havethought that the connected part of teh chain would contribute to

force. but it doesnt

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE: The normal force acts only between the tabletop and the mass of the

chain supported by the tabletop. The normal force itself is balanced by the gravitational

force on this segment of chain. So the combined normal and gravitational force on the chain

on the table contributes nothing to the net force.

However the normal force does given rise to a frictional force. This frictional force is

not balanced, in the way the normal force is balanced by the gravitational force, by any

other force and in this sense the frictional force contributes to the net force. (The

weight of the hanging part of the chain also contributes).

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Self-critique (if necessary):

I got to a point and then was a bit confuse on how to proceed. I didn't think to take into account the force of the chain resting on the table.

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Self-critique rating:

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Question: `q002. What is the maximum length of chain that can hang over the edge before

the chain begins accelerating?

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Your solution:

IT will be less than half the chain (less than 100cm). Since gravity is pulling it downward and the resting portion of the chain has an equal and opposite amount of force being placed on it by the table, the chain that is hanging has a greater force and will accelerate the entire chain downward when less than half is overhanging.

confidence rating #$&*:

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Given Solution:

The maximum length that can hang over is the length for which the frictional force opposing

motion is precisely equal to the gravitational force on the hanging portion of the chain.

If x stands for the length in cm of the portion of chain hanging over the edge of the

table, then the mass of the length is x * .015 kg / cm and it experiences a gravitational

force of (x * .015 kg / cm) * 9.8 m/s^2 = x * .147 N / cm.

The portion of chain remaining on the tabletop is 200 cm - x. The mass of this portion is

(200 cm - x) * .015 kg / cm and gravity exerts a force of (200 cm - x) * .015 kg / cm * 9.8

meters/second ^ 2 = .147 N / cm * (200 cm - x) on this portion. This will result in a

frictional force of .10 * .147 N / cm * (200 cm - x) = .0147 N / cm * (200 cm - x).

Since the maximum length that can hang over is the length for which the frictional force

opposing motion is precisely equal to the gravitational force on the hanging portion of the

chain, we set the to forces equal and solve for x. Our equation is

.0147 N / cm * (200 cm - x) = .147 N/cm * x. Dividing both sides by .0147 N/cm we obtain

200 cm - x = 10 * x. Adding x to both sides we obtain

200 cm = 11 x so that

x = 200 cm / 11 = 18 cm, approx..

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Self-critique (if necessary):

Wow, didn't see that coming.

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Self-critique rating:

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Question: `q003. The air resistance encountered by a certain falling object of mass 5 kg

is given in Newtons by the formula F = .125 v^2, where the force F is in Newtons when the

velocity v is in meters/second. As the object falls its velocity increases, and keeps

increasing as it approaches its terminal velocity at which the net force on the falling

object is zero, which by Newton's Second Law results in zero acceleration and hence in

constant velocity. What is the terminal velocity of this object?

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Your solution:

5kg * 9.8m/sec^2 = 49 N

F = 0.125v^2

F/ 0.125 = v^2

sqrt(f/0.125) = v

sqrt(49/0.125) = v

v = 19.8m/sec

confidence rating #$&*:

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Given Solution:

Only two forces act on this object, the downward force exerted on it by gravity and the

upward force exerted by air resistance. The downward force exerted by gravity remains

constant at 5 kg * 9.8 meters/second ^ 2 = 49 Newtons. When this force is equal to the

.125 v^2 Newton force of friction the object will be at terminal velocity.

Setting .125 v^2 Newtons = 49 Newtons, we divide both sides by .125 Newtons to obtain

v^2 = 49 Newtons/(.125 Newtons) = 392. Taking square roots we obtain

v = `sqrt (392) = 19.8, which represents 19.8 meters/second.

STUDENT COMMENT: It would take a lot of air resistance to stop a falling 5kg object. a big

fan/jet

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE: It would take 5 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 49 N of force to balance the

gravitational force and cause the falling object to stop accelerating. However once the 49

N air resistance was achieved, the object would continue falling at whatever constant

velocity was required to achieve this force.

To stop it from falling would take a force in excess of 49 N. The greater the resisting

force the more quickly the object would come to rest. To bring it to rest would indeed

require an updraft of some sort.

The necessary speed depends on the surface area of the object. For example a parachute,

which is spread over a relatively large area, might well have a mass of 5 kg, and very

little velocity would be required to produce an air resistance of 49 N. On the other hand a

5 kg iron cannonball has a small surface area and would have to be moving very fast to

encounter 49 N of air resistance.

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Self-critique (if necessary):

Finally.

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"

Self-critique (if necessary):

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Self-critique rating:

&#Good responses. Let me know if you have questions. &#