Wheel Definition and 865 Threads

In its primitive form, a wheel is a circular block of a hard and durable material at whose center has been bored a hole through which is placed an axle bearing about which the wheel rotates when torque is applied to the wheel about its axis. The wheel and axle assembly can be considered one of the six simple machines. When placed vertically under a load-bearing platform or case, the wheel turning on the horizontal axle makes it possible to transport heavy loads. This arrangement is the main topic of this article, but there are many other applications of a wheel addressed in the corresponding articles: when placed horizontally, the wheel turning on its vertical axle provides the spinning motion used to shape materials (e.g. a potter's wheel); when mounted on a column connected to a rudder or to the steering mechanism of a wheeled vehicle, it can be used to control the direction of a vessel or vehicle (e.g. a ship's wheel or steering wheel); when connected to a crank or engine, a wheel can store, release, or transmit energy (e.g. the flywheel). A wheel and axle with force applied to create torque at one radius can translate this to a different force at a different radius, also with a different linear velocity.

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  1. C

    How Does a Ferris Wheel Affect the Forces on a Rider?

    A Ferris wheel that rotates three times each minute and has a diameter of 16.0 m What force [magnitude and direction (measured inward from the vertical)] does the seat exert on a 43.0 kg rider when the rider is halfway between top and bottom, going up? Ok, the magnitude is easy... Fnet...
  2. S

    Ferris Wheel Physics Problem: Finding the Landing Spot for Dropped Keys

    Homework Statement A passenger on the ferris wheel described in problem 18 (Problem 18: Fairgoers ride a Ferris wheel with a radius of 5.00m The wheel completes one revolution every 32.0s) drops his keys when he is on he way up and at the 10 o'clock position. Where do the keys land relative...
  3. F

    Understanding Rotational Velocity in a Hamster Wheel

    If a hamster runs in a wheel, how do I figure out the rotational velocity that the wheel achieves (after it stops accelerating)? Is it to do with the mass of the hamster or the speed at which it runs? I'm familiar with the basic concepts of rotational motion (moment of inertia, torque etc) but...
  4. E

    Gyroscope/bicycle wheel question

    Hi there... As English is not my native language I want to apologise up front for any mistakes. I have tried asking my question in a local Dutch forum, but I have not received a satisfactory answer yet. So, I thought I will try internationally. Imagine a fast spinning wheel, like in a...
  5. J

    My Idea: Spinning Magnet-Powered Wheel

    Here is a little animation of an idea I have, It's a wheel that spins continuously and is powered by magnets. Here's the link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNBVQBVOJMw" The description of the video will explain my idea. Please tell if this would work in real life.
  6. D

    Velocity & Acceleration of Bug on Rolling Wheel

    Homework Statement A bug of mass m is stuck to a point on the rim of a rolling wheel (of radius r)... which traces out a path called a cycloid. The position vector of the point (bug) is given by: r(theta) = r(theta - sin(theta))i + r(1 - cos(theta))j For a wheel rolling with constant...
  7. D

    How to find torque reqd to move a wheel?

    Hi, I have to find the torque required to run a wheelchair and then to match it with the electrical parameters to find motor/motor sizing, is it ok 1) if i assume some acceleration that gives me force and then finding T= F*r (N-m) where r is the radius of the wheelchair. 2) then finding...
  8. K

    What is the Precession Frequency of a Rotating Bicycle Wheel?

    Homework Statement A professor holds a bicycle wheel rotating at 402 rev/min by a string attached to a weightless axle 20 cm from the wheel. The acceleration of gravity is 9.8 m/s^2. If all 7.5 kg of the wheel can be considered to be at its 53.6 cm radius, at what frequency in rpm does it...
  9. E

    Does a Spinning Bicycle Wheel Conserve Kinetic Energy and Momentum?

    2 questions. 1.when you're spinning wheel by its shaft, does the wheel have any kinetic energy while it's spinning?is it conserved?explain why. 2.does the wheel have any net momentum while it's spinning? is it conserved?explain why
  10. N

    What Is the Instantaneous Speed of the Point of Contact on a Rolling Wheel?

    Homework Statement A 30cm diameter wheel rolls without slipping at 120rpm. The point of contact with the ground has an instantaneous speed of: a-5.2mm/s b-1.04cm/s c-2.6 m/s d-zero Homework Equations I'm not really sure about my final answer but i think is d-zero because i have a...
  11. B

    Point on wheel with constant velocity

    Let a bicycle run straight on a plane past you from left to right with constant speed. As a representative point of the bicycle take the center of the back axle. Since the bicycle has constant speed with regard to the plane, so has the axle (trivial). In addition a point on the rim of the wheel...
  12. L

    I invented a card game based on the 'wheel'

    this is my game based on my wheel theory, the question is how many non-repetitive combinations of letters that link (eg. ab, bc, cd, and ag, gy, ly ect.) can be found in this game, i don't know it myself and i figure this is the best place to post the question since it's a bit involved. bonus...
  13. R

    Can Recoil on a Wheel Replicate Regular Guns?

    I am trying to remember the rumor I heard about a new gun shooting design in one of my ap physics class discussions, do you guys now of any new breakthrough designs? anyway i think it has to do with the reloading mechanism. (I know I have asked a question of this type before, so if i sound...
  14. R

    Impluse from spinning a wheel while standing on a skateboard

    Hello, Say you have a frictionless setting. In this setting are two skateboards. One has a waterwheel (or any wheel with fins) propped up on beams so that it is on the skateboard and can freely turn. On the other skateboard is a person standing on it. If the skateboards are one behind the...
  15. C

    Calculating Torque on a Potter's Wheel

    Homework Statement A potter's wheel of radius 0.50 m and mass 100.0 kg is freely rotating at 50.0 rev/min. The potter can stop the wheel in 6.0 seconds by pressing a wet rag against the rim. a. What is the angular acceleration of the wheel? b. How much torque does the potter apply to the...
  16. T

    Moment of Inertia of a Wagon Wheel

    A wagon wheel is constructed as shown in the figure. The radius of the wheel is 0.300 m, and the rim has mass 1.36kg . Each of the eight spokes, that lie along a diameter and are 0.300 m long, has mass 0.270kg . What is the moment of inertia? Wouldn't it just be the sum of the masses...
  17. F

    Centripetal acceleration of a wheel

    Homework Statement A wheel of radius 1.0 m is rotating with a constant angular speed of 2.0 rad/s. What is the centripetal acceleration of a point on the wheel’s rim? A) 1.0 m/s2 B) 4.0 m/s2 C) 0.50 m/s2 D) 2.0 m/s2 Homework Equations Would it be v^2/r? The Attempt at a...
  18. E

    Roulette Chasing - betting on the imperfection of the wheel

    Roulette "Chasing" -- betting on the imperfection of the wheel... I've come up with a simple idea called "chasing". First off let's look at the fact that a roulette wheel is NOT PERFECTLY random. Small dents, unequal traction, etc. These imperfections may only give a .01% improvement on...
  19. D

    Help Plane motions rolling wheel

    Help! Plane motions rolling wheel Hi there, I am not having any luck with this question at all and am hoping that there is someone out there that can help me out... here goes: The below cyclinder rolls to the right at 10 in/sec. Determine the angular velocity of BC and CD I am actually...
  20. E

    Angular Acceleration and wheel revolution

    Homework Statement A wheel accelerates from rest to 59 rad/s at a rate of 29 rad/s². How many revolutions the wheel turned while accelerating?Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution I'm confused, I suck at this kind of problem. I got change in angular velocity which would be 59rad/s, and...
  21. M

    Wheel Rotation: Vertical or Horizontal?

    Need some help with a problem here: A hot splinter is dislodged from a spinning grinding wheel. Which of the paths drawn in figure best represent its subsequent motion, given that the axis of rotation is a) vertical b) horizontal ? Heres is the picture for the q...
  22. U

    Angular Acceleration of a Moving Wheel

    I am having a bit of trouble with the following problem. A cyclist starts from rest and pedals so that the wheels make 8.5 revolutions in the first 4.6 s. What is the angular acceleration of the wheels (assumed constant)? I multiplied 8.5 by 2pi and then divided by 4.6 sec. I get an answer...
  23. U

    Angular Acceleration of a Moving Wheel

    I am having a bit of trouble with the following problem. What should I do to start? A cyclist starts from rest and pedals so that the wheels make 8.5 revolutions in the first 4.6 s. What is the angular acceleration of the wheels (assumed constant)?
  24. P

    The wheel on old Horse-Cart problem

    There is a site that explains the old problem of why the horse can pull the cart and move even though Newton's third law says every action has an equal and opposite reaction. It does it well except on this page when it summaries everything...
  25. A

    How Does Wheel Size Affect the Force Needed in Motorcycle Thrust?

    I am sure this is a simple problem, but I am posting this thread to make sure I understand it properly: If a motorcycle requires 3000N of force in order for it to achieve a certain speed over specific terrain and allowing for wind drag, etc. (I.E to counter the sum of the resistive forces...
  26. T

    Understanding Friction in Spinning Wheels: Debunking Misconceptions

    My physics teacher is saying that: The friction force acting on a wheel that is spinning is = to the STATIC friction force of the rubber wheel material on the cement. That doesn't make any sense though because the static friction force is greater than the kinetic friction force so based on...
  27. D

    What direction does a tricycle initially move when pulling a rope to the left?

    http://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tricyclejz7.jpg A. If you pull to the left on the rope above, which way does the tricycle initially move? B. Why? Explain your answer above. (4 key concepts) p.s for Q A, i believe the tricycle will go backward (to the right) since the rope is...
  28. mbrmbrg

    Friction acting on rolling wheel

    Homework Statement In Figure 11-30(see attatched), a constant horizontal force F_app of magnitude 12 N is applied to a wheel of mass 8 kg and radius 0.70 m. The wheel rolls smoothly on the horizontal surface, and the acceleration of its center of mass has magnitude 0.75 m/s2. (a) In...
  29. V

    Find minimum force to raise wheel

    What minimum force F applied horizontally at the axle of the wheel is necessary to raise the wheel of mass M and radius R over a step of height H. A picture for this is at http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=128765607&imageID=1460005538 The answer...
  30. K

    Bicycle Wheel Friction: Average Torque Calculation

    A bicycle wheel, of radius 0.330 m and mass 2.00 kg (concentrated on the rim), is rotating at 4.12 rev/s. After 48.0 s the wheel comes to a stop because of friction. What is the magnitude of the average torque due to frictional forces? First I did I = (1/2)(mr^2) = (1/2)(2kg)(0.330^2 m) =...
  31. S

    How Does the No-Slipping Condition Affect Wheel Rotation Dynamics?

    I have a question about this problem. A rotationally symmetric axle wheel system is smoothly joined to a fixed point O. l=distance from O to CM m=mass of axle wheel system R=Radius of wheel Is and I are the principal moments of inertia relative to CM. The axle is horizonal as the wheel...
  32. P

    Finding the Threshold Force for a Bike Wheel and Step to Lose Contact

    The drawing shows a bike wheel resting against a small step whose height is h=0.120m. The weight and radius of the wheel are W = 25.0N and r = 0.340m. A horizontal force F is applied ot eh axle of the weehl. As the magnitude of F increases, there comes a time when the wheel just begins to...
  33. B

    Angular Momentum - Wheel with unequal radius

    I had the following question on webassign - Two objects are attached to ropes that are attached to wheels on a common axle as shown in Figure 9-55. The two wheels are glued together so that they form a single object. The total moment of inertia of the object is 40 kgm2. The radii of the...
  34. J

    Estimating Work on the Ferris Wheel: George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.

    I've been thinking about this problem for the last half hour, but can't seem to come up with a way of finding a solution. Maybe some of you can help. "George Washington Gale Ferris. Jr., a civil engineering graduate from RPI, built the original Ferris wheel. The wheel carried 36 wooden cars...
  35. J

    Solving the Ferris Wheel Problem: Estimating Work Requirement

    I've been thinking about this problem for the last half hour, but can't seem to come up with a way of finding a solution. Maybe some of you can help. "George Washington Gale Ferris. Jr., a civil engineering graduate from RPI, built the original Ferris wheel. The wheel carried 36 wooden cars...
  36. B

    Calculating Torque & Work on a Flywheel of Mass 183kg & Radius 0.63m

    A flywheel of mass 183 kg has an effective radius of 0.63 m (assume the mass is concentrated along a circumference located at the effective radius of the flywheel). (a) What torque is required to bring this wheel from rest to a speed of 120 rpm in a time interval of 34.3 s? (b) How much...
  37. H

    Calculating Rotational Speed for Wheel C: 240.7 rev/min

    Wheel A of radius ra = 14.6 cm is coupled by belt B to wheel C of radius rc = 28.8 cm. Wheel A increases its angular speed from rest at time t = 0 s at a uniform rate of 7.1 rad/s2. At what time will wheel C reach a rotational speed of 240.7 rev/min, assuming the belt does not slip? I did...
  38. H

    Constant Angular Acceleration of a wheel

    Starting from rest at t = 0 s, a wheel undergoes a constant angular acceleration. When t = 1.9 s, the angular velocity of the wheel is 6.2 rad/s. The acceleration continues until t = 15 s, when the acceleration abruptly changes to 0 rad/s2. Through what angle does the wheel rotate in the...
  39. T

    Angular Acceleration of a rotating wheel

    A rotating wheel requires 2.98 s to rotate through 37.0 revolutions. Its angular speed at the end of the 2.98 s interval is 98.8 rad/s. What is the constant angular acceleration of the wheel? First I tried acceleration = (98.8rad/s - 0 rad/s) / 2.98 s - 0s = 33.15, which was incorrect...
  40. F

    Rubber wheel (angular acceleration)

    A small rubber wheel is used to drive a large pottery wheel, and they are mounted so that their circular edges touch. The small wheel has a radius of 2.0cm and accelerates at the rate of 7.2rad/s^2 and it is in contact with the pottery wheel (radius 25.0cm) without slipping. Calculate: a) the...
  41. T

    Pullin a string to add energy to a wheel

    Suppose that after a certain time t_L, the string has been pulled through a distance L. What is the final rotational speed w_final of the wheel? Express your answer in terms of L, F, I, and w_0 Extra Info: w_0 = angular velocity k = dimensionless constant m = mass r = radius Moment of...
  42. M

    Circular Motion: Ferris Wheel Dynamics

    I'm on the right track, but I'm stuck here... The radius of a Ferris wheel is 5 m and it makes one rev in 10 sec a Find the difference b/w the apparent weight of a passenger at the highest and lowest points, expressed as a fraction of his weight, W b What would the time for one rev be...
  43. S

    Man tries to rob woman in wheel chair

    http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WHEELCHAIR_SHOOTER?SITE=CAANG&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT It's terrible and sad how people take advantage of helpless handicap people:biggrin:
  44. P

    Gravity car wheel radius selection

    As someone who regretfully has never studied physics, I am at a loss as to how to begin to evaluate the choice of wheel radius for a gravity powered car I am building for a local gravity race. How would one go about picking a wheel radius that would maximize the speed of the vehicle?
  45. Pengwuino

    Unbelievable Wheel of Fortune Contestants | Don't Miss the Hilarious Mistakes!

    Why is it that everytime i decide to stick around after jeopardy, i get to be fascinated at the stupidity of some wheel of fortune contestants. When they have a very long puzzle... especially with a jackpot thingy... why is it that they solve soooooo early in the round? Theres maybe... 1 in 20...
  46. T

    Find parametric equation for wheel

    a wheel or radius r rolls along a horizontal straight line.Find parametric equations for path traced by point P on the circumference of the wheel somebody pls help. thanx
  47. F

    Torque problem - game show wheel

    A solid wheel on a game show is given an initial angular speed of 1.25 rad/s in the counterclockwise direction. It comes to rest after rotating through 3/4 of a turn. Find the torque exerted on the wheel given that it is a disk of radius 0.73 m and mass 6.4 kg. I got 0.5654 as the answer...
  48. J

    How Long Does It Take for a Grinding Wheel to Reach Its Final Speed?

    A grinding wheel is in the form of a uniform solid disk of radius 7.01 cm and mass 1.90 kg. It starts from rest and accelerates uniformly under the action of the constant torque of 0.591 Nm that the motor exerts on the wheel. (a) How long does the wheel take to reach its final rotational...
  49. K

    Understanding Differential Angular Speeds in Wheel and Axle Systems

    I'm trying to figure out the following problem but I don't know where to begin: Two wheels of diameter 0.78m are attached to opposite ends of an axle of length 1.6m. The wheels roll around a circular track of inside radius 9m. a) Through what angle around the circular track must the axle...
  50. Ivan Seeking

    Square wheel locomotion for MEMS

    Invented and patented by a twelve year old boy. http://www.memsnet.org/news/1132507379-0/
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