Stick thrown in air physics problem

In summary, a student throws a stick of length L up in the air. At the moment the stick leaves his hand, the speed of the stick's end is zero. The stick completes N turns as its caught by the student at the initial release point. The height to which the centre of mass of the stick rose is \pi NL/4
  • #1
ritwik06
580
0

Homework Statement



A student throws a stick of length L up in the air. At the moment the stick leaves his hand, the speed of the stick's end is zero. The stick completes N turns as its caught by the student at the initial release point. Show that the height to which the centre of mass of the stick rose is [tex]\pi NL/4[/tex]



The Attempt at a Solution


All that I can make out of the problem is that t if the velocity of the centre of mass of the stick was v then by energy conservation the centre of mass of the stick would have risen by [tex]v^{2}/2g[/tex]

I cannot make out what can I do with that N and all. Help me please.
 
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  • #2
ritwik06 said:
A student throws a stick of length L up in the air. At the moment the stick leaves his hand, the speed of the stick's end is zero. The stick completes N turns as its caught by the student at the initial release point. Show that the height to which the centre of mass of the stick rose is [tex]\pi NL/4[/tex]

Hi ritwik06! :smile:

The way to approach a question like this is to start:

"Assume the velocity of the two ends are v and 0, vertically …",

and then calculate both the maximum height and the number of turns. :wink:
 
  • #3
tiny-tim said:
Hi ritwik06! :smile:

The way to approach a question like this is to start:

"Assume the velocity of the two ends are v and 0, vertically …",

and then calculate both the maximum height and the number of turns. :wink:

I tried this.
Assuming the velocity of the two ends are v and 0
Using conservation of angular momentum:
mvL/2=I [tex]\omega[/tex]

then 0.5 I [tex]\omega^{2}[/tex]=mgh
?
 
  • #4
I think you'll also need the time taken to reach the maximum height. And from that figure out the time taken to come back down as well.
 
  • #5
exactly what it says on the box! …

ritwik06 said:
I tried this.
Assuming the velocity of the two ends are v and 0
Using conservation of angular momentum:
mvL/2=I [tex]\omega[/tex]

then 0.5 I [tex]\omega^{2}[/tex]=mgh
?

Hi ritwik06! :smile:

(have an omega: ω and a pi: π and a squared: ² :wink:)

uh-uh … "conservation of angular momentum" means exactly what it says on the box!

the angular momentum will carry on the same, no matter where the stick goes (unless there's a torque, which there isn't … the weight acts through the c.o.m) …

so this is two separate problems …

for the height you can ignore the angular momentum, and for the angular momentum you can ignore the height. :biggrin:
 

Related to Stick thrown in air physics problem

1. What is the initial velocity of the stick?

The initial velocity of the stick depends on the force and angle with which it was thrown. It can be calculated using the formula v = u + at, where v is the final velocity, u is the initial velocity, a is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s^2), and t is the time the stick was in the air.

2. How high does the stick go?

The maximum height the stick reaches can be calculated using the formula h = u^2 sin^2θ / 2g, where h is the maximum height, u is the initial velocity, θ is the angle at which the stick was thrown, and g is the acceleration due to gravity.

3. What is the time of flight for the stick?

The time of flight can be calculated using the formula t = 2u sinθ / g, where t is the time of flight, u is the initial velocity, θ is the angle at which the stick was thrown, and g is the acceleration due to gravity.

4. What factors affect the motion of the stick in the air?

The motion of the stick is affected by various factors such as the initial velocity, angle of projection, air resistance, and gravitational force. The shape and weight of the stick also play a role in the motion.

5. Can the stick's trajectory be affected by external forces?

Yes, the stick's trajectory can be affected by external forces such as wind or air resistance. These forces can alter the initial velocity and angle of projection, resulting in a different path for the stick in the air.

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