What is the acceleration of a cylinder when a torque is applied to it?

In summary, the conversation discusses a problem involving a cylinder of mass 5kg on a surface with a static friction constant of μ=0.6 and a radius of 0.1 meters. At time t=0s, a torque is applied to the cylinder, causing it to roll. The goal is to find the acceleration of the center of mass, with the given answer in the book being a=2.67m/s^2. The attempt at a solution involves using the equations of rototranslation and summing up inertias, but ultimately the solution is found by considering the forces and moments involved. The correct solution is a=2.67m/s^2.
  • #1
dumbdumNotSmart
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Homework Statement


Got a spicy one for you today.
There is a cylinder of mass 5kg (M) with no angular velocity and no velocity, on a surface of static friction constant μ=0.6 . It's radius is .1 meters (R). Its baricentric moment of inertia is characterized by I=.5MR^2 . Gravity is 10m/s. Kinematic μ=0.4 is also given of the flat surface.

At time t=0s, torque is applied by an external force of a magnitude of η=2 Newton meters so that it begins to roll.

Find the acceleration of the center of mass of the cylinder.
The answer in the book is a=2.67m/s^2
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Homework Equations


Rototranslation
Σmoment of inertia = Iα
ma=Σforces
αR=a

The Attempt at a Solution


Alright, so I began assuming it would begin rolling without sliding, thus we use static μ.
I sum up the inertias like so to find the angular acceleration of the cylinder.
η-μR=Iα ⇒ R(η-μR)/I=a
This gives me a negative number. I am confused. The answer in the book is a=2.67m/s^2

Why is it that simply using inertias does not work? I hear it might be done setting a fixed point and using angular momentum, but the problem is in the Rototranslation chapter.

Edit:
I believe I managed to solve it:

Ffriction=ma α=a/r
Mcupla-Ff*r=mr^2*α/2 ⇒ Mc-mar=mr*a/2 ⇒ Mc= 3mar/2 ⇒ a=2Mc/(3mr) ⇒ a=2.67m/s^2
 
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  • #2
With regard to your first attempt, if the coefficient of static friction is ##\mu_s## and the normal force is N, what is the force of static friction? Think carefully before answering.
 

FAQ: What is the acceleration of a cylinder when a torque is applied to it?

What is torque and moment of inertia?

Torque is the measure of a force's ability to cause rotational motion. It is calculated by multiplying the force applied by the distance from the axis of rotation. Moment of inertia, on the other hand, is the measure of an object's resistance to changes in its rotational motion. It is calculated by summing the products of each mass element in the object with the square of its distance from the axis of rotation.

What is the difference between torque and moment of inertia?

The main difference between torque and moment of inertia is that torque is a measure of the force applied to cause rotational motion, while moment of inertia is a measure of an object's resistance to changes in its rotational motion. Torque is dependent on the force and distance from the axis of rotation, while moment of inertia is dependent on the mass and distance of each element from the axis of rotation.

How does torque affect rotational motion?

Torque is directly proportional to the angular acceleration of an object. This means that the greater the torque applied, the faster the object will rotate. Additionally, the direction of the torque will determine the direction of the object's rotation.

Why is moment of inertia important?

Moment of inertia is important because it plays a crucial role in determining an object's rotational motion. It affects how quickly an object can spin and how much force is needed to change its rotational speed. Moment of inertia also helps in understanding how energy is stored in a rotating object.

How do you calculate torque and moment of inertia?

To calculate torque, you multiply the force applied by the distance from the axis of rotation. The formula is torque = force x distance. To calculate moment of inertia, you need to sum the products of each mass element in the object with the square of its distance from the axis of rotation. The formula is moment of inertia = ∑mr², where m is the mass of each element and r is the distance from the axis of rotation.

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