What is the rotational acceleration of a falling chimney?

In summary, the conversation discusses a problem in a new textbook and the solution provided by the textbook. The person initially used the wrong angle in their solution, but after realizing their mistake, they understand that it is an identity where sin(x) = cos(90-x). They thank the other person for pointing this out and realizing their mistake.
  • #1
spsch
111
21
Homework Statement
A 55 Meter chimney breaks and falls down to the side. What is it's rotational acceleration when the chimney makes an angle of 35 degrees to the vertical.
We can assume the chimney as a moment of inertia of a long thin rod.
Relevant Equations
## mgh = \frac {1}{2} I omega^2 ##
Pythagorean Theorem?
Hi all,

I found this problem in a new textbook I'm working through.
And my energy conservation equation was ## mg\frac {h}{2} = \frac {1}{2} I ω^2 + mg \frac {h}{2}*sin(55) ##
My solution was wrong and after checking why I found that they used cos(35) as the angle. The rest was the same.

I'm a little dumbfounded here. It, unfortunately, doesn't explain why they used the cosine of the angle.
I had sin(55) because I subtracted 35 from 55 to get the angle with the horizontal from which I can get h/2*sin(55) of the remaining height?

Thank you, sorry for asking some weird question again
 
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  • #2
90-55=35
sin(x) = cos(90-x)
 
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Likes spsch
  • #3
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Orodruin said:
90-55=35
sin(x) = cos(90-x)
Hi Orodruin.

Thank you, this is an identity I didn't know, or remember! I'm glad that this means I must have just made an algebra or calculator mistake.
Thank you very much!

Edit: I've just drawn it out and it's actually so obvious that they are the same! thanks again!
 

FAQ: What is the rotational acceleration of a falling chimney?

1. What is the definition of rotational acceleration?

Rotational acceleration is the rate at which an object's angular velocity changes over time. It is a measure of how quickly an object is rotating or spinning.

2. How is rotational acceleration different from linear acceleration?

Rotational acceleration refers to the change in an object's angular velocity, while linear acceleration refers to the change in an object's linear velocity. In other words, rotational acceleration measures how quickly an object is rotating, while linear acceleration measures how quickly an object is moving in a straight line.

3. How is rotational acceleration calculated?

Rotational acceleration is calculated by dividing the change in angular velocity by the change in time. The resulting unit is radians per second squared (rad/s²).

4. How does the shape of an object affect its rotational acceleration?

The shape of an object can affect its rotational acceleration because it can change the distribution of its mass and affect how it rotates. Objects with a larger radius or a more spread-out mass distribution will generally have a lower rotational acceleration than objects with a smaller radius or a more compact mass distribution.

5. How does air resistance affect the rotational acceleration of a falling chimney?

Air resistance can affect the rotational acceleration of a falling chimney by creating a force that opposes the motion of the chimney and slows down its rotation. This is because air resistance creates a torque on the chimney, which is a rotational force that causes objects to rotate. As the chimney falls, the air resistance will increase, causing the rotational acceleration to decrease over time.

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