Dynamics and Relativity: Example Sheet 3

Professor David Tong, February 2014

1. In a system of particles, the ith particle has mass mi and position vector xi with
respect to a fixed origin. The centre of mass of the system is at R. Show that L, the
total angular momentum of the system about the origin, and LCoM , the total angular
momentum of the system about the centre of mass, are related by

LCoM = L − R × P

where P is the total linear momentum of the system.

Given that dP/dt = F where F is the total external force and dL/dt = τ where τ
is the total external torque about the origin, show that
dLCoM
= τ CoM ,
dt
where τ CoM is the total external torque about the centre of mass.

2. A system of particles with masses mi and position vectors xi , i = 1, . . . , n, moves

under its own mutual gravitational attraction alone. Write down the equation of motion
for xi . Show that a possible solution of the equations of motion is given by xi = t2/3 ai ,
where the vectors ai are constant vectors satisfying

9G X mj (ai − aj )
ai = .
2 j6=i |ai − aj |3

Show that, for this system, the total angular momentum about the origin and the total
momentum both vanish. What is the angular momentum about any other fixed point?

3. A rocket, moving vertically upwards, ejects gas vertically downwards at speed u

relative to the rocket. Derive the equation of motion
dv dm
m = −u − gm
dt dt
where v and m are the speed and total mass of the rocket (including fuel) at time t. If
u is constant and the rocket starts from rest with total mass m0 , show that

m = m0 e−(gt+v)/u .

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4. A firework of initial mass m0 is fired vertically upwards from the ground. The rate
of burning of fuel dm/dt = −α and the fuel is ejected at constant speed u relative to
the firework. Show that the speed of the firework at time t, where 0 < t < m0 /α, is
 αt 
v(t) = −gt − u log 1 −
m0
and that this is positive provided u > m0 g/α.
Suppose now that nearly all of the firework consists of fuel, the mass of the containing
shell being negligible. Show that the height attained by the shell when all of the fuel
is burnt is
m0  m0 g 
u−
α 2α

5a. Thin circular discs of radius a and b are made of uniform materials with mass per
unit area ρa and ρb , respectively. They lie in the same plane. Their centres A and B
are connected by a light rigid rod of length c. Find the moment of inertia of the system
about an axis through B perpendicular to the plane of the discs.
b. A thin uniform circular disc of radius a and centre A has a circular hole cut in
it of radius b and centre B, where AB = c < a − b. The disc is free to oscillate in a
vertical plane about a smooth fixed horizontal circular rod of radius b passing through
the hole. Using the result
p of part (i), with ρb 4suitably chosen, show that the period of
small oscillations is 2π l/g, where l = c + (a − b )/(2a2 c).
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6. A yo-yo consists of two uniform discs, each of mass M and radius R, connected by
a short light axle of radius a around which a portion of a thin string is wound. One
end of the string is attached to the axle and the other to a fixed point P . The yo-yo
is held with its centre of mass vertically below P and then released.
Assuming that the unwound part of the string remains approximately vertical, use
the principle of conservation of energy to find the equation of motion of the centre of
mass of the yo-yo. Find the tension in the string as the yoyo falls.
If the string has length L, what is the speed of the yoyo just before it reaches the
end? Explain what happens next. What is the impulse due to the tension in the string
at this time?

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7. A uniform circular cylinder of mass M and radius a is free to turn about its axis
which is horizontal. A thin uniform cylindrical shell of mass M/2 and radius a is fitted
over the cylinder. At time t = 0 the angular velocity of the cylinder is Ω, while the shell
is at rest. The shell exerts a frictional torque on the cylinder of magnitude k(ω − ̟),
where ω(t) and ̟(t) are the angular velocities of the cylinder and shell respectively at
time t about the axis. Prove that
1  2

ω(t) = Ω 1 + e−4kt/M a
2
and find the corresponding expression for ̟(t).

8. A bullet of mass m is fired from a point r0 with velocity u in a frame which rotates
with constant angular velocity ω relative to an inertial frame. The bullet is subject
to a gravitational force mg which is constant in the rotating frame. Using the vector
equation of motion and neglecting terms of order |ω|2 , show that the bullet’s position
vector measured in the rotating frame is approximately
1 1
r0 + ut + ( g − ω × u)t2 + g × ωt3
2 3
at time t. Suppose that the bullet is projected from sea level on the Earth at latitude
θ in the Northern hemisphere, at an angle π/4 from the upward vertical and in a
Northward direction. Show that when the particle returns to sea level (neglecting
the curvature of the Earth’s surface), it has been deflected to the East by an amount
approximately equal to
√
2 ω|u|3
(3 sin θ − cos θ)
3g 2
where ω is the angular speed of the Earth. Evaluate the approximate size of this
deflection at latitude 52◦ N for |u| = 1000 m/s.

9. A square hoop ABCD is made of fine smooth wire and has side length 2a. The
hoop is horizontal and rotating with constant angular speed ω about a vertical axis
through A. A small bead which can slide on the wire is initially at rest at the midpoint
of the side BC. Choose axes fixed relative to the hoop, and let x be the distance of
the bead from the vertex B on the side BC. Write down the position vector of the
bead in the rotating frame.
Using the standard expression for acceleration in a rotating frame, show that

ẍ − ω 2 x = 0

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Hence show that the time which the bead takes to reach a corner of the hoop is
ω −1 cosh−1 2. Using dimensional analysis, explain why this time is independent of a.
Obtain an expression for the magnitude of the force exerted by the hoop on the
bead.

10. In these sequence of questions on the Coriolis force, use ω for the angular speed
of the Earth, assume that events take place at latitude θ in the northern hemisphere
and ignore centrifugal forces.
(a) Are bath-plug vortices in the northern hemisphere likely, on average, to be
clockwise or anticlockwise?
(b) A straight river flows with speed v in a direction α degrees East of North. Show
that the effect of the coriolis force is to erode the right bank. Calculate the magnitude
of the force.
(c) A plumb line is attached to the ceiling inside one of the carriages of a train and
hangs down freely, at rest relative to the train. When the train is travelling at speed
V in the north-easterly direction the plumb line hangs at an angle φ to the direction
in which it hangs when the train is at rest. Ignoring centrifugal forces, show that
φ ≈ (2ωV sin θ)/g. Why can the centrifugal force be ignored?