L4

Topics
- Torque (statics)
- Rotational kinetic energy
- Rotational dynamics
- Conservation of angular momentum
Example 4 (slide 18): Class details are attached for interest.

REFERENCES:
S.G. 11
Text § 9.3—§ 9.7

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PHYS*1080 PHYSICS FOR LIFE SCIENCES
Rotational vs Linear Motion
Note: “+” x direction is “+” velocity direction!

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Two Ways to Calculate Torque
You want to rotate a lever:
force (F) matters, and arm length (r) matters.

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4
Rotation direction: cw “-” sign, ccw “+” sign

r θ θ
pivot
θ
F F F

θ θ
F F F

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Question 1 Practice on torque sign

A lever (black) tends to rotate around a pivot (red circle) when

a force “F” (green arrow) is acting on, as figures shown. Which
pictures illustrate a negative torque?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
(F)

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Question 2 Practice on torque magnitude

Same lever (with length r ) pictures A-F as last question. If we

disregard +/- sign (torque direction) here, which torques have
the magnitude given by ?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
(F)

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Question 3
When an object is not rotating, the net torque about the pivot point must
be zero. This is true for any pivot point. Using this idea, how does the
normal force (N) compare to your force (Fyou)?

(A) N = 3 x Fyou
(B) N = 2 x Fyou
(C) N = Fyou
(D) N = (1/2) x Fyou
(E) N = (1/3) x Fyou
(F) None of the above
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Question 4

Try out the second method for calculating torque! Determine the net
torque acting on the block. Assume FA = FB = 10 N.

(A) 3 Nm
(B) - 4 Nm
(C) 5 Nm
(D) - 6 Nm
(E) 7 Nm

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Example 1
Calculate the torque due to the three forces shown about the
left end of the bar (the blue X). The length of the bar is 4 m
and F2 acts in the middle of the bar.

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Example 2
A box (width 8 m, height 6 m) is hinged to a green post. The
bottom right corner rests on an inclined plane, and a force F
is applied to the top left corner, as shown. List the torques
on the box, using the hinge as the pivot.
F

Torque picture:
15o

Note: When considering torques and rotating

objects, we can’t just treat the object as a dot
as in the FBD. We need a physical picture to
show force distances/angles and “mg” at the
centre of the mass—Torque picture.
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 Torque picture:

3.

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Example 3
A 5.0 m long flagpole is attached to a wall and held in place
(horizontally) by a rope. A man hangs from the flagpole, as
shown. What is the weight of the man?

(see next slide)

Example 3 (cont.)

Torque picture: T
f θ

Select pivot N
here, as we
don’t know Wp Wm
friction force
information.

0=
Question 5
A 15.0 N penguin is suspended from a 2.50 m long, massless
flagpole. The flagpole is held in place by a beautiful rope. What
is the tension in the rope?
Torque picture?

(A) 12.6 N
(B) 15.7 N
(C) 17.9 N
(D) 107 N
(E) 123 N
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Question 6
A heavy box rests on the floor. You would like to tip it over on its side,
using most effective way (no waste of force). Which of the three
vectors shows the correct location & direction of the force? (Assume
that there is enough friction that the box does not slide, rather it pivots
about the point P.)

(A) a
(B) b
(C) c
(D) all 3 work equally well
(E) non of these are the best position/direction

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Example 4 Will the ladder slip?
A 3.0 m long ladder leans against frictionless wall at an angle
of 60o. What is the minimum value of needed to prevent
the ladder from slipping?

y
Nx
x

Ny

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(write solution in next slide)
Example 4 (cont.)

Torque picture:

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Question 7
A massless board of length 3.0 m is suspended from two ropes,
one at each end. The maximum tension that rope 1 and rope 2
can sustain before breaking is 100 N and 300 N respectively. If
you are to place a 350 N box onto the board, where is it safe to
place the box?

A. 0.5 m away from rope 1

B. 1.0 m away from rope 1
C. 1.5 m away from rope 1
D. 2.0 m away from rope 1
E. 2.5 m away from rope 1

(write your solution next slide)

Q7 FBD:

Torque picture:

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 Moment of Inertia

particle mass rotating radius

e.g.,

r r
m

I = m(2r)2 = 4mr2 I = mr2 + mr2 = 2mr2

for a solid sphere (radius R, mass M ), I = (2/5)MR2

Question 8
A coin has a moment of inertia IA when it is spun on its edge as in
diagram A, and moment of inertia IB when it is spun like a disc as
in diagram B. What is the relationship between IA and IB?

(A) IA = IB
(B) IA < IB
(C) IA > IB
(D) Not enough information

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Kinetic Energy & Rolling

m, I vcm velocity for the

r centre of mass

• Need friction in order to roll (rolling

friction).
• It can be shown that vcm = rω

translational rotational
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Question 9
A block and a ball of equal mass m are placed at the same height h and
released from rest down identical ramps. The block slides and the ball
rolls down the ramp. Neglect sliding friction, which object will arrive at the
bottom of the ramp first?

Hint:

(A) The block arrives first

(B) The ball arrives first
(C) They reach the bottom at the same time
(D) Not enough information

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Example 5 Disc or Hoop: Which rolls faster (same m and r )?
Energy is conserved:

v=?

• What is the relationship between I and v ?

small I → large v

• Smaller I means more of the input energy (mgh) can be used to increase v.
• vdisc > vhoop for Idisc < Ihoop
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 Newton’s 2nd Law for Rotation
• In rotational equilibrium,
STATICS

• If there is a net torque, the object will begin to

rotationally accelerate
DYNAMICS

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Question 10
A pendulum consists of a ball (mass m) hung from a fixed point by a
string (length R). The force of gravity exerts a torque on the ball, causing
it to accelerate (and therefore swing). Select all of the statements below
which are true.

(A) The torque due to gravity depends on the string length R

(B) The angular acceleration is maximum at the bottom of the swing
(C) If mass m and length R double, the moment of inertia quadruples
(D) The angular acceleration is constant because g is constant
(E) If the string length R is doubled, the angular acceleration is halved

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(write solution in next slide)
Q10
Question 11

Which of these configurations produces the largest angular

acceleration? Assume each system pivots about its centre
of mass.

A C

B D

(write solution in next slide) 29

Q11
Example 6 Pulleys with Mass (M)
Two blocks A (mA = 12 kg) and B (mB
= 30 kg) are connected by a string
that passes over a pulley with radius
R = 15 cm. The pulley is a uniform
disk whose mass is M = 10 kg.

Find the linear and angular

accelerations of the pulley.

(see next slide)

 Need to find torque on pulley. First
N need to know tensions in ropes.

Mg

Now find the torque on the pulley:

Inertia for a rotating

The linear acceleration a disc (pulley) shown
for block A and B is the
tangential acceleration at
pulley.
 Conservation of Angular Momentum

• For linear motion: p = mv

• Angular momentum (L): (if r is perpendicular to p)

• If no external torque is applied, then angular

momentum is conserved (L = constant)
Question 12
A person sits on a stool holding hand weights. With his arms extended
he rotates at a rate of 3.0 rad/s. He then brings his arms in to his chest
and his moment of inertia decreases by 60% of its initial value. What is
his new angular rate?

(A) 1.2 rad/s

(B) 1.8 rad/s
(C) 3.0 rad/s
(D) 5.0 rad/s
(E) 7.5 rad/s

Hint:
Example 7

I I

(see next slide) 35

Conservation of Angular Momentum
Initial total L = final total L

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Example 8 Practical joke on Le Petit Prince

Somebody’s gone and put a large

weight on the far side of planet
B-612 (MB-612 = 3.85x104 kg). Le
Prince realized something was
r = 1.4 m amiss when his day slowed down
by 10%. How heavy was the
added weight (treat as point
mass)?

ω
This is a problem for conservation of angular momentum (it mentions a
change in moment of inertia without external torques involved).
Idea: We use to find I2, then from I2 to know added mass m.
1+10%

The 10% longer day means that the new period of rotation T2 = 1.10xT1

For a spinning sphere I = (2/5)MBR2

The difference between I1 and I2 is due to the added mass, which adds
an extra mR2 (that is, I2 = (2/5)MBR2 + mR2).

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