Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
A heavy particle of mass m falls freely near the earth's surface. What is the torque acting on this particle about a point 50 cm east to the line of motion? Does this torque produce any angular acceleration in the particle?
Advertisements
Solution
We know that
\[ \overrightarrow{\tau} = \overrightarrow{r} \times \overrightarrow{F} \]
Given:-
\[ \overrightarrow{r} = - 0 . 5 \hat i m\]
\[ \overrightarrow{F} = - mg \hat j \]
The torque becomes
\[ \overrightarrow{\tau} = 0 . 5\left( - \hat i \right) \times mg\left( - \hat j \right)\]
\[ \overrightarrow{\tau} = 0 . 5 \text{mg } \hat k \left[ \because \hat i \times \hat j = \hat k \right]\]
No, there will be no angular acceleration on the particle due to the torque.
Angular acceleration is given by \[\alpha = \frac{\tau}{I}\]. As the particle here moves in a straight line, the centre of rotation lies at a distance infinity \[(r = \infty );\] so, moment of inertia \[(I = m r^2 )\] of the particle is infinity.
\[ \therefore \alpha = 0\]

APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
Two particles, each of mass m and speed v, travel in opposite directions along parallel lines separated by a distance d. Show that the angular momentum vector of the two particle system is the same whatever be the point about which the angular momentum is taken.
A solid cylinder of mass 20 kg rotates about its axis with angular speed 100 rad s–1. The radius of the cylinder is 0.25 m. What is the kinetic energy associated with the rotation of the cylinder? What is the magnitude of the angular momentum of the cylinder about its axis?
Explain why friction is necessary to make the disc in Figure roll in the direction indicated
(a) Give the direction of frictional force at B, and the sense of frictional torque, before perfect rolling begins.
(b) What is the force of friction after perfect rolling begins?

When a body is weighed on an ordinary balance we demand that the arum should be horizontal if the weights on the two pans are equal. Suppose equal weights are put on the two pans, the arm is kept at an angle with the horizontal and released. Is the torque of the two weights about the middle point (point of support) zero? Is the total torque zero? If so, why does the arm rotate and finally become horizontal?
The density of a rod gradually decreases from one end to the other. It is pivoted at an end so that it can move about a vertical axis though the pivot. A horizontal force F is applied on the free end in a direction perpendicular to the rod. The quantities, that do not depend on which end of the rod is pivoted, are ________________ .
A simple pendulum of length l is pulled aside to make an angle θ with the vertical. Find the magnitude of the torque of the weight ω of the bob about the point of suspension. When is the torque zero?
Calculate the total torque acting on the body shown in the following figure about the point O.

A flywheel of moment of inertia 5⋅0 kg-m2 is rotated at a speed of 60 rad/s. Because of the friction at the axle it comes to rest in 5⋅0 minutes. Find (a) the average torque of the friction (b) the total work done by the friction and (c) the angular momentum of the wheel 1 minute before it stops rotating.
Two discs of the same moment of inertia rotating about their regular axis passing through centre and perpendicular to the plane of the disc with angular velocities ω1 and ω2. They are brought in to contact face to face coinciding with the axis of rotation. The expression for loss of energy during this process is, ______
Define torque and mention its unit.
What are the conditions in which force can not produce torque?
A particle of mass m is moving in yz-plane with a uniform velocity v with its trajectory running parallel to + ve y-axis and intersecting z-axis at z = a (Figure). The change in its angular momentum about the origin as it bounces elastically from a wall at y = constant is ______.

A Merry-go-round, made of a ring-like platform of radius R and mass M, is revolving with angular speed ω. A person of mass M is standing on it. At one instant, the person jumps off the round, radially away from the centre of the round (as seen from the round). The speed of the round afterwards is ______.
A uniform sphere of mass m and radius R is placed on a rough horizontal surface (Figure). The sphere is struck horizontally at a height h from the floor. Match the following:

| Column I | Column II | |
| (a) h = R/2 | (i) | Sphere rolls without slipping with a constant velocity and no loss of energy. |
| (b) h = R | (ii) | Sphere spins clockwise, loses energy by friction. |
| (c) h = 3R/2 | (iii) | Sphere spins anti-clockwise, loses energy by friction. |
| (d) h = 7R/5 | (iv) | Sphere has only a translational motion, looses energy by friction. |
A door is hinged at one end and is free to rotate about a vertical axis (Figure). Does its weight cause any torque about this axis? Give reason for your answer.

A particle of mass ‘m’ is moving in time ‘t’ on a trajectory given by
`vecr = 10alphat^2hati + 5beta(t - 5)hatj`
Where α and β are dimensional constants.
The angular momentum of the particle becomes the same as it was for t = 0 at time t = ______ seconds.
Angular momentum of a single particle moving with constant speed along the circular path ______.
A solid sphere is rotating in free space. If the radius of the sphere is increased while keeping the mass the same, which one of the following will not be affected?
