Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
A ladder is resting with one end on a vertical wall and the other end on a horizontal floor. If it more likely to slip when a man stands near the bottom or near the top?
Advertisements
Solution
The ladder is more likely to slide when the man stands near the top. This is because when the man stands near the top, it creates more torque compared to the torque caused by the weight of man near the bottom.
When the man stands near the bottom, the Centre of Gravity of the ladder is shifted to `C'` from `C` . Now, the couple due to forces (m + M)g and N makes the ladder fall . We see that due to its shift from `C` to `C',` the moment arm of the couple decreases from `r` to `r';` hence, the couple decreases.

When the man stands near the top of the ladder, the Centre of Mass shifts from `C` to `C'.` This increases the moment arm of the couple and from `r` to `r'.`
Increase in moment arm increases the couple and thus, the ladder easily falls.
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
Find the components along the x, y, z axes of the angular momentum l of a particle, whose position vector is r with components x, y, z and momentum is p with components px, py and 'p_z`. Show that if the particle moves only in the x-y plane the angular momentum has only a z-component.
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?

The torque of the weight of any body about any vertical axis is zero. If it always correct?
If several forces act on a particle, the total torque on the particle may be obtained by first finding the resultant force and then taking torque of this resultant. Prove this. Is this result valid for the forces acting on different particles of a body in such a way that their lines of action intersect at a common point?
If the resultant torque of all the forces acting on a body is zero about a point, is it necessary that it will be zero about any other point?
A body is in translational equilibrium under the action of coplanar forces. If the torque of these forces is zero about a point, is it necessary that it will also be zero about any other point?
A rectangular brick is kept on a table with a part of its length projecting out. It remains at rest if the length projected is slightly less than half the total length but it falls down if the length projected is slightly more than half the total length. Give reason.
Equal torques act on the disc A and B of the previous problem, initially both being at rest. At a later instant, the linear speeds of a point on the rim of A and another point on the rim of B are \[\nu_A\] and \[\nu_B\] respectively. We have
A particle of mass m is projected with a speed u at an angle θ with the horizontal. Find the torque of the weight of the particle about the point of projection when the particle is at the highest point.
A cubical block of mass m and edge a slides down a rough inclined plane of inclination θ with a uniform speed. Find the torque of the normal force acting on the block about its centre.
A 6⋅5 m long ladder rests against a vertical wall reaching a height of 6⋅0 m. A 60 kg man stands half way up the ladder.
- Find the torque of the force exerted by the man on the ladder about the upper end of the ladder.
- Assuming the weight of the ladder to be negligible as compared to the man and assuming the wall to be smooth, find the force exerted by the ground on the ladder.
A rope is wound around a hollow cylinder of mass 3 kg and radius 40 cm. What is the angular acceleration of the cylinder if the rope is pulled with a force of 30 N?
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 spherical shell of 1 kg mass and radius R is rolling with angular speed ω on horizontal plane (as shown in figure). The magnitude of angular momentum of the shell about the origin O is `a/3 R^2` ω. The value of a will be:

The position vector of 1 kg object is `vecr = (3hati - hatj)` m and its velocity `vecv = (3hati + hatk)` ms−1. The magnitude of its angular momentum is `sqrtx` Nm where x is ______.
Angular momentum of a single particle moving with constant speed along the circular path ______.
