Module 6 -- Center of Mass and the motion of a system

Learning Objectives

After the end of this module you should be able to:

 Explain why only a net external force can change the translational motion of the center of mass of a system

 Determine the motion of the center of mass of a system knowing the external forces acting on the system

Introduction

In this module we will understand the relevance of the concept of the center of mass in the description of the
translational motion of a system. By knowing the net force on a system we can determined the acceleration of
the system's center of mass; hence the position of the center of mass as a function of time. Applying these
results to an extended object, we will justify the point particle approximation that we have been using in the the
previous units.

Motion of a Multi Body System

We will start by studying a system of N particles and generalize the results to a single extended object and then
to a system of extended objects.

Velocity and Acceleration of the Center of Mass

In this section we will calculate the velocity and the acceleration of the center of mass of a system consisting
on N point particles. If the velocity, the acceleration and the mass of the i-th particle is , and mi,
respectively, and the total mass of the system is M = m1 + m2 + .. + mn, then we have:

Velocity of the CM Acceleration of the CM

[hide]Derivation [hide]Derivation
 Take the derivative with respect to time of the position Take the derivative with respect to time of the velocity of
of the center of mass: the center of mass:

Total Momentum and Net External Force

Total Momentum Total External Force

The total linear momentum of the system is
equal to that of a single particle of
mass M moving with the velocity of the center
of mass.
The center of mass of a system of particles of mass M moves like an
equivalent particle of mass M would move under the influence of the
net external force on the system.
[hide]Derivation

[hide]Derivation The accelleration of the center of mass of the system is:

The velocity of the center of mass of the

system is:

where is the net force acting on the i-th particle.

The i-th particle may interact with particles inside the system and
with objects outside the system, therefore the net force on the i-
thparticle may include internal forces and external forces. When
where
adding all the forces acting on the N particles, the Newton's 3rd law
is the linear momentum
pairs between the system constituents will cancel each
vector of the i-thparticle.
 Adding the linear momentum of the system other and only the sum of the external forces acting on each of the
constituents we obtain the total momentum particles within the system will be different from zero:
of the system:

Then, the acceleration of the center of mass is given by:

From (eq,1) and (eq. 2) we obtain:

Rearranging this equation we obtain:

Review the above derivations by watching two short movies:

[show]1. Only the external forces are relevant (~ 2 min long)

[show]2. Part of Prof. Lewin's video lecture (~ 6 min long)

Remarks

[hide]1. Point Particle Behavior of a Rigid Object

The relationships derived above for a system of N particles can be generalized for an extended object if the summation
over the number of particles is replaced by an integral over the mass.

Comparing the relationship between the net force and the acceleration of the center of mass of an extended object with
Newton's second law applied to a point particle of mass m and acceleration a:

Extended object Point particle

 The center of mass of the extended object of
mass M moves like a point particle of mass Mwill move
under the influence of the same net external force.

In this way, the point particle approximation used in translational kinematics and dynamics is now justified.

[hide]Example 1: The athlete - a non rigid object .

In the movie shown below, each of the particles constituting the athlete move in different ways, but the athlete's center
of mass follows a parabola, which is the path described by a point particle when is under the influence of the
gravitational force. This is an example of an extended object that is not rigid.

[hide]Athlete jumping in a race.

The solid red parabola is the motion of the center of mass, which corresponds to the motion of a point particle under
the influence of gravity. The dash lines are the motion of other part of the extended object.

[hide]Example 2: An asymmetric rigid object

Consider a rigid object consisting of a rod and an

added mass at one of its ends. The center of mass of the object, shifted towards the heavier end, is marked in black in
the figure.

The object is thrown to the air in such a way that it translates and rotates about its center of mass. While the object is on
the air, the net force on the object is the gravitational force. As a result, the object's center of mass follows a parabola,
the black line in the movie below.

[hide]1. Motion of the center of mass.

The different elements inside the object are subject to the gravitational force and to the internal forces that keep the
object together. As shown in the following movie, the path followed by one of the ends of the object is the result of a
net force that has a vertical component (gravity) and a component towards the center of mass (tension).
[hide]2. Motion of one end of the object.

Play the movie before reading below:

At the instant when the movie stops, the net force on the right end of the rod is pointing towards the "7 o'clock". This
is the result of adding the forces acting on the right end:

 gravitational force, pointing down (Fg),

  force of tension, pointing towards the center of mass of the object, which is the center of rotation (TR). This force
points to the center of rotation of the object and is the responsible of the radial component of the acceleration at
the right end (ac in the movie).

Similarly, you can add the two forces acting on the left end of rod (Fg and TL) to have a net force or a total
acceleration pointing towards the "5 o'clock".

[hide]2. External Impulse:

In a previous module, we learned that when a net external force is applied to the system during a time interval ti < t < tf,
the external impulse changes the linear momentum of the system. This is represented mathematically by the law of
change in the Momentum and External Impulse Model:

The external impulse will also change the velocity of the center of mass:

[hide]Question: Hitting an asymmetric dumbbell

Two balls of different masses are connected by a uniform rod to form a rigid object. The object is on a horizontal and
frictionless surface and it is initially at rest. A top view is shown in the figure. A force of magnitude F directed
perpendicular to the rod is applied to the object during a time interval ti < t <tf. At the instant right after hitting the
object, the velocity of the center of mass is the largest if the force is applied at:

 point a.

 point b.

 point c.
[hide]Answer

The velocity of the center of mass is the same in the three cases.

[hide]Explanation

The interval of interest: is while the force is applied to the object. It starts at the instant ti when the object is at rest,
and ends at the instant tf when the force is not applied any more and the center of mass of the object is moving
with vcm(tf )

System: the rigid object treated as a point particle.

Interactions: The relevant interaction is the external force F. The interaction with the Earth and the surface will
produce forces that cancel each other.

The net force on the object is the force F, then the velocity of the center of mass is not constant and its change is
given by:

where M is the total mass of the object. Because the object is initially at rest, then:

Right after hitting, the center of mass is moving with:

The motion of the center of mass is independent of the point of application of the force

The motion of the center of mass is related to the external impulse and it is independent of the point at which the
external force is being applied. If we are only interested on study the translational motion of the object then the point
of application of the force is not important and neither is the object dimensions. For this reason we can treat the
object as a point particle.

[hide]What are the consequences of applying the same force at points a, b and c?
 Translation + Rotation: If the force is applied at points a and c there will be translation of the center of mass as
well as a rotation of the object about the center of mass. The rotation is due to the torque of the force F about the
center of mass.

Applying the force at point a will produce a clockwise rotation as viewed from above, whereas applying it at
point c will produce a counterclockwise rotation as viewed from above.

Translation: When the force is applied at the center of mass of the object, point b, there is no torque about the
center of mass and the object will not rotate. In this case there is only translation.

[hide]3. Zero net external force

If the net external force is zero, then the acceleration of the center of mass is zero, and the velocity of the center of mass
is constant.

As a result, the position of the center of mass of the system will follow a straight line.

[hide]Question: After hitting an asymmetric dumbbell

Consider a rigid object consisting on two spheres of different masses connected by a rod. The total mass of the object
is M. The object is placed on a horizontal and frictionless surface contained in the xy-plane. A force of
magnitude F directed along the +y axis is applied at the center of mass of the object during a time interval ti < t < tf.

a) What is the path followed by the dumbbell's center of mass after the force stops acting on the dumbbell?

[hide]Answer
The center of mass follows a straight line parallel to the y- axis.

[hide]Explanation

The interval of time of interest is after the force has stopped acting on the dumbbell.

System:The dumbbell treated as a point particle.

Interactions: The dumbbell interacts with the surface and the Earth. Because there is no friction the resulting forces,
normal and gravity, cancel.

There is no net force acting on the system then:

If the velocity of the center of mass after hitting the dumbbell is constant, then the position of the center of mass
follows a straight line. We need to find the direction of the velocity of the center of mass.

The applied force is along the +y- axis, therefore:

because the dumbbell is initially at rest, then:

At the instant right when the force F stops hitting the dumbbell the velocity of the center of mass has the value
obtained above and points along the +y- axis. After that instant, the velocity of the center of mass remains constant
and the center of mass follows a straight line parallel to the y-axis.

b) Consider that the total mass of the dumbbell is M = 4 kg, the force is constant and of magnitude F = 300 N, and the
force is applied during a time interval Δt = 2 ms. How far has the center of mass of the dumbbell moved 10 sec after the
force F has stopped acting on it?

[hide]Answer

1.5 m
 [hide]Explanation

After the force F has stopped acting on the dumbbell, the net force on the dumbbell is zero (gravity and normal),
then the acceleration of the center of mass is zero and the velocity of the center of mass is constant.

If we set the origin of the coordinate system coinciding with the position of the center of mass at the instant when the
force stops acting on the dumbbell, then the position of the center of mass as a function of time is given by:

To obtain the value of the velocity of the center of mass we consider the time interval during which the dumbbell is
being hit. During that time interval, the net force is F, then the velocity of the center of mass changes as :

using that initially the dumbbell is at rest and that the applied force is constant we obtain:

Replacing this value in (eq. 1):

At time t = 10 s,

c)
If the same external force is being applied during the same time interval but at a point to the left of the center of mass of
the dumbbell as shown in the figure, what is the path followed by the center of mass?

[hide]Answer:

The center of mass follows a straight line along the y-axis. In addition, it will acquire the same velocity as in part
b).

The translation of the center of mass depends only on the sum of the external forces and not on the point of
application of the forces. In this question, the force is applied at the left of the center of mass. As a result, the center of
mass of the object translates and the object rotates about its center of mass. This situation is shown in the animation
below, where the dotted line is the trajectory of the center of math.

[hide]Animation- After hitting the asymmetric dumbbell

 Animation courtesy of Animation courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering University

Illustrative Examples

[hide]Example 1. Walking and running on a slab

Walking along the slab

A child of mass m is standing at the left end of a a thin and uniform slab of wood of length L and mass M. The slab lies
on a horizontal and frictionless icy surface of a lake. Starting from rest, the child walks towards the right end of the slab.
a) How far and in what direction did the center of mass of the child-slab system move when the child has reached the
right end of the slab?

[hide]Answer:

The center of mass does not move while the child is walking along the slab. It remains where it was when the child was
at the left end of the slab.

[hide]Explanation:

The time interval of interest is the one it takes the child to walk along the slab from one end to the other. It starts at the
instant ti when the child is at the left end of the slab ready to move towards the right end. At this instant both the slab
and the child are at rest. The interval ends at the instant tf when the child has reached the right end of the slab and
stops walking relative to the slab.

System: child and slab treated as point particles.

Interactions:

 External: If we neglect friction between the surface and the slab, then the external forces on the system are all
vertical: gravity on the child, gravity on the slab and the normal exerted by the surface on the slab. These forces
cancel each other and the net external force on the system is zero.

 Internal:The contact force between the child and slab. The internal interactions do not affect the motion of the
center of mass of the system but they affect the motion of the system constituents. The motion of the child and
slab are due to the horizontal components of the internal forces FCS and FSC.
 The horizontal component of the internal force exerted on the child by the slab, FCS, is the action reaction pair of
the horizontal force exerted on the slab by the child, FSC.

As a result of the existing internal forces, the child moves to the right and the slab moves to the left in such a way that
the center of mass of the system remains stationary as explained in 1., 2, and 3. below.

1. Net External Force = 0 ⇒Acm = 0 ⇒ Vcm= constant.

While the child is walking along the slab the net external force is zero, then the the acceleration of the center of mass
is zero is zero and the linear momentum of the system and the velocity of the center of mass are constant.

2. Vcm = 0 for ti < t < tf.

 While the child is walking along the slab, the velocity of the center of mass is constant. The value of the constant is
determined by the initial conditions of the problem:

the child and the slab are at rest before the child starts walking towards the right end

then,

As a result the initial velocity of the center of mass is:

and it will be zero at any instant of time during the time interval under consideration ti < t < tf.

3. Xcm = constant

From the definition of velocity,

then the position of the center of mass does not change with time and is equal to the value it has at time t = ti as
calculated in example 4:A system of two extended objects.

b) Where is the left end of the slab with respect to its initial position when the child has reached the right end?

[hide]Answer:

The left end has moved towards the left a distance Lm/(m+M) with respect to its original position.

[hide]Explanation:

At the instant of time ti , when the child is at the left end of the slab ready to start walking towards the right, the left
end of the slab coincides with the origin of the coordinate system shown in the top figure below.

While the child is walking towards the right end, the contact force exerted by the child on the slab makes the slab to
move to the left in such a way that the center of mass of the child-slab system does not move. When the child reaches
the right end of the slab, the left end of the slab is shifted towards the negative x-axis, at a position xleft(ti) as shown
in the bottom figure.

Treating the child and the slab as point particles, their positions with respect to the chosen coordinate system are:

x-component of Initial State: t = ti. Final State: t = tf.

Child's position x1(ti) = 0 x1(tf)

Slab's position x2(ti) =0 x2(tf)
Left End position xleft(ti) = 0 xleft(tf)

Obtain xleft :
From the bottom figure we find that:

- xleft + x1(tf) = L (eq. 1)

- xleft + x2(tf) = L/2 (eq. 2)

In order to obtain xleft we need to know x1(tf) or x2(tf). For this purpose we will use the concept of the center of

mass of the system.

The x-component of the center of mass at time t = tf is:

and at time t = ti is given by:

From part a) we know that the center of mass does not change position, therefore we have:

Xcm(ti) = Xcm(tf) (eq. 5)

Using (eq. 1) to (eq. 5) we can solve for xleft to obtain:

[hide]Solve for xleft

Using (eq. 3) and (eq. 4) in (eq. 5) we obtain:

Subtracting (eq. 2) from (eq. 1) we obtain:

x1(tf) = x2(tf) + L/2

Replacing the above expression in (eq. 6) we have:

or,

then,

Replacing the above expression in (eq. 2), the left end is at:
We can also obtain the child's position at time tf by replacing the value of xleft in (eq.1):

Comparing this result with the value of the Xcm we see that:

x1(tf) = 2Xcm

This is the result expected for the child's position at time tf as shown below.

[hide]A shorter way to obtain the same answer:

As before, we will look at the initial and the final states shown in the figure below:
Realize that distance between the child and the center of mass at time t = tf is equal to the distance between the
origin and the center of mass at time t = ti:

x1 - Xcm(tf) = Xcm(ti) (eq. 1)

One way to check the above statement is to use a coordinate system which origin coincides with the right end of the
slab at time t = tf and with the +x axis towards the left. Using the definition of the center of mass of a system, the
distance between the child and the center of mass at t= tf is (L/2)M/(m+M).

Then from (eq. 1) we have:

We also know from the figure that:

 - xleft + x1 = L (eq. 3)

Using (eq. 2) in (eq. 3) we obtain:

c) What is the speed of the slab when the child stops walking on the slab?

[hide]Answer:

The speed of the slab is zero

[hide]Explanation:

Let's consider and to be the child's and slab's velocity at a given instant of time ti < t < tf, then the
velocity of the center of mass is:

As shown in part a), during the time interval of consideration the velocity of the center of mass is constant and equal
to zero, therefore the above equation becomes:

Then the velocity of the slab during the time interval ti < t < tf is given by:
 When the child stops, then the slab will stop.

To answer this part you can also use the total momentum of the system.

Running along the slab

Now the child wants to run along the slab. Starting from rest at the left end, he runs with a constant acceleration of
magnitude a. When he reaches the right end the child step off the slab and lands in the ice.

The following questions refer to the situation just described about the boy running along the slab.

d) At the instant right when the child has reached the right end and is about to step off the slab, the distance of the left
end of the slab measured with respect to its initial position

 is larger

 is the same

 is smaller

than the distance obtained in part b) when the child walks instead of running?

[hide]Answer:

The distance is the same.

[hide]Explanation:

As in the case of the child walking, the net external force on the child+slab system is zero. In addition, the child and
the slab are initially at rest, then the velocity of the center of mass is zero and the position of the center of mass
remains unchanged. The only difference between the situation of the child running with respect to the one of the child
walking is the way the child and slab interact. Because the internal forces do not affect the motion of the center of
mass, then the answer will be the same as in part b).

e) What is the speed of the child and the slab at the instant right when the child has reached the right end of the slab?

[hide]Answer:
 The child's speed is:

 The slab's speed is:

[hide]Explanation:

We will consider the time interval that start at the instant, ti , when the child is at the left end ready to run, and ends at
the instant, tf , when the child has reached the left end of the slab. As done in part b), we will choose a coordinate
system such that at the instant ti its origin coincides with the left end of the slab. As shown in the bottom figure, a the
instant tf , when the child is at the right end, his position is x1(tf ) and his speed is v1(tf ), and the position of the
slab's center of mass is x2(tf ) and the slab's center of mass speed is v2(tf ).
If the net external force on the slab+child system is zero, then the acceleration of the center of mass is zero and the
velocity of the center of mass is constant. Because initially both, the child and the slab are at rest, then the velocity of
the center of mass is zero and it will remain zer o while the child is running along the slab, ti < t < t f:

As a result:

(Note: This result is also obtained if we apply the Momentum and External Impulse Model|momentum and external
impulse model to the slab+child system.)

From the above equation, if we obtain the speed of one of the objects in the system we will know the speed of the
other one. As shown in the bottom figure, the child is at distance x1(tf ) when he is at the right end of the slab. As
calculated in part b) of this problem:
 x1(tf )= 2 Xcm= LM/(m+ M).

We also know the child's acceleration. Now we consider a new system formed by only the child treated as a point
particle acted upon external forces that produce the child to move with constant acceleration, a1. We can use the law
of change of the constant acceleration with constant net force model that relates speed and position:

Using the value of x1(tf) and the fact that the child starts from rest then the above expression becomes:

and the slab's speed:

[hide]Example 2: Unloading a car from a barge

A barge of mass M is at rest and tied to the pier by a cable. A car of mass m is at rest at the left end of the barge as shown
in the figure. A workman, of negligible mass, drives the car with a constant acceleration from the left to the right end.
The car attains a speed vc in a time T when it reaches the right end of the barge. Assume that the barge does not move
while the car is moving from left to right.

a) Is the velocity of the center of mass of the car + barge system constant?

[hide]Answer:

No. The sum of the external forces on the system is equal to the force exerted on the barge by the cable, then the
acceleration of the center of mass is not zero and the velocity of the center of mass is not constant.
b) What is the magnitude and direction of the force exerted on the barge by the cable while the car is moving from left to
right?

[hide]Answer:

magnitude: mcvc / T

direction: towards the pier, along the +x axis.

[hide]Derivation:

There are several ways to approach the problem. We will use the concept of center of mass.

We will consider the time interval during which the car moves with a constant acceleration from left to right.

System: Car + barge treated as point particles.

Interactions:

 External:

 Car and barge with Earth.

 The barge and surrounding water. The barge does not move relative to the water, then we can neglect friction
and the resulting force exerted by the water on the barge is the buoyancy force vertically up.

 The barge and the cable. The resulting force is the unknown force of magnitude f.

 Internal:

 Car and barge. The resulting contact forces are the normal and friction forces. These are Newton's 3rd law
pairs that will not change the motion of the center of mass.

The net external force on the system is the force exerted by the cable on the barge:

In terms of the acceleration of the center of mass:

If the accelerations of the car and the barge are and , respectively, then the acceleration of the center of mass
is:
 If the barge remains at rest while the car is moving, then: .

The car's acceleration is assumed to be constant, therefore .

Replacing these values in the above expression we have:

and the force exerted on the barge by the cable is:

[hide]Example 3: Speeding up a boat.

You are in a boat moving at a constant speed U measured relative to a frame of reference fixed to shore. Because you
want to arrive earlier to your destination you decide to speed up the boat by going to the front of it and the run fast
towards the back.

The speeds in the following questions and in your answers are measured with respect to the same fixed frame of
reference from where U is measured.

a) What is the speed of the center of mass of the boat when you are not moving relative to the boat?

[hide]a) Answer:

Vcm = U.

[hide]Explanation:

Let's M, mb, Vb and v to be the boat's and your mass and speed, respectively. Then, the velocity of the center of
mass of the system at a given instant of time t is:

If you are not moving relative to the boat, the boat and you are moving with the same velocity of magnitude U:
 Replacing these values in the definition of the center of mass velocity we obtain

b) While you are running towards the back, is the speed of the boat:

1. higher than U ,

2. the same as U,

3. lower than U?

[hide]b) Answer:

While you are running, the speed of the boat measured with respect to the frame of reference fixed to shore is higher
than U.

[hide]Explanation

System:: Boat + You. Both treated as point particles:

Interactions:

 External: Because the boat is moving at a constant speed we can assume that the net external force on the system
is zero.

 Internal: The contact force between the boat and you. The resulting forces are internal and do not contribute to
the change in momentum of the system.

If the net external forces is zero then the linear momentum of the system is constant. While you are running towards
the back you are exerting a force on the boat towards the front. This force accelerates the boat resulting in an increase
of the boat's speed. There is a change in momentum of the elements within the system but the momentum of the
system remains constant.

Follow up question:Is the following statement true or false?

In order to speed up the boat you can repeat the running process from front to back several times.
 [hide]Answer:

The statement is false. Any time you move from the back to the front to repeat the process you are applying a force
on the boat in the opposite direction of the boat's motion that will decrease the boat's speed. No matter what you do
inside the boat, the center of mass will move at a constant speed.

c) When you reach the end of the boat you stop running. After you stop running, is the speed of the boat

 higher than it was before you start running,

 the same as before you start running,

 lower than before you start running?

[hide]c) Answer:

The speed of the boat is the same as before you start running.

[hide]Explanation:

Consider the system formed by the boat and you. At the instant when you stop walking relative to the boat, you are
moving at the same speed of the boat which is the speed of the center of mass. Because the net external force acting
on the system is zero, then the velocity of the center of mass is constant, therefore the boat has the same speed as
before you start running.

Follow up question:. From parts a) and b) we found that before start running the speed of the boat is U = Vcm. When
you start running the speed of the boat increases and when you stop it is equal to Vcm again.

Why does the boat slows down?

[hide]Answer:

In order to stop at the back, the boat exerts a force on you in opposite direction of your motion. The action reaction
pair of this force is the force exerted by you on the boat in the same direction as your motion. Because you were
moving towards the back, you will apply a force on the boat directed towards its back producing the boat to slow
down.
d) Let's assume that in part a) you run from the front to the back with a well known speed v(t ). Your mass is m and the
boat's mass is Mb. Find the speed, Vb(t ), that the boat has while you are running. Answer the question for the following
two cases:

1. relative to the boat, you are running with a speed smaller than the speed of the boat.

2. relative to the boat, you are running with a speed larger than the speed of the boat

[hide]d) Answer:

Case 1: Vb(t) = U + (m/Mb)(U - v(t))

Case 2: Vb(t) = U + (m/Mb)(U + v(t))

[hide]Explanation:

To answer this question we will use the concept of center of mass.

System: Boat + You. Both treated as point particles:

Interactions:

 External: Because the boat is moving at a constant speed we can assume that the net external force on the system
is zero.

 Internal: The contact force between the boat and you. The resulting forces are internal and do not contribute to
the change in momentum of the system.
Velocity of the center of mass

Let's M and mb to be the boat's mass and your mass, and Vb and v to be the boat's speed and your speed, both
measured with respect to a frame of reference fixed to shore. At a given instant of time t, the velocity of the center of
mass of the system measured with respect to the frame of reference fixed to shore is:

Rearranging the above equation we have:

From part a) we know that when you are at rest relative to the boat the velocity of the center of mass is the velocity of
the boat:

Because the net external force is zero, then velocity of the center of mass is constant, independent of your motion
relative to the boat.

Let's assume that the boat is moving along the +x- axis. Then the boat's and center of mass velocities are also along
the +x-axis.

Below is the derivation of the answer to the 1st question.

[hide]1. Find Vb(t) if your speed relative to the boat is smaller than the speed of the boat:

As shown in the figure above, if with respect to the boat you are running towards the back with a speed smaller
than Vb , then with respect to an observer at shore you are moving towards the front with a velocity of
magnitude v(t ) directed along the +x - axis. As a result, (eq. 1) becomes:

Using (eq. 2) in the above expression and solving for the speed of the boat we obtain:

Vb(t) = [(Mb + m)/Mb]U - (m/Mb)v(t)

While you are running, the speed of the boat relative to shore depends on time as:

Vb(t) = U + (m/Mb)(U - v(t)) (eq. 3)

Checking the answer:

Check 1: If relative to the boat you are at rest, then relative to shore you are moving with speed U. Replacing v(t )
by U in the expression above we obtain that Vb =Uas shown in part a).

Check 2: It can be shown that if relative to the boat your speed is smaller than the boat's speed then your speed
relative to shore,v(t ), is smaller than U : U > v(t).

As a result, the second term in the right hand side of (eq. 3) is positive then we can show that when you are running
the speed of the boat is larger than U:

Vb(t) > U
which is the conclusion reached in part b) of this problem.

[hide]show that if your speed relative to the boat is smaller than Vb(t ) then v(t ) < U.

If relative to the boat your speed is smaller than the speed of the boat, then your velocity with respect to shore is
along the +x axis with a magnitude v ( t ) such that:

0 <v (t) < Vb(t)

Note that v(t ) = 0 when you are running towards the back with a speed relative to the boat v(t) = Vb. You do not
move relative to an observer at shore.

v (t) < Vb(t) ↔ Mb'v (t) < Mb'Vb(t)

Adding and subtracting mv (t) in the last inequality:

(Mb + m)'v (t) -m'v (t)< Mb'Vb(t) ↔ (Mb + m)'v (t) < Mb'Vb(t) + m'v (t)
dividing the last inequality by Mb + m:
Below is the derivation of the answer to the 2nd question.

[hide]2. Find Vb(t) if your speed relative to the boat is larger than the speed of the boat:

As shown in the figure above, if with respect to the boat you are running towards the back with a speed larger
than Vb , then with respect to an observer at shore you are moving towards the back with a velocity of
magnitude v(t ) directed along the -x - axis. As a result, (eq. 1) becomes:

Using (eq. 2) in the above expression and solving for the speed of the boat we obtain:

Vb(t) = [(Mb + m)/Mb]U + (m/Mb)v(t)

While you are running, the speed of the boat relative to shore depends on time as:

Vb(t) = U + (m/Mb)(U + v(t)) (eq. 4)

Checking the answer:

 Note that the second term in the right hand side of (eq. 4) is positive, then:

Vb(t) = U + (m/Mb)(U + v(t)) > U ⇒ Vb(t) > U

which is the conclusion reached in part b) of this problem.

[hide]Example 4: Two blocks connected by a spring

Two identical blocks of mass m are connected with a massless spring and placed on a horizontal and frictionless table.
The two blocks-spring system is initially at rest. A force of magnitude f and parallel to the surface is applied to the left
block at the instant t1 and is removed at t2.

a) Describe mathematically the motion of the center of mass of the system after the force f is removed. Consider a
coordinate system with its origin coinciding with the center of mass at the instant when the force f is removed.

[hide]Answer:

The center of mass will move along the +x axis with a constant speed given by:

The position of the center of mass changes linearly with time as:

[hide]Derivation:

We are interested to study the motion of the system at times larger than t2.

System: 2 blocks and spring. The blocks are treated as point particles.
Interactions:

 External: The blocks interact with the Earth and the surface. The resulting forces (gravity and normal ) cancel.
The spring is assumed to be massless then it does not interact with the Earth. The sum of the external force is
zero.

 Internal: left block and spring, right block and spring. The resulting forces are the elastic force acting on each
block and on the spring. Because these forces are internal will not change the total momentum of the system and
will not change the motion of the center of mass.

Because the net external force is zero, the acceleration of the center of mass is zero and the velocity of the center of
mass is constant. As a result, the position of the center of mass will follow a straight line along the x-axis. Considering
a coordinate system with its origin coinciding with the position of the center of mass at time t2, then we have:

If we redefine the initial time to be zero when the force f is removed then the position of the center of mass can be
expressed as:

Calculate Vcm:

For that purpose we consider the time interval during which the force f is applied to the system. Now we need to add
the external interaction that produces the force f to the interactions with the Earth and the surface. As a result, the net
external is f and the velocity of the center of mass at the instant right before removing the force an be obtained as:

Because the blocks where initially at rest, the velocity of the center of mass at time t1 is zero, then:

After removing the force f, the net force is zero and the velocity of the center of mass will remain constant and given
by the expression above. Note that its value will depend on the external impulse that for the moment can't be solved
because we do not have information about the force f.
b) Describe in words the motion of the two blocks for times t > t2.

[hide]Answer:

The blocks will oscillate and at the same time they will translate to the right with a constant speed

of .

The net force on each block is not zero. It is an elastic force that produces the oscillation of the blocks. The motion of
the blocks is complicated but the center of mass will still move at a constant speed Vcm. The position of the blocks as a
function of time are shown in the following animation:

[hide]Run Animation 2 by Wolfgang Christian

Click the following link and then click on Animation 2:

http://dl.uncw.edu/digilib/physics/x_physlets_01/physletprob/ch7_in_class/in_class7_1/mechanics7_1_4.html

To see a real demonstration of this question see the following movie:

[hide]Part of Prof. Lewin's lecture in Linear Momentum:

You can stop at time 50:16, bottom left of the window. The demonstration of the 2cars-spring system finishes when
Prof. Lewis starts to talk about throwing a hammer in the air. In case you continue, note that the tennis racket center of
mass can't be seen in the UV light demo.

c) What is the speed of the blocks at the instant when the spring is at maximum compression and maximum extension?

[hide]Answer:

Both blocks move at Vcm.

At the instant when the spring is at maximum compression or extension the blocks do not move relative to each other.
The 2 blocks+spring system is still moving with the velocity of the center of mass, therefore the blocks' speed at the
instant of maximum extension and compression is Vcm.
[hide]Example 5: An explosion in air.

A projectile of mass M explodes at the top of its trajectory, point (xm , hm ) measured with respect to the launching point
as shown in the figure. Right after the explosion, the smallest piece of mass m1 = M / 3, is momentarily at rest. Knowing
that the smallest piece lands right below the point of explosion, at xm, where does the other piece of mass m2 land? Give
your answer measured with respect to the launching position.

[hide]Answer:

[hide]Derivation:

There are two ways to solve this problem. First, using kinematics and conservation of linear momentum. Second,
using the concept of the center of mass. We will follow the second approach that is shorter.

The time interval we are considering is while the projectile is in air.

System: the projectile.

Interactions:

 External: The projectile and the Earth. We will neglect the presence of air. The resulting force is the
gravitational force that will act on the complete projectile before the explosion, and on each of the pieces after the
explosion.
 Internal: The forces resulting from the explosion. They produce the change in momentum of the individual
pieces but do not affect the motion of the center of mass. These forces act during the short time interval that the
explosion lasts.

While the projectile is in air, the net external force on the system is gravity, then

implies that

As a result, the center of mass follows a projectile motion and it will land at a distance 2xm from the launching point as
shown below:

In the figure, x2 is the landing position of the largest piece of mass m2. Using the definition of the center of mass:

Replacing the values of the masses:

or,

Solving for x2:

 Knowing that and , the above equation becomes:

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Course Outline

Introduction

Unit 1 -- Newton's Laws

Unit 2 -- Interactions and Force

Unit 3 -- Applying Newton's Laws

Unit 4 -- Describing Motion

Unit 5 -- Core Models and Planar Dynamics

Unit 6 -- Applying SIM to Problems in Planar Dynamics

Unit 7 -- Momentum and Multi-

Body Systems
 Unit 8 -- Mechanical Energy and Work

Unit 9 -- Torque and Rotation About a Fixed Axis

Unit 10 -- Describing Rotational and Translational Motion

Unit 11 -- Angular Momentum

Unit 12 -- Gravitational Orbits

Unit 13 -- Harmonic Oscillation

Unit 14 -- Review

Unit x -- Rotational kinematics

Unit 13 -- New Module Format

System Constituents in Mechanics

point particle

rigid body

massless object

infinitely massive object

Interactions Studied in Mechanics

contact interaction

gravitational interaction

tension interaction
 elastic restoring interaction

Hierarchy of Models for Mechanics

Dynamics and Net Force

Momentum and External

Impulse

Rotational Dynamics about a Fixed Axis and Net Torque

Angular Momentum and

External Angular Impulse

about a Single Axis

Mechanical Energy, External

Work, and Internal Non-

Conservative Work

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