PHYS 172: Modern Mechanics Spring 2013

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Lecture 5 – Predicting Motion, Conservation of Momentum Read 3.5 – 3.15
 EXAM 1

•  WHEN: Wednesday, Jan 30, 8-9 PM

•  Where: Elliott Hall of Music
•  You will have assigned seats.
•  Material through 4.8 of text and
homework: CH04-HW03.
•  A practice exam with solutions will be
posted in the Exams folder soon.
Look for instructions on Blackboard Learn in the Exams Folder 2
 Today

• Predicting Motion
• System of Many Objects
• Conservation of Momentum
• Electric Force – Large or Small?
• Can we REALLY predict The Future?

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 Predicting motion of a planet
Where will the planet be after one month?

Use position update formula:

! ! ! !
p r f = ri + vavg !t
If we assume that velocity is constant
Does not work because the force is
! changing the velocity!
F
The direction of force on planet
changes with position.
The momentum changes with position.

In general, there is no algebraic equation to

predict the motion of more than 2 interacting
objects.
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 Iterative Prediction of Motion
Simple case: One Star (fixed in space) + One Planet

1.  Calculate gravitational force:

! m2 m1
! Fgrav on 2 by1 = !G ! 2 r̂2!1
p r2!1
! ! !
2. Update momentum p f = pi + Fnet !t
Choose Δt short enough
(F & v do not change much)
!
F
3. Calculate v and update position
! ! !
r f = ri + vavg !t
4. Repeat

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Critical parameter: Δt
 Iterative Prediction of Motion

Constant Force (mg)

+ Momentum Principle
= Projectile Motion (curved path)

But, can also add air resistance = non-constant force

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 Iterative prediction of motion
Real case: many objects objects are free to move

1.  Calculate net force on each mass:

! !
Fon m = " Fm on m i
i j
i! j

2. Update momentum of! each mass

! !
p f = pi + Fnet !t
Choose Δt short enough
(F & v do not change much)

3. Calculate v and update position of each mass

! ! !
r f = ri + vavg !t
Iterative approach:
works for any force,
4. Repeat
not just gravity!

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Δt is a critical parameter!
 Example: mass on spring, equilibrium

How far will the spring stretch?

ks s
s

! !
!p !t = Fnet
Equilibrium: ! ! mg
momentum does not change 0 = Fnet
!
0 = 0,ks s ! mg,0
0 = ks s ! mg s = mg 8/ ks
 Example: mass on spring, in motion

ks s
ks s
mg

mg

mg

As spring stretches, force gets larger.

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Block on spring example, Section 2.5 in the text.
 System of 2 Objects
! Momentum principle:
F1,surr
! !
! !
! ! !
( )
!p1 " p f ,1 # pi,1 = F1,surr + F1,int !t
p1 F1,int + ! !
! ! !
(
!p2 " p f ,2 # pi,2 = F2,surr + F2,int !t)
! ! ! !
! ! ! !
( )
The
System p f ,1 + p f ,2 ! pi,1 ! pi,2 = F1,surr + F2,surr + F1,int + F2,int "t
! ! ! !
F2,int ptotal , f ! ptotal ,i Fnet ,surr
! Clicker question:
p2
! What is this term in the equation?
F2,surr
A) Zero
B) Not zero, directed toward larger object
C) Not zero, directed toward smaller object
D) It is always positive
E) It is always negative 10
 System consisting of two objects
! Momentum principle:
F1,surr
! !
! !
! ! !
( )
!p1 " p f ,1 # pi,1 = F1,surr + F1,int !t
p1 F1,int + ! !
! ! !
(
!p2 " p f ,2 # pi,2 = F2,surr + F2,int !t )
! ! ! !
! ! ! !
( )
The
System p f ,1 + p f ,2 ! pi,1 ! pi,2 = F1,surr + F2,surr + F1,int + F2,int "t
! ! ! ! !
F2,int ptotal , f ! ptotal ,i Fnet ,surr 0
!
p2 ! ! ! !
!
F2,surr
!ptotal " ptotal , f # ptotal ,i = Fnet !t
Only from surrounding!

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 System consisting of many objects

Because all the forces inside the system come in pairs they
cancel out.
The only forces left over are forces from the surroundings!

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System consisting of several objects
Momentum principle for a system:
! ! ! !
!ptotal " ptotal , f # ptotal ,i = Fnet !t

Total momentum of the system:

! ! ! !
ptotal ! p1 + p2 + p3 + ...

Sum of all external forces

due to surrounding

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 Conservation of momentum
! ! ! !
!p1 " p f ,1 # pi,1 = F1,int !t
! !
+ ! ! ! !
p1 F1,int !p2 " p f ,2 # pi,2 = F2,int !t
! !
System
!
!
!
! !
!
(
!
)
p f ,1 + p f ,2 ! pi,1 ! pi,2 = F1,int + F2,int "t
F2,int
ptotal , f ! ptotal ,i !
!
p2
0
! !
In the absence of external forces !ptotal = 0
! ! !
System !p1 + !p2 = 0
! !
p1
F1
Conservation of momentum
! ! !
!
F2 !psystem + !psurrounding = 0
!
p2
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Surroundings
Collisions: negligible external forces
!
p1 f 1. Sticky ball
Momentum conservation:
! ! ! ! !
p2 f p1,i + p2,i = p1, f + p2, f
! ! ! ! !
p1i Assume γ=1: m1v1i + m2 v2i = m1v f + m2 v f
! !
! m v + m v
m1 v f = 1 1i 2 2i
m1 + m2
!
p2i

m2

What if the balls bounce?

! ! ! !
m1v1i + m2 v2i = m1v1 f + m2 v2 f

Two unknowns, one equation

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 Clicker: Truck and Mosquito

!
Which experiences a larger !v ? A)  Truck
B)  Mosquito
C)  The same

!
Which experiences a larger !p ? A)  Truck
B)  Mosquito
C)  The same

During such an interaction, the changes in momenta are

equal and opposite, but not changes in velocity. 16
 Electric force: the electric charges

Charges: property of an object

•  Two types: positive (+) and negative (-)
•  Like charges: repel.
•  Opposite charges: attract
•  Net charge of a system:
sum of all the charges
•  Conservation of charge
•  The force exerted by one point charge
on another acts along the line
joining the charges

Charge: measured in C (Coulomb)

Elementary charge: e = 1.602×10-19 C
Charge of electron is –e, of a proton +e
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The Electric Force Law (Coulomb s Law)
!
Felec on1by2
q1

q2
!
r2!1
!
Felec on 2 by1 r̂2!1 Coulomb s law
! 1 q2 q1
Felec on 2 by1 = ! r̂
4!" 0 r 2 2#1
2#1

1 N $ m22
= 9 # 109 N·m

4!" 0 C2
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 Electric force versus gravity

Gravity Electric force

m1m2 1 q1 q2
Fg = G 2 Fe =
r 4πε 0 r 2
G = 6.67×10-11 m3/(kg.s2) 1/(4πε0) = 8.99×109 Nm2/C2

Proton Electron
mp=1.7 x 10-27kg 1cm=10-2m me=9.1 x 10-31kg
qp = +1.6 x 10-19C qe = -1.6 x 10-19C

= F�grav

= F�elec

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Electricity Wins!!
 Iterative Prediction of Motion
Simple case: One Star (fixed in space) + One Planet

1.  Calculate gravitational force:

! m2 m1
! Fgrav on 2 by1 = !G ! 2 r̂2!1
p r2!1
Can we really ! ! !
2. Update momentum p = p + F f i net
!t
predict theChoose
future?
Δt short enough
(F & v do not change much)
!
F
3. Calculate v and update position
! ! !
r f = ri + vavg !t
4. Repeat

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Critical parameter: Δt
 Predicting the Future: Gravity
Massive star
And small planets
fixed

Two body: ellipse (or circle) fixed

Determinism:
If we know the positions and momenta of all particles
in the Universe we can predict the future

Is there free will?

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 Can we really predict the future?
Solar system Binary star

Sun, Earth and Moon

Problems:
Sensitivity to initial conditions and Δt
Inability to account for all interactions
1025 molecules in glass of water !
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 Probability and uncertainty
Semitransparent mirror
Clicker poll:
The photon will:
photon
A)  Reflect 50% chance
B)  Pass through of going through

Where is the electron?

Classical Quantum 23
Heisenberg s Uncertainty Principle
ΔxΔpx ≥ h

Planck s constant
h = 6.6×10-34 kg.m2/s

The more we know about a particle s position

the less we know about its momentum

The more we know about a particle s momentum

the less we know about its position

But Planck s constant is SMALL. For large objects, no big deal.

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Is The Whole World Random??

No. Casinos still make money.

Any one dice roll = random

1 million dice rolls = I know the outcome!
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 What We Did Today

• Predicting Motion
• System of Many Objects
• Conservation of Momentum
• Electric Force – Large or Small?
• Can we REALLY predict The Future?

26
 Clicker questions 3-6

A cannon ball is shot into air.

note: ignore friction

3 Is its momentum conserved during flight? A) Yes

B)  No

4 Is the total momentum of the cannon and A) Yes

the ball conserved during the flight? B)  No

5 Is the total momentum of the Earth and A) Yes

the ball conserved during the flight? B)  No

6 Is the total velocity of the Earth and the A) Yes

ball conserved during the flight? B)  No 27