Physics 111: Lecture 8

Todays Agenda

Friction Recap
Drag Forces
Terminal speed
Dynamics of many-body systems
Atwoods machine
General case of two attached blocks on inclined planes
Some interesting problems

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 1

Friction Review:

Friction is caused by the microscopic interactions

between the two surfaces:
See discussion in text

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 2

Model for Friction

The direction of the frictional force vector fF is perpendicular to the normal force vector N, in the direction opposing the net applied force.

Kinetic (sliding): The magnitude of the frictional force vector is proportional to the magnitude of the normal force N.
fF = KN

Static: The frictional force balances the net applied forces such that the object doesnt move. The maximum possible static frictional force is proportional to N.
fF SN

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 3

Kinetic Friction:

K is the coefficient of kinetic friction.

i:

F KN = ma

j:

N = mg
F Kmg = ma

so

N
F
ma
KN

mg
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 4

Static Friction:

The coefficient of static friction, S, determines maximum

static frictional force, SN, that the contact between the
objects can provide.
S is discovered by increasing F until the object starts to
slide:
FMAX - SN = 0
N = mg
S FMAX / mg

FMAX = S mg
N
FMAX

S N

j
i

mg
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 5

Lecture 8, Act 1
Two-body dynamics

A block of mass m, when placed on a rough inclined plane

( > 0) and given a brief push, keeps moving down the plane with constant speed.
If a similar block (same ) of mass 2m were placed on the same incline and given a brief push, it would:

(a) stop
(b) accelerate
m

(c) move with constant speed

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 6

Lecture 8, Act 1
Solution

Draw FBD and find the total force in the x-direction

FNET,X = mg sin Kmg cos
KN

= ma = 0 (first case)
Doubling the mass will simply
double both termsnet force
will still be zero!

N
mg

Speed will still be constant!

i
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 7

Drag Forces:

When an object moves through a viscous medium, like air

or water, the medium exerts a drag or retarding force
that opposes the motion of the object.
FDRAG

j
v
Fg = mg
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 8

Drag Forces:

Parachute

This drag force is typically proportional to the speed v of

the object raised to some power. This will result in a
maximum (terminal) speed.
FD = bvn

feels like n=2

v
Fg = mg

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 9

Terminal Speed:

Suppose FD = bv2. Sally jumps out of a plane and after falling for
a while her downward speed is a constant v.
What is FD after she reaches this terminal speed?
What is the terminal speed v?

FTOT = FD - mg = ma = 0.
FD = mg

Since FD = bv2
bv2 = mg

FD = bv2

j
v

Fg = mg

mg
v=
b
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 10

Many-body Dynamics

Systems made up of more than one object

Objects are typically connected:

By ropes & pulleys

today

By rods, springs, etc.

later on

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 11

Atwoods Machine:
Masses m1 and m2 are attached to an ideal massless string
and hung as shown around an ideal massless pulley.
Fixed Pulley

Find the accelerations, a1 and a2, of the masses.

What is the tension in the string T ?

T1

a1

T2

m1
m2

a2

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 12

Atwoods Machine...

Draw free body diagram s for each object

Applying Newtons Second Law: ( j -components)
T1 - m 1 g = m 1 a1
T2 - m 2 g = m 2 a2

But T1 = T2 = T
s ince pulley is ideal

and a 1 = -a 2 = -a.
s ince the masses are

connected by the s tring

Free Body Diagrams

T1
a1

T2
a2

m1g

m2g

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 13

Atwoods Machine...
T - m1g = -m1 a
T - m2g = m2 a

(a )
(b )

Two equ ations & two unknowns

we can sol ve for b oth un kno wns (T an d a).

sub tract (b) - (a ):

g(m1 - m2 ) = a(m1+ m2 )
a=

add (b ) + (a):
2T - g(m1 + m2 ) = -a (m1 - m2 ) =
T = 2g m1m2 / (m1 + m2 )

( m1 - m2 )
g
( m1 + m2 )
( m1 - m2 )2
-g
m1 + m2
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 14

Atwoods Machine...

Atwoods Machine

So we find:

( m1 m 2 )
g
( m1 m 2 )

2 m1 m2
T =
g
( m1 + m2 )

m1
m2

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 15

Is the result reasonable?

Check limiting cases!

Special cases:
i.) m1 = m2 = m

a = 0 and T = mg.

OK!

ii.) m2 or m1 = 0

|a| = g and T= 0.

OK!

( m1 m 2 )
g
( m1 m 2 )

2 m1 m2
(m1 m2 )

Atwoods machine can be used to determine g (by measuring the acceleration a for given masses).

g=

( m2 + m1 )
a
( m2 - m1 )

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 16

Attached bodies on two inclined planes

smooth peg

m2

m1

2
All surfaces frictionless

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 17

How will the bodies move?

From the free body diagrams for each body, and the chosen
coordinate system for each block, we can apply Newtons
Second Law:
Taking x components:

T1

1) T1 - m1g sin 1 = m1 a1X

2) T2 - m2g sin 2 = m2 a2X
But T1 = T2 = T

T2
m2

m1
1

2
m2g

and a1X = -a2X = a

(constraints)

m1g

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 18

Solving the equations

Using the constraints, solve the equations.
T - m1gsin 1 = -m1 a
(a)
T - m2gsin 2 = m2 a

(b)

Subtracting (a) from (b) gives:

m1gsin 1 - m2gsin 2 = (m1+m2 )a

So:

m1 sin 1 m2 sin 2
a
g

m1 m2

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 19

m1 sin 1 m2 sin 2
a
g

m1 m2

m2

m1
1

Special Case 1:

Boring
m1

m2

If 1 = 0 and 2 = 0, a = 0.
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 20

m1 sin 1 m2 sin 2
a
g

m1 m2

m2

m1
1

Special Case 2:

T
m1

Atwoods Machine

T
m2

If 1 = 90 and 2 = 90,

( m1 m 2 )
a
g
( m1 m 2 )
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 21

m1 sin 1 m2 sin 2
a
g

m1 m2
Air-track

m2

m1
1

Special Case 3:
m1
Lab configuration
m2

If 1 = 0 and 2 = 90,

m2
g
( m1 m 2 )
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 22

Lecture 8, Act 2
Two-body dynamics

In which case does block m experience a larger acceleration? In (1) there is a 10 kg mass hanging from
a rope. In (2) a hand is providing a constant downward force of 98.1 N. In both cases the ropes and
pulleys are massless.

m
a

m
a

10kg
F = 98.1 N
Case (1)
(a)

Case (2)
Case (1)

(b) Case (2)

(c)

same

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 23

Lecture 8, Act 2
Solution
For case (1) draw FBD and write FNET = ma for each block:
(a)
T = ma
(a)

(10kg)g -T = (10kg)a

(b)
m

Add (a) and (b):

a

98.1 N = (m + 10kg)a
a

10kg

98.1N
m 10 kg

Note: T 98.1N

(b)

m
m 10 kg

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 24

Lecture 8, Act 2
Solution

For case (2) T = 98.1 N = ma

98.1N
m 10 kg

98.1N
m
a

98.1N
m

m
a

m
a

10kg
F = 98.1 N
Case (1)

Case (2)

The answer is (b) Case (2)

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 25

Problem: Two strings & Two Masses on

horizontal frictionless floor:

Given T1, m1 and m2, what are a and T2?

T1 - T2 = m1a

(a)

T2 = m2a

(b)

Add (a) + (b):

T1
a = m +m
1
2

T1 = (m1 + m2)a
Plugging solution into (b):
m2
T2 = T1
m1 + m2
m2

T2

a
i
m1

T1

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 26

Lecture 8, Act 3
Two-body dynamics

Three blocks of mass 3m, 2m, and m are connected by strings and pulled with constant
acceleration a. What is the relationship between the tension in each of the strings?

a
3m

(a) T1 > T2 > T3

T3

2m

T2

(b) T3 > T2 > T1

T1

(c) T1 = T2 = T3

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 27

Lecture 8, Act 3
Solution

Draw free body diagrams!!

T3

3m

T3 = 3ma

T2 - T3 = 2ma

T3

T2 = 2ma +T3 > T3

T1 - T2 = ma

T2

T1 = ma + T2 > T2

2m

T2

T1

T1 > T2 > T3
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 28

Lecture 8, Act 3
Solution

Alternative solution:

Consider T1 to be pulling
all the boxes

3m

T3

T2

2m

T1

a
T2 is pulling only the
boxes of mass 3m
and 2m

3m

T3

T2

2m

T1

a
T3 is pulling only the
box of mass 3m

3m

T3

2m

T2

T1

T1 > T2 > T3
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 29

Problem: Rotating puck & weight.

A mass m1 slides in a circular path with speed v on a horizontal frictionless table. It is held at a radius R by a string threaded through a frictionless hole at the center of the table. At the other end of the string hangs a second mass m2.
What is the tension (T) in the string?
What is the speed (v) of the sliding mass?

v
m1

R
m2
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 30

Problem: Rotating puck & weight...

Draw FBD of hanging mass:

Since R is constant, a = 0.
so

T = m2g

m2
m2g

v
m1

R
T
m2
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 31

T = m2g

Problem: Rotating puck & weight...

N

Draw FBD of sliding mass:

Puck
T = m2g

m1
Use F = T = m1a

m1g

where a = v2 / R
v gR

m2g = m1v / R
2

m2
m1

v
m1

R
T
m2
Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 32

Recap of todays lecture

Friction Recap.
Drag Forces.
Terminal speed.

(Text: 5-1)
(Text: 5-3)

Dynamics of many-body systems.

(Text: 4-7)
Atwoods machine.
General case of two attached blocks on inclined planes.
Some interesting special cases.

Physics 111: Lecture 8, Pg 33