Mouse falls on rotating disc, find the work it needs to go to the center of it

In summary, the conversation discusses how to calculate the speed of a mouse based on the mass of the mouse, the radius of the disc it is moving on, and the disc's angular speed. It also mentions using the Pythagorean theorem to find the mouse's speed and calculating the work done when the mouse climbs a hill. The conversation also brings up the concept of conservation of angular momentum and the rotational inertia of the mouse.
  • #1
tonit
55
1

Homework Statement


mass of the mouse = 0.05 kg
disc's radius = 0.2m
disc's angular speed = 33 rev / min
assume that the angular speed ω doesn't change


Homework Equations



tangential speed = ω * r


The Attempt at a Solution



well, what i did was: drew the vectors, one was the tangential speed of the circle, another one was the radius which is the displacement of the mouse.
the vector connecting the ends of both these vectors is supposed to be the speed of the mouse

since tangential speed and radius are perpendicular, then with the Pythagoras's theorem the speed of the mouse is v^2 = vt^2 + r^2

then I calculated the work done by the change of energy
ΔE = [((1/2)mv^2 ) + Iω^2] - Iω^2 (since the omega doesn't change)

am I right, if not any suggestions. thanks
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
How would you figure out the work for the mouse to climb to a height h? Would you factor in the speed that the mouse climbs the hill?
In the derived equation "v^2=vt^2+r^2", the LHS has units of speed while the RHS has units of distance (sort of) so there is something wrong with your reasoning here.
What usually helps is a clear description of the important part of the physics - eg:

The mouse starts out going in a big circle and finishes rotating on the spot.
What is the difference in energy of these two states?
 
  • #3
conservation of angular momentum:

[itex]I[/itex]i[itex]\omega[/itex]i [itex]=[/itex] [itex]I[/itex]f[itex]\omega[/itex]f [itex](1)[/itex]

rotational intertia of mouse is

[itex]I[/itex]m [itex]=[/itex] [itex]mr^2[/itex] [itex](2)[/itex]

since at the end the mouse rotates at place, it shouldn't contribute anything so

[itex](I[/itex]disc+[itex]I[/itex]mouse[itex])\omega[/itex] = [itex]I[/itex]disc[itex]\omega[/itex]

can anyone help me I'm stuck here
 

Related to Mouse falls on rotating disc, find the work it needs to go to the center of it

1. How does the mouse falling on a rotating disc relate to work?

The mouse falling on a rotating disc relates to work because work is defined as the force applied to an object multiplied by the distance the object moves in the direction of the force. In this scenario, the mouse is moving against the force of gravity as it falls towards the center of the disc, so work is being done.

2. What is the formula for calculating the work done by the mouse in this scenario?

The formula for calculating work is W = F x d, where W is work, F is force, and d is distance. In this scenario, the force is the weight of the mouse and the distance is the radius of the disc.

3. How does the weight of the mouse affect the work done?

The weight of the mouse affects the work done because it is the force that is being applied to the mouse. The greater the weight of the mouse, the greater the force and therefore the greater the work done.

4. Is the work done by the mouse positive or negative?

The work done by the mouse is negative because the force of gravity is acting in the opposite direction of the mouse's motion. This means that the mouse is doing work against the force of gravity as it falls towards the center of the disc.

5. How does the rotation of the disc affect the work done by the mouse?

The rotation of the disc affects the work done by the mouse because it creates a centrifugal force that acts in the opposite direction of the mouse's motion. This means that the mouse must do more work to overcome this force and reach the center of the disc.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
8
Views
5K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
7
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
32
Views
3K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
22
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
11
Views
2K
Back
Top