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raving_lunatic
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Homework Statement
A cube of mass m and side 2a is held on one of its edges on a horizontal surface. It is released from this position and allowed to tip. Find an expression for the angular velocity of the cube as its face strikes the surface of the table in the following cases:
a) the surface is sufficiently rough to stop the edge from moving
b) the edge of the cube can slide freely on the table
Homework Equations
G = r x F
G = dJ/dt (G torque, J angular momentum)
I = 2/3 m a2 - moment of inertia for cube about its center of mass
I = 2/3 m a 2 + 2ma2 - moment of inertia for a cube about one of its edges (using the parallel axis theorem)
1/2 I w2 = rotational kinetic energy
The Attempt at a Solution
Okay. So, first I tried to work out the torque of the weight about the rotation axis on one of the cube's edges, which I determined to be mga tan θ in the direction of increasing θ, where θ is defined as the angle between the vertical and the line between the center of mass, and the edge about which the cube tips. The reaction force acts through this point, so it exerts no torque about this axis. I wasn't able to integrate the equation for torque to find angular momentum (as θ is a function of time) so I tried a conservation of energy approach, reasoning that the center of mass moved by (√2-1)a and equating the loss in gravitational potential energy to the rotational kinetic energy. This gave me an answer for the case where the motion is purely rotational (which I think is the first case), but I wasn't sure how to deal with the case when the block is sliding freely. Possibly a term should be added to compensate for the translational kinetic energy, but I can't find the relation between this and the angular velocity? Any help with this problem would be greatly appreciated