Problem with classical mechanics

In summary, the cube will rise if the height of the rod is greater than the distance the cube is from the ground when the rod falls.
  • #1
TonyEsposito
37
5
Hi guys i have a problem and I'm not able to solve it. I have a cube lying on the ground that is hinged on a side in contact with the floor. Right above the hinge there is a rod hinged (at the start time the rod is horizzontal) and it is long enough to touch the cube when it fall...how much the height must be in order to the rod to be able to rotate the cube after the collision?
prob.jpg
 
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  • #2
I don't believe you have enough information to solve the problem.

One problem I see is that at impact the line of force could be towards the pivot point of the block. See diagram..

prob.jpg


In that case there would be no torque acting on the block and it wouldn't rotate. The hinge point for the rod might have to be moved a lot higher and the rod made a lot longer to change this angle significantly.

prob1.jpg


One approach would be to calculate the Potential Energy (PE) of the rod in the up position. That would be turned into rotational KE as the rod falls. Then you would need to do some calculations to work out how much energy might be transferred to the block. I'm not quite sure how to tackle that because I think it would be difficult to apply conservation of angular momentum.
 
  • #3
Ok, thanks for the hints. I used to see this problem in an exam, i thinked about using some energy conservation principle but i have no idea how to proceed ;)
 
  • #4
Problem is energy is only conserved for an elastic collision. Momentum is conserved for both elastic an inelastic collisions.
 
  • #5
yeah, i forgot to say that the problem say that the collision is elastic
 
  • #6
If you have a copy of the problem statement best post that word for word?
 
  • #7
It's in the italian language, I'm going to translate it as best as i can: "There is a cube of mass M and side length a and it is lying on a plane where an edge of the cube is hinged to that. Vertically above the hinge, at an height h from the plane there is a rod hinged, the rod have a constant linear density p, the rod's length is long enough to be able to touch the opposite edge of the cube. The rod is left falling from an horizzontal position and it collide elastically with the cube. Calculate for which values of h the cube is going to rise from the plane after the collision (warning: think before writing anything and only then write the answer, do not be surprised by the banality of the problem)."
That's all :p
 

Related to Problem with classical mechanics

1. What is the problem with classical mechanics?

The problem with classical mechanics is that it cannot fully explain and predict the behavior of objects at the atomic and subatomic level. It also cannot account for certain phenomena, such as the wave-particle duality of light.

2. How does classical mechanics differ from quantum mechanics?

Classical mechanics is based on Newton's laws of motion and works well for objects at macroscopic scales. Quantum mechanics, on the other hand, describes the behavior of particles at the atomic and subatomic level, taking into account principles such as uncertainty and superposition.

3. Can classical mechanics still be useful in modern science?

Yes, classical mechanics is still widely used in many areas of science and engineering. It is particularly useful for describing the behavior of large objects and systems, such as planets and machinery.

4. What led to the development of quantum mechanics?

The study of electromagnetism and the discovery of the photoelectric effect in the late 19th and early 20th centuries led to the realization that classical mechanics was not sufficient to explain certain phenomena. This prompted the development of quantum mechanics to better understand the behavior of particles at the atomic level.

5. Are there any unresolved issues with classical mechanics?

While classical mechanics is a highly accurate and useful theory, there are still some unresolved issues, such as the inability to fully explain the behavior of very small particles and the lack of a unified theory that combines classical mechanics with other fundamental forces, such as gravity.

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