Copy of Tutorial 10: Rotational Dynamics

This exercise will use the simulation shown below. The basic problem here is to calculate the torque and angular acceleration produced by a force applied at the edge of an object suspend from its center.

For this activity ignore the distinction between clockwise and counterclockwise rotation. Everything is positive here.

You have 4 possible shapes. For each shape you can adjust the radius, and the mass of the object. You can also change the magnitude of the force applied. The force is always perpendicular to the radius.

The first set of questions will ask you to make some choices for the parameters and to predict the values of the torque and the angular acceleration. Then simply set the value in the simulation and verify that you got the correct answer. Try to answer the questions before setting the values in the simulation.

The second set of questions will include values that are not available in the simulation, so you won't be able to "cheat" and you will have to do the calculations. 

You need to already know

• how to figure out the torque applied by a force
• how to find the moment of inertia of those shapes
• how to calculate the angular acceleration, the angular velocity, the angle and the number of rotations.

This was discussed in the previous videos. 

For the shapes, a cylindrical shell is basically a hoop or a ring.  You need to be within 5% of the correct answer to get the points. Round off carefully. 

In case you cannot answer one of the questions correctly, the answers will be accessible after your last attempt or on Thursday 12.03 at 12:01 am.