| Topic: |
Science > Physics |
| User: |
"Eli Luong" |
| Date: |
09 Jan 2006 04:24:29 PM |
| Object: |
Centripetal Acceleration |
I have the following situation: there is a string attached to a mass
and the mass is being swung in a circle, where the plane of the circle
is horizontal to the ground. So basically it's like swinging something
around you. The string also makes an angle with the ground. Hopefully
this is not too confusing.
The acceleration vector points toward the center of the circle drawn by
the swinging mass, and not in the same direction as the string. I'm
just wondering if I were given an unsual situation, what is the best
way to determine where the acceleration vector will be pointing.
Thanks,
- Eli
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Centripetal Acceleration |
09 Jan 2006 05:59:14 PM |
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Eli Luong wrote:
I have the following situation: there is a string attached to a mass
and the mass is being swung in a circle, where the plane of the circle
is horizontal to the ground. So basically it's like swinging something
around you. The string also makes an angle with the ground. Hopefully
this is not too confusing.
The acceleration vector points toward the center of the circle drawn by
the swinging mass, and not in the same direction as the string. I'm
just wondering if I were given an unsual situation, what is the best
way to determine where the acceleration vector will be pointing.
The acceleration vector here is the sum of two vectors, one pointing to
the ground and the other one points in the same direction as the
string.
Nice observation
Hero
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| User: "Eli Luong" |
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| Title: Re: Centripetal Acceleration |
09 Jan 2006 06:31:45 PM |
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How did you know to sum those two particular vectors to obtain
acceleration (tension and gravity)?
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| User: "Ben Rudiak-Gould" |
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| Title: Re: Centripetal Acceleration |
09 Jan 2006 04:49:38 PM |
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Eli Luong wrote:
The acceleration vector points toward the center of the circle drawn by
the swinging mass, and not in the same direction as the string. I'm
just wondering if I were given an unsual situation, what is the best
way to determine where the acceleration vector will be pointing.
Well, acceleration is the second derivative of position, and here you know
the position. Without calculating anything, you can see that when the
position is confined to a plane, the acceleration will be confined to the
same plane.
-- Ben
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| User: "Eli Luong" |
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| Title: Re: Centripetal Acceleration |
09 Jan 2006 06:30:55 PM |
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Thank you. That's a good line of reasoning and makes sense.
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