A triangle made of beams

Isosceles triangle A B C \triangle ABC is constructed from three steel beams, with a fourth beam holding corner A A in a fixed position. Keeping the isosceles triangular formation intact, the equal lengths of beams A B AB and A C AC both increase with the same rate. Since beam B C BC is always kept at a fixed length of 2 m 2\text{ m} , this movement causes A \angle A to shrink at a rate of π 4 rad/s \frac { \pi }{ 4 } \text{ rad/s } .

As soon as A B C \triangle ABC becomes a right triangle, beam B C BC instantly detaches with a constant velocity and proceeds to move on an icy surface, parallel to the Earth's surface. In meters from A A , find the distance, d d , that the beam rolls before stopping.

Details and Assumptions

  • Assuming that this hypothetical scenario takes place on Earth, take the acceleration due to gravity to be at 10 m / s 2 10\text{ m }/ \text{ s }^{ 2 } .
  • Assume that the coefficient of kinetic friction between steel and ice is π 2 960 \frac { { \pi }^{ 2 } }{ 960 } .


The answer is 4.

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1 solution

R G Staff
Dec 7, 2016

The triangle ABC is an isosceles triangle. The side AB and AC rotate at angular speed ω \omega . The length of side BC is constant. The angle A is decreasing at a rate of π 4 \frac{\pi}{4} and it will be equal to 2 ω 2\omega because both the sides AB and AC are rotating at ω \omega to reduce the angle A, that means we have, 2 ω = π 4 2\omega = \frac{\pi}{4}

Now, consider the half triangle ADC (with D as the right angle) at a certain instant when the side BC is y distance away from the corner A and the angle BAD equals θ \theta

In this triangle,
t a n θ = 1 y tan \theta = \frac{1}{y}
y = c o t θ y=cot \theta
Also, we have the speed of the side BC = V = d y d t \frac{dy}{dt}
Therefore,
V = d y d t = c o s e c 2 θ d θ d t V=\frac{dy}{dt}= - {cosec ^2 \theta} \frac{{d\theta }}{{dt}}
Here, d θ d t = ω \frac{d \theta}{dt} = - \omega
Hence,
V = ω c o s e c 2 θ V= \omega {cosec ^2\theta}
The instant when the angle BAC becomes right angled then the angle BAD becomes half of it that is π 4 \frac{\pi}{4}
V = ω c o s e c 2 π 4 = π 4 V=\omega {cosec^2 \frac{\pi}{4}} = \frac{\pi}{4}
and y = c o t π 4 = 1 y=cot \frac{\pi}{4} = 1 .


Once the rod BC is detached it moves on an icy floor with a retardation of f r i c t i o n m a s s \frac{friction}{mass}
f r i c t i o n = μ m g friction = \mu mg and hence the retardation a = μ g a= \mu g .
Since the retardation is constant, we can write
v 2 = u 2 + 2 a S {v^2} = {u^2} + 2aS
Here, v is the final speed that is zero, u is the initial speed that is π 4 \frac{\pi}{4} , a is acceleration = μ g -\mu g and S is the displacement.
Therefore, the displacement S = V 2 2 μ g = 3 S=\frac{V^2}{2\mu g}=3
and the distance from the corner A will be y+S = 1+3 = 4m.

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