Over The Top!

Gabriel the Grenadier wants to lob a grenade over a huge barrier in front of him. He models the scenario in the following way:

The grenade is a point mass that is thrown with a variable velocity u u , at a variable angle θ \theta . The barrier is a cylinder with a radius of R = 2 m R= 2m .

Find the minimum value of u u (in m/s) for which the particle crosses the log.

Details and assumptions

Neglect air resistance and viscosity.
Take g = 9.8 m / s 2 g=9.8 m/s^2 .


The answer is 9.728.

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

1 solution

Jatin Yadav
Apr 12, 2014

When, we throw the particle with minimum required velocity, it touches the cylinder at two points. Let us say the line joining center of cylinder and particle makes an angle ϕ \phi with horizontal, and at this time speed is v v . Clearly, height scaled is h = R ( 1 + sin ϕ ) h = R(1 + \sin \phi) .

Using conservation of energy,

v 2 = u 2 2 g h = u 2 2 g R ( 1 + sin ϕ ) v^2 = u^2 - 2gh = u^2 -2gR(1+\sin \phi)

Now, the range of particle if it is thrown from this point with speed v v is :

x = v 2 sin 2 ( π 2 ϕ ) g = ( u 2 2 g R ( 1 + sin ϕ ) ) sin 2 ϕ g \displaystyle x = \frac{v^2 \sin 2\big(\frac{\pi}{2} - \phi\big)}{g} = \frac{(u^2 - 2gR(1+\sin \phi))\sin 2 \phi}{g}

Now, this should be same as 2 R cos ϕ 2R \cos \phi . as the distance between two points where particle touches cylinder is 2 R cos ϕ 2R \cos \phi

Hence, ( u 2 2 g R ( 1 + sin ϕ ) ) sin 2 ϕ g = 2 R cos ϕ \displaystyle \frac{(u^2 - 2gR(1+\sin \phi))\sin 2 \phi}{g} = 2R \cos \phi

u 2 = g R ( 2 + 2 sin ϕ + 1 sin ϕ ) 2 g R ( 1 + 2 ) \displaystyle \Rightarrow u^2 = gR(2 + 2 \sin \phi + \frac{1}{\sin \phi}) \geq 2gR(1+ \sqrt{2}) ( AM-GM)

Thus , u 9.728 m / s u \geq 9.728 m/s

@jatin yadav and @Anish Puthuraya , I wanted a little clarification regarding this problem. I initially thought that in the case of projection with minimum velocity , the motion will be a combination of projectile and circular motion.. I explain you how in a simple fashion as follows:

Consider the particle to be on the top of the cylinder (i.e., on the point diametrically opposite to the point in contact with the ground.) If I give it a gentle push (assuming the cylinder to be frictionless) the particle loses contact somewhere and eventually fall on the ground. Just replicate the motion on the other side as well. Here one would find a point after which the particle would undergo circular motion. With this I am getting the answer to be u > 4 g R = 8.85 m s 1 u > \sqrt{4gR} = 8.85 ms^{-1} . I have assumed the frictionless part but that is not actually my question. I wanted to know where I have gone wrong with this approach. Thanks in advance.

Sudeep Salgia - 6 years, 12 months ago

Log in to reply

Your thought is valid and seems logical...But, I think the problem is that, I have not mentioned in the problem that the barrier is fixed...So, it may move during the circular motion (due to the normal reaction between the grenade and the barrier). And hence, the problem will get very complicated if you consider that..(which, as you can see in the picture, is not my intended solution)...Though, nice thinking!

Anish Puthuraya - 6 years, 12 months ago

here at any point we can say that u=(gR/cosa)^1/2 where a is the angle at which it is thrown. By conserving mechanical energy we get the above value of u. After differentiating it and equating its value to 0 for min value we get a=45. Substituting the value of a in the equation of u we get the ans 5.26m/s

omkar rajebhosale - 6 years, 9 months ago

Thought I should mention an interesting finding: The points of tangency of the parabolic trajectory and the cylindrical log are at 45° on each side.. This sits well with the fact that the range is max at this angle for a given launching speed. So we can 'cross' the log with the least speed. Of course, the solution should not be started with this assumption.

Ujjwal Rane - 6 years, 7 months ago

Does the focus of the parabola coincide with the center of the circle ?

Vijay Simha - 4 years, 6 months ago

@SUMUKHA ADIGA

rakshith lokesh - 3 years, 2 months ago

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...