Rolling Cone

A rigid cone rolls on a very rough, horizontal surface (rough enough to prevent it from sliding) and its center of mass follows a circular trajectory.

Suppose the angular velocity of the center of mass of the cone is Ω \Omega , and the angular velocity at which the cone rotates as seen by someone in the reference frame of the center of mass is ω \omega .

What is the ratio of Ω \Omega to ω \omega ?

Note: The angle between the cone's base and slant height is β \beta

sin β \sin \beta cos β \cos \beta sec β \sec \beta cot β \cot \beta

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2 solutions

Pranshu Gaba
Sep 6, 2016

Let the slant height of the cone and the radius of the base of the cone be l l and r r respectively.

The circumference of the big circle is C = 2 π l C = 2 \pi l , and the circumference of the base of the cone is c = 2 π r c = 2 \pi r .

The center of mass of the cone takes time t = 2 π Ω t = \dfrac{2\pi}{\Omega} to complete one revolution about the vertex of the cone. During this time, the point of contact between the cone and the ground moves a distance of 2 π l 2 \pi l . This means that the circular base makes C c = l r \frac{C}{c} = \frac{l}{r} revolutions, or rotates by 2 π l r 2 \pi \frac lr radians.

This implies that the circular base is rotating with angular velocity 2 π l r 2 π Ω = l Ω r \dfrac{2 \pi \frac{l}{r} }{\frac{2\pi}{\Omega}} = \dfrac{l \Omega}{r} . However, we know that this is equal to ω \omega . Thus, we can equate them:

ω = l Ω r Ω ω = r l = cos β \omega = \frac{l \Omega}{r} \implies \frac{\Omega}{\omega} = \frac{r}{l} = \cos \beta

Great solution! +1! If only I didn't do ω Ω \frac {\omega}{\Omega} . :(

Sharky Kesa - 4 years, 9 months ago
Erasmo Hinojosa
Aug 13, 2016

The no sliding condition states that the line of contact points is instantaneously at rest, this means that any point in the line of contact rotates with the same velocity around the axis of symetry as it does around a vertical axis that passes through the cone´s vertex but in opossite directions. Considering the contat point that is part of the cone´s base (an arbitrary point on the line of contact could be chosen but I chose the one at the base for the sake of clarity) and is a distant "R" from the vertex. The center of the base moves in a circle around the vertical axis that pases through the vertex, just as the center of mass, because it´s a rigid body. So, our contact point also, instantaneously, has the same angular velocity with respect to the vertical axis as the center of the base does, because our contact point is part of the base (and the rest of the cone) and its instantaneous speed around the axis passing through the vertex is given by: v = Ω R v=\Omega R . Now, we "ride" a reference frame that rotates with angular velocity Ω \Omega around the vertex (as the center of mass does) and, by doing so, we don´t appreciate the angular velocity Ω \Omega and is the axis of symetry that is instantaneously at rest, that is the cone rotates with an angular velocity ω \omega around this axis and, with respect to it, our contact point has a speed: v = ω R c o s β v= \omega R cos\beta . Since both speeds are equal, se finally get that Ω ω = c o s β \boxed{\frac{\Omega}{\omega}=cos\beta}

The line of contact between the cone surface and the floor would have an angular velocity of Omega x R, and the center of the base of the cone would too. Since the cone is rolling without slipping, wouldnt the cone surface line that is in contact with the floor have an instantaneous velocity of zero with respect to the floor and the cone surface that is 180 degrees opposite the line of contact (at the top of the cone) have a velocity relative to the floor of 2 x Omega?

Matt Owings - 4 years, 10 months ago

This was a good problem....I understand it now. Thanks!

Matt Owings - 4 years, 10 months ago

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