Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2016 Problem Sheet 4 – Solutions

1. The ellipsoid is obtained by taking a ball of radius 1, and scaling the x, y and z coordinates by
a, b and c. If we use coordinates r̃ = (x̃, ỹ, z̃) for the ball, the coordinates for the ellipsoid are
r = (x, y, z) = (ax̃, bỹ, cz̃). If we denote the density of the ellipsoid by ρ, its mass is
Z Z Z
3
M= d rρ = ρ dx dy dz = abcρ dr̃ dỹ dz̃. (1.1)
V V Ṽ

In the last form of the equation, the integral is just the volume of the unit ball,
Z
4π
dr̃ dỹ dz̃ = , (1.2)
Ṽ 3
so we have
4π
M = abcρ . (1.3)
3
The principal moments are given by
Z Z Z
3 2 2
I1 = Ixx = d rρ(y +z ), I2 = Iyy = d3 rρ(x2 +z 2 ), I3 = Izz = d3 rρ(x2 +y 2 ),
V V V
(1.4)
and defining Z
Kx = d3 rx2 etc., (1.5)
V
we can write them as

I1 = ρ(Ky + Kz ), I2 = ρ(Kx + Kz ), I3 = ρ(Kx + Ky ). (1.6)

The scaling gives us

Z Z
Kx = d3 rx2 = a3 bc d3 r̃x̃2 = a3 bcK̃x , Ky = ab3 cK̃y , Kz = abc3 K̃z . (1.7)
V Ṽ

Because of spherical symmetry K̃x = K̃y = K̃z , so we have

I1 = abcρ(b2 + c2 )K̃z , I2 = abcρ(a2 + c2 )K̃z , I3 = abcρ(a2 + b2 )K̃z . (1.8)

Finally, using spherical coordinates we find

Z Z 1 Z π Z 2π
3 2 2
K̃z = d r̃z̃ = dr̃ r̃ dθ̃ sin θ̃ dφ̃ r̃2 cos2 θ̃
Ṽ 0 0 0
Z 1  Z π  Z 2π 
1 2 4π
= dr̃ r̃4 × dθ̃ sin θ̃ cos2 θ̃ × dφ̃ = × × 2π = , (1.9)
0 0 0 5 3 15
so
4π 2 1 1 1
I1 = abcρ (b + c2 ) = M (b2 + c2 ), I2 = M (a2 + c2 ), I3 = M (a2 + b2 ). (1.10)
15 5 5 5

2. (a) The maximum algular velocity of the flywheel is ω max = ωê1 = 2π × 1000 s−1 ê1 , where
we have chosen its rotation axis to be ê1 . The moment of inertia for this axis of a uniform
cylinder is I1 = mr2 /2, so the maximum kinetic energy is
1 1 1
2
Tmax = ω max ·I·ω max = × ×5 kg×(0.1 m)2 × 2π × 1000 s−1 ≈ 493 kJ. (2.1)
2 2 2

1
Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2016 Problem Sheet 4 – Solutions

The speed to which this energy accelerate the car is given by

r s
2Tmax 2 × 4.93 × 105 J
v= ≈ ≈ 39 m/s ≈ 140 km/h. (2.2)
M 640 kg

(b) The angular momentum of the flywheel is L = I · ω = I1 ω, and when the car is turning,
this changes as

dL 
= I1 ω̇ = I1 Ω × ω = I1 Ωω k̂ × ê1 = I1 Ωωê2 , (2.3)
dt I

where we chose ê3 = k̂.

With vertical forces Ffront and Frear applied by the front and rear wheels, respectively, the
rate of change of the angular momentum is

dL  X
= r × F = R(Frear − Ffront )ê2 , (2.4)
dt I

so we find
I1 Ωω
Frear − Ffront =
. (2.5)
R
On the other hand, the forces also have to balance the gravitational force, so we need

Frear + Ffront − M g = 0, (2.6)

from which we can solve

 
1 I1 Ωω
Ffront = Mg − ,
2 R
 
1 I1 Ωω
Frear = Mg + . (2.7)
2 R
The support forces can only be positive, so the allowed range of Ω is −Ωmax < Ω < Ωmax ,
where
M gR 640 kg × 9.81 m s−2 × 2 m
Ωmax = ≈ 1 ≈ 80 s−1 . (2.8)
I1 ω 2 × 5 kg × (0.1 m)2 × 2π × 1000 s−1
R`
(a) For each blade I = 0 M` x2 dx = 13 M `2 , and there are four blades, so Itotal = 43 M `2 =


3.
4 2 2
3 × 50 kg × (4 m) = 1067 kg m .
(b) When inclined we require ωrot cos θ = 80 s−1 × 2π ≈ 503 s−1 .
s−1 −1
Hence ωrot ≈ 503
cos 30◦ ≈ 581 s .

Mtotal g
(c) Lift = ωrot cos 30◦ ω rot , so

2Mtotal g 2 × (4000 kg + 4 × 50 kg) × 9.8 m s−2

|Lift| = √ = √ = 47.5 kN. (3.1)
3 3
The sidewise force is therefore of magnitude

Fhor ≈ 47.5 sin 30◦ kN = 23.8 kN. (3.2)

2
Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2016 Problem Sheet 4 – Solutions

Figure 1:

(d) The torque exerted is

τ = (rC − rP ) × F, (3.3)
where rP and rC are the positiong vectors of points P and C, respectively, and F =
−M g k̂ is the gravitational force. Using these, we find
dL
= τ = −Mtotal gd sin 30◦ φ̂, (3.4)
dt
where d = |rC − rP |. This equals
∂L
= Ω × L = ΩL sin 30◦ φ̂, (3.5)
∂t
where Ω = Ωk̂ is the angular velocity of the precession. Hence
−Mtotal gd sin 30◦ = L sin 30◦ Ω ,
and the angular frequency of precession if therefore
Mtotal gd Mtotal gd
Ω = − =
L Iω
(4000 kg + 4 × 50 kg) × 9.8 m s−2 × 2 m
≈ − 2 −1
≈ −0.13 s−1 . (3.6)
1067 kg m × 581 s
Because the sign is negative, the precession sense is clockwise when viewed from above
as indicated.
(e) Circling clockwise (when viewed from above) is easier, as then the rotation is in the same
sense as the precession. If ω is the angular frequency of the circular path of radius R, then
a horizontal centripetal force of Fcp = Mtotal ω 2 R must be applied. If ω = Ω, then we
must have Fhor = Mtotal Ω2 R. The radius is therefore given by
Fhor 23.8 × 103 N
R= = = 335 m .
Mtotal Ω2 4200 kg × (0.13 s−1 )2