Question

If, instead, the ball is revolved so that its speed is 3.7 m/s, what angle does the cord make with the vertical?

Answer 1

Complete Question:

A 0.50-kg ball that is tied to the end of a 1.5-m light cord is revolved in a horizontal plane, with the cord making a 30° angle with the vertical.

(a) Determine the ball’s speed. (b) If, instead, the ball is revolved so that its

speed is 3.7 m/s, what angle does the cord make with the vertical?

(Check attached image for the diagram.)

Answer:

(a) The ball’s speed, v = 2.06 m/s

(b) The angle the cord makes with the vertical is 50.40⁰

Explanation:

If the ball is revolved in a horizontal plane, it will form a circular trajectory,

the radius of the circle, R = Lsinθ

where;

L is length of the string

The force acting on the ball is given as;

F = mgtanθ

This above is also equal to centripetal force;

$mgTan \theta = \frac{mv^2}{R} \\\\Recall, R = Lsin \theta\\\\mgTan \theta = \frac{mv^2}{Lsin \theta}\\\\v^2 = glTan \theta sin \theta\\\\v = \sqrt{glTan \theta sin \theta} \\\\v = \sqrt{(9.8)(1.5)(Tan30)(sin30)} \\\\v = 2.06 \ m/s$

(b) when the speed is 3.7 m/s

$v = \sqrt{glTan \theta sin \theta} \ \ \ ;square \ both \ sides\\\\v^2 = glTan \theta sin \theta\\\\v^2 = gl(\frac{sin \theta}{cos \theta}) sin \theta\\\\v^2 = \frac{gl*sin^2 \theta}{cos \theta} \\\\v^2 = \frac{gl*(1- cos^2 \theta)}{cos \theta}\\\\gl*(1- cos^2 \theta) = v^2cos \theta\\\\(9.8*1.5)(1- cos^2 \theta) = (3.7^2)cos \theta\\\\14.7 - 14.7cos^2 \theta = 13.69cos \theta\\\\14.7cos^2 \theta + 13.69cos \theta - 14.7 = 0 \ \ \ ; this \ is \ quadratic \ equation$

$Cos\theta = \frac{13.69\sqrt{13.69^2 -(-4*14.7*14.7)} }{14.7} \\\\Cos \theta = 0.6374\\\\\theta = Cos^{-1}(0.6374)\\\\\theta = 50.40 ^o$

Therefore, the angle the cord makes with the vertical is 50.40⁰