Question

A small metal ball is suspended from the ceiling by a thread of negligible mass. The ball is then set in motion in a horizontal circle so that the thread’s trajectory describes a cone. The acceleration of gravity is 9.8 m/s 2 . How long does it take for the ball to rotate once around the axis?

Answer 1

Answer:

Time taken, $T=2\pi \sqrt{\dfrac{l\ cos\theta}{g}}$

Explanation:

It is given that, a small metal ball is suspended from the ceiling by a thread of negligible mass. The ball is then set in motion in a horizontal circle so that the thread’s trajectory describes a cone as shown in attached figure.

From the figure,

The sum of forces in y direction is :

$T\ cos\theta-mg=0$

$T=\dfrac{mg}{cos\theta}$

Sum of forces in x direction,

$T\ sin\theta=\dfrac{mv^2}{r}$

$mg\ tan\theta=\dfrac{mv^2}{r}$.............(1)

Also, $r=l\ sin\theta$

Equation (1) becomes :

$mg\ tan\theta=\dfrac{mv^2}{l\ sin\theta}$

$v=\sqrt{gl\ tan\theta.sin\theta}$...............(2)

Let t is the time taken for the ball to rotate once around the axis. It is given by :

$T=\dfrac{2\pi r}{v}$

Put the value of T from equation (2) to the above expression:

$T=\dfrac{2\pi r}{\sqrt{gl\ tan\theta.sin\theta}}$

$T=\dfrac{2\pi l\ sin\theta}{\sqrt{gl\ tan\theta.sin\theta}}$

On solving above equation :

$T=2\pi \sqrt{\dfrac{l\ cos\theta}{g}}$

Hence, this is the required solution.