Question

A record is dropped vertically onto a freely rotating (undriven) turntable. Frictional forces act to bring the record and turntable to a common angular speed. If the rotational inertia of the record is 0.61 times that of the turntable, what percentage of the initial kinetic energy is lost

Answer 1

Answer:

The loss of initial Kinetic energy = 37.88 %

Explanation:

Given:

Rotational inertia of the turntable = $I_t$

Rotational inertia ($I_r$) of the record = $0.61\times I_t$

According to the question:

Frictional forces act to bring the record and turntable to a common angular speed.

So,angular momentum will be conserved as it is an inelastic collision.

Considering the initial and final angular velocity of the turn table as  $\omega _i\ ,\ \omega_f$ respectively.

Note :

Angular momentum $(L)$ = Product of moment of inertia  $(I)$  and angular velocity $(\omega)$ .  

Lets say,

⇒ initial angular momentum = final angular momentum

⇒  $L_i=L_f$

⇒ $(I_t)\times \omega_i = (I_t+I_r)\times \omega_f$

⇒ $\omega _f=\frac{I_t}{I_t+I_r} \times (\omega_i)$ ...equation (i)

Now we will find the ratio of the Kinetic energies.

⇒ $K_i=\frac{I_t\times \omega_i^2}{2}$       ⇒ $K_f=\frac{(I_r+I_t)\times \omega_f^2}{2}$

Their ratios:

⇒ $\frac{K_f}{K_i} =\frac{\frac{(I_t+I_r)\times \omega_f^2}{2} }{\frac{I_t\times \omega_i^2}{2} }$    

⇒ $\frac{K_f}{K_i} = {\frac{(I_t+I_r)\times \omega_f^2}{2} } \times {\frac{2}{I_t\times \omega_i^2}}$

Plugging the values of  $\omega _f^2$ as $\omega _f^2 =(\frac{I_t}{I_t+I_r} \times \omega_i\ )^2$ from equation (i) in the ratios of the Kinetic energies.

⇒ $\frac{K_f}{K_i} =\frac{(I_t+I_r)\times \frac{(I_t)^2}{(I_t+I_r)^2} \times \omega_i^2}{I_t\times \omega_i^2} =\frac{(I_t)^2}{(I_t+I_r)}\times \frac{1}{I_t}=\frac{I_t}{I_t+I_r}$

Now,

The Kinetic energy lost in fraction can be written as:

⇒ $\frac{K_f-K_i}{K_i}$

Now re-arranging the terms.

$\frac{K_f-K_i}{K_i} =(\frac{K_f}{K_i} -1)= \frac{I_t}{I_t+I_r} -1=\frac{I_t-I_t-I_r}{I_t+I_r} =\frac{-I_r}{(I_t+I_r)}$

Plugging the values of  $I_r$ and $I_t$ .

⇒ $\frac{K_f}{K_i} = \frac{-0.61I_t}{0.61I_t+I_t} =\frac{-0.61}{1.61} =-0.3788$

To find the percentage we have to multiply it with $100$ and here negative means for loss of Kinetic energy.

⇒ $\frac{K_f}{K_i} = =-0.3788\times 100= 37.88$

So the percentage of the initial Kinetic energy lost is 37.88