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14 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
2 votes
1 answer
81 views

Satellite and gravitational acceleration

According to $0.5gt^2$ object will fall 5m in first second. Earth curve is 5m for 8km So if we can project object at 8000 m/s speed object will never fall into ground. Above scenario is correct for ...
Mapalagama's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
128 views

What is the difference between zero and an infinitesimal number?

In a standard Atwood machine physics problem, the string going over the pulley is considered massless. So does that imply mass = 0 or mass = dm? General question: what is the difference between 0 and ...
Curious 's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
121 views

Bounds of Integration (with respect to something that is not time)

I have been reading Richard Feynman's lectures and came across an interesting proof regarding the Earth's gravitational force. At one point in the proof, Feynman uses the following the integral: $\...
dts's user avatar
  • 954
1 vote
2 answers
144 views

Why can I assume the force to be constant in this particular interval?

If I have force, or any function $f(z)$, I was told that I can assume it to be constant only in the interval $dz$. However, in this case, I had to calculate the work done by the spring force as a ...
xasthor's user avatar
  • 1,096
0 votes
0 answers
43 views

Why is time taken to go around the Sun to cover a small fixed angle proportional to the square of the distance?

I am reading Feynman's lost lecture. At this point, he asks us to consider points J, K, L and M which subtend equal angles at the sun S. And then he claims that triangles JKS and KLS are similar ...
Neeladri Reddy's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
44 views

Energy Dissipated by Damper Infinitesimal Derivation

If we consider a damper (dashpot) element that exerts a force opposite the direction of motion proportional to the velocity, i.e. $$ \vec{F} = -c \vec{v}$$ Therefore, we can consider an infinitesimal ...
Jacob Ivanov's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
30 views

The choice of the direction of the displacement vector when calculating potential energy of a system

Here, when referring to potential energy, I will take gravitational potential energy as an example. Consider the following diagram where two point masses $m_1$ and $m_2$ at a distance $r$ from each ...
Aditya Bansal's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
85 views

2D rotation dynamics/control systems as a complex number

I have a dynamic system (it's a rocket in a 2D plane), that I'd like to model the orientation of using complex numbers to remove the need for trig functions in my ode. I'm having trouble defining the ...
gigs's user avatar
  • 1
0 votes
2 answers
178 views

How do we show that the work done by a variable force (in one dimension) is the area under the $F$ vs. $x$ curve?

In my physics textbook, to show that work is the area under the $F$ vs. $x$ curve, the author first writes the relation $dw = F dx$. This part makes sense to me. From there, the author writes, $$W = \...
Ankit 's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
126 views

Work-Energy Principle Derivation

I am currently in Mechanics I and both my professor and my book have derived the work principle in this way and I even asked about its derivation during class, but it has me puzzled. I don't ...
HappyHiggs's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
39 views

Velocity while falling from table

Suppose there is a chain of mass $m$ in a semicircular tube of radius $r$. If it's pushed, then find the velocity of the chain while leaving the tube. This is a simple problem which we can do using ...
madness's user avatar
  • 1,179
0 votes
0 answers
142 views

How to calculate the derivative of the angular momentum vector $ d\vec L = d(\hat I \vec \omega)?$

My last question, but also the most important one How to calculate the derivative of the angular momentum vector? $$ d\vec L = d(\hat I \vec \omega)$$ I'm especially interested in derivative tensor to ...
Sylwester L's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
151 views

Integration of equation of motion in polar coordinates

We have the equation of motion in polar coordinates: $$\frac{d^{2}\vec r}{dt^2} = (\frac{d^2 |\vec r|}{dt^2} - |\vec r|\cdot (\frac{d\theta}{dt})^2)\hat r + (|\vec r|\cdot \frac{d^2\theta}{dt^2}+2\...
Toni Ivanov's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
130 views

Working with infinitesimal quantities and the motivation behind it

So in my freshman physics class, in classical mechanics the homework was (it's solved already, this isn't a homework thread) the following: "A thin, spinning ring is placed on a table, that divides ...
Johnny's user avatar
  • 163