Question

A rectangular plate is rotating with a constant angular speed about an axis that passes perpendicularly through one corner, as the drawing shows. The centripetal acceleration measured at corner A is n times as great as that measured at corner B. What is the ratio L1/L2 of the lengths of the sides of the rectangle when n = 2.30?

Answer 1

2.07

Step-by-step explanation:

Since you didn't supply the drawing, here is what I assumed:

A is the corner opposite the axis of rotation

B is one of the remaining two corners

L1 is the side between A & B

Centripetal acceleration is given by:

ac = v^2 / r = (v / r) * (v / r) * r…………1

Also angular speed is

w = v / r,………….2

Substituting (2) in (1) gives:

ac = (v / r) * (v / r) * r……….3

= (v / r)^2 * r

= w^2 * r

Therefore, the angular acceleration at A and at B are given by:

acA = w^2 * rA……..4

acB = w^2 * rB……..5

It is given that:

acA = n * acB…………6

Substituting (4) and (5) into (6) gives:

w^2 * rA = n * w^2 * rB ……….7==>

rA = n * rB……..8

In terms of the sides L1 and L2:

rA = sqrt (L1^2 + L2^2)…….9

and

rB = L2…………10

Considering (8):

n * L2 = sqrt (L1^2 + L2^2)………11

Squaring both sides:

n^2 * L2^2 = L1^2 + L2^2……….12

Dividing by L2^2:

n^2 = L1^2 / L2^2 + L2^2 / L2^2…….13

= (L1 / L2)^2 + 1 ==>

n^2 - 1 = (L1 / L2)^2 ………14==>

L1 / L2 = sqrt (n^2 - 1) ………15

= sqrt (2.30^2 - 1)

= 2.07. . . . . . <<<=== the value of the ratio L1 / L2 when n = 2.30