Physics 211: Lecture 8

Today’s Agenda
● Friction Recap
● Drag Forces
 Terminal speed
 A special very cool demo….
● Dynamics of many-body systems
 Atwood’s machine
 General case of two attached blocks on inclined planes
 Some interesting problems

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 1

 Friction Review:

● Surface friction is caused by the “microscopic” interactions

between the two surfaces:
 See discussion in text

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 2

 Model for Surface Friction

● The direction of the frictional force vector fF is perpendicular to the normal

force vector N, in the direction opposing relative motion of the two surfaces.

● Kinetic (sliding): The magnitude of the frictional force vector is

proportional to the magnitude of the normal force N.
fF = µ KN
It moves, but it heats up the surface it moves on!

● Static: The frictional force balances the net applied forces such that the
object doesn’t move. The maximum possible static frictional force is
proportional to N.
fF ≤ µ SN and as long as this is true, then fF = fA in opposite
direction
It doesn’t move!

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 3

 Frictional force vs applied force
● Graph of Frictional force vs Applied force:

fF = µ SN

fF = µ KN
fF

fF = FA

FA

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 4

 Kinetic Friction:

draw a free body diagram, and follow the rules!

● µ K is the coefficient of kinetic friction.
i: F − µ KN = ma
j: N = mg

so F − µ Kmg = ma

N j

F i
ma

µ KN
mg

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 5

 Static Friction:

● The “coefficient of static friction,” µ S, determines maximum

static frictional force, µ SN, that the contact between the objects
can provide.
● µ S is discovered by increasing F until the object starts to slide:
FMAX - µ SN = 0 N = mg (in this case)

FMAX = µ S mg µ S = FMAX / mg
N j

FMAX i

µ N
S
mg

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 6

 Lecture 8, Act 1
friction dynamics
● A block of mass m, when placed on a rough inclined plane
(µ > 0) and given a brief push, keeps moving down the plane with
constant speed.
 If a similar block (same µ ) of mass 2m were placed on the same
incline and given a brief push, it would:

(a) stop
(b) accelerate
(c) move with constant speed
m

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 7

 Lecture 8, Act 1
Solution
● Since the velocity is constant, it’s just broken free from S. F.
 Net force down ramp is essentially zero
● Draw FBD and find the total force in the x-direction
FNET,X = mg sin θ − µ Kmg cos θ

j = ma = 0 (first case)
µ KN
Doubling the mass will
simply
double both terms…net force
N θ will still be zero!
i
θ Speed will still be constant!
mg
Increase the friction and the
mg sinθ downhill force by the same
factor  nothing changes!

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 8

 Friction in Fluids: Drag Forces

● When an object moves through a viscous medium, like air or

water, the medium exerts a “drag” or “retarding” force that
opposes the motion of the object relative to the medium.

FDRAG

j
v
Fg = mg

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 9

 Drag Forces:
Parachute

● This drag force is proportional to the speed v of the object

raised to some power, n. This will result in falling at a
maximum (terminal) speed.

FD = bvn

feels like n=1 j

v
Fg = mg

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 10

 Terminal Speed:

● Suppose FD = bv. Sally jumps out of a plane. After falling for a

while her downward speed is a constant vTERMINAL .
 What is FD after she reaches this terminal speed?
 What is the terminal speed vTERMINAL ?
FD = bv
● FTOT = FD - mg = ma = 0.  why??
 FD = mg when??

● Since FD = bv j
 bv = mg
v
Fg = mg
mg
vTERMINAL =
b

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 11

 Many-body Dynamics

● Systems made up of more than one object

● Objects are typically connected:

 By ropes & pulleys today

 By rods, springs, etc. later on

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 12

 Atwood’s Machine:

Masses m1 and m2 are attached to an ideal massless string

and hung as shown around an ideal massless pulley.

Fixed Pulley
● What are the tensions in the
string T1 and T2 ?
● Find the accelerations, a1 and j
T1
a2, of the masses. T2
● Use FBD
● Solve for motion m1
a1
● You’re a hero!
m2 a2

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 13

 Atwood’s Machine...
● Draw free body diagrams for each object
● Applying Newton’s Second Law: ( j -components)

 T1 - m1g = m1a1
 T2 - m2g = m2a2 Free Body Diagrams
Yikes! 2 eqn, but 4 unk???

But T1 = T2 = T T1 T2
since pulley is ideal
a1 a2 j
and a1 = -a2 = -a.
m1g m2g
since the masses are
connected by the string

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 14

 Atwood’s Machine...
m1g - T = m1 a (a) Free Body Diagrams
T - m2g = m2 a (b)
● Two equations & two unknowns
 we can solve for both unknowns (T and a).
T T
● Add (b) + (a):
 g(m1 - m2 ) = a(m1+ m2 )
a a
( m1 - m2 )
 a= g m2g
( m1 + m2 ) m1g
● Subract (b) - (a):
 2T - g(m1 + m2 ) = -a(m1 - m2 ) =
( m1 - m2 )2
-g
m1 + m2
 Use polynomial arithmetic…

 T = 2gm1m2 / (m1 + m2 )

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 15

 Atwood’s Machine...
Atwood’s Machine
● So we find:

( m1 − m 2 )
a= g
( m1 + m 2 )

T j
2 m1 m2 T
T = g
( m1 + m2 )
m1
a
m2 a

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 16

 ( m1 − m 2 )
a= g
( m1 + m 2 )
Is the result reasonable?
Check limiting cases! T=
2 m1 m2
g
(m1 + m2 )

● Special cases:
i.) m1 = m2 = m a = 0 and T = mg. OK!
ii.) m2 or m1 = 0 |a| = g and T= 0. OK!

● Atwood’s machine can be used to determine g (by

measuring the acceleration a for given masses).
( m2 + m1 )
g= a
( m2 - m1 )
If m1 is almost m2, then acceleration will be small.
You can measure motion for a long time. More accurate….
Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 17
 A related situation:
Attached bodies on two inclined planes

smooth peg

m2
m1

θ 1 θ 2

all surfaces frictionless

peg is frictionless
Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 18
 How will the bodies move?

From the free body diagrams for each body, and the chosen
coordinate system for each block, we can apply Newton’s
Second Law:

Taking “x” components: x x y

y
N
T1 T2
1) T1 - m1g sin θ 1 = m1
a1X
N m1 m2
2) T2 - m2g sin θ 2 = m2
a2X ′ θ
θ 1
2

m2g
But T1 = T2 = T
m1g
and -a1X = a2X = a
(constraints)
Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 19
 Solving the equations
Using the constraints, we get 2 eqn and 2 unks,
solve the equations.
T - m1gsin θ 1 = -m1 a (a)
T - m2gsin θ 2 = m2 a (b)

Subtracting (a) from (b) gives:

m1gsin θ 1 - m2gsin θ 2 = (m1+m2 )a

m1 sinθ 1 −m2 sinθ 2

a= g
+
m1 m2
So:

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 20

m1 m2 m1 sinθ 1 −m2 sinθ 2
a= g
+
m1 m2
θ 1 θ 2

Special Case 1:

Boring
m1 m2

If θ 1 = 0 and θ 2 = 0, a = 0.

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 21

m1 m2 m1 sinθ 1 −m2 sinθ 2
a= g
+
m1 m2
θ 1 θ 2

Special Case 2:

T Atwood’s Machine
T

m1
m2

( m1 − m 2 )
If θ = 90 and θ = 90, a= g
1 2
( m1 + m 2 )

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 22

m1 m2 m1 sinθ 1 −m2 sinθ 2
a= g
+
m1 m2
θ 1 θ 2
Air-track

Special Case 3:
m1

Lab configuration

m2

− m2
If θ = 0 and θ = 90, a= g
1 2
( m1 + m 2 )

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 23

 Lecture 8, Act 2
Two-body dynamics
● In which case does block m experience a larger acceleration? In (1) there is a 10 kg mass hanging from a rope. In (2) a
hand is providing a constant downward force of 98.1 N. In both cases the ropes and pulleys are massless.

m m

a a
10kg
F = 98.1 N

Case (1) Case (2)

(a) Case (1) (b) Case (2) (c) same

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 24

 This is a
very
instructive
ACT Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 25
 Lecture 8, Act 2
Two-body dynamics
● In which case does block m experience a larger acceleration? In (1) there is a 10 kg mass hanging from a rope. In (2) a
hand is providing a constant downward force of 98.1 N. In both cases the ropes and pulleys are massless.

m m

a a
10kg
F = 98.1 N
mW=10kg

Case (1) Case (2)

(a) Case (1) (b) Case (2) (c) same

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 26

 Lecture 8, Act 2
Solution
● For case (1) draw FBD and write FNET = ma for each block:
T = ma (a) (a)

mWg -T = mWa (b)

m
● Add (a) and (b):
mWg = (m + mW)a a
10kg mW=10kg
mW g
a= (b)
m +mW

m
● Note: T = mW g ×
m +mW

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 27

 Lecture 8, Act 2
Solution
98.1N
● For case (2)
T = 98.1 N = ma a=
m

98.1N 98.1N
a= a=
m + 10 kg m
m m

a a
10kg
F = 98.1 N

Case (1) Case (2)

● The answer is (b) Case (2) In this case the block experiences a
larger acceleratioin
Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 28
 Problem: Two strings & Two Masses on
horizontal frictionless floor:
● Given T1, m1 and m2, what are a and T2?
T1 - T2 = m1a (a)
T2 = m2a (b)

 Add (a) + (b):

T1
T1 = (m1 + m2)a a = m +m
1 2
 Plugging solution into (b):
m2
T2 = T1
m1 + m2 i
m2 m1
T2 T1 a

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 29

 Lecture 8, Act 3
Two-body dynamics
● Three blocks of mass 3m, 2m, and m are connected by strings and pulled with constant acceleration
a. What is the relationship between the tension in each of the strings?

3m T3 T2 T1
2m m

(a) T1 > T2 > T3 (b) T3 > T2 > T1 (c) T1 = T2 = T3

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 30

 Lecture 8, Act 3
Solution
● Draw free body diagrams!!
3m T3
T3 = 3ma

T2 - T3 = 2ma T3 T2
2m
T2 = 2ma +T3 > T3

T1 - T2 = ma T2 T1
m
T1 = ma + T2 > T2

T1 > T2 > T3

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 31

 Lecture 8, Act 3
Solution
● Alternative solution: a

Consider T1 to be pulling 3m T3 T2 T1
2m m
all the boxes
a
T2 is pulling only the
boxes of mass 3m 3m T3 T2 T1
and 2m 2m m
a

T3 is pulling only the

3m T3 T2 T1
box of mass 3m 2m m

T1 > T2 > T3

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 32

 Problem: Rotating puck & weight.

● A mass m1 slides in a circular path with speed v on a

horizontal frictionless table. It is held at a radius R by a
string threaded through a frictionless hole at the center of
the table. At the other end of the string hangs a second
mass m2.
 What is the tension (T) in the string?
 What is the speed (v) of the sliding mass?

v
m1
R

m2

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 33

 Problem: Rotating puck & weight...

●
Draw FBD of hanging mass:


Since R is constant, a = 0. T
so T = m2 g

m2

m2g

v
m1
R
T
m2

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 34

T = m2g
Problem: Rotating puck & weight...
Puck
N
T = m2g
Draw FBD of sliding mass:

m1
Use F = T = m1a
m1g
where a = v2 / R

m2
m2g = m1v / R2 v = gR
m1

v
m1
R
T
m2
Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 35
 Recap of today’s lecture

● Friction Recap. (Text: 5-1)

● Drag Forces. (Text: 5-3)
 Terminal speed.

● Dynamics of many-body systems. (Text: 4-7)

 Atwood’s machine.
 General case of two attached blocks on inclined planes.
 Some interesting special cases.

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 36

 Drag forces
● So, where did n = 2 come from?
● You can get n in two different ways:
 Experiment. Drop your fiend from an airplane and see
how fast he drops.
 Theory. Account for the interactions between the object
and the air.
» Include how fast the air gets out of the way
» Include how the collisions take place
» Average over the expected velocity of the drag
inducing particles

In reality, n = 2 for fairly fast objects.

For slower objects n = 1
For really fast objects n > 2, example of a power series solution

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 37

A dissipative force is different from a basic force

● Basic forces are simple to think about and simple to

describe
 Gravity, electric, magnetic, weak, strong
● Friction and drag involve many different atoms and their
interactions
 Averages of many interactions
● Friction and drag exist!
 Experimentally characterized
 Theoretically described
● Be aware of the philosophical differences of these two
kinds of forces!
 But here we can handle them all, just be careful

Physics 211: Lecture 8, Pg 38