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posted by  reddinosaur on 10/8/2007 12:56:08 AM  |  status: Live  

Conservation of Mechanical Energy- lifesaver for right answer!

Course Textbook Chapter Problem
Calculus Based Physics Physics (7th) by Cutnell, Johnson 6 N/A
Question Details:
A person starts from rest at the top of a large, frictionless, spherical surface, and slides into the water below (see the drawing). At what angle does the person leave the surface? (Hint: When the person leaves the surface, the normal force is zero.)
°
 
 
(take out the left side of the circle- I couldn't fully erase it for some reason)

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posted by Gorilla :) on 10/8/2007 1:37:53 AM  |  status: Live
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reddinosaur's comment:
"thanks!!"
Response Details:
Σ F = N − mg ∴ N = mg when they are at the top, where N is normal force.
When they start to slide:
you get mgcosθ - N = mv2/r and they will "fall off" when the N value equals zero, right?
and solve for your velocity. Then you can use conservation of energy (your "height" will be in terms of r and θ to solve for the angle.
he person leaves the surface of the slide at the instant the normal force is equal to the centripetal force.  After leaving the slide, the normal force goes to zero.  In this case it is not necessary to define PE = zero at h =0. 
 
At the top of the slide, before the person begins their journey, the force of gravity acting downward is balanced by the normal force acting upward.
 ΣF = N -mg
 Thus N = mg
 As the person moves down the slide, a component of gravity mgcos(theta) supplies the centripetal force.  The normal force is:
 mgcos(theta) -N = mv^2 / r
 N = mgcos(theta) - mv^2/r
 Finally at the instant the person leaves the surfae of the slide N =0
 mv^2 / r = mgcos(theta)
 v^2 = grcos(theta)
 Conservation of Mechanical Energy:
 mghi = 1/2mv^2 +mghf
 mgr = 1/2mv^2 + mg4cos(theta)                [in terms of r, and theta]
 mgr = 1/2mgrcos(theta) +mgrcos(theta)        [v^2 = grcos(theta)]
 1 = 1/2cos(theta) +cos(theta)  = 3/2 cos(theta)
 theta = cos-1 (2/3)  = 48 degrees



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