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Deck of Cards
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Part A
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Imagine that you have an indestructible boxcar sitting on frictionless railroad track. The boxcar has length L, height H, and width W. It has N cannonballs of radius R and mass M stacked up against one end. If I move the cannonballs in any fashion – slowly carrying them, rolling them, firing them out of a cannon – what is the furthest I can move the boxcar along the rails? Which method should I use to move the boxcar the furthest? Assume that the inside walls are perfectly absorbing, so that collisions are perfectly inelastic.
Part A
Solution One
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System:
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Boxcar and cannonballs as point particles.
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Interactions:
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Not Important in this part.
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Model:
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Approach:
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Diagrammatic Representation
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The system consists of the Boxcar on rails and the Cannonballs, plus whatever devices we use for propulsion inside.There are thus no external influences
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Mathematical Representation
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Since there are no external influences, which includes forces, the Center of Mass of the system is not affected, and by the Law of Conservation of Momentum must remain fixed. Assume that each Cannonball weighs mi and that there are N of them, totalling Mi.
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|!Boxcar and Cannonballs 01.PNG!|
Imagine that you have an indestructible boxcar sitting on frictionless railroad track. The boxcar has length *L*, height *H*, and width *W*. It has *N* cannonballs of radius *R* and mass *M* stacked up against one end. If I move the cannonballs in any fashion -- slowly carrying them, rolling them, firing them out of a cannon -- what is the furthest I can move the boxcar along the rails? Which method should I use to move the boxcar the furthest? Assume that the inside walls are perfectly absorbing, so that collisions are perfectly inelastic.
h2. Part A
h4. Solution One
{toggle-cloak:id=sysa} *System:* {cloak:id=sysa}Boxcar and cannonballs as [point particles|point particle].{cloak}
{toggle-cloak:id=inta} *Interactions:* {cloak:id=inta} Not Important in this part.{cloak}
{toggle-cloak:id=moda} *Model:* {cloak:id=moda}[Point Particle Dynamics].{cloak}
{toggle-cloak:id=appa} *Approach:*
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{toggle-cloak:id=diaga} {color:red} *Diagrammatic Representation* {color}
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|!Boxcar and Cannonballs 02.PNG!|
|!Boxcar and Cannonballs 03.PNG!|
The system consists of the Boxcar on rails and the Cannonballs, plus whatever devices we use for propulsion inside.There are thus no external influences
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{toggle-cloak:id=matha} {color:red} *Mathematical Representation* {color}
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Since there are no external influences, which includes forces, the [Center of Mass] of the system is not affected, and by the Law of Conservation of [Momentum] must remain fixed. Assume that each Cannonball weighs {*}m{~}i{~}{*} and that there are *N* of them, totalling {*}M{~}i{~}{*}.
{latex}\begin{large}\[\ M_{Boxcar} x_{Boxcar, initial} + \sum m_{i} x_{i, initial} = M_{Boxcar} x_{Boxcar, final} + \sum m_{i} x_{i, final} \]\end{large}{latex}
Here {*}x{~}i{~}{*} is the position of the center of the
Here xi is the position of the center of the *i*th
The location of the Center of Mass <x> is given by:
Latex
{latex}
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The location of the Center of Mass *<x>* is given by:
{latex}\begin{large}\[ < x > = \frac{M_{Boxcar} x_{Boxcar,initial} + \sum{m_{i}x_{i,initial}}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{i}} \]\end{large}{latex}
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If we define the center of mass as the *zero* position, then {*}<x> = 0{*} and we have
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{latex}
If we define the center of mass as the zero position, then <x> = 0 and we have
{latex}\begin{large}\[ x_{i,initial} = x_{Boxcar,initial} - \frac{L}{2} + R \]\end{large}{latex}
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Inserting the previous expression into this gives
{latex}
}\begin{large} \[ x_{Boxcar,initial} = < x > + \frac{M_{i}}{M_{Boxcar,initial} + M_{i}}\frac{(L - 2 R)}{2} \]\end{large}{latex}
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One can
One can in a similar way solve for the position of the Boxcar in its final position, assuming that the cannonballs are all moved from as close to one side to as close to the other side as possible. The steps are the same, with the final result:
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in a similar way solve for the position of the Boxcar in its final position, assuming that the cannonballs are all moved from as close to one side to as close to the other side as possible. The steps are the same, with the final result:
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{latex}\begin{large} \[ x_{Boxcar,finalal} = < x > - \frac{M_{i}}{M_{Boxcar,initial} + M_{i}}\frac{(L - 2 R)}{2} \]\end{large}{latex}
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Subtracting the Final position of the Boxcar from its Initial Position yields the total movement of the car:
{latex}
Subtracting the Final position of the Boxcar from its Initial Position yields the total movement of the car:
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\begin{large} \[ x_{Boxcar, initial} - x_{Boxcar, final} = \frac{M_{i}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{i}} ( L - 2 R ) \]\end{large}{latex}
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In the limit that the sum of the cannonballs weights are much less than that of the boxcar, the car is moved only negligibly by moving the cannonballs from one end to the other. In the limit that the cannonballs weigh much more than the Boxcar, the boxcar shifts by its own length minus the diameter of the cannonballs. For any other relative mass of the cannonballs to that of the boxcar, the result is between these two results, but it's seen that the maximum distance the car can be moved is its own length minus the size of the cannonballs.
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In the limit that the sum of the cannonballs weights are much less than that of the boxcar, the car is moved only negligibly by moving the cannonballs from one end to the other. In the limit that the cannonballs weigh much more than the Boxcar, the boxcar shifts by its own length minus the diameter of the cannonballs. For any other relative mass of the cannonballs to that of the boxcar, the result is between these two results, but it's seen that the maximum distance the car can be moved is its own length minus the size of the cannonballs.
We calculate the Center of Mass as each Cannonball is shifted from one side to the other. Assume that each ball moves from as close to one side of the boxcar to as far one the other side as it can go.
The location of the Center of Mass <x> after Q cannonballs out of a total of N have been moved is given by:
The center of mass position, < x >, is the fixed point, since there are no external forces on the masses being considered. To simplify the expression, we relate all the cannonball positions to those of the boxcar. This enables us to put everything in terms of a single variable. Let us call the position of the center of the boxcar when Q cannonballs have been moved from one end to the other xBoxcar, Q. The Cannonballs that have not been moved are at one end of the boxcar, a distance L/2 - R to the left of the boxcar center, while the Q that have been moved are at xBoxcar,Q - (L/2) + R. The equation for the location of the Center of Mass this becomes:
Latex
\begin{large}\[ < x > = \frac{M_{Boxcar} x_{Boxcar, Q}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{Cannonballs}} + Q \frac{m_{i}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{Cannonballs}} (x_{Boxcar,Q} + \frac{L}{2} - R ) + ( N - Q ) \frac{m_{i}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{Cannonballs}} (x_{Boxcar, Q} - \frac{L}{2} + R ) \]\end{large}
This can be further re-arranged and condensed to give:
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\begin{large}\[ < x > = x_{Boxcar,Q} + \frac{m_{i=diagb} {color:red} *Diagrammatic Representation* {color}
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|!Boxcar and Cannonballs 02.PNG!|
|!Boxcar and Cannonballs 04.PNG!|
|!Boxcar and Cannonballs 05.PNG!|
|!Boxcar and Cannonballs 06.PNG!|
|!Boxcar and Cannonballs 07.PNG!|
|!Boxcar and Cannonballs 08.PNG!|
|!Boxcar and Cannonballs 03.PNG!|
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{toggle-cloak:id=mathb} {color:red} *Mathematical Representation* {color}
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We calculate the Center of Mass as each Cannonball is shifted from one side to the other. Assume that each ball moves from as close to one side of the boxcar to as far one the other side as it can go.
The location of the Center of Mass *<x>* after *Q* cannonballs out of a total of N have been moved is given by:
{latex}\begin{large}\[ < x > = \frac{M_{Boxcar} x_{Boxcar,Q} + \displaystyle\sum_{j = 0}^{Q}{m_{i}x_{i,j}} + \displaystyle\sum_{j = Q + 1}^{N}{m_{i}x_{i,j}}}{M_{Boxcar} + \sum{m_{i}}} \]\end{large}{latex}
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{latex}\begin{large}\[ < x > = \frac{M_{Boxcar} x_{Boxcar,Q} + \displaystyle\sum_{j = 0}^{Q}{m_{i}x_{i,j}} + \displaystyle\sum_{j = Q + 1}^{N}{m_{i}x_{i,j}}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{Cannonballs}} (2Q - N)(\]\endfrac{largeL}{latex}
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The center of mass position, {*}< x > {*}, is the fixed point, since there are no external forces on the masses being considered. To simplify the expression, we relate all the cannonball positions to those of the boxcar. This enables us to put everything in terms of a single variable. Let us call the position of the center of the boxcar when *Q* cannonballs have been moved from one end to the other {*}x{~}Boxcar, Q{~}{*}. The Cannonballs that have not been moved are at one end of the boxcar, a distance {*}L/2 - R{*} to the left of the boxcar center, while the *Q* that have been moved are at {*}x{~}Boxcar,Q{~} - (L/2) + R{*}. The equation for the location of the Center of Mass this becomes:
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{latex}\begin{large}\[ < x > = - \frac{M_{Boxcar}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{Cannonballs}} + Q \frac{m_{i}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{Cannonballs}} (x_{Boxcar,Q} + \frac{L}{2} - R ) + ( N - Q ) \frac{m_{i}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{Cannonballs}} (x_{Boxcar, Q} - \frac{L}{2} + R ) \]\end{large}{latex}
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Re-arranging terms yields:
{latex}\begin{large}\[ < x > = x_{Boxcar,Q} \frac{(M_{Boxcar} + Q m_{i} + (N - Q ) m_{i})}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{Cannonballs}} + \frac{m_{i}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{Cannonballs}}(Q \frac{L}{2} - QR - N \frac{L}{2} + Q \frac{L}{2} + NR - QR ) \]\end{large}{latex}
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Inserting the previous expression into this gives
{latex}\begin{large}\[ < x > = \frac{M_{Boxcar} + \sum{m_{i}(x_{Boxcar,initial} - \frac{L}{2} + R)}}{M_{Boxcar} + \sum{m_{i}}} \]\end{large}{latex}
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Re-arranging this yields:
{latex}\begin{large}\[ < x > = \frac{(M_{Boxcar} + \sum{m_{i}})x_{Boxcar,initial} - m_{i} (\frac{L}{2} - R)}{M_{Boxcar} + \sum{m_{i}}} \]\end{large}{latex}
Solving for the initial boxcar position yields
{latex}\begin{large} \[ x_{Boxcar,initial} = < x > + \frac{\sum{M_{i}}}{M_{Boxcar,initial} + \sum{M_{i}}}\frac{(L - 2 R)}{2} \]\end{large}{latex}
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2} - R ) \]\end{large}
Solving for xBoxcar,Q
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\begin{large}\[ x_{Boxcar,Q} = < x > + \frac{m_{i}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{Cannonballs}} (N - 2Q) (\frac{L}{2} - R ) \]\end{large}
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\begin{large}\[ x_{Boxcar,Q} = < x > + \frac{M_{Cannonballs}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{Cannonballs}} (\frac{L}{2} - R ) - 2Q \frac{m_{i}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{Cannonballs}} (\frac{L}{2} - R ) \]\end{large}
For Q = 0 we have
Latex
\begin{large}\[ x_{Boxcar,Q} = < x > + \frac{M_{Cannonballs}}{M_{Boxcar} + M_{Cannonballs}} (\frac{L}{2} - R ) \]\end{large}
In the limit that MCannonballs >> MBoxcar this becomes
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\begin{large}\[ x_{Boxcar,Q} = < x > + (\frac{L}{2} - R ) \]\end{large}
Similarly, for Q = N we have, in the same limit,
Latex
\begin{large}\[ x_{Boxcar,Q} = < x > - (\frac{L}{2} - R ) \]\end{large}
These are the same results as in Part A, and once again the most that the Boxcar can move is L, and then only in the limit as R goes to zero. With the formulae developed in this part, however, we can see how much the boxcar moves as each cannonball is moved from one side to the other. Note that the center of the boxcar can only coincide with the overall center of mass if N is an even number, and half the cannonballs are moved from one side to the other.
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Part C
Part C
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Now imagine that the cannonballs are fired from one end to the other, one by one. What are the equations of motion during and after, and how does the car move along?
Solution
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System:
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Boxcar and cannonballs as point particles.
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Interactions:
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Conservation of Momentum and equal and opposite forces.
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Approach:
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Diagrammatic Representation
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Mathematical Representation
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Let's assume that we launch, throw, roll, or fire the cannonballs one at time from one end of the Boxcar to the other, and that the other Cannonballs are held rigidly in place in the Boxcar, so that they move with it. Let;s further assume that when the cannonball reaches the other side it sticks in place on the other side, coming instantly to rest (and doing no damage).
We write the equations of motion for the boxcar (with the rest of the cannonballs) and the one fired cannonball. Let us call the velocity of the velocity of the cannoball vi and the velocity of the Boxcar (with the remaining cannonballs) vBoxcar. Assuming Conservation of Momentum we have:
The Cannonball will stop when it strikes the far wall of the Boxcar at time tfinal. At this point the cannonball will have traveled, relative to the Boxcar, a distance L - 2R. But the Boxcar will have moved, as well. The relevant expression relating the distances is thus:
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\begin{large}\[ x_{cannonball}(t_{final}) - x_{Boxcar}(t_{final}) = L - 2R \]\end{large}
Substituting in the above equations and re-arranging, we get:
But we can see that the difference between the initial position of the cannonball and the initial position of the boxcar is just half the car length, minus the cannonball radius:
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\begin{large}\[ x_{cannonball,initial} - x_{Boxcar,initial} = \frac{L}{2} - R \]\end{large}
h2. Part C
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Now imagine that the cannonballs are fired from one end to the other, one by one. What are the equations of motion during and after, and how does the car move along?
h4. Solution
{toggle-cloak:id=sysc} *System:* {cloak:id=sysc}Boxcar and cannonballs as [point particles|point particle].{cloak}
{toggle-cloak:id=intc} *Interactions:* {cloak:id=intc}Conservation of Momentum and equal and opposite forces.{cloak}
{toggle-cloak:id=modc} *Model:* {cloak:id=modc}[Point Particle Dynamics].{cloak}
{toggle-cloak:id=appc} *Approach:*
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{toggle-cloak:id=diagc} {color:red} *Diagrammatic Representation* {color}
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{toggle-cloak:id=mathc} {color:red} *Mathematical Representation* {color}
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We write the equations of motion for the boxcar (with the rest of the cannonballs) and the one fired cannonball.
{latex}\begin{large}\[\sum F_{x} = F_{A}\cos\theta = ma_{x}\]
\[ \sum F_{y} = F_{A}\sin\theta - mg - N = ma_{y}\]\end{large}{latex}
{latex}\begin{large}\[ F_{A}\sin\theta - mg - N = 0 \]\end{large}{latex}
{latex}\begin{large}\[ N = F_{A}\sin\theta - mg = \mbox{52 N}\]\end{large}{latex}
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