A solid, uniform disc of mass M and radius R is able to rotate without friction in the vertical plane about a horizontal axis through its center. Two small but heavy point particles of mass m1 and m2, where m¡ > m2, are fixed to the disc at the very edge on each side. If the disc is allowed to rotate freely, what is the angular acceleration a at the moment it is released from this position? Be sure to include the direction. For your representation, indicate on the image the forces and torques acting on this system. Hint: How many different moments of inertia do you need to consider?
Rigid Body
A rigid body is an object which does not change its shape or undergo any significant deformation due to an external force or movement. Mathematically speaking, the distance between any two points inside the body doesn't change in any situation.
Rigid Body Dynamics
Rigid bodies are defined as inelastic shapes with negligible deformation, giving them an unchanging center of mass. It is also generally assumed that the mass of a rigid body is uniformly distributed. This property of rigid bodies comes in handy when we deal with concepts like momentum, angular momentum, force and torque. The study of these properties – viz., force, torque, momentum, and angular momentum – of a rigid body, is collectively known as rigid body dynamics (RBD).
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