ME 232 Homework Problems

Problem 5/63  Page 360, Engineering Mechanics - Dynamics, Meriam and Kraige, 4th Edition

Given: A bar of length L with right end moving with a velocity of V0 to the right and left end moving along a circle of radius R.  At the instant of interest the left end of the bar is a distance H above the right end of the bar.  The direction of motion of the left end of the bar makes an angle of q with the horizontal.

Find: The angular speed of the bar and the speed of the left end of the bar.

L = 1.2 m
R = 0.5 m
V0 = 3 m/s
H = 0.25 m
q = 60 degrees

The velocities of the two ends of the bar are related by the velocity two point formula.   Considering +X to be horizontal to the right and +Y to be vertically upward:
vRE = vLE + w X r
V0 i = vLE ( cos q i - sin q j ) + w k X ( (L2 - H2)1/2 i - H j )
V0 i = vLE ( cos  q i - sin j ) + w(L2 - H2 )1/2 j + w H i

Equating components:

V0 = vLE cos q    +  wH
0 = - vLE sin q   + w(L2 - H2 )1/2

Solving the second equation for  and plugging into the first equation:
V0 = vLE cos q   + vLE sin q H / (L2 - H2 )1/2

Solving for the speed of the left end:
vLE = V0 / { cos q  + sin q H / (L2 - H2 )1/2 } = 4.38 m/s

Plugging this result into the second equation and solving for the angular speed:
w =  [ sin q  V0 / { cos q  + sin q H / (L2 - H2 )1/2 }] / (L2 - H2 )1/2 = 3.23 rad/s