Three small spheres are rigidly connected by lightweight rods to form a right-angle…
PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · System of Particles and Rotational Motion · System of Particles and Rotational Motion
Problem
Three small spheres are rigidly connected by lightweight rods to form a right-angle isosceles triangle that lies in a horizontal plane. Two spheres have mass 0.50kg each and occupy the acute-angle corners; the third sphere has mass 1.0kg at the right-angle corner. Each leg of the triangle has length 0.40m. The assembly is initially at rest in deep space, far from external influences. A brief rocket thruster attached to one of the 0.50kg spheres fires, delivering a horizontal impulse of 6.0Ns directed toward the other 0.50kg sphere along the leg of the triangle.
(a) Calculate the magnitude and direction of the velocity of the center of mass immediately after the impulse.
(b) Prove that any internal forces that subsequently arise within the rigid assembly cannot alter the translational motion you found in part (a).
(c) Describe qualitatively how the assembly’s translational and rotational motions coexist after the impulse.
(d) Determine the position of the center of mass relative to its original location 2.0 s after the impulse.