APL 100 Practice Sheet 1

Part A:
1) A point moves along a logarithmic spiral in the x-y plane, given by the equation, r = ce φ , where, c is a constant.
(a) If φ& = b / r 2 , where, b is a constant, find the velocity, acceleration and radius of curvature at any position r. Note
r3 r r
the radius of curvature ρ, may be obtained as ρ = v / v × a .
(b) Rework part (a) if the speed of the point along the path is constant and equal to V.

2) Consider the fly-ball governor shown in the figure. Arms OA and OB are hinged to the shaft at O, however, when
the sleeve, S, moves up, θ increases and the balls move radially outward and upward.
At this instant, θ = 40ο; ω = 2 rad/s; ω& = 0.4 rad/s2, and the sleeve, S, is moving up at a speed v = 2 m/s which is
changing at the rate a = −0.1m/s2 (i.e. the speed is decreasing).
OA = 0.5m and OC = 0.3m.

Find the velocity and acceleration of ball B, with respect to ground, at this instant. Hence find the force exerted by
the ball, B, on the shaft. The mass of each ball is 0.2 Kg.

O
a0
C θ θ D
θ θ
A B
S

ω, ω

Problem 2 Problem 3 Problem 4

3) A pin P moves in a fixed parabolic slot whose equation is given by, x = cy2, and in a straight horizontal slot as
shown. The straight slot translates in the y-direction at a constant acceleration ao, starting from rest at t=0, when the
pin is at the origin. Find the position, velocity and acceleration of P at time t.

4) Body 1 (cam) moves to the right with velocity v, and acceleration a, as shown. Determine the velocity and
acceleration of body 2 (follower).

5) A small block of mass, m = 0.5Kg, slides down a hill whose shape may
be approximated by y = H cos(πx/L) , where H = 200m and L = 800m.
Its speed at the position shown is 40m/s. Find the rate of increase of speed
in this position if the coefficient of friction between the hill and the block
is 0.2
 Part B:

1) Derive the general expression for the rate of change of acceleration (jerk) in cylindrical coordinates. Simplify the
expression for the case of circular motion with radius R and constant speed V. Jerk is used as a measure of comfort.

2) A small body moving with an initial velocity, vo, is subjected to an acceleration, ao sin(ωt), perpendicular to its
initial velocity. Determine its position vector as a function of time, t, and draw the trajectory.

3) A rod of uniform density slips at A with AB = s(t) and makes an angle θ(t) with the horizontal as shown. Find the
velocity and acceleration of its centre of mass C.

4) Rework problem 3 (Part A) if the parabolic slot is not fixed but starts from rest at t=0, when the pin is at the origin
and accelerates in the x-direction at rate bt. The horizontal slot moves in the y-direction as before.

5) A bead, C, of mass, m, moves over a parabolic rod ED which is welded to a vertical rod AB. Rod AB rotates about
the vertical axis at the rates shown while C moves w.r.t. to the parabolic rod, with a speed, v, that is changing at an
unknown rate a. The radius of curvature of the parabola at the location of C is ρ and the coefficient of friction
between the rod and the bead is μ. Determine the normal reaction, N, from the rod onto the bead and the rate of
change of speed, a.

θ(t)

Problem 3 Problem 5