[Physics] Angular momentum of particle rolling around inside of sphere

angular momentumclassical-mechanicshomework-and-exercises

I have a hemispherical bowl in which I roll a small particle around the edge, starting from the top at point A with a velocity $v_o$. It travels halfway around the sphere and reaches point B, which is a vertical distance h below A, with a velocity $v_f$. Point A is a radial distance of $r_o$ from the vertical centerline and point B is a radial distance of $r$ from the vertical centerline. There is no friction. The goal is to solve for the angle, $\theta$, between the horizontal and the velocity $v_f$.

Here is a diagram of the problem scenario:

diagram of sphere

My solution relies on the assumption that angular momentum only relies on the velocities in the plane perpendicular to the vertical centerline. Is that a safe assumption? Also, when dealing with energies, is rotational KE and linear KE the same? Should I be taking RKE into account?


$$
L_o=L_f
$$
$$
mr_ov_o=mrv_f\cos \theta
$$
$$
\theta = \arccos(\dfrac {mr_ov_o}{mrv_f}) = \arccos(\dfrac {r_ov_o}{rv_f})
$$


$$
KE_o + PE_o = KE_f
$$
$$
\frac 12 mv_o^2 + mgh = \frac 12 mv_f^2
$$
$$
v_o^2 + 2gh = v_f^2
$$
$$
\sqrt {v_o^2 + 2gh} = v_f
$$


$$
\theta = \arccos(\dfrac {r_ov_o}{rv_f}) = \arccos(\dfrac {r_ov_o}{r\sqrt {v_o^2 + 2gh}})
$$

Best Answer

Your solution looks fine to me.

Yes: the angular momentum is preserved in the horizontal plane (the weight is vertical and the reaction of the sphere surface is a central force) so your first relation is fine, just remember that $\theta$ is not the vertical angle, but lies on the plane tangent to the sphere at point B.

There are two kinds of rotational energy: the one of the particle spinning on itself which would require the particle's mass distribution to be computed, which is not given so I assume it should be neglected. What may be confusing is the particle's rotational energy around the centre of the sphere: $$E=\frac{1}{2}I\omega^2$$ For a point like mass the moment of inertia is: $$I = mr^2$$ Remembering the relation between angular and tangential velocity: $$\omega= \frac{v}{r}$$ we get exactely: $$E=\frac{1}{2}mv^2$$ In fact for a point like mass it is exactly the same to consider the kinetic energy related to the tangent velocity, or the rotational kinetic energy related to the angular velocity, for this problem I approve your choice for the first one.

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