OCR MEI M4 2016 June — Question 2

Exam BoardOCR MEI
ModuleM4 (Mechanics 4)
Year2016
SessionJune
TopicCentre of Mass 2

2 A thin rigid rod PQ has length \(2 a\). Its mass per unit length, \(\rho\), is given by \(\rho = k \left( 1 + \frac { x } { 2 a } \right)\) where \(x\) is the distance from P and \(k\) is a positive constant. The mass of the rod is \(M\) and the moment of inertia of the rod about an axis through P perpendicular to PQ is \(I\).
  1. Show that \(I = \frac { 14 } { 9 } M a ^ { 2 }\). The rod is initially at rest with Q vertically below P . It is free to rotate in a vertical plane about a smooth fixed horizontal axis passing through P . The rod is struck a horizontal blow perpendicular to the fixed axis at the point where \(x = \frac { 3 } { 2 } a\). The magnitude of the impulse of this blow is \(J\).
  2. Find, in terms of \(a , J\) and \(M\), the initial angular speed of the rod.
  3. Find, in terms of \(a , g\) and \(M\), the set of values of \(J\) for which the rod makes complete revolutions.