Question

Suppose the rod with the balls A and B of the previous problem is clamped at the centre in such a way that it can rotate freely about a horizontal axis through the clamp. The system is kept at rest in the horizontal position. A particle P of the same mass m is dropped from a height h on the ball B. The particle collides with B and sticks to it. (a) Find the angular momentum and the angular speed of the system just after the collision. (b)*What should be the minimum value of h so that the system makes a full rotation after the collision.

Answer 1

The system is kept rest in the horizontal position and a particle P falls from a height h and collides with B and sticks to it.

Therefore angular momentum of the rod just after the collision

When the mass 2m will at the top most position and the mass m at the lowest point, they will automatically rotate. In this position the total gain in potential energy = 2 mg × (l/2) – mg (l/2) = mg(l/2)