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Pere Grin
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Join Date: Feb 2009
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Inclined plane experiments

02/28/2009 11:17 AM

I am in a C++ programming class. For part of this class we have to write programs that can predict things about a ball rolling down an inclined plane. I unfortunately took physics almost 3 years ago, and have since lost the textbook and most of my notes. I need to be able to predict the instantaneous velocity, time it takes the ball to roll down the ramp, and how far the ball will go when it leave the ramp. This is on a flat, or falling off the ramp and down onto the floor.

Is there a way to relate the angle to the velocity or acceleration?

Or what is the equation that describes the arc an object will travel when it is thrown horizontally off a cliff?

**i know this sounds like a homework problem, but i am not actually supposed to derive my equations, just write a program that executes them. Even so, if you could give me some help relating the angle to the velocity and acceleration that would be nice.

Thankyou :)
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Pathfinder Tags: ball help inclined plane Program
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JohnDG
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#1

Re: Inclined plane experiments

02/28/2009 11:36 AM

Velocity on slope = t x g x sin(θ) = 2√(2 x s x g x sin(θ)),

where:

t = time from stationary,

g = acceleration due to gravity,

θ = angle between inclined plane & horizontal,

s = distance moved from stationary.

When it falls off the end, the same equations apply (with θ = 90º) for the vertical component, and horizontal velocity = vEND-OF-SLOPE x cos(θ).

These ignore friction & any effect the rotational inertia (& angular momentum when moving) may have.

I leave the latter as an exercise for anyone in CR4 (or elsewhere) who fancies a go!

PS ignoring friction, it would roll forever on the flat (for s>0 and θ>0).

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JohnDG
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#2
In reply to #1

Re: Inclined plane experiments

02/28/2009 11:44 AM

Don't forget to add the initial downward component of velocity if the ball falls off the end - this is vEND-OF-SLOPE x sin(θ).

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Pere Grin
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#4
In reply to #2

Re: Inclined plane experiments

02/28/2009 1:07 PM

Amazing, Thankyou so much! I had worked some of this out using what I could find on the internet, but I was lacking the velocity at any given point. Thankyou!!
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langyaw
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#7
In reply to #1

Re: Inclined plane experiments

03/01/2009 2:12 AM

a happy birthday GA for John!

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ba/ael
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#8
In reply to #7

Re: Inclined plane experiments

03/01/2009 2:58 AM

Hey, it is not his birthday for another three years! He is only 14.25 years old and I hope his mom has sent him to bed because it is getting pretty late.

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langyaw
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#9
In reply to #8

Re: Inclined plane experiments

03/01/2009 3:12 AM

aha! a leap year baby! they're a rarity. his mom must be mighty proud of him.

I guess my GA was well spent, then.

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ba/ael
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#3

Re: Inclined plane experiments

02/28/2009 11:50 AM

You may find find some useful tips at this site. Alternatively, you could google "ball on inclined plane" and find dozens of other useful sites.

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JohnDG
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#5
In reply to #3

Re: Inclined plane experiments

02/28/2009 5:12 PM

Yea, but I still reckon OP owes me a GA1! - I actually had to think to post those replies. (They say it helps stave off premature senile dementia).

1 'specially since I'll be 14¼ in a couple of hours. If ya can't get a GA on a nearly-birthday, then what's the world coming to?

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ba/ael
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#6
In reply to #5

Re: Inclined plane experiments

02/28/2009 6:05 PM

Okay John. I am giving you a GA as a birthday present. Happy birthday in three years.

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s.udhayamarthandan
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#10

Re: Inclined plane experiments

03/01/2009 9:58 AM

Mr.PERE GRIN

Just go to WIKIPEDIA,select science and feed 'inclined plane' and press 'GO'.Get it and give feed back.

S.Udhayamarthandan

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Pere Grin
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#11
In reply to #10

Re: Inclined plane experiments

03/02/2009 9:51 AM

I have been there and it was very helpful. I just do not like using wikipedia for the sole reason that it is editable by anyone. If there was a mess up in entering the mathmatical equations, it would mess up my calculations.

Also, i needed the predictions on distance traveled when it left the ramp, and wikipedia did not have those. I managed to uncover some of my physics notes so i was able to figure it out. The article did help :) Thankyou.
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Jaguar
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#12

Re: Inclined plane experiments

03/03/2009 10:40 PM

May I suggest:

L

I

B

R

A

R

Y

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Pere Grin
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#13
In reply to #12

Re: Inclined plane experiments

03/19/2009 11:46 AM

No need to be rude.......this project has been over and done with for some time. The library I use does not have a very good selection of physics books (i.e. none at all). I used the Internet.
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ba/ael (3); Jaguar (1); JohnDG (3); langyaw (2); Pere Grin (3); s.udhayamarthandan (1)

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