Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A plank of mass and length lies on a smooth horizontal floor. A uniform solid cylinder of mass and radius rests on the plank, with its axis across the plank and its centre straight above the plank's front end. Starting from rest, a steady horizontal force of pulls the plank forwards, as shown in the figure. Take .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The equations. The plank drags the bottom of the cylinder forwards, so friction on the cylinder points forwards (and backwards on the plank).
Step 2. Rolling without slipping. The bottom of the cylinder moves with the plank: , so and . Then :
So and . The cylinder moves forwards over the floor, but backwards relative to the plank.
Step 3. Least friction. Rolling needs : .
Step 4. With . This is less than , so the cylinder slips. Sliding friction is , still forwards on the cylinder:
Check the direction: the bottom of the cylinder speeds up at , less than the plank's . So the plank keeps sliding forwards under it, and friction stays forwards.
Step 5. Time. Relative to the plank, the centre moves backwards with from rest. It must go : .
Answer: (a) , , . (b) . (c) , , . (d) .
Check. In (a), the plank alone: should equal , and it does.
Watch out. Friction on the cylinder points forwards, along its motion over the floor. Friction does not always oppose the motion of a body: it opposes the slipping between the two surfaces.
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