Sect. 2.2.4 one has considered the static problem of a thread constrained to stay on a
surface, in particular the case in which the thread is situated along the directrix of a
circular cylinder; thus, one can change the direction of a force (Fig. 12.6). As well, a
weight
P can be raised by means of a force Q, so that, in the absence of friction,
QP= (see also the static problem of the pulley in Chap. 4, Sect. 2.1.6); but if the
phenomenon of friction appears too, it is possible to be necessary a force
Q for which
QP
(see Chap. 4, Sect. 2.2.4). In this case, one uses a pulley, hence a cylinder
movable around a horizontal axle. Due to friction, the (perfect flexible) thread abuts on
the cylinder along
BC, moving as a rigid (Fig. 12.6). We assume that the forces P and
Q, applied at A and D, respectively, are constant as direction, the angle
n
BOC being
constant during the motion of the thread (the thread is inextensible and does not slide on
the pulley). We neglect the rolling friction in the bearing of the axle through
O, the
normal constraint forces leading to a vanishing moment with respect to that point. The
velocity of a point of the thread is
Rω, where ω is the angular velocity of rotation; if μ
is the density of the thread, then its moment of momentum is
Fig. 12.6 Change of direction of a force with the aid of a pulley
p
q
p
()
22
ddd
AB BC CD
rsssrmωμ μ μω++ =
∫∫∫
,
where
m is the mass. Applying the theorem of moment of momentum to the system
pulley-thread, we can write
()
2
()
O
Imr QPrω+=−
,
(12.2.16)
where
O
I
is the moment of inertia of the pulley with respect to the axis passing through
O. Neglecting the mass of the thread and its moment of inertia with respect to
O
I , it
results, with a good approximation,
()
O
IQPrω =−
.
(12.2.16')
In case of equilibrium (
0ω = ) or in case of a uniform motion ( 0ω =
) we get QP= ;
we obtain the same result if we assume that also the pulley has a negligible mass, hence
that the moment of inertia
O
I
is very small. The pulley allows thus to change the
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12 Dynamics of Continuous Mechanical Systems