Hello everyone! This is the second problem of the contest discussed in this thread.
Before I go over the second problem, let me clarify the rules and procedures of this competition.
Rules/Procedures:
Do NOT post your answers or work in this thread, please PM me your answer and work. You will receive TWO chances to answer correctly.
Within the PM include: Your name, status as a high schooler or recent graduate (yes/no), and whether you had any help answering the question.
Websites, textbooks, other people, physics professors/teachers, etc. are NOT allowed as resources! You are free to use these resources and submit an answer to see if you were correct (learning new concepts is great!), but you will be disqualified from earning points for any questions you do this for this question.
Problem:
Suppose that you have a two dimensional, rectangular propeller blade, B, of length L (note that the red lines used to label L in the included diagram are included solely for the same of demonstrating the length of L) that pivots around a point, directly in the center of the object, X (notes that x is not located in the center of the diagram due to the difficulty of doing so with the program I used to create it. For any calculations and hand drawings, treat x as though it is in the center of the object) This object is struck on its right-most bottom point(P1) by a clay ball of mass M, which sticks to B and causes it to rotate counterclockwise.
Suppose that the same blade, B, was instead struck by a rubber ball(which also sticks) of mass 3M on the left-most bottom point(P2), resulting in a clockwise motion.
Which collision results in B(and the attached ball) having a greater angular momentum?
Do all calculations following standard sign conventions (The “right-hand rule” taught in the average introductory physics class. Treat a momentum vector that comes out of the page as positive and one that goes into the page as negative.).
Answers are due this TUESDAY at midnight(Eastern Time).
