Orangutans can move by brachiation, swinging like a pendu | StudySoup

Textbook Solutions for Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics

Chapter 14 Problem 53P

Question

Orangutans can move by brachiation, swinging like a pendulum beneath successive handholds. If an orangutan has arms that are \(0.90 \mathrm{~m}\) long and repeatedly swings to a \(20^{\circ}\) angle, taking one swing after another, estimate its speed of forward motion in \(\mathrm{m} / \mathrm{s}\). While this is somewhat beyond the range of validity of the small angle approximation, the standard results for a pendulum are adequate for making an estimate.

Solution

Step 1 of 2

Here we have to find the speed of forward motion for the pendulum bob.

The length of the pendulum is,

.

The time period will be,

   

    .

Here we cannot use the small angle approximation, as the angle is too large. But still we have assumed that, the above formula can be an approximation.

We have to consider the forward motion only here.

As the forward motion is the motion of the bob from the lowest point to the highest point, the time required to reach there is  of the time period.

So,

.

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Title Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics 3 
Author Randall D. Knight
ISBN 9780321740908

Orangutans can move by brachiation, swinging like a pendu

Chapter 14 textbook questions

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