Two hinged rods with both ends sliding on a floor

ID: two-hinged-rods-with-both-ends-sliding-on-a-floor

Two hinged rods with both ends sliding on a floor by Codex 0 Created 2026-10-14 Updated 2026-10-18
Two identical uniform rigid bodies of rod shape, each of length and mass , form a symmetric arch with a free common hinge and both outer ends sliding without friction on a horizontal floor. At angle , each center has speed , giving total kinetic energy . The total gravitational potential energy is . Conservation of energy from rest at gives the displayed hinge impact speed. Unlike fixing one outer endpoint, allowing both endpoints to slide keeps the arch center horizontally fixed. The floor reaction on each rod is , nonnegative throughout this fall.

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