An experiment to address conceptual difficulties in slipping and rolling problems

Abstract

A bicycle wheel that was initially spinning freely was placed in contact with a rough surface and a digital film was made of its motion. Using Tracker software for video analysis, we obtained the velocity vectors for several points on the wheel, in the frame of reference of the laboratory as well as in a relative frame of reference having as its origin the wheel’s center of mass. The velocity of the wheel’s point of contact with the floor was also determined obtaining then a complete picture of the kinematic state of the wheel in both frames of reference. An empirical approach of this sort to problems in mechanics can contribute to overcoming the considerable difficulties they entail.