Question #319

This is a follow-up question to Question #317.

A meter stick and a half-meter stick are held at an angle of about 45^o as seen in the photograph below. This time, however, the two meter sticks have been fitted with tiny low-friction ball bearings at the bottom end to simulate zero friction between the table top and the meter stick. A close-up of the lower ends, showing the ball bearing "non-friction" ends is seen in the photograph at the right below.

As in Question #317, the two sticks are then released simultaneously and allowed to topple to the table top. The question this week is which of the two sticks will reach a horizontal orientation on the table top first, or will it be a tie?

What will happen when the sticks are simultaneously released from rest?

• (a) The shorter stick will reach the table first.
• (b) The longer stick will reach the table first.
• (c) The two sticks will reach the table at the same time.
• (d) Something else will happen.

Click here for Answer #319 after May 26, 2008.

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