Video-based analysis of the transition from slipping to rolling

TL;DR

This paper presents an experiment demonstrating the transition from slipping to rolling without slipping in a rotating wheel, using video analysis to clearly visualize the change in motion over time.

Contribution

It provides a clear experimental demonstration of the transition from slipping to rolling without slipping, utilizing Tracker software for detailed motion analysis.

Findings

Transition from slipping to rolling is visually captured.

Velocity and angular velocity plots clearly show the change.

The method offers an educational tool for physics demonstrations.

Abstract

The problem of a disc or cylinder initially rolling with slipping on a surface and subsequently transitioning to rolling without slipping is often cited in textbooks. The following experiment serves to clearly demonstrate the transition from rolling with slipping to rolling without slipping. In the experiment, a rotating bicycle wheel was placed in contact with a horizontal surface and the wheel in motion was tracked using Tracker video analysis software [8]. The software created linear velocity plots for the centre of mass and a point on the circumference as well as a plot of the angular velocity of the rotating wheel. The time evolution plots created by Tracker clearly illustrate the transition between the two types of motion.