FYKOS Year 35 Series 5 Problem 4 — hit · FYKOS 35 #35.5.4
Physics · mechanics
Problem
The FYKOS bird plays with a baseball bat (homogeneous rod of linear density λ) and hits a baseball of mass m. Assume that the rod is attached at one of its ends and can rotate around that point freely. The FYKOS bird can either act on it by a constant torque M or start rotating it by a constant power P. After completing a rotation of ϕ0=180∘, the end of the rod hits yet motionless baseball, which results in an elastic collision. At what length of the rod l does the baseball gain maximum speed? Compare both situations (i.e., constant M vs. constant P).