Analysis of ill-conditioned cases of a mass moving on a sphere with friction

Abstract

Previous work treated the problem of a mass sliding over a rough spherical surface in broad generality, providing both analytic and numerical solutions. This paper examines special cases of 2D motion along a surface meridian when the initial speed is precisely chosen so that the sliding mass nearly stops before speeding up and subsequently leaving the surface. Carrying the solution for these critical cases into the time domain via both an analytical method and numerical integration adds richness that might otherwise be missed. The numerical method raises practical mathematical issues that must be handled carefully to obtain accurate results. Although conceptually simple, this classical mechanics problem is an excellent vehicle for students to gain proficiency with mathematical analysis tools and further their appreciation for how applied mathematics can bring new insight into situations where intuition may fall short.