Chapter 2 : Fluid Statics
Lecture 5 :


Period of Oscillation

The restoring couple caused by the buoyant force and gravity force acting on a floating body displaced from its equilibrium placed from its equilibrium position is (Fig. 5.9 ). Since the torque equals to mass moment of inertia (i.e., second moment of mass) multiplied by angular acceleration, it can be written

(5.23)

Where IM represents the mass moment of inertia of the body about its axis of rotation. The minus sign in the RHS of Eq. (5.23) arises since the torque is a retarding one and decreases the angular acceleration. If θ is small, sin θ=θ and hence Eq. (5.23) can be written as

 

(5.24)


Equation (5.24) represents a simple harmonic motion. The time period (i.e., the time of a complete oscillation from one side to the other and back again) equals to . The oscillation of the body results in a flow of the liquid around it and this flow has been disregarded here. In practice, of course, viscosity in the liquid introduces a damping action which quickly suppresses the oscillation unless further disturbances such as waves cause new angular displacements.

 

            End of Lecture 5!

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