PERTURBATION ANALYSIS OF ROLLING FRICTION ON A TURNTABLE

The effect of rolling friction on the motion of a ball rolling on a un iformly spinning horizontal turntable is evaluated by a first-order pe rturbation approach, in which the unperturbed trajectories are the cir cular gyrations of the rolling ball in the absence of rolling friction . The analysis provides qualitative and quantitative understanding of the effect of rolling friction by itself and in combination with other ''perturbations,'' such as a tilt of the turntable. (C) 1996 American Association of Physics Teachers.