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Getting clever with the sliding ladder

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2014 Phys. Educ. 49 390

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 Papers
iopscience.org/ped

Getting clever with the sliding

ladder
Subhranil De
Department of Physics, Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, IN 47150, USA

E-mail: subde@ius.edu

Abstract
The familiar system involving a uniform ladder sliding against a vertical wall
and a horizontal floor is considered again. The floor is taken to be smooth and
the wall to be possibly rough—a situation where no matter how large the static
friction coefficient between the ladder and the wall, the ladder cannot lean
at rest and must slide down. Clever arguments that circumvent fully fledged
mathematical analyses are presented to establish two more interesting properties:
no matter how large the kinetic friction coefficient between the ladder and the
wall, (a) the ladder must be speeding up at all times while sliding down, and (b)
the ladder must break off the wall at some point during its slide. This work serves
as an example of an intuitive rather than a mathematically detailed approach
that often provides a shorter route to understanding the properties of a physical
system, making it pedagogically valuable. It is also shown how the arguments
presented can be easily extended to a non-uniform ladder as well.

1. Introduction
A uniform ladder leaning or sliding against a wall is
a familiar theme in introductory mechanics and cal-
culus courses. In mechanics, this is well known in
the context of static equilibrium where the friction
exerted by the floor keeps the ladder from sliding [1].
The physics of the ladder when it slides down in a
situation where neither the floor nor the wall offers
any friction is addressed in [2–4]. One interesting
finding in a frictionless situation as such is that the
ladder always breaks off the wall at some point. In
[5], we presented a detailed mathematical analysis of
the equations of motion of a uniform ladder sliding
between a rough wall and a frictionless floor. This
was the first time friction was taken into account in
the sliding ladder problem. The findings reported
there include that (1) in spite of the presence of fric-
tion at the wall the ladder is still destined to slide
down; (2) the ladder must always be speeding up
while sliding down; and (3) similar to the frictionless
case, the ladder must break off the wall at some point
during its slide. The fact that the above three proper-
ties hold true no matter how large the friction coef-
ficient between the ladder and the wall is makes them
even more intriguing, especially with property (2),
where one might think that a large enough kinetic
friction coefficient should lead to a large enough
kinetic friction force, which in turn should slow
down the motion of the ladder. Property (1) is quite
straightforward to show, while properties (2) and (3)
are more subtle. It turns out that there are simple,
clever arguments possible for the latter two as well,
which we present in this paper. These arguments use
geometry and the ‘impulse-momentum theorem’ [1],
and circumvent the detailed analysis of the equations
of motion. Their didactic significance lies in the fact
that they serve as examples of clever arguments for
seemingly subtle properties of a familiar physical
system. It is also a reminder that in studying physi-
cal systems, often there lurks a clever, intuitive route
to understanding its properties that circumvents an
apparently inevitable detailed mathematical analysis.

0031-9120/14/040390+4$33.00  © 2014 IOP Publishing Ltd P h y s i c s E d u c at i o n   49 (4)  390

 Getting clever with the sliding ladder

Figure 2. The free-body diagram of the ladder.

Figure 1. The geometry and the angular coordinate θ

defining the instantaneous configuration, along with all
the forces involved.

2.  The framework: the path of the centre

of mass is a circle
Figure 1 shows the side view of the uniform ladder
of mass M and length L, touching a vertical wall (the
y-axis) and a horizontal floor (the x-axis) meeting
at the origin, along with all the forces involved. As
shown, nx is the normal force exerted by the wall
on the ladder, while nx′ is its reaction, n y is the nor-
mal force exerted by the floor on the ladder and n y′
its reaction, and Mg is the force of gravity acting
through the ladder’s centre of mass. f is the force of
static friction exerted by the wall if the ladder can Figure 3. The circular path of the centre of mass (the
lean at rest, and the force of kinetic friction when the black dot) of the ladder.
ladder is sliding down, while f ′ is the reaction of f.
As seen in the figure, a single angular coordinate θ is which implies that the path of the ladder’s centre of
sufficient to specify the instantaneous configuration. mass (as long as the ladder keeps sliding between the
Figure 2 shows the free-body diagram of the wall and the floor) is a circle of radius (L/2) that has
ladder with only those forces that are acting on the its centre at the origin, as shown in figure 3 along
ladder and thus contributing to its dynamics. As with a few possible positions of the ladder as it slides.
should be obvious from figure 2, the only force Since the ladder stays within the first quadrant, this
acting on the ladder that has a horizontal compo- geometric constraint implies that the centre of the
nent is nx. Hence, the net force acting on the ladder ladder must stay on the quarter of the circle within
always has an unbalanced horizontal component, the first quadrant as well, as shown in figure 3.
leading to the fact that the ladder cannot be at
equilibrium. Thus, property (1) is established.
Now, the Cartesian coordinates of the centre 3.  Property (2): speeding up at all times
of mass of the ladder will be given by
The impulse–momentum theorem states that if a
x = ( L / 2)sinθ ,
(1) net force Fnet⃗ acts on an object, between an earlier
and instant ti and a later instant t f the change in the
(2) object’s momentum p ⃗ = m v ⃗ is given by
y = ( L / 2)cosθ .
tf
From (1) and (2) it is straightforward to show that
pf ⃗ − pi ⃗ = Fnet⃗ dt ,
(4) ∫
x 2 + y 2 = ( L / 2)2 ,
(3) ti

July 2014 P h y s i c s E d u c at i o n 391

Subhranil De

where v ⃗ is the velocity of the object’s centre of

mass. Now we consider property (2), namely that
the ladder must always speed up while sliding
down. We adopt the strategy of reductio ad absur-
dum. Let us assume for the time being that during
its slide down the ladder keeps moving with the
same speed or even slows down.
In figure 4, the point i labels an earlier posi-
tion of the ladder’s centre of mass, and f labels a
later position during its slide down. The respective
velocities vi ⃗ and vf ⃗ of the centre of mass are shown
as well, which are tangential to the circular path at
the respective points. As per our assumption,
vf ≤ vi .
(5)
For the angle ϕ between the velocity vector and
Figure 4. The positions and the velocity vectors of the
the positive x-direction, it is evident from figure ladder’s centre of mass at an earlier instant i and a later
4 from the direction in which the circle curves, instant f.
90 o ≥ ϕf > ϕi ≥ 0, from which follows
cosϕf < cosϕi .
(6)
Since each side of both (5) and (6) is positive,
using the two relations we can write,
vf cosϕf < vi cosϕi .
(7)
Since vcosϕ is essentially the x-component of the
velocity, from (7) we can write for the change in the
x-component of the ladder’s momentum p ⃗ = m v ,⃗
pf , x − pi, x < 0,
(8)
implying that the horizontal component of
the ‘change in momentum’ vector will be
directed toward the negative x-direction (i.e.
left). However, since from the force-diagram in
­figure 2 it is evident that the net force Fnet⃗ has a
horizontal component that is always directed
toward the positive x-direction (i.e. right) instead,
the impulse–momentum theorem as expressed in Figure 5. The positions and the velocity vectors of the
(4) tells us that (8) is not possible after all. Hence, ladder’s centre of mass at an earlier instant i and the
our initial assumption that the ladder is slowing final instant f.
down or moving at a constant speed must be false.
This establishes property (2), reinstating that the never breaks off the wall during its slide. In fig-
ladder must indeed be continually speeding up. It ure 5, the point i labels an earlier position of the
is worth noting that our argument holds true irre- ladder’s centre of mass, and f labels the final posi-
spective of what angle the ladder is released at. tion when the whole ladder touches the floor with
its left end still touching the wall and hence the
centre of mass still being on the same circular
4.  Property (3): definitely breaking off path. The respective velocities vi ⃗ and vf ⃗ of the
the wall at some point centre of mass are shown as well, which are, once
Lastly, we consider property (3). Again, we adopt again, tangential to the circular path at the respec-
reductio ad absurdum and assume that the ladder tive points. Now, since the point f is where the

392 P h y s i c s E d u c at i o n July 2014

 Getting clever with the sliding ladder
end of the quarter of the circle meets the x-axis,
the tangent at that point and therefore the corre-
sponding velocity as well will be purely vertical,
as shown in the figure. Therefore, vf , x = 0.
Since it is obvious from the figure that vi, x
must be positive, we write for the change in the
x-component of the ladder’s momentum p ⃗ = m v ,⃗
pf , x − pi, x < 0.
(9)
Once again, following the same argument as
before, we infer that (9) is impossible, invalidat-
ing our initial assumption that the ladder does not
break off the wall during its slide. This establishes
property (3), reinstating that the ladder is indeed
destined to break off the wall at some point dur-
ing its slide. Once again, our argument holds true
Figure 6. The non-uniform ladder and the elliptic path
irrespective of what angle the ladder is released of the centre of mass as the ladder slides.
at.
It is worth mentioning here that it may seem as shown in figure 6. Once that is established,
counterintuitive that even if the kinetic friction the same arguments as before can be used to
coefficient between the ladder and the wall is prove properties (1)–(3) for the present situation
large enough the ladder will still speed up dur- as well.
ing its slide. As we showed as part of the detailed
analysis presented in [5], for indefinitely larger Received 27 January 2014, in final form 19 February 2014,
values of the said friction coefficient μk consid- accepted for publication 27 February 2014
doi:10.1088/0031-9120/49/4/390
ered, the normal force nx will accordingly become
smaller so that the kinetic friction force given by
f = μk nx actually remains finite, its value being
References
restricted such that although it opposes the lad-
[1] Walker J Fundamentals of Physics 8th edn
der’s motion it is never large enough to slow the (New York: Wiley)
ladder down. [2] Freeman M and Palffy-Muhoray P 1985 On
mathematical and physical ladders Am. J.
Phys. 53 276–7
5.  Extension to non-uniform ladders [3] Scholten P and Simoson A 1996 The falling
ladder paradox College Math. J. 27 49–54
Last but not least, all the properties discussed [4] Kapranidis S and Koo R 2008 Variations of
above, namely properties (1)–(3) still hold even the sliding ladder problem College Math. J.
if the ladder is not uniform and consequently its 39 374–9
[5] De S 2013 Revisiting the sliding ladder Math.
centre of mass is not at the midpoint, as shown in Gazette 97 539 218–23
figure 6. The distances of the centre of mass from
the two ends are a and b respectively, as shown,
where obviously a + b = L has to be satisfied, L Subhranil De earned his PhD in physics
from the University of Rochester. He
being the length of the ladder. We leave it up to the has a background in statistical physics
reader, as a little challenge on the side, to show and fluid mechanics. He also takes
that in this case the centre of mass of the ladder, as an interest in pedagogical physics
long as the ladder keeps sliding, must stay on the and physics education research. He
is currently an Associate Professor of
first quadrant segment of the ellipse given by physics at Indiana University Southeast.
Among his other interests, he enjoys
x 2 y2
+
(10) = 1, lyrical poetry and classical music, and
a2 b 2 loves to throw a frisbee on a sunny day.

July 2014 P h y s i c s E d u c at i o n 39 3