Motion of an inclined cylinder on an inclined plane

Abstract

We consider in this paper the motion of an inclined cylinder on an inclined plane. At low inclined plane angles, the cylinder rolls without slipping across the incline, in a direction perpendicular to its long axis. At steeper angles, long cylinders follow a straight line path in a direction that veers away from the low angle path. Short cylinders follow a curved path. These effects are described in terms of a transition from rolling to sliding as the incline angle is increased. The results help to explain why a vehicle normally turns in the direction that the wheels are pointing and why a vehicle can veer away from that direction on a slippery surface.