🚀 go-pugleaf

As the one who posed the question "what happens to a rigid meter stick when a
force is momentarily applied perpendicular to the stick at one end?", I have
read all of the responses with a great deal of interest.
I find myself, however, not much closer to the answer (which I suspect is that
the force causes both linear and rotational accelerations).
In my high school classroom I dutifully draw the force diagram and dutifully
quote F=ma.
There is a net force so there must be a net acceleration. But, how do I
explain the rotation? I suspect that the center of mass resists a change in
its motion or, as someone said, "there is an 'inertial' force but how do I
explain the existence of such a force.
If indeed there is rotation, then one must ask how much rotational
acceleration occurs and how much linear acceleration occurs? I don't know how
to answer that one either.
I firmly believe that there is no couple involved in this problem. But there
does seem to be a torque applied by the single force.
I hope I have made my question clear and that we can continue to pursue it.
Thanks to everyone who contributed. David Abineri    dabineri@tso.cin.ix.net