A uniform, 0.0350 kg rod of length 0.450 m rotates in a horizontal plane about a fixed axis through its center and perpendicular to the rod. Two small rings, each with mass 0.0200 kg, are mounted so that they can slide without friction along the rod. They are initially held by catches at positions 0.0550 m on each side of the center of the rod, and the system is rotating at 48.0 rev/min. With no other changes in the system, the catches are released, and the rings slide outward along the rod and fly off at the ends.
a) What is the angular speed of the system at the instant when the rings reach the ends of the rod?
b) What is the angular speed of the rod after the rings leave it?