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Physics Laboratory Report
Physics 111 A – 010
Ion Cohanoschi
Lab Report – Experiment 9a1
Moment of Inertia and Energy in Rotational Motion
Name
Group ID: N/A
Experiement performed on date: 06/17/2021
Report submitted on date: 06/22/2021
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Introduction
1.1 Objectives
There are numerous objectives of this lab including to explore the rotational motion of rigid
bodies with respect to angular position and angular velocity at a constant angular acceleration,
evaluate the relation of those angular quantities to the linear position and linear velocity in a
system with a bound motion including translational and rotational motion, to experimentally
determine the moment of inertia of an object and compare to the calculated one; and demonstrate
the conservation of energy in a system involving rotational motion.
1.2 Theoretical background
In translational motion an object’s mass is its tendency to resist motion. The larger the
object, with higher mass, the harder for the object to move. Similarly in rotational motion, the
moment of inertia is the tendency to resist rotation. Moment of inertia can be calculated by the
following equation : I = ∑mR2. Unlike translational motion, the distance form the center of
motion affects how fast an object will rotate. The larger the radius of distance form the center of
an object the higher moment of inertia and the alower the object will move. It is important to
note that the moment of inertia is the sum of all objects in the system. This means different
masses on the same object will add to the total resistance to rotation. Also important is different
rigid objects have different calculations to moment of inertia. For example a solid disk I is
calculated as ½ mr2.
Experimentally an object moment of inertia could be found using conservation of energy
in transition and rotation moment. The enrgy initial is equal to the energy final. In our system we
need to tak into account the translational motion of the base and objects on the pulley changes
from gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy. Manipulating the equation we get the
following: I = (2mgh – mv2 / Ꞷ2.
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2 Experimental Procedures
For this lab we followed the lab manual procedure and used capstone raw data provided by our
instructor
Setup
Variable declarations : mass m, radius r, d distance, I rotational inertia, t time, V velocity, w
angular velocity, am angular acceleration, g gravity, h height, v linear velocity, PE potential
energy, KE kinetic energy, Icom moment of inertia.
Equations:
I = (m1+m2)*d
Icom = 1/2mr2
Results
Table I. Measurements of the physical quantities of objects used in this experiment
Object Mass [kg] Radius [m]
Disk 1.4299 kg 0.114 m
Ring 1.4266 kg Inner = 0.053525m
Outer = 0.063675m
Rim 2nd pulley = 0.012505 m
Square mass Mass 1 = 0.2789kg
Mass 2 = 0.2786 kg
Mass hanger + Given weight 0.1007 kg
Rotating platform 0.6203kg
Table II. Theoretical moment of inertia of an object
Object Moment of Inertia
1 Two masses from rotational axis 8.03 * 10-3 kg*m/s2
d = 0.12 m
2 Disk 9.27 * 10-3 kg *m/s2
3 Rim 2nd pulley 2.98 * 10-2 kg * m/s2
4 Ring 4.96 * 10-3 kg * m/s2
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Table III. Experimental determination of the moment of inertia of an object
A
Base h [m] Ꞷ[rad/s] V [m/s] I [kg*m2]
1 0.0353 2.507 0.0313 0.0682
2 0.0982 4.205 0.0526 0.0674
3 0.2160 6.165 0.0771 0.0690
B
Base h [m] Ꞷ [rad/s] V [m/s] I [kg*m2]
1 0.0248 1.576 0.0197 0.1091
2 0.0767 2.798 0.0350 0.1071
3 0.1528 3.934 0.0492 0.1079
C
Base h [m] Ꞷ [rad/s] V [m/s] I [kg*m2]
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1 0.0550 2.215 0.0277 3.1418
2 0.1453 3.703 0.0463 0.2968
3 0.2788 5.101 0.0638 0.3001
D
Base h [m] Ꞷ [rad/s] V [m/s] I [ kg*m2]
1 0.0589 1.505 0.0188 0.0513
2 0.1532 2.418 0.0302 0.0517
3 0.2867 3.256 0.0407 0.0533
E. %
Object % diff.
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Base -
Base + 2 mass 6.48%
Base + disk com 16.1%
Base + disk off com 21.07%
Calculations
Table II.
Object Equation Calculation Moment of
Inertia
1 Two masses from I = (m1 + m2) * d2 (0.2789 + 0.2786) * (0.12)2 = 8.00 * 10-3 kg*m/s2
rotational axis equally
apart
d = 12 cm (distance
0.12 m )
2 Disk Icom = ½ * mdisk * rdisk2 ½ * 1.4299 * (0.114)2 = 9.27 * 10-3 kg *m/s2
3 Rim 2nd pulley Ip = Icom + (m * d2) 0.00927 + [ 1.4299 * ( 0.122)] = 2.98 * 10-2 kg * m/s2
Ring Icom = ½ * m * (r outer2 + r inner2) ½ * 1.4266 *(0.0642 + 0.05352) = 4.96 * 10-3 kg * m/s2
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Table III.
A - Base moment of inertia
Equation I = (2mgh – mv2) / Ꞷ2
Calculation Results
I = [(2*0.6203*9.8*0.0353)] – [0.6203*(0.0313)2]/(2.507)2 0.0682
0.0674
0.0690
Ibase = average of three points (0.0682 + 0.0674 + 0.0690) / 3 = 0.0682
B – Base + 2 mass moment of inertia
Equation I = IT - Ibase
I = 0.1080 – 0.0682 = 0.0398
Calculation Results
I = [(2*(0.279+0.279)*9.8*0.0248)] – [(0.279+0.279)*(0.0197)2] / (1.576)2 0.1091
0.1071
0.1079
IT = average of three points 0.1080
C – Base + Disk on Com
Idisk = IT - Ibase
I = 1.2462 - 0.0682 = 1.178
Calculation Results
I = [(2*1.43*9.8*0.0550)] – [1.43*(0.0277)2] / (2.215)2] 3.1418
0.2968
0.3001
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IT = average of three points 1.2462
D – Base + disk off com
Idisk = IT - Ibase
I = 0.0521 - 0.0682 = 0.0161
Calculation Results
I = [(2*0.1007*9.8*)] – [0.1007*(0.0277)2] / (2.215)2] 0.0513
0.0517
0.0533
IT = average of three points 0.0521
E - % diff.
% = abs (experimental / theoretical) / theoretical *100
% = (0.1080 – 0.0080) / 0.0080 * 100
Analysis and Discussion
At a quick glance are theoretical and experimental values of the moemnt of inertia for the three
cases look similar, however after performing an error analysis only the mass and the two masses
had minimal error. Calculations of the base the disk on and off the center of the mass had error
acceptable. This is because the values are such small numbers little deviation has greater effect.
Experimental moment of inertia was calculated using conservation of energy and the fact that the
moment of inertia is the sum of all the object rotating. So it is the moment of entire roatting
system, and the specific object moment of inertia could be calculated by subtracting I base. The
values were reported by the capstone software and the calculations were directly were indirectly
independent of the radius.
Conclusions
This experiment was overall successful. In this lab we explored rotational motion with respect to
angular velocity. We were able to theoretically and experimentally determine the moment of
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inertia of an object. Finally we were able to show conservation of energy in a rotatin system. To
improve our results could be useful if we could do this lab in person to achieve better results.
