Experiment 4: Mass Moment of Inertia

Experimental Mass Moment of Inertia Part A

Equipment:
Model LS-2108, a stopwatch, a weighing scale, a measuring tape, and 3
lengths of steel wire.

Objectives:
1. The experiment is to determine experimentally the moment of
inertia and radius of gyration of a rectangular bar.
2. Comparison between experimental and theoretical results.

Experimental procedure:

1. The values of length of rope, L, centre distance, r, mass of

rectangular bar, M, and the dimensions of bar a, b, and l are
obtained and measured.
2. The bar is connected with eye bolts with negligible mass onto the
wires with the clips provided.
3. The bar is twisted horizontally to put it into oscillation about its
vertical axis to a simple harmonic motion.
4. The bar is left until it oscillates in a steady state.
5. The time is obtained in seconds taken for 20 oscillations.
6. The value is divided with the number of oscillations to obtain time
taken for 1 oscillation. The experiment is repeated to obtain time
taken for 30, 40, 50, and 60 oscillations to obtain a more precise
value for the period in seconds.
7. The value of the radius of gyration, K, and moment of inertia, I are
calculated using the following equation provided.

t=2

IL
Mg r 2

or

t=2

( )
k2 L
r2 g

for

I =M k 2

Experiment 4: Mass Moment of Inertia

Results
Mass of rectangular bar: 1.6kg
Item
Length (m)
a
0.025
b
0.04
l
0.202
L
1.0
r
0.0575
Table 4.1: Dimensions
Table 4.2:

With a facing up,

Oscillation

Period (s)

Time for 1
oscillation (s)
2.05
2.07
2.05
2.06
2.08
2.06

20
41
30
62
40
82
50
103
60
125
Average time for 1 oscillation (s)
Table 4.3:

With b facing up,

Oscillation

Period (s)

Time for 1
oscillation (s)
2.1
2.1
2.1
2.12
2.12
2.11

20
42
30
63
40
84
50
106
60
127
Average time for 1 oscillation (s)

Discussions
Theoretical value for the moment of inertia of a rectangular bar is,
I=

With a facing up

M ( a 2+l 2 )
12

or

experimental calculation

I=

M ( a 2+b 2 )
12

theoretical calculation

% error

Experiment 4: Mass Moment of Inertia

t=2

IL
Mg r 2

I =0.00558 kg . m2
experimental calculation

With a facing up
K

K=

K=

0.0591 m2

t=2

K=

I =0.00552 kg . m

IL
Mg r 2

I
M
0.0605 m

I
M

% error

0.0587 m2

0.68

theoretical calculation

I=

M ( a 2+l 2 )
12

% error

I =0.00565 kg . m2

3.54

theoretical calculation

K=
2

1.09

theoretical calculation

K=

I =0.00585 kg . m2

K=

M ( a 2+l 2 )
12

K=

experimental calculation
With b facing up

I=

I
M

experimental calculation
With b facing up

I
M

K=0.0594 m

% error
2

1.85

Conclusion
The experimental calculation for both radius of gyration (K) and
moment of inertia (I) were compared with theoretical values obtained
using the formula provided. The error found in the experiment is less than
5% in each case with a facing up and b facing up. Therefore the
experiment data is accepted. The main reason for occurrence of error is
due to the human error that occur in the process of record the time with
respect to start and stopping of stopwatch. In conclusion it is proved that
both the formula we used in experimental and theoretical calculation is
accepted to use.

Experiment 4: Mass Moment of Inertia

Experimental Mass Moment of Inertia Part B

Equipment:
Model LS-2108, a stopwatch, a weighing scale, a measuring tape, and 3
lengths of steel wire.

Objectives:
1. The experiment is to determine experimentally the moment of
inertia and radius of gyration of a ring.
2. Comparison between experimental and theoretical results.

Experimental procedure:

1. The values of length of rope, L, mean radius of ring, R, outer radius

r 1 , inner radius, r 2 , and mass of ring, M are obtained and
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

measured.
The ring is connected with eye bolts with negligible mass onto the
wires with the clips provided.
The ring is twisted horizontally to put it into oscillation about its
vertical axis to a simple harmonic motion.
The ring is left until it oscillates in a steady state.
The time is obtained in seconds taken for 20 oscillations.
The value is divided with the number of oscillations to obtain time
taken for 1 oscillation. The experiment is repeated to obtain time

Experiment 4: Mass Moment of Inertia

taken for 30, 40, 50, and 60 oscillations to obtain a more precise
value for the period in seconds.
7. The value of the radius of gyration, K, and moment of inertia, I are
calculated using the following equation provided.

t=2

IL
Mg r 2

or

t=2

( )
k2 L
r2 g

R=

for

I =M k 2

r 1 +r 2
2

Results
Mass of rectangular bar: 1.96kg
Item
r1

Length (m)
0.08

r2

0.056

l
0.024
L
1.0
Table: Ring Dimensions
Table 4.4:

With a facing up,

Oscillation

Period (s)

20
41
30
62
40
84
50
105
60
126
Average time for 1 oscillation (s)

Time for 1
oscillation (s)
2.05
2.07
2.1
2.1
2.1
2.08

Discussions
Theoretical value for the moment of inertia of a rectangular bar is,
l ( r 41 r 42 )
I=
2
=mass per unit volume , r 1=outer radius , r 2=inner radius

Experiment 4: Mass Moment of Inertia

experimental calculation
R=

theoretical calculation

r 1 +r 2
2

% error

v = r 21 l r 22
v=
R= 0.068
=

0.000246 m3

M
v

=7967.48 kg / m3
Using the formula,
t=2

IL
Mg r 2

and solving for I,

I =0.00974 kg . m2
experimental calculation
I
K=
M

K=

0.0705 m2

Using the formula,

l ( r 41 r 42 )
I=
2
and solving for I,
I =0.00935 kg . m

theoretical calculation
I
K=
M

K=

4.17

0.0691 m2

% error
2.03

Conclusion
The experimental calculation for both radius of gyration (K) and
moment of inertia (I) were compared with theoretical values obtained
using the formula provided. The error found in the experiment is less than
5% in each case with a facing up and b facing up. Therefore the
experiment data is accepted. The main reason for occurrence of error is
due to the human error that occur in the process of record the time with
respect to start and stopping of stopwatch. In conclusion it is proved that
both the formula we used in experimental and theoretical calculation is
accepted to use.

Experiment 4: Mass Moment of Inertia

Experimental Mass Moment of Inertia Part C

Equipment:
Model LS-2108, a stopwatch, a weighing scale, a measuring tape, and 3
lengths of steel wire.

Objectives:
1. The experiment is to determine experimentally the moment of
inertia and radius of gyration of a cylinder.
2. Comparison between experimental and theoretical results.

Experimental procedure:

1. The values of length of rope, L, center distance of cylinder, r, mass

of cylinder, M, length of cylinder, l, and radius of cylinder, R, are
obtain and measure.

Experiment 4: Mass Moment of Inertia

2. The cylinder is connected with eye bolts with negligible mass onto
the wires with the clips provided.
3. The cylinder is twisted horizontally to put it into oscillation about its
vertical axis to a simple harmonic motion.
4. The cylinder is left until it oscillates in a steady state.
5. The time is obtained in seconds taken for 20 oscillations.
6. The value is divided with the number of oscillations to obtain time
taken for 1 oscillation. The experiment is repeated to obtain time
taken for 30, 40, 50, and 60 oscillations to obtain a more precise
value for the period in seconds.
7. The value of the radius of gyration, K, and moment of inertia, I are
calculated using the following equation provided.

t=2

IL
Mg r 2

or

t=2

( )
k2 L
r2 g

for

I =M k

Results
Mass of rectangular bar: 4.768 kg
Item
R
r

Length (m)
0.0795
0.0675

l
0.03
L
1.0
Table: Ring Dimensions
Table 4.4:

With a facing up,

Oscillation

Period (s)

20
34
30
51
40
68
50
86
60
103
Average time for 1 oscillation (s)

Time for 1
oscillation (s)
1.7
1.7
1.7
1.72
1.72
1.71

Discussions
Theoretical value for the moment of inertia of a rectangular bar is,

Experiment 4: Mass Moment of Inertia

I=

MR
2

M = Mass of cylinder, R= radius of cylinder

experimental calculation

theoretical calculation

Using the formula,

Using the formula,

2
MR
I=
2

t=2

( MgILr )
2

and solving for I,

I =0.0158 kg . m2
experimental calculation
I
K=
M

K=

0.0576 m2

and solving for I,

% error

4.64

I =0.0151 kg . m2
theoretical calculation
I
K=
M

K=

0.0563 m2

% error
2.31

Conclusion
The experimental calculation for both radius of gyration (K) and
moment of inertia (I) were compared with theoretical values obtained
using the formula provided. The error found in the experiment is less than
5% in each case with a facing up and b facing up. Therefore the
experiment data is accepted. The main reason for occurrence of error is
due to the human error that occur in the process of record the time with
respect to start and stopping of stopwatch. In conclusion it is proved that
both the formula we used in experimental and theoretical calculation is
accepted to use.