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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.