TITLE: Experiment 4: ROTATIONAL MOTION OF A RIGID BODY

OBJECTIVE:
i. To determine the moment of inertia of a fly-wheel.
APPARATUS
NAME RANGE SENSITIVITY UNCERTAINTY
A fly-wheel - -
A stop watch (0-100.00) s 0.01s ± 0.01�
A set of slotted mass with hook - - -
A metre rule (0-100.0) cm 0.1cm ±0.1cm
A G-clamp - - -
A piece of inelastic string to hang - - -
the mass to the fly-wheel
A piece of softboard or plywood - - -
A vernier callipers (0.01-150.00) cm 0.01cm ±0.01cm

PROCEDURE
 1. The apparatus in Figure 4.2 is set up.
2. The diameter d of the axle is measured and its radius R is calculated.
3. The falling slotted mass m is recorded.
4. A fixed point at a height h is chosen above the floor. h is recorded.
5. The slotted mass from the fixed height h is released after the string has been wound
around the axle.
6. The time t for the slotted mass to reach the floor is recorded.
7. a, T and � are calculated using equations 4.5, 4.1 and 4.6 respectively.
8. Steps (3) to (7) are repeated for at least six different values of m. The results are
tabulated.
9. A graph of � against T is plotted.
10. The gradient of the graph is determined and the moment of inertia of the fly-wheel
and its uncertainty is calculated.
11. The moment of inertia to the theoretical value given by lecturer is compared.

OBSERVATIONS

2ℎ
No. of Slotted Time, t � = �2 T = m(g – a)
reading mass,m (g) (±0.01�) (��−2 ) (N)
(rad�−2 )
1 100 3.39 0.115 2.650 0.970
2 150 2.47 0.217 5.000 1.439
3 200 1.97 0.341 7.857 1.894
4 250 1.70 0.457 10.53 2.339
5 300 1.57 0.536 12.35 2.782
6 350 1.41 0.665 15.32 3.201

Diameter of the axle, D = ( 8.67 ± 0.01 ) cm

Radius of the axle, R = ( 4.34 ± 0.01 ) cm
Height of the slotted mass, h = ( 66.1 ± 0.1 ) cm

DATA ANALYSIS

0.970+1.439+1.894+2.339+2.782+3.201
�=
6
= 2.104 N

2.650+5.000+7.857+10.53+12.35+15.32
�= = 8.951 rad�−2
6

∴ Centroid (2.104 N, 8.951 rad�−� )

Graph of � against T
 �2−�1 0.5 2
Gradient, m = �2−�1
�= 20
= 0.025 (3 d.p.) �= 20
= 0.1 ( 1 d.p.)

15.3−2.0 rad�−2
= 3.2−0.85 �

= 5.7 ��−1 �−1

Gradient of the graph, m= 5.7 ��−� �−�

Refer equation :
Compare with straight line equation : � = �� + �

� � � + �
� �
� T +
� �

� �
�
experiment = m m= �
� 4.34 x 10−2
= 5.7 ��−� �−� �=
�
= 5.7
= 7.61 x 10−3 ���2

PERCENTAGE OF STANDARD DEVIATION (POSD)

����������� − ��ℎ����
POSD = ��ℎ����
x 100%

7.61 x 10−3 −2.11 x 10−3

= 2.11 x 10−3
x 100%

= 260.67 %
DISCUSSION
1. The objective of the experiment is to determine the moment of inertia of
a fly-wheel.
2. Rigid body means that a body with definite shape that doesn’t change, so
that the particles that compose it stay in fixed position relative to ane
another even though a force is exerted on it.
3. The definition of moment of inertia is the sum of the products of the
mass of each particle and the square of its respective distance from the
rotation axis. SI Unit= ���2 .
4. The theoretical value for the moment of the inertia of the fly-wheel
is 2.11 x 10−3 ���2 .
5. The Percentage of Standard Deviation (POSD) of the experiment is
260.67%.
6. POSD value is higher than 10%. The experiment is unsuccessful.

No Error (s) Suggestion (s) to vercome

1 Parallax error
2 Time taken when using stopwatch
3 Friction contributed by axle of
fly-wheel
The eyes of the observer must be
perpendicular to the scale of the metre
rule.
Start the stopwatch immediately when the
slotted mass is released.
Choose and use fly-wheel with less
friction.

CONCLUSION
Based on experiment, the moment of inertia of the fly-wheel is
7.61 x 10−3 ���2 and the Percentage of Standard Deviation (POSD) is 260.67%.