Title: Determining the rotational inertia of a pneumatic tire by manipulating the mass (100 g, 200 g, 300 g, 400 g, and

−2
500 g) of mass sets, measured by the tangential acceleration (𝑚 𝑠 ) of the mass sets using a Vernier® Ultra Pulley
attached to a Vernier® Photogate

Introduction:
Global issue:
There are an estimated 3.3 million wheelchair users in the United States of America alone, with an estimated 1.8 million of
those users above the age of 65, and globally, this number increases to 130 million (“Wheelchair Users”). Choosing the right
wheelchair can depend on several factors, including its brakes, cushion seat, push handle, and wheels. Manual wheelchair users
need to overcome the rotational inertia of the wheelchair when performing turning maneuvers. According to research by
wheelchair advisors PassionatePeople, if the design of the wheelchair is not optimized well enough, the disabled can overuse
certain muscles and joints, leading to pain and difficulty in the future (Passionate People). Additionally, cerebral palsy, a
non-progressive neurological condition that affects the brain, causes many people to have impairments, including personal
mobility issues. In order for a person to not further develop postural instability from maneuvering the wheelchair when having
cerebral palsy, it is recommended to use wheels that allow easy accessibility to turn. This is where the rotational inertia of
manual wheelchairs is crucial, as even a slight redistribution of mass within the wheel can result in a significant change in
propulsion effort (O’Reilly). According to a study done by Caspall et al., the increase in inertia requires an increase in torque
to further increase the tangential acceleration of the wheel during turning (Caspall et al.). Thus, to determine the turning effort
of wheelchairs, it is important to have information on the resistive torque and rotational inertia of the tire used for the
wheelchair. Rotational inertia was particularly interesting since it was under Option B: Engineering Physics, which I did not
have the opportunity to study during the duration of my studies, thus making it a challenging aspect of research. This led me to
investigate the rotational inertia of the most commonly used tire in a wheelchair, a
pneumatic tire (Passionate People).

Background Information:
Rotational Inertia:
Rotational inertia, also known as the "moment of inertia," is the resistance of an object's
rotational motion to change, which is governed by the distribution of its mass around its
axis of rotation. This is unlike other areas of IB physics, where a point mass is used in
equations in which all of its mass is concentrated towards the center of the point (Tsokos
and Farrington 97). In mechanics, rotational inertia is used to forecast the behavior of
objects in rotational motion and to determine the torque required to produce a desired
angular acceleration. Torque is defined as the ability of a force to produce rotational
motion; thus, it can be the rotational term for force in rotational dynamics (Tsokos and
Farrington 94).

Newton’s Second Law:

In rotational mechanics, angular acceleration (α) is the change in the magnitude of velocity
but not its direction (Tsokos and Farrington 91). Tangential acceleration (𝑎𝑡) is directly
related to angular acceleration, as shown in Equation 1.

𝑎𝑡 = 𝑟α [Equation 1]

where:
𝑎𝑡: 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑟: 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠
α : 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

An object experiencing circular motion also experiences centripetal acceleration (𝑎𝑐). This is perpendicular to the tangential
acceleration, as seen in Figure 1. The relationship between tangential acceleration and angular acceleration is important to
determine the rotational inertia of a symmetrical object and can be used in the following setup: Consider a mass 𝑚, attached to
one end of a massless string. The other end of the string is hooked in order for the system in Figure 1, to rotate about the

1
central hooked point, as shown in Figure 1. As the mass 𝑚 falls, the string applies tension (T) to the mass. The net force can be
written as (Tsokos and Farrington 100):
Σ𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎𝑡 [Equation 2]

where:

∑ 𝐹: net force

𝑚: mass

This can be rewritten based on the individual forces applied as follows, which can be used to find the tension in the string
(Hamm):

𝑚𝑔 − 𝑇 = 𝑚𝑎𝑡 [Equation 3]

where:
g: acceleration due to gravity
T: Tension in the string

The string is pulling on the edge of the system at radius (r), with tension in the string, thus producing torque. Since the tension
is perpendicular to the radius, the equation is as follows (Hamm):

𝑇𝑟 = τ𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 [Equation 4]

where:
τ𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔: 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 in the string

Furthermore, if we apply Newton's second law of motion to angular motion (Hamm):

Στ = 𝐼α [Equation 5]

where:
𝐼: 𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎

It can be deduced that the sum of torque is the combination of the torque from tension in the string (producing torque-string)
and torque from the opposing force of friction (producing torque-friction). Therefore, the equation would be (Hamm):

Στ = τ − τ [Equation 6]
𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

where:
τ 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 from friction

This can be rewritten as follows:

τ𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 = 𝐼α + τ𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 [Equation 7]

Thus, the gradient in the graph of τ𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 vs. α allows one to determine the rotational inertia of the system.

Scope of investigation:
It was important to find the most suitable method to conduct this experiment so that it could be repeated with other types of
tires. This could help find the tire that works best with wheelchairs that have the least rotational inertia. To determine the
rotational inertia of a tire, the setup was determined based on several factors. In prior experiments, a Vernier® rotational
motion sensor was used to collect the data for angular displacement, angular velocity, and angular acceleration. This sensor had

2
a disk connected on top and would be attached to a clamp stand (Hanks). Compared to other commercially available methods
to determine rotational inertia, this was relatively more expensive. Furthermore, it required a hoop-like object that was small
enough to fit the rotational motion sensor’s diameter. However, the disk was too small for a large object such as a tire to fit on
top and therefore would not have sufficient force to rotate the tire. Considering its size and cost limitations, this was not
suitable for the experiment’s specifications.

In a prior study that determined the relationship between angular acceleration and torque, the angular velocity was calculated
using the so-called Fleming and Clinton method (Alberto et al.). The procedure involves measuring the angular velocity that a
plate achieves while rotating around a shaft when a given amount of torque is produced. Based on this information, the
moment of inertia of a plate can be determined using a procedure that differs considerably due to its complexity. The advantage
of this strategy is that one can measure the angular velocity without the need for time measurements, and instead measure the
capacitance and record electric current, thus also eliminating any losses due to friction (Alberto et al.). However, due to the
complexity and cost considerations, this method was deemed inappropriate for the aim of this investigation.

Finally, an alternative method demonstrated by Hong Kong University uses a 10-spoke pulley with a photogate head to
determine the angular velocity of the turntable by using the weight of the hanging mass wrapped around the base of the
apparatus (EP05: Rotational Inertia of a Point of Mass). This method can be implemented by determining the tangential
acceleration from the linear velocity vs. time graph that is plotted on Vernier® Logger Pro, which can then be applied to
Equation 1 to determine the angular acceleration. Due to the availability, cost, and approachability of this experiment, it was
chosen as the appropriate method. Furthermore, it was tweaked to improve accuracy by having the string wrapped around the
turntable itself with a groove put in to ensure stability instead of the string wrapped around the base below the turntable. Also,
through preliminary trials, it was understood that a Vernier® Ultra Pulley with a photogate needed to be placed perpendicular
to the edge of the turntable to ensure hanging mass would smoothly fall through the Ultra Pulley. Overall, this experimental
value of rotational inertia can be compared to the theoretical value provided by the formula shown below (Hamm):

2 2
1
𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 = 2
𝑀(𝑅1 + 𝑅2 ) [Equation 8]

where:
Itire: rotational inertia of the tire
M: mass of the tire
R1: inner radius of tire
R2: outer radius of tire

Research question:
How does the mass (100 g, 200 g, 300 g, 400 g, and 500 g) of the mass sets affect the rotational inertia of a pneumatic tire
−2
measured by the tangential acceleration (𝑚 𝑠 ) of the mass sets using a Vernier® Ultra Pulley attached to a Vernier®
Photogate?

Independent Variable:
The mass sets: 100 g of mass were inserted in the mass set hanger. The mass was increased by 100 g at 100 g intervals,
from 100 g up to 500 g.

Dependent Variable:
The rotational inertia of the pneumatic tire: This was determined by the gradient of the graph of τ𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 vs. α, as shown
in Equation 7 above.

Controlled variables:

Controlled Variable Method for controlling the variable Why was it controlled?

Length of the string Throughout the experiment, the length of Ensure the string is exactly long enough
the string was controlled by using a to cover the entire perimeter of the
standardized measurement of 1 meter of turntable and to prevent the string from
string. falling off the edge of the turntable.

3
 Diameter of Turntable For the turntable, a standard diameter of
0.533 m was used. This is done to ensure
that the tire fits on top of the turntable.
A change in the diameter of the turntable
would cause a change in the rotational
inertia of the turntable, which would be
further subtracted from the rotational
inertia of the tire and turntable.

The number of spokes in pulle A 10 spoke Vernier®Ultra Pulley was used A spoke is used to transfer the load of the
system for the entire duration of the experiment. mass between the hub and the rim of the
pulley. Reducing the number of spokes in
a pulley would reduce the stability of the
pulley while rotating, which can cause
unreliable readings of the linear velocity.

Apparatus:
1x Vernier® Photogate, 1x Vernier® Ultra Pulley Attachment, 1x Vernier®Labquest Mini, 1x turntable with a diameter of
0.533 m, 1x meter rule (±0.1 cm), 1x mass sets (with 5 x 100g masses) (±0.01 g), laptop with Vernier®Logger Pro 3
installed, 1x nylon twine string, WD 40, 1x rotating bearing with a diameter of 0.4572 m, 1x super glue, 1x wooden base

Procedure:

Figure 3: Labelled diagram of set up

Measurement of Tangential Acceleration:

1. The apparatus is set up as depicted in the diagram in
Figure 3. A vernier® Ultra Pulley was attached to the
Vernier® Photogate and connected to the Vernier®
LabQuest mini. This was attached to the Vernier® Logger
Pro on the laptop.
2. The string was wrapped around the turntable groove for
one complete revolution.
3. To measure the tangential acceleration of this system, the
string was tied into a knot at both ends. This was hooked
to the edge of the turntable via a nail and the string was
tightly winded around the turntable to ensure it does not
slip. Finally, the string was pulled across the Vernier®
Ultra Pulley.
4. A 100 g steadied mass set was hung from the string, keeping slight tension in the string to prevent it from falling off the
edge of the turntable.
5. A velocity vs. time graph was displayed on Vernier® Logger Pro. The data collection was started and immediately the
mass set was released.

4
6. The data collection was stopped after the mass set hit the ground.
7. The linear slope of the velocity time vs. graph measured the tangential acceleration of the turntable which was recorded
by the selection tool in Logger Pro software.
8. Steps 2-7 were repeated for a total of 3 trials.
9. Steps 2-8 were repeated for masses of 200 g, 300 g, 400 g, and 500 g.
10. Steps 2-9 were repeated after aligning the tire with the turntable.

Measurement of rotational inertia of the tire:

11. Subsequently, using Equations 1, 3, and 4, angular acceleration, the tension in the string, and torque in the string were
calculated. A graph was plotted in Vernier® Logger Pro for torque from string vs. angular acceleration. The gradient of
this graph determined the rotational inertia of the turntable alone and the turntable with the tire.
12. The rotational inertia value for the turntable was subtracted from the rotational inertia of the turntable and tire which
represented the final value of the rotational inertia of the tire.

Safety, environmental, and ethical precautions:

Environmental precautions The string was put aside for reuse to minimize the level of waste, as it
was not damaged. The turntable was disassembled, and the circular wood
and rotating bearings were put aside for reuse as well. The tire was sent
for recycling at the nearest mechanic shop (CCOHS).

Safety precautions Wood dust was produced when cutting plywood to make a turntable, this
can be harmful when inhaled, causing respiratory issues. Masks and
gloves were worn when cutting wood and picking up tires, and the
collected wood dust was sealed in trash bags to be properly disposed of
in trash bins (CCOHS).

Results:
Qualitative:
- The string would fall off the pulley because the string was not fully perpendicular to it. This was fixed by readjusting the
◦
rotating table at 90 to the position of the photogate.
- In the trial run, when mass sets were let go of the photogate, it was noticed that the photogate was not fully stable. To
ensure this would not occur, the heavy-duty tape was used between the photogate’s steel rod and the hole in the turntable.

Quantitative:
Graph 1: Determining 𝑎𝑡 for a 200g mass set (trial 3) from a linearized graph of linear velocity vs. time for the
turntable without the tire.

5
 −2
𝑎𝑡= 3.313 𝑚 𝑠

The linear slope of the linear velocity vs. time graph measured the tangential acceleration of the turntable, which was
recorded by the selection tool in Logger Pro software for a total of three trials for all masses and recorded in Tables 1 and
2 below.

Table 1: Raw data for Tangential Acceleration from a linearized graph of linear velocity vs. time for
turntable without tire
Mass of mass sets Tangential Acceleration (𝑚 𝑠 )
−2

± 0. 01(g)
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average ±0.047

100.00 1.867 1.800 1.872 1.846

200.00 3.350 3.360 3.313 3.341

300.00 4.555 4.637 4.605 4.599

400.00 6.001 5.922 5.908 5.944

500.00 6.078 6.100 6.061 6.080

Table 2: Raw data for Tangential Acceleration from a linearized graph of linear velocity vs. time for
turntable with tire
Mass of mass sets Tangential Acceleration (𝑚 𝑠 )
−2

± 0. 01 (g)
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average±0.009

100.00 0.851 0.852 0.851 0.851

200.00 1.479 1.462 1.470 1.470

300.00 1.887 1.898 1.860 1.882

400.00 2.301 2.305 2.306 2.304

500.00 2.722 2.739 2.710 2.723

Sample Calculation to Determine the Average Tangential Acceleration and its Respective Absolute Uncertainty:
Using the mass of 400 g for turntable without tire from Table 1 to achieve highest possible range

1. Average Tangential Acceleration: 1. Absolute uncertainty for Average Tangential

𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 1+𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 2 + 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 3...
𝑎𝑣𝑔 𝑎𝑡 = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑜 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑠 Acceleration:
𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 − 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
6.001+5.922+5.908 ∆𝑎𝑣𝑔 𝑎𝑡 = 2
𝑎𝑣𝑔 𝑎𝑡 = 3 6.001−5.908
−2 ∆𝑎𝑣𝑔 𝑎𝑡 = 2
𝑎𝑣𝑔 𝑎𝑡 = 5. 944 𝑚 𝑠
−2
∆𝑎𝑣𝑔 𝑎𝑡 =± 0. 047 𝑚 𝑠

6
Table 3: Processed data for Tangential Acceleration, Angular Acceleration, Tension in the string, and Torque
from the string
Mass± 0. 01 Tangential. Angular. Tension in string Torque from the
(g) Acceleration ( Acceleration ( (N) string (N m)
−2 −2
𝑚𝑠 ) 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 )

Turntable alone 100.00 1.846±0.047 3.46±0.41 0.796±0.020 0.424±0.050

200.00 3.341±0.047 6.27±0.68 1.29±0.02 0.688 ±0.074

300.00 4.599±0.047 8.63±0.90 1.56±0.02 0.831±0.163

400.00 5.644±0.047 10.60±1.08 1.66±0.01 0.885±0.090

500.00 6.080±0.047 11.40±​1.16 1.87±0.01 0.997±0.100

Turntable with the 100.00 0.851±0.009 1.60±0.17 0.896±0.010 0.478±0.050

tire
200.00 1.470±0.009 2.76±0.28 1.66±0.17 0.890±0.170

300.00 1.882±0.009 3.53±0.40 2.38±0.23 1.270±0.126

400.00 2.304±0.009 4.32±0.39 3.00±0.27 1.601 ±0.292

500.00 2.723±0.009 5.11±0.41 3.54±0.33 1.891±0.353

Sample Calculations for Determining Values for Angular Acceleration, Tension in the String, Torque from the
String, and Their Respective Absolute Uncertainties:
Using a mass of 100g for a turntable without a tire

2. Angular Acceleration of the turntable: 2. Absolute uncertainty for Angular Acceleration of

𝑎𝑡 the turntable:
α= 𝑟 ∆𝑎𝑡
∆α ∆𝑟
1.846 α
= 𝑎𝑡
+ 𝑟
α= 0.533
0.035 0.05
α=3.46 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠
−2 ∆α = ( 1.846 + 0.533
) × 3. 46
−2
∆α=± 0.41 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠

3. Tension in the string: 3. Absolute uncertainty for Tension in the string:

𝑇 = 𝑚𝑔 − 𝑚𝑎𝑐 ∆𝑚 ∆𝑎𝑡
∆𝑇= ( 𝑚
+ 𝑎𝑡
)×𝑇
𝑇 = 𝑚(𝑔 − 𝑎𝑐) 0.00001 0.047
∆𝑇 =( 0.100000 + ) × 0. 796
𝑇 =(0.100000)(9.81-1.846) 1.846
𝑇 =0.796 N ∆𝑇=± 0.020 N

4. Torque from the string: 4. Absolute uncertainty for Torque from the string:
τ𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 = 𝑇𝑟 ∆τ ∆𝑇 ∆𝑟
τ
= 𝑇 + 𝑟
τ𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 = 0. 796(0. 533) 0.020
∆τ = ( 0.796 +
0.05
) × 0. 424
0.533
τ𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔= 0. 424 N m ∆τ = ± 0. 050 N m

- Using the data provided in processed Table 3, two separate graphs were plotted for τ𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 vs. α for the turntable
alone and the turntable with the tire.

7
Graph 2: Graph of τ𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 vs. α for turntable without tire

Graph 3: Graph of τ𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 vs. α for turntable with tire

The relationship between the two variables can be expressed using the best-fit line:

Graph 2: 𝑦 = 0. 06676𝑥 + 0. 2261

Graph 3: 𝑦 = 0. 4453𝑥 − 2844

where:
y= torque in the string
x= angular acceleration

The gradient for each graph is the rotational inertia value for a turntable alone and a turntable with the tire, with their
maximum and minimum gradients plotted, respectively. The maximum and minimum lines were used to determine the
uncertainty of the gradient in the sample calculations below. Furthermore, the rotational inertia of the tire alone was
calculated by subtracting the rotational inertia values of the turntable alone from the rotational inertia values of the
turntable and tire.

8
Sample Calculation to Obtain the Rotational Inertia of a Tire and the Respective Absolute Uncertainties:
Using Graphs 2 and 3:

Gradient for Graph 2: Absolute uncertainty in Graph 2:

2 𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒−𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒
𝐼 = 0. 0668 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 ∆𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 = 2
0.08830−0.04889
= 2
2
=± 0. 0197 𝑘𝑔 𝑚

Gradient for Graph 3: Absolute uncertainty in Graph 3:

2 𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒−𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒
𝐼 = 0. 4453 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 ∆𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 = 2
0.5150−0.3207
= 2
2
=± 0. 0972 𝑘𝑔 𝑚

The experimental value of rotational inertia of tire: Absolute uncertainty for the experimental value of rotational
𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 = 𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 − 𝐼𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 inertia of tire:

∆𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 = ∆𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 + ∆𝐼𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒

𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 = 0. 4453 − 0. 0667
∆𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒= 0. 0972+0. 0197
2 2
𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 = 0.3786 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 ∆𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒= ±0.1169 𝑘𝑔 𝑚

- The experimental value of 𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 was then verified against the theoretical value found from Equation 8.

Calculations to determine theoretical value of rotational inertia of tire, alongside the deviation of experimental
value from theoretical value
Experimental value of rotational Theoretical value of rotational inertia Deviation
inertia of tire 𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 of tire 𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒

𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒= 0.3786±0.1169 𝑘𝑔 𝑚
2
1
2 2 Percentage error =
𝐼𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 = 2
𝑀(𝑅1 + 𝑅2 ) 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 − 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
× 100%
𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
=16.68%
1 2 2
= 2
4(0. 3572 + 0. 3156 )
2
= 0. 4544 𝑘𝑔 𝑚

Discussion:
The data plotted was produced with the raw data collected in Tables 1 and 2 for the tangential acceleration from the linear fit
graph of velocity vs. time (Graph 1), as predicted from the theory. The method of determining tangential acceleration through
the gradient of the velocity vs. time graph can be deemed accurate due to the strong positive correlation between the two
variables since the 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 value ranged between 0.9985 and 0.9990. This was then processed in order to produce the
results found in Table 3. There is a positive relationship in all values of angular acceleration and torque from the string as the
−2 −2
mass increases for the turntable without tire, where angular acceleration increases from 3.46 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 to 11.40 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 when
mass increases from 100g to 500g. The same trend is seen in the values of angular acceleration and torque from the string from
the turntable with the tire. This was then plotted in Graphs 2 and 3 to further calculate the gradient and determine the
relationship between angular acceleration and torque from the string. A linear regression line was selected for Graphs 2 and 3
because the linear regression line produced the highest possible R2 value compared to other best-fit lines such as exponential
and polynomial. This means the linear regression line had a closer fit to the data points of angular acceleration and torque from
the string, thus it was selected suitably. The relationship between angular acceleration and torque from the string from the

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turntable with the tire can be explained by Equations 5 and 7, where they are proportional to each other in the case of the string
being pulled by a constant force, which is the weight acting downwards in this case. This is why angular acceleration will
increase as the force (and the torque) increases, whereby the graph of τ𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 vs. α will have a positive and constant slope, as
observed in Graphs 2 and 3.

2
The experimental value of the rotational inertia of the tire was determined to be 0.3786 ±0.1169 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 . Taking into account
2
the uncertainty value, the experimental rotational inertia of the tire has an upper range of 0.4955 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 and a lower range of
2 2
0.2617 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 . Thus, the theoretical rotational inertia of the tire, which is calculated to be 0.4544 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 is within this range.
When compared to the theoretical value of rotational inertia, the experimental value had a 16.68%, which is relatively small,
thereby validating the accuracy of the method or the precision of the data collected.

The values of uncertainty calculated can be considered low, except for the angular acceleration, whereby results varied
significantly, thus uncertainties were high, as seen in Table 3. Uncertainties were also generally higher with more mass in the
mass sets since values of angular acceleration did not noticeably increase in a linear pattern, and this could also be a result of
higher friction from the Ultra Pulley at higher masses. On Graphs 2 and 3, both vertical and horizontal error bars were visible.
The best-fit line was plotted using the auto scale linear best-fit plot function to achieve the most accurate best fit with the
2
highest possible correlation, as seen by the strong positive correlation of 0.9958 value for 𝑅 , justifying its appropriateness.
The equations 𝑦 = 0. 06676𝑥 + 0. 2261 and 𝑦 = 0. 4453𝑥 − 2844 were deduced from Graphs 2 and 3, respectively. The
negative y-intercept concludes that with the tire on the turntable, the tension in the string was considerably higher. However,
the maximum and minimum lines were plotted using the more significant error bars, which in this case were the vertical error
bars for both Graphs 2 and 3. This led to successive maximum and minimum gradients that were plotted and resulted in an
2 2
uncertainty of ±0.0197 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 for the turntable without tire and ± 0. 0972 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 for the turntable with tire.

Figure 5: Relationship between Torque and Angular acceleration (Thammarong Eadkhong et al.)

A prior study was conducted to determine the rotational inertia of two plates of different masses to verify that the object rotated
with a constant angular acceleration while the suspended body was falling (Thammarong Eadkhong et al.). While the objects
measured in the study were different, the relationship between torque and angular acceleration is confirmed for all uniform
objects, thus strengthening the relationship found in this experiment. However, no direct comparisons were made for the
rotational inertia of a pneumatic tire of a similar mass and size among past studies, since none used the same data sets as the
ones used in this experiment.

Evaluation:
Strengths:
1. The raw data gathered from the experiment had low deviation amongst data trials which indicated low random error. This
was achieved by precisely following the methodology, where:
- The string connected to the mass set was let go only when maximum stability was achieved.
- The tire kept on top of the turntable was carefully placed to ensure mass distribution is uniform.
- The rotating bearings were coated with WD 40 to ensure smooth rotations at all times.
◦
2. The angle at which the Ultra Pulley was positioned was accurately measured at 90 to the edge of the rotating plate. Thus,

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 preliminary trials were conducted to ensure the string was displaced smoothly from the turntable.

Limitations:
1. A critical assumption was made whereby the outer radius of the tire was measured until the surface of contact
between the tire and the ground, which is lesser than the actual outer radius of the tire.
2. The tire was aligned on top of the turntable and judged based on the human eye. However, the tire alignment
might not be homogenous from all sides of the turntable which could account for more mass distributed on some
sides of the turntable and lesser on other sides.

Sources of error and methods of improvement:

Types and sources of Explanation and impact on the experimental result: Suggested improvements:
error:

Random: Through the velocity vs. time graph, a "best-fit line" Conduct more than three trials, such
The best-fit line plotted function was used by capturing the area that seemed that random error is less reflected in
in Logger Pro for like the linearly increasing line in Logger Pro. the final value of rotational inertia.
tangential acceleration However, the area captured could have been prone to
slight deviations due to human error. This could likely
result in undervalued or overvalued tangential
acceleration and, thus, a different value of the
rotational inertia of the tire.

Random: The outer radius of the tire was measured until the By purchasing a pneumatic tire with a
Measuring the inner and surface of contact between the tire and the ground, pre-written theoretical value of the
outer radius of the tire however, this might be inaccurate as the radius slightly outer radius.
extends beyond this surface of contact. Thus, the value
of rotational inertia calculated is lower than the actual
theoretical value.

Systematic: While the 10-spoke Ultra Pulley attains minimal
Rolling friction from friction, there is still the influence of friction in the
pulley velocity vs. time graph plotted. Yet, the effects due to
friction were not accounted for in calculating the
tangential acceleration of the turntable, thus leading to
inaccuracies in the results.
Using a string with less mass would
result in less friction; however, the
string should not be too light as it
would not be able to withstand the
weight of the hanging mass.

Systematic: The inability to measure the mass distribution in the
Non-homogeneity in the tire would likely impact the value calculated for
mass distribution of the rotational inertia. This is because some areas of the tire
tire would likely have more mass distribution, which
would impact its angular acceleration. This would
result in fluctuating the rotational inertia of the tire
with different trials.
Calculating the mass distribution of the
tire would help determine whether it
should be used for this experiment.
This can be done by using computer
tomography, which is used in industry
to measure mass distribution.

Systematic: The balls in the rotating bearing account for bearing Using smoother, lighter ball bearings
Balls in the rotating friction. Bearing friction is existent between the with less mass would reduce the
bearing rotating shaft and the bearing that is supporting that bearing friction.
shaft. Yet, the effects due to friction were not
accounted for in calculating the tangential acceleration
of the turntable, thus leading to inaccuracies in the
results.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the experimental results successfully answered the research question and demonstrated the relationship between
2
torque in the string and angular acceleration to determine the rotational inertia of a pneumatic tire as 0.3786 ±0.1169 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 .
2
The range was able to include the calculated theoretical value calculated for rotational inertia, 0.4544 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 . Both the graphs

11
 2
of τ𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 vs. α show a strong positive correlation with a high 𝑅 value. Nevertheless, the uncertainty calculated for the
2
rotational inertia had a slightly large value of ±0.1169 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 . Furthermore, when compared to the prior studies, the
relationship between torque in the string vs. angular acceleration holds. The aim of this experiment is met, which is to show an
alternative method that was successfully used to calculate the rotational inertia for the most commonly used tire for a
wheelchair. While the graphs did not replicate any other prior study due to differences in methods and data points used, the
experimental outcome was similar, which helped prove the success of the chosen methodology for this experiment.
Maintaining an error below 17% from the theoretical value further strengthens the outcome achieved. It was not possible to
compare this rotational inertia value to other tires’, but due to the simplicity and accuracy of this method, it can be done at a
larger scale in the industry to determine the most suitable type of tire that can be used for individuals with disabilities.

Possible Extensions:
This investigation could also be extended and improved by considering more factors and variables as well as modifying the
methodology.
1. This experiment only calculated the experimental value for the most commonly used wheelchair tire publicly. However,
more tires could be considered and compared to determine the best tire.
2. Different attachments could be connected to the tire to test the impact on rotational inertia. Furthermore, manipulating the
number of spokes in a tire and measuring its rotational inertia could be useful to determine the most beneficial
configuration.
3. The method could be improved by removing dependence on time from the photogate and instead using capacitance and
electric currents to determine angular acceleration as seen in the prior study conducted by Alberto et al..

Works Cited
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_plate’s_moment_of_inertia. Accessed 14 Mar. 2023.
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