In this activity we will use conservation of energy to determine the moment of i
ID: 1395009 • Letter: I
Question
In this activity we will use conservation of energy to determine the moment of inertia, I, of objects undergoing rotational motion. The moment of inertia is a property of a rotating body that depends both upon the mass of the object and the orientation of that mass with respect to the axis of rotation. We will be using a disk (I = 1 2MR2) and a ring (I = MR2). Each will be placed on a turntable that rotates on a spindle of radius r as shown in the diagram below. Initially, the system has only potential energy. When the hanging object is released, potential energy is converted into kinetic energy
Where is the kinetic energy?
What types of kinetic energy are present?
Using your knowledge of kinematics, write an equation for the average velocity of the falling object in terms of things you can measure.
Explanation / Answer
there is no diagram
The large disk or ring, M, on the turntable rotates at the same rotational speed as the spindle about which the string is wound. The tension in the string provides a torque, resulting in a change in rotational velocity. The rotational velocity can be determined since the tangential velocity at the edge of the spindle at any time is the same as the velocity of the falling object. You will measure the distance h that the falling object has dropped, and the time t for the object to fall through this distance, and use these values to determine the tangential velocity of the spindle
The average velocity can also be calculated in the same manner that any average is calculated:?
v = (v1+v2) / 2