Where Did I Go Wrong in Calculating the Moment of Inertia for a Disk?

In summary, the conversation is about deriving the moment of inertia for a disk with uniform density. The formula used is I=\int r^{2}\,dm=\int \rho r^{2}\,dV. To calculate the density, the formula \rho = \frac{\text{mass}}{\text{volume}}=\frac{m}{\pi r^{2}} is used. However, the correct formula for the moment of inertia for a disk is \frac{1}{2}mr^{2}. The mistake made was using r twice instead of using R and r, where r ranges from 0 to R. After correcting the mistake, the integral becomes dA = r dr dd\theta.
  • #1
amcavoy
665
0
I am having a bit of trouble deriving the moment of inertia for a disk with uniform density:

[tex]I=\int r^{2}\,dm=\int \rho r^{2}\,dV[/tex]

For a disk, I just used dA instead of dV. Now, to calculate the density:

[tex]\rho = \frac{\text{mass}}{\text{volume}}=\frac{m}{\pi r^{2}}[/tex]

So now we have:

[tex]I=\int \rho r^{2}\,dA=\frac{m}{\pi}\int \,dA=\boxed{mr^{2}}[/tex]

However, I know that the moment of inertia for a disk is [itex]\frac{1}{2}mr^{2}[/itex]. Where did I go wrong?

Thank you.
 
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  • #2
Nevermind I see where I went wrong (I used r twice, whereas I should have used R and r, where r ranges from 0 to R).
 
  • #3
In the integral, one would have [itex]r^2\,\frac{m}{\pi\,r^2} r dr d\theta[/itex] the r2 terms cancel, and that leaves dA = r dr d[itex]d\theta[/itex].
 

1. What is the Moment of Inertia of a Disk?

The Moment of Inertia of a Disk is a measure of its resistance to changes in rotational motion. It is a property that depends on the mass and distribution of mass around the axis of rotation.

2. How is the Moment of Inertia of a Disk calculated?

The Moment of Inertia of a Disk can be calculated using the formula I = 1/2 * m * r^2, where I is the moment of inertia, m is the mass of the disk, and r is the radius of the disk. This formula assumes that the disk has a uniform mass distribution.

3. What factors affect the Moment of Inertia of a Disk?

The Moment of Inertia of a Disk is affected by the mass and distribution of mass around the axis of rotation, as well as the shape and size of the disk. A larger disk or a disk with more mass concentrated at the edges will have a higher moment of inertia.

4. How does the Moment of Inertia of a Disk relate to rotational motion?

The Moment of Inertia of a Disk is directly related to the rotational motion of the disk. A higher moment of inertia means that more torque is required to produce the same angular acceleration, making the disk more resistant to changes in rotational motion.

5. Can the Moment of Inertia of a Disk be changed?

Yes, the Moment of Inertia of a Disk can be changed by altering the mass, mass distribution, or shape of the disk. For example, adding weight to the edges of a disk will increase its moment of inertia, while removing weight from the center will decrease it.

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