Challenging Physics Question (Mass moment of inertia, pendulum)

In summary: So I'm not sure what's going on. In summary, the conversation is about trying to find the mass moment of inertia of a baseball bat using equations for pendular motion. The equations used are distance from pendulum pivot to pendulum center of gravity, mass of the pendulum, time period of the pendulum, angular speed of the pendulum, gravity, and mass moment of inertia about the pendulum pivot. The trouble arises when calculating the mass moment of inertia about the pendulum's center of gravity using the parallel axis theorem, resulting in a negative number that violates intuition and the laws of physics. The person is unsure of what went wrong and is seeking help to fix the issue.
  • #1
patrat
2
0
Hello, as you can tell by the hour I have been at this problem for quite some time now.
I am trying to find the mass moment of inertia (rotational inertia) of a baseball bat; by means of using the equations for pendular motion. Here are the equations:

Distance from pendulum pivot to pendulum center of gravity:
Lcg=1.144 meter
Mass of pendulum:
m=0.840 kilogram
Time Period of pendulum:
T=2.1 seconds
Angular speed of pendulum (calculated from period):
w=2.99 radian/second
gravity:
g=9.81 meters/second^2
Mass moment of inertia about pendulum pivot:
Io=what the equations solve (kilogram*meter^2)

The equation is:
Io=(m*g*Lcg)/(w^2)
or equivalently
Io=((T^2)*m*g*Lcg)/(4*pi^2)

for this I get, everytime, Io=1.05 (kilogram*meter^2)

The trouble is coming though
Icg=mass moment of inertia about pendulum's center of gravity
parrallel axis theorem:
Io=Icg+m*Lcg^2
which becomes:
Icg=Io-m*Lcg^2

which spits out: Icg= -0.045 (kilogram*meter^2)

Thats right... a negative number. That violates intuition and the laws of physics for a physical solid. How did I break physics?

What did I do wrong and how do I fix it?
 
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  • #2
patrat said:
I am trying to find the mass moment of inertia (rotational inertia) of a baseball bat; by means of using the equations for pendular motion.

Does it have to be by this means? If yes, I think it may be related to the 'breaking physics' part you mentioned later.
 
  • #3
I have to solve the problem using the equations for pendular motion. I checked all my formulas with textbooks and the internet, and all my equations and values seem to line up...
 

1. What is mass moment of inertia?

Mass moment of inertia, also known as rotational inertia or moment of inertia, is a measure of an object's resistance to changes in its rotational motion. It is a physical quantity that represents the distribution of mass in an object relative to its axis of rotation.

2. How is mass moment of inertia calculated?

The mass moment of inertia of an object can be calculated by multiplying the mass of the object by the square of its distance from the axis of rotation. This calculation takes into account the distribution of mass within the object and how it affects its rotational motion.

3. What factors affect the mass moment of inertia?

The mass moment of inertia of an object is affected by its mass, shape, and distribution of mass. Objects with a higher mass or a larger distance from the axis of rotation will have a higher moment of inertia, while objects with a smaller mass or a smaller distance from the axis of rotation will have a lower moment of inertia.

4. How does the mass moment of inertia affect a pendulum?

The mass moment of inertia affects the period of a pendulum, which is the time it takes for one complete swing. A pendulum with a higher moment of inertia will have a longer period, meaning it will take longer to complete one swing. This is because the higher moment of inertia creates more resistance to changes in the pendulum's motion.

5. What is the difference between mass moment of inertia and moment of inertia?

The terms mass moment of inertia and moment of inertia are often used interchangeably, but they refer to two different physical quantities. Mass moment of inertia takes into account the mass of an object, while moment of inertia only considers its shape and distribution of mass. In other words, mass moment of inertia is a specific type of moment of inertia that takes into account the object's mass.

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