Increase moment of inertia, slipping down an incline

In summary, increasing the moment of inertia of a cylinder can decrease its linear acceleration and cause it to roll down an incline slower than a hoop. This is because an increase in moment of inertia requires a higher friction force, which can cause the hoop to start slipping first at a specific angle. However, by changing the mass distribution, the mass can be concentrated away from the center of rotation, allowing for a higher moment of inertia without increasing the radius.
  • #1
IBAStudent
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0
Hi, I'm trying to find out what effect an increase in moment of inertia of a cylinder would have on slipping when the cylinder rolls down an incline.
Starting with: ma=mgsin(theta)-f, where f is the friction force, which is less than or equal to µmgcos(theta), normal force times µ.
We already know that an increase in moment of inertia without increasing the radius will decrease the linear acceleration, and therefore, for instance a hoop, will roll down the incline slower than a cylinder of equal mass and radius.
Therefore ma will decrease, but mgsin(theta) is constant, so f has to increase, right? An increase in moment of inertia requires a higher friction force.
Does this mean that if we were to let a solid cylinder and a hoop race down a ramp of angle (theta), the hoop would start to slip first if we were to increase the angle (theta)? If this is true, wouldn't it be possible for the hoop to win the race, if at a specific angle, the hoop started to slip and the cylinder didn't, because less friction is needed to sustain its rolling motion?
Could anyone please confirm my train of thoughs? Thanks :)
 
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  • #2
You have to work it out in details, here are the guidelines:

1) First note that increasing the moment of inertia without increasing the radius means to increase the mass.

2) Apply Ʃτ = Iα.

3) Apply ƩF = ma.

4) Knowing that m could be expressed in terms of I, and α could be expressed in terms of a; the above equations form a system of two equations of two unknowns: I and a.

5) Solve the system to find a in terms of I.

6) Then analyze the obtained equation.
 
  • #3
I'm sorry for not being clear enough: The way I though of increasing the moment of inertia wasn't by keeping the radius constant and increasing the mass, but change the mass distribution so that the mass is concentrated away from the center of rotation.
 

1. What is moment of inertia?

Moment of inertia is a measure of an object's resistance to change in its rotational motion. It is influenced by an object's mass and its distribution around the axis of rotation.

2. How does increasing the moment of inertia affect an object sliding down an incline?

Increasing the moment of inertia will make an object more resistant to rotational motion, so it will have a slower rotational speed as it slides down an incline. This means it will take longer to reach the bottom of the incline.

3. What factors can be manipulated to increase the moment of inertia?

The moment of inertia can be increased by increasing an object's mass or by changing its shape to distribute the mass further from the axis of rotation. For example, a longer object will have a higher moment of inertia than a shorter object with the same mass.

4. How does the angle of the incline affect the moment of inertia?

The angle of the incline does not directly affect the moment of inertia, but it can influence the rotational speed of an object sliding down the incline. A steeper incline will result in a faster rotational speed due to the increased force of gravity acting on the object.

5. Can the moment of inertia be decreased?

Yes, the moment of inertia can be decreased by decreasing an object's mass or changing its shape to distribute the mass closer to the axis of rotation. This will make the object more responsive to changes in rotational motion.

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