Rotational inertia: a contradiction?

In summary: In the case of the hoop, all of the mass is far away from the axis of rotation, so the integral is trivial: I = MR^2. With the disk, much of the mass is closer to the axis of rotation, thus it must have a smaller rotational inertia.
  • #1
amjad-sh
246
13
We know that the rotational inertia I of a certain object is I =∫r∧2 dm where r is the distance between the axis of rotation and the increment of this object that carries a mass dm.

What confuses here is the following:

Take for example a hoop of mass M and radius R.
Integration theory gives that I(hoop)=MR∧2.(where the axis is perpendicular to its center)
Now take a disk of radius R and mass M.
Intuition tells that the rotational inertia of the disk will be larger for the disk as integration will perform more summation here.
But the magical result is that I(disk)=0.5MR∧2 which is even less than I(hoop).

So how that comes?
ramproll7-3.jpg
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
amjad-sh said:
We know that the rotational inertia I of a certain object is I =∫r∧2 dm where r is the distance between the axis of rotation and the increment of this object that carries a mass dm.

What confuses here is the following:

Take for example a hoop of mass M and radius R.
Integration theory gives that I(hoop)=MR∧2.(where the axis is perpendicular to its center)
Now take a disk of radius R and mass M.
Intuition tells that the rotational inertia of the disk will be larger for the disk as integration will perform more summation here.
But the magical result is that I(disk)=0.5MR∧2 which is even less than I(hoop).

So how that comes?
View attachment 87343

It's only less if the mass of the disk (M) is the same as the mass of the hoop (M). If the two were made of the same material, then the disk would be many times more massive than the hoop.
 
  • Like
Likes Doc Al and amjad-sh
  • #3
amjad-sh said:
Intuition tells that the rotational inertia of the disk will be larger for the disk as integration will perform more summation here.
Your intuition is a bit off here. Remember that in deriving these general formulas these objects have the same mass. With the hoop, all of the mass is a distance R from the axis, thus the integral is trivial: I = MR^2. With the disk, much of the mass is closer to the axis, thus it must have a smaller rotational inertia.

These general formulas for standard shapes are always given in terms of M, the total mass. The formulas only differ due to the distribution of that mass.
 
  • Like
Likes amjad-sh

1. What is rotational inertia?

Rotational inertia, also known as moment of inertia, is a measure of an object's resistance to changes in its rotational motion. It is influenced by an object's mass and distribution of mass around its axis of rotation.

2. How is rotational inertia different from regular inertia?

Regular inertia refers to an object's resistance to changes in its linear motion, while rotational inertia refers to an object's resistance to changes in its rotational motion. They are two different concepts, but both involve an object's mass and its tendency to resist changes in its motion.

3. Can rotational inertia be negative?

No, rotational inertia cannot be negative. It is always a positive value, representing an object's resistance to changes in its rotational motion. A negative value would imply that the object would accelerate without any applied torque, which goes against the laws of physics.

4. How does rotational inertia affect an object's motion?

The greater the rotational inertia of an object, the more it will resist changes in its rotational motion. This means that it will require more torque to change its rotational speed or direction. Objects with lower rotational inertia will be easier to rotate and change direction.

5. What are some real-life examples of rotational inertia?

One example of rotational inertia is seen in figure skaters. When they pull their arms closer to their body, they decrease their rotational inertia and are able to spin faster. Another example is the flywheel in a car engine, which helps to maintain a constant rotational speed by storing rotational inertia.

Similar threads

Replies
1
Views
1K
  • Mechanics
Replies
2
Views
501
Replies
12
Views
358
  • Mechanics
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
2
Views
871
Replies
10
Views
1K
Replies
10
Views
1K
Replies
12
Views
3K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
19
Views
2K
Replies
37
Views
2K
Back
Top