Moment of inertia of a sphere about an axis

AI Thread Summary
To calculate the moment of inertia of a sphere with a lead coating, the mass of both the solid wooden ball and the lead layer must be determined. The wooden sphere's mass was calculated using its density and volume, yielding approximately 26.81 kg, while the lead coating's mass was derived from its area density, resulting in about 10.05 kg. The moment of inertia for the solid sphere is calculated using the formula I = (2/5)MR^2, but the lead coating requires a different approach since it is a spherical shell. The confusion arises from the need to use the correct formula for the moment of inertia of a spherical shell, which is not I = MR^2. It's essential to address the non-uniform density introduced by the lead layer to solve the problem correctly.
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Homework Statement


A sphere consists of a solid wooden ball of uniform density 800 kg/m^3 and radius .20 m and is covered with a thin coating of lead full with area density 20 kg/m^2.

A. calculate the moment of inertia of this sphere about an axis through the center.


Homework Equations


For a sphere: I = (2/5)MR^2
Volume of a sphere: (4/3)pir^3
Area of a sphere: 4pir^2
D = m/v


The Attempt at a Solution



Ok, So this is what I did. I don't know the mass, so I have to find the mass through the density. So, for the uniform sphere itself, I did 800 kg/m^3 * (the volume of a sphere) and got the mass of the sphere without the lead covering to be 26.8083. Then I did the lead covering, I did 20 kg/m^2 * (volume of the sphere) and got 10.0531. So then, I added 26.8083 + 10.0531 and got 36.86. I then plugged this mass into the equation of inertia: I= (2/5)(36.86) (.20 (radius))^2 and got .590. However, that is not the answer. So if someone can tell me where I am going wrong, I would appreciate it. Thanks.
 
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the lead covering is a spherical shell, not a sphere! so you need the volume of the spherical shell... so how thin is that coating?
EDIT: oh hang on, they give you the area density so... you just assume it is infinitesimally thin and just need surface area.
 
but how would I calculate the volume of the spherical shell??
 
i am only given a area density for the shell...so how would i calculate the volume??
 
I ;ve edited my original post already before your replies.
 
i did calculate the surface area of the lead covering to be 10.0531. But when I combined the masses, and used the moment of inertia equation it didn't work. What am i doing wrong?
 
there is a separate formula for moment of inertial for a spherical shell
the problem here is that you no longer have uniform density as soon as you add in the lead layer...
 
so...like would i do the I= MR^2 for the shell and the I=(2/5)MR^2 for the sphere and add them together... I am so stressed because I just can't seem to solve the problem..Please help. Thanks .
 
since you seem to have the correct answer given to compare, just try it and see. by the way the moment of inertial of a spherical shell is NOT I=MR^2
look it up or dervie it!
 
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