How is moment of inertia calculated and translated between units?

In summary, the second moment of area is the most important moment of area because it is the moment of inertia of a rectangle divided by the product of its width and height.
  • #1
RundleSeb
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TL;DR Summary
Calculating moment of inertia and translating it between units
Calculating moment of inertia and translating it between units, I've become confused.

The example is a mass of 1kg at 2000mm from the pivot. The force is applied at 1000mm from the pivot.

Basics as far as I'm aware:
Moment of inertia = mass * Distance to center of rotation^2
Torque = Moment of inertia * angular acceleration.
Torque = Force* The distance of the force to the center of rotation

so to achieve acceleration of 1 rad/sec^2

In meters
Moment of inertia = 1*(2^2) = 4 kg m^2
Torque = Moment of inertia * angular acceleration = 4*1 = 4 Nm
Force = 4 NM / 1m = 4N

In mm

Moment of inertia = 1*(2000^2) = 4000,000 kg mm^2
Torque = Moment of inertia * angular acceleration = 4000,000*1 = 4000,000 Nmm
Force = 4000,000 NM /1000 mm = 4000NCan the calculation not be done in distance units other than meters? am I missing something?
 
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  • #2
Torque units are wrong. 1 kg mm2/s2 ≠ 1 N mm.
 
  • #3
I assume as such, but I can't find equations other than those.
 
  • #4
But you can do the units conversion, can't you? That's all that's wrong.
 
  • #5
Hmm

Force = mass*acceleration = mass*(distance/time^2)
Force * distance = mass*distance^2 * 1/time^2

It seems the units do kinda add up? I think?
 
  • #6
After a bit of thought over the units
1557929312984.png
, I currently believe this discrepancy is because

1 N = 1 (kg*m)/s^2
thus 1 N = 1000 (kg*mm)/s^2 (or, 1 (kg*mm)/s^2 = 1μN)

Thus considering the earlier question,
Torque (Nmm) = Moment of inertia (kg*mm^2) * angular acceleration(1/s^2) = 4000,000*1 = 4000,000 (μN mm) or 4000 (N mm)
 
  • #7
RundleSeb said:
Force = mass*acceleration = mass*(distance/time^2)
Force * distance = mass*distance^2 * 1/time^2

It seems the units do kinda add up? I think?
That's dimensions, not units. A picometre and a light year both have dimensions of length, but have very different magnitudes.
Your last post is not quite right. (It might just be a typo)
4,000,000 kg mm2 * 1 s-2 = 4,000,000 kg mm s-2*mm = 4,000,000 mN mm = 4000 N mm = 4 N m.
 
  • #8
Ah i get what you were going at now.

Also well spotted (it is a typo , should be mN not μN)
 
  • #9
The inertia definition is integral of I= r^2dm and the units of this is [Kg*sqrm]
the inertia of rectangle is : I= B*H^3/12 and the unit of inertia is [m^4]

My question is how do the two things work out?
Is there no contradiction between them?
 
  • #10
beashayyael said:
The inertia definition is integral of I= r^2dm and the units of this is [Kg*sqrm]
the inertia of rectangle is : I= B*H^3/12 and the unit of inertia is [m^4]

My question is how do the two things work out?
Is there no contradiction between them?
Please, read this:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_moment_of_area
 

1. What is the definition of moment of inertia?

Moment of inertia is a measure of an object's resistance to changes in rotational motion. It is the rotational equivalent of mass in linear motion.

2. What are the units of moment of inertia?

The units of moment of inertia depend on the shape and dimensions of the object. In the SI system, it is measured in kilogram square meters (kg·m²).

3. How is moment of inertia calculated?

The moment of inertia of a point mass is calculated by multiplying the mass of the object by the square of its distance from the axis of rotation. For more complex objects, the moment of inertia can be calculated by integrating the mass distribution over the object's volume or surface.

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

The larger the moment of inertia, the more difficult it is to change an object's rotational motion. This means that objects with larger moments of inertia will require more torque to rotate them at a given angular acceleration.

5. What is the significance of moment of inertia in real-world applications?

Moment of inertia is an important concept in many engineering and physics applications, such as designing rotating machinery, analyzing the stability of structures, and understanding the motion of objects in space. It also plays a crucial role in the conservation of angular momentum, which is a fundamental principle in physics.

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