Ratio of Inertia for Two Disks with Different Thicknesses

In summary, the two disks have the same radius and mass, but one is twice as thick as the other. The moment of inertia for an axis perpendicular to the center of the disk does not depend on thickness. Therefore, the ratio of I_A / I_B would be 1:1.
  • #1
plus1
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Homework Statement



Two disks have the same radius R and the same mass M, but one of the disks is twice as thick as the other. Disk A has thickness t, and disk B has thickness 2t. How does the moment-of-inertia of disk A about an axis through the center compare to that of disk B? Specifically, what is the ratio I_A / I_B ?


Homework Equations



above

The Attempt at a Solution



The moment of inertia of a disk is I=1/2MR^2 but I don't understand where the thickness would be. If the thickness has no significance in the equation then would ratio be 1:1
 
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  • #2
What's the moment of inertia of a cylinder compared to that of a disk?
 
  • #3
There are three axes through the center (actually an infinite number).
The moment of inertia for the axis perpendicular to the base(s) of the cylinder (disc) does not depend on the thickness.The other ones do.
But I suppose the problem assumes the simplest case, right?
 
  • #4
isn't the moment of inertia of a solid cylinder the same as that of a disk? i looked it up in my physics book and it gave the moment of inertia as 1/2MR^2 for a disk.
since the moment of inertia doesn't depend on thickness, the ratio of the two disks would be 1:1, right? that was my first guess but wasn't sure.
 
  • #5
plus1 said:
isn't the moment of inertia of a solid cylinder the same as that of a disk? i looked it up in my physics book and it gave the moment of inertia as 1/2MR^2 for a disk.
since the moment of inertia doesn't depend on thickness, the ratio of the two disks would be 1:1, right? that was my first guess but wasn't sure.
Exactly, assuming--as nasu points out--that we are talking about an axis perpendicular to the center of the disk. (Which is the simplest case.)

My reason for bringing up the cylinder was so that you didn't have to guess. :wink:
 

What is the ratio of inertia?

The ratio of inertia is a measure of an object's resistance to changes in its state of motion. It is calculated by dividing the mass of an object by its moment of inertia.

How is the ratio of inertia calculated?

The ratio of inertia is calculated by dividing an object's mass by its moment of inertia, which is a measure of how the mass is distributed around an object's axis of rotation.

What is the significance of the ratio of inertia?

The ratio of inertia is an important factor in understanding an object's motion and stability. It can help determine how easily an object can be moved or rotated, and how resistant it is to changes in its motion.

How does the ratio of inertia affect an object's motion?

The ratio of inertia directly affects an object's motion by determining how much force is needed to accelerate or decelerate the object. A higher ratio of inertia means more force is needed to change the object's motion.

Can the ratio of inertia be changed?

Yes, the ratio of inertia can be changed by altering an object's mass or its distribution of mass. For example, adding weight to one side of an object will increase its moment of inertia and therefore change its ratio of inertia.

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