What's wrong with this derivation for rotational energy of a sphere?

In summary, the conversation discussed the energy of a disk and a sphere, and how to calculate their rotational kinetic energies using integrals. The result for the sphere differed from another source due to the treatment of mass as a constant. To correct this, the integral was rearranged to account for the varying mass of each infinitesimal disk. The final result for the sphere's rotational kinetic energy was found to be \frac{M\omega^2 R^2}{10}, which was confirmed to be correct. It was also noted that it may be more efficient to first find the moment of inertia and then multiply by \frac{1}{2}\omega^2.
  • #1
henpen
50
0
First, energy of a disk:

[tex] \int \frac{dm}{2}r^2 \omega^2 =\frac{\omega^2}{2}\int_0^R m\frac{2 \pi r dr}{\pi R^2}r^2 =\frac{m\omega^2}{ R^2}\int_0^R r^3 dr=\frac{m\omega^2 R^2}{4 }[/tex]
Which agrees with other sources. However, in the following lies my problem:

The equation for a circle: [itex] r^2+x^2=R^2 \Rightarrow r^2=R^2-x^2[/itex]

Energy of a sphere- integrate infinitesimal disks's rotational kinetic energy (assuming rotational energy is additive, which makes sense physically), all of which have their centre through the x-axis:

[tex] \int_0^R \frac{m\omega^2 r^2}{4 }dx=\frac{m\omega^2}{4 }\int_0^R(R^2-x^2)dx=\frac{m\omega^2}{4 }\frac{2R^3}{3}=\frac{m\omega^2 R^3}{6 }[/tex]

This differs from the result here of [tex]\frac{I \omega^2}{2}=\frac{m\omega^2 R^2}{5 }[/tex] quite substantially. Where have I gone wrong?
 
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  • #2
henpen said:
Where have I gone wrong?
In setting up your second integral you have treated m as a constant.
 
  • #3
Gah! Thanks for that.
 
  • #4
[tex] \int_0^R \frac{m(r)\omega^2 r^2}{4 }dx=\frac{\omega^2 }{4 }\int_0^R m(r)r^2 dx[/tex]
[tex] m(r)= \rho \pi r^2 = k r^2[/tex]
[tex]\frac{k\omega^2 }{4 }\int_0^R r^4 dx=\frac{k\omega^2 }{4 }\int_0^R (R^2-x^2)^2 dx=\frac{k\omega^2 }{4 }\int_0^R R^4+x^4-2R^2x^2 dx[/tex]
[tex]=\frac{k\omega^2 }{4 }(R^5+\frac{1}{5}R^5-\frac{1}{3}2R^5 )=\frac{k\omega^2 }{4 }\frac{1}{15}(15R^5+3R^5-10R^5 )=\frac{k\omega^2 }{4 }\frac{1}{15}(8R^5 )[/tex]
[tex]=\frac{2k\omega^2 R^5 }{15 }[/tex]

[tex]k=\pi \rho = \pi \frac{M}{\frac{4}{3}\pi R^3}=\frac{3M}{4R^3}[/tex]

[tex]\frac{2k\omega^2 R^5 }{15 }=\frac{3M}{4R^3}\frac{2\omega^2 R^5 }{15 }=\frac{M \omega^2 R^2}{10}[/tex]

That's correct: excellent!
 
  • #5
Since [itex]\frac{1}{2}\omega^2[/itex] is in common to all discs, it’s (arguably) nicer to evaluate I, and, having found it, to multiply it by [itex]\frac{1}{2}\omega^2[/itex] afterwards.
 
  • #6
Philip Wood said:
Since [itex]\frac{1}{2}\omega^2[/itex] is in common to all discs, it’s (arguably) nicer to evaluate I, and, having found it, to multiply it by [itex]\frac{1}{2}\omega^2[/itex] afterwards.
That's how I would do it.
 

1. What is the derivation for rotational energy of a sphere?

The derivation for rotational energy of a sphere is based on the formula E = 1/2Iω², where E is the rotational energy, I is the moment of inertia, and ω is the angular velocity.

2. What is the error in this derivation?

The error in this derivation is that it assumes the sphere to be a solid, uniform object with a constant moment of inertia. In reality, a sphere can have a varying moment of inertia depending on its mass distribution.

3. How does the mass distribution affect the moment of inertia of a sphere?

The moment of inertia of a sphere is directly proportional to the square of its radius and the mass distribution. A sphere with a concentrated mass at the center will have a smaller moment of inertia compared to a sphere with the same mass uniformly distributed throughout its volume.

4. Can this derivation be used for all types of spheres?

No, this derivation is only applicable to solid, uniform spheres. Spheres with different mass distributions or hollow spheres will have different equations for calculating their rotational energy.

5. Are there any other factors that can affect the rotational energy of a sphere?

Yes, other factors such as external forces and friction can also affect the rotational energy of a sphere. These factors are not considered in the basic derivation and must be taken into account in more complex calculations.

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