On the relations between the Principal Moments of Inertia:

The Moments of Inertia of a rigid body around the three principal axes are the following: ( ), ( ), (

j ), where ri i x y kz is the position

) . [ ri2 xi2 yi2 zi2 ]

vector of a mass point So, = 2

of the body. ( ( ..(1) ) ( ) (

) = 2

The above formula is true in general, whether the body is 2D or 3D, does not matter. But in 2D, say in XY-plane, we have all zi s are zero. So, ( ), ( ), .

Also, ri 2 xi2 yi2 . Thus, ( ) ( ) = 2 =2

, Perpendicular axes theorem as special case of theorem (1) in 2D.

Dr. Abhijit Kar Gupta, Physics Department, Panskura Banamali College, WB, India (e-mail: kg.abhi@gmail.com)