University of zakho

College of engineering
Mechanical department

Ex.Nu(3)
Moment Of Inertia for the fly wheel

Name: Mamo Mohammed Sharif Alomar

Group: A

Stage: Third

Date of experiment: 31/3/2019

Date of submitting: 6/4/2019

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 Table of contents

Subject page

Introduction ……………………………………………. 3

Purpose…………………………………………………… 3

Apparatus……………………………………………….. 3

Theory…………………………………………………….. 3

Procedure………………………………………...……… 4

Calculation……………………………………………….. 5

Discussion……………………………………………...... 7

Reference…………………………………………………. 7

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3.1 Introduction:

The moment of inertia, otherwise known as the angular mass or rotational inertia, of

a rigid body is a quantity that determines the torque needed for a desired angular
acceleration about a rotational axis; similar to how mass determines the force needed
for a desired acceleration. It depends on the body's mass distribution and the axis
chosen, with larger moments requiring more torque to change the body's rotation rate. It
is an extensive (additive) property: for a point mass the moment of inertia is just the
mass times the square of the perpendicular distance to the rotation axis.

3.2 Objective
To determine the moment of inertia for the flywheel.

3.3 Apparatus
 Flywheel
 Hanging masses
 Cord
 Meter stick
 Balance
 stop watch

3.4Theory
In this experiment a flywheel at rest with a mass m hanging
( in a gravitational field of constant g) on the end of a cord and
also the mass is positioned a height h above the floor level.
For this reason the system is held stationary, the total energy
will be potential energy V of the mass:

V = mgh ................ (1)

However, if the system is released so that the mass

allowed descending,
Figure(3.1): Flywheel

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then the instant before it touches the ground level, the kinetic energy T is a combination of
kinetic energy of rotation( of the axle and flywheel spinning ) and the kinetic energy of
translation of the mass falling, therefore the kinetic energy is

1 2 2
T= 2 I 0 ω + m v .......................(2)

Where
ω =the rotational speed of the flywheel.
V =the translational speed of the mass falling.
I 0=¿the moment of inertia.
Consequently, due to friction in the bearings, the flywheel has to carry out work W,

W = T f ϴ............................... (3)

T f =¿the work done against friction.

ϴ =the angle through which the flywheel rotates in radians. It follows, if
no energy is created or destroyed, we have
1 2 2
mgh = I 0 ω + m v +T f ϴ ....................( 4)
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3.5 Procedure:

 Measure the radius of the fly wheel (R) and thr axil of the fly wheel.
 Associated the cord to the rod on the axil of the fly wheel.
 Convolving the cord around the rod where it does not wraps about itself.
 Make the fly wheel steady and put mass to the free end of the cord.
 Measure the high of the mass from the floor.
 Add the mass that causes the fly wheel rotate and weighing this mass.
 Released the mass and measure the time was taken to get the floor by using stop
watch.
 Repeat this step three times.
 Repeat this step for different masses.
 Recording the reading in a table.

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3.6 Calculation:
1. First data:
R = 0.127 m , M=3 kg , r = 0.0125 m , h = 1.25, mf = 1.185 , m = 1.56 kg, t =10.24 s

1
(Io)th = M R2 = 0.5*3*(0.127)2 = 0.0241 kg.m2
2

Tf = F*r = mf *g*r = 1.185*9.81*0.125 = 0.1453 J

2h 2∗1.25
V = t = 10.24 = 0.2441 m/s

h h h h 1.25
θ = 2πN N= c = 2πr N= θ = 2π* = = = 100 rad
c 2 Πr 2 Πr r 0.0125

v
ω= = 19.528 rad/s
r

1 1
mgh = 2 mv2 + 2 IO* ω2+TFθ

1.56*9.81*1.25=0.5*1.56*(0.2441)2+0.5*Io(19.5281)2+0.1453*100

Io = 0.0238 kg.m2
¿ ¿
Error = ¿ ( I o ) th−( I o ) pr∨ ( I o ) th ¿ = ¿ 0.0241−0.0238∨ 0.02010.0241 ¿ = 1.2 %

2. Second data :
R = 0.127 m , M=3 kg , r = 0.0125 m , h = 1.25, mf = 1.185 , m =2.06 kg, t =6.7 s

1
(Io)th = M R2 = 0.5*3*(0.127)2 = 0.0241 kg.m2
2

Tf = F*r = mf *g*r = 1.185*9.81*0.125 = 0.1453 J

2h 2∗1.25
V = t = 6.7 = 0.3731 m/s

h h h h 1.25
θ = 2πN N= c = 2πr N= θ = 2π* = = = 100 rad
c 2 Πr 2 Πr r 0.0125

v
ω= = 29.8507 rad/s
r
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 1 1
mgh = 2 mv2 + 2 IO* ω2+TFθ

Io = 0.0237 kg.m2
¿ ¿
Error = ¿ ( I o ) th−( I o ) pr∨ ( I o ) th ¿ = ¿ 0.0241−0.237∨ 0.0241 ¿ = 1.6 %

2. Third data :
R = 0.127 m , M=3 kg , r = 0.0125 m , h = 1.25, mf = 1.185 , m =2.56 kg, t =5.29 s

1
(Io)th = M R2 = 0.5*3*(0.127)2 = 0.0241 kg.m2
2

Tf = F*r = mf *g*r = 1.185*9.81*0.125 = 0.1453 J

2h 2∗1.25
V = t = 5.29 = 0.4725 m/s

h h h h 1.25
θ = 2πN N= c = 2πr N= θ = 2π* = = = 100 rad
c 2 Πr 2 Πr r 0.0125

v
ω= = 37.8071 rad/s
r

1 1
mgh = 2 mv2 + 2 IO* ω2+TFθ

Io = 0.0231 kg.m2
¿ ¿
Error = ¿ ( I o ) th−( I o ) pr∨ ( I o ) th ¿ = ¿ 0.0241−0.0231∨ 0.0241 ¿ = 4.1 %

2. Forth data :
R = 0.127 m , M=3 kg , r = 0.0125 m , h = 1.25, mf = 1.185 , m =3.06kg, t =4.57 s

1
(Io)th = M R2 = 0.5*3*(0.127)2 = 0.0241 kg.m2
2

Tf = F*r = mf *g*r = 1.185*9.81*0.125 = 0.1453 J

2h 2∗1.25
V = t = 54.57 = 0.547 m/s

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 h h h h 1.25
θ = 2πN N= c = 2πr N= θ = 2π* = = = 100 rad
c 2 Πr 2 Πr r 0.0125

v
ω= = 43.7636 rad/s
r

1 1
mgh = mv2 + IO* ω2+TFθ
2 2

Io = 0.0235 kg.m2
¿ ¿
Error = ¿ ( I o ) th−( I o ) pr∨ ( I o ) th ¿ = ¿ 0.0241−0.0235∨ 0.0241 ¿ = 2.4 %

Mass Height Time (s) Traveling Angular Exp. theor.

(Kg) h (m) 1st 2 nd 3 rd Average speed velocity moment of moment of
V m/s rad/s inertia inertia
attempt attempt attempt Time
Kg m2 Kg m2
1.56 1.25 10.7 10.12 9.9 10.24 0.2441 19.528 0.0238 0.0241
2.06 1.25 6.3 7.1 6.6 6.7 0.3731 29.8507 0.0237 0.0241
2.56 1.25 5.2 5.4 5.29 5.29 0.4725 37.8071 0.0231 0.0241
3.06 1.25 4.58 4.65 4.48 4.57 0.547 43.7636 0.0235 0.0241

3.6 Discussion:
The moment of inertia of a body is directly proportional to the mass and increases as the
mass increases. It is moved further from the axis of rotation which mean that the same body can
have different moment of inertia depending on which axis of rotation we considered.

The angular velocity is also effects on the moment of inertia, the increasing of angular velocity
results decreasing of moment of inertia, so the moment of inertia is inversely proportional to
angular velocity.

In this experiment we have to calculate the moment of inertia for the fly wheel and we repeat the
experiment for many masses and we note that the results is nearly the same in each time, but we
had error due to theoretical (Io) for this resons:

The experiment has done by all the students which made mistakes in recording the time was
taken for the mass to touch floor ,the mass was dropped below 0 degrees or inconsistent with it is
angle during the trials , if there is different between a little push which make the fly wheel rotate
each time , the rope entering the grooves could cause friction as well as the distance of rotation

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and the friction between the rope and rod were not taken in account resulted less accurate time
reading.

3.7 References:
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moment_of_inertia
 https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/moment-inertia-torque-d_913.html
 Ex.Nu(3) sheet