Engineering

Moments of Inertia
Independent Study Task

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 Who wants to go on a one
dimensional fairground ride?

Moments of inertia are used when solid objects rotate.

Moments of inertia allow us to calculate rotational
accelerations and other useful things.

Studying this topic, we will be able to calculate movements of

2D and 3D objects. Up until this point, our dynamics
calculations used only zero dimensional point masses also
known as…

weights beams particles protons

Not quite right…
Up until this point, all our physics dynamics calculations
modelled cars, people, airplanes etc as point masses also
known as… [missing word]

Go back
Who wants to go on a one
dimensional fairground ride?

Correct. Point masses are particles.

I was just checking that you were paying attention.

I’ll let you know when you get questions wrong.

When you are correct, you will just progress on to
something new on the next page.

Let’s go
What are Moments of Inertia?
First, let’s start with something familiar;

F F

Which trolley will accelerate fastest?

The empty trolley

The full trolley

Both accelerate equally

Neither accelerates
Not quite right…
Newton’s second law;

F =ma

so a =F/m

The bigger the mass, the smaller the acceleration for two equal
forces

Go back
What are Moments of Inertia?
Now imagine two playground roundabouts pushed equally;

F F

F F
Which will accelerate the fastest?

The red one

The green one

Both accelerate equally

Neither accelerates
Not quite right…
Did you notice that the green person is further from the axis
and the red person is closer?

If you are unfamiliar with roundabouts then go outside and

play on one, but only when it’s socially acceptable to do so.

Go back
Not quite right…
Both roundabouts undergo rotational acceleration.

The forces make each one spin faster and faster.

Go back
 What are Moments of Inertia?
After this example, you deserve a definition

An ice-skater is doing a pirouette and pulls their

arms upwards and inwards as shown.
When do they rotate fastest?

When their arms are out

When their arms are inwards and up

Equal speed in both situations

Not quite right…
The height of the arms makes no difference but the distance of
mass from the axis of rotation is important.

Maybe think about the roundabout again to make sense of the

situation. What happens when a roundabout is spinning and
you move mass inwards towards the axis of rotation?

If you are unfamiliar with roundabouts then go outside and

play on one, but only when it’s socially acceptable to do so.

Go back
 What are Moments of Inertia?

F
When a force acts on an object causing linear movement;
bigger mass → smaller acceleration (F=ma)

F
When a force acts on an object causing rotation;
bigger moment of inertia → smaller rotational acceleration

The moment of inertia is an object’s tendency to resist

angular acceleration if a torque is applied.

I committed this
to memory
The roundabouts are stationary.
Which has the greater moment of inertia?

The red one

The green one

They are equal and zero

The are equal (but not zero)

Not quite right…
Slow down and read the previous page again more carefully.

You may need to go even further back.

Previous page
Not quite right…
An object has a moment of inertia regardless of how it moves

In the same way that objects have mass regardless of how they
move.

Go back
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A choice
These are the A level circular motion equations

Let’s recap these

I’m happy with these, move along

 Circular Motion
When an object moves in a circular path,
there must be a resultant (unbalanced)
force towards the centre of the circle.

This is called a centripetal force.

For a car on a roundabout (in the

diagram) the centripetal force is…

Weight

Normal reaction

Friction

Tension

Gravity
Not quite right…
Think again…

Go back
Not quite right…
Behave yourself.

Gravity is not a force

Weight is the force due to gravity

Weight is a better choice to click than gravity

– at least weight is force

Go back
 Friction

The car is travelling at a constant speed.

In what direction does it accelerate?

Towards the centre

Away from the centre

In a tangent to the circle

It doesn’t accelerate
Not quite right…
F = ma a = F/m

The acceleration is proportional to the resultant force and an

the same direction

Changing direction at a constant speed still counts as

accelerating as the velocity is changing

Go back
 Circular Motion
Omega, ω is the angular speed of an object in radians
per second.

Wiktor spins the hammer in a circle in 0.250 seconds.

Calculate ω

50.3 rad/s 4.0 rad/s

25.1 rad/s 1.6 rad/s

12.6 rad/s 0.4 rad/s

6.3 rad/s 0.25 rad/s

Not quite right…

I hope you weren’t too comfortable to get a calculator.

Why not get yourself a calculator?

Time period, T = 0.25s

Frequency, f = 1/T = 4 rotations per second

Each rotation is 2π radians = 6.28c

Go back
 Circular Motion
Wiktor’s car travels at 20m/s
The roundabout is 20m across
The mass is 2000kg

Calculate the centripetal force,

F = mv2/r

20N 4000N

40N 40,000N

2000N 80,000N
Not quite right…

I hope you weren’t too comfortable to get a calculator.

Why not get yourself a calculator?

Go back
Not quite right…

Diameter 20m

Radius = …

Go back
 Circular Motion

F = mv2/r
= 80,000N

80,000N of friction isn’t available. What happens?

The car moves towards the centre

The car skids with a larger radius

The car skids with a smaller radius

The car stops

Not quite right…

80,000N of friction is needed for a 2000kg car to move at

20m/s around a radius of 10m.

If this force isn’t available then the car won’t be able to move in
this path.

If there was no friction and no resultant force then the car

would move in a straight line (Newton’s First Law)

Go back
I hope you are happier with the circular motion equations

On to calculating moments of inertia

Calculating Moments of Inertia
rotation
axis
Here is a rotating flat shape
(or lamina).

The mass is uniformly

distributed.
mass m

A particle within the lamina has mass m and is a

distance r from the axis.

The moment of inertia of the particle, I = mr²

What are the units for moment of inertia?

Ratio – no unit m³

kgm kgm²

N kgm³
Not quite right…

Look at the equation again carefully

I = mr2

m mass [kg]
r distance [m]

Go back
Calculating Moments of Inertia
Two 2.0kg mass are added to
the rim of a 620mm bike wheel

By how much is the moment of inertia increased?

0.00 kgm² 0.76 kgm²

0.19 kgm² 1.24 kgm²

0.38 kgm² 1.53 kgm²

Not quite right…

Look at the equation again carefully

I = mr2

m mass [kg]
r distance [m]

Don’t confuse diameter and radius

Don’t forget to add I for two masses

Go back
Calculating Moments of Inertia
2kg

3kg

3kg
0.5m
2kg

0.2m

Here are four metal masses attached to a wooden cross.

Let’s assume the wood has negligible mass compared to

the metal. Treat the masses as point masses.

OK
Calculating Moments of Inertia

A B C

Here are three perpendicular rotation axes

OK
Calculating Moments of Inertia

2kg
3kg

3kg

2kg 0.5m
0.2m
A B C

Calculate the moment of inertia about axis C

1.24 kgm² 1.06 kgm²

0.62 kgm² 0.49 kgm²

0.31 kgm² 0.29 kgm²

Not quite right…

Look at the equation again carefully

I = mr2

m mass [kg]
r distance [m]

Don’t confuse diameter and radius

Calculate each mass separately and then add them

Go back
Calculating Moments of Inertia

2kg
3kg

3kg

2kg 0.5m
A B C
0.2m

The moment of inertia is different for A, B and C.

What is the smallest value for the moment of inertia?

1.00 kgm² 0.24 kgm²

0.31 kgm² 0.13 kgm²

0.29 kgm² 0.06 kgm²

0.25 kgm² 0.03 kgm²

Not quite right…
Look at the equation again carefully

I = mr2

m mass [kg]
r distance [m]

Don’t confuse diameter and radius

The correct arrangement is B.

For B, the 2kg masses have zero distance to the axis.

Go back
Moments of Inertia of Laminae

We can model any shape to be made from a set of

evenly spaced massive particles

The total moment of inertia is the sum of the moments

of inertia of all the particles

OK
 Moments of Inertia of Shapes
These expressions need to be used in the exams.
They won’t need to be memorised or derived

Thin rod centre mL2/12 Thin rod end mL2/3

Hollow sphere 2mr2/3 Solid sphere 2mr2/5

Solid circular disc Iz = ½mr2

Ix = ¼mr2
Iy = ¼mr2 OK
A choice
Extension e
Derive I=mL2/12 for a rod

Extension ε
Derive I=mr2 for a particle

Finish with a friendly quiz

 Derivation of Irod = mL2/12
You will not have to do this in the A level exam
This is recreational mathematics

axis

L mass m

What is the mass per unit length?

mL

m/L

L/m

mL2
Not quite right…

The words tell you the maths;

“mass per unit length”

Go back
 Derivation of Irod = mL2/12

mass m
dx length L

mass per unit length = m/L

A thin element of the rod, dx, is shown

How will we treat the thin element?

As a rod

As a cylinder

As a lamina

As a particle
Not quite right…

The element is very thin.

It’s effectively a point mass.

Go back
Not quite right…

Don’t be a donut.

The picture shows a cylinder but it’s representing a rod

– rods are infinitely thin.

Go back
 Derivation of Irod = mL2/12

mass m
dx length L

mass per unit length = m/L

What is the moment of inertia of dx?

dx.x2

dx.L2

dx.m/L.x2

dx.m/x.L2
Not quite right…

Use I = mr2

Go back
 Derivation of Irod = mL2/12

mass m
dx length L

mass per unit length = m/L

What is the moment of inertia of dx?

dx.x2

dx.L2

dx.m/L.x2

dx.m/x.L2
Not quite right…

Use I = mr2

The mass of the element is dx.m/L

Go back
 Derivation of Irod = mL2/12

mass m
dx length L

dx moment of inertia = m.x2/L.dx

Integrating for the whole rod ½L

I = mx2/L dx = …
-½L

½L ½L
mx2 mx3
2L 2L
-½L -½L

½L ½L
2mx mx3
L 3L
-½L -½L
Not quite right…

Try again…

Go back
 Derivation of Irod = mL2/12

mass m
dx length L

dx moment of inertia = m.x2/L.dx

Integrating for the whole rod ½L

I= mx3
3L
-½L

I = mL2/8 + mL2/8

I = mL3/8 + mL3/8

I = mL2/24 + mL2/24

I = mL3/8 – mL3/8
Not quite right…

Try again…

Go back
 Derivation of Irod = mL2/12

mass m
dx length L

dx moment of inertia = m.x2/L.dx

½L
I= mx3 = mL3 mL 3
= mL2/12
+
3L 24L 24L
-½L

Majestic
 Derivation of Iparticle = mr2
You will not have to do this in the A level exam

2m 1.5m

600N 400N

What is the overall moment?

100 Nm

200 Nm

600 Nm

1800 Nm
Not quite right…

Moment = force x distance

Anticlockwise moment – clockwise moment = …

Go back
 Derivation of Iparticle = mr2
600Nm

The overall moment is 600 Nm

This is also called the torque, T
The torque is the overall turning effect of the forces

Which expression connects torque T, resultant force F

and pivot distance r?

T = Fr

T=F

T = Fr2

T = Fr3
Not quite right…

Torque = resultant force x perpendicular distance to pivot

Go back
 Derivation of Iparticle = mr2
axis
a

mass m

A particle m has a linear acceleration a at a distance r

from the axis.
a = rα

What is α in the equation?

Torque

Moment of inertia

Angular acceleration

Angular velocity
Not quite right…

Try again…

Go back
 Derivation of Iparticle = mr2
axis
a

mass m

Torque, T = Fr Linearly, F = ma a = rα

Combine these expressions eliminating F and a

T = mr/α

T = mα

T = mrα

T = mr2α
Not quite right…

Try again…

Go back
 Derivation of Iparticle = mr2
axis
a

mass m

Compare
Linear movement of particle m: Force, F = ma
Rotating particle m: Torque, T = mr2α

m is the resistance to linear acceleration

mr2 is the resistance to angular acceleration

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 1
How do you calculate the moment of
inertia of a particle?

I = mr

I = m2r

I = mr2

I = m2r2
 1
How do you calculate the moment of
inertia of a particle?

I = mr

I = m2r
Incorrect
I = mr 2

I = m2r2
Clue: the units are kgm2 Go back
 2
What is the moment of inertia of a 40kg
child 1.4m from the centre of a roundabout?

20 kgm2

28 kgm2

56 kgm2

78 kgm2
 2
What is the moment of inertia of a 40kg
child 1.4m from the centre of a roundabout?

20 kgm2

28 kgm2
Incorrect
56 kgm 2

78 kgm2
Clue: I = mr2 Go back
 3
Definition:
The moment of inertia is a object’s tendency to…

increase its angular acceleration if a torque is applied

resist angular acceleration if a torque is applied

increase its acceleration if a force is applied

resist acceleration if a force is applied

 3
Definition:
The moment of inertia is a object’s tendency to…

increase its angular acceleration if a torque is applied

Incorrect
resist angular acceleration if a torque is applied

increase its acceleration if a force is applied

resist acceleration if a force is applied

Maybe look back to p14? Go back

 4
What is w?

velocity

speed

angular speed

angular acceleration
 4
What is w?

velocity

speed
Incorrect
angular speed

angular acceleration
Maybe recap circular motion Go back
 5
Which is the odd one out?

ω = v/r

ω = 2πf

ω = 2π/T

ω = mv2/r
 5
Which is the odd one out?

ω = v/r

ω = 2πf
Incorrect
ω = 2π/T

ω = mv2/r
Maybe recap circular motion Go back
 6
Two spheres each have a mass of 3kg.
Which has the greater moment of inertia,
the hollow sphere or the solid sphere?

Hollow sphere

Solid sphere

Equal

Can’t tell without more information

 6
Two spheres each have a mass of 3kg.
Which has the greater moment of inertia,
the hollow sphere or the solid sphere?

Hollow sphere

Solid sphere
Incorrect Equal

Can’t tell without more information

Which has more mass Go back

further from the axis?
 7

Icentre = mL2/12 Iend = mL2/3

Icentre = mL2/3 Iend = mL2/12

Icentre = mL2/3 Iend = mL2/3

Icentre = mL2/12 Iend = mL2/12

 7

Icentre = mL2/12 Iend = mL2/3

Icentre = mL2/3 Iend = mL2/12

Incorrect
Icentre = mL2/3 Iend = mL2/3

Icentre = mL2/12 Iend = mL2/12

Which should have the Go back

greater moment of inertia?
 8
Moments of inertia for parts of a body can
be added if they have the same axis of
rotation

I = Σmr2

I = mΣr2

I = r2Σm

The statement is false

 8
Moments of inertia for parts of a body can
be added if they have the same axis of
rotation

I = Σmr2

I = mΣr2
Incorrect
I = r Σm 2

The statement is false

This is first on the Go back
Engineering equation sheet
 Solid circular disc
Iz = ½mr2 9
A 10kg solid disc 8m across

I = 40 kgm2

I = 80 kgm2

I = 160 kgm2

I = 400 kgm2
 Solid circular disc
Iz = ½mr2 9
A 10kg solid disc 8m across

I = 40 kgm2

I = 80 kgm2
Incorrect
I = 160 kgm 2

I = 400 kgm2
Clue: “across” = diameter Go back
I = ½ x 10 x 42
 10
Can you work out the moment of inertia of
a hoop?

I = ⅓mr2

I = ½mr2

I = ⅔mr2

I = mr2
 10
Can you work out the moment of inertia of
a hoop?

I = ⅓mr2

I = ½mr2
Incorrect
I = ⅔mr 2

I = mr2
All the mass is at distance r Go back
from the axis of rotation
Thanks
 The End
AQA Equation Sheet

Circular Derive mL2/12 Derive mr2 for

motion recap for a rod a particle

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quiz

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