PH5151-Engineering Physics

Lecture-2
 Theorems of M.I
Parallel axes Theorem
Statement: It states that the moment of inertia
of a body about any axis is equal to the sum of
its moment of inertia about a parallel axis
through its center of mass and the product of its
mass and the square of the distances between
the two axes.
 Let CD be the axis in the plane of the
slide/Paper/screen and AB be a parallel axis through
G the center of mass of the body.
The perpendicular distance between two axes is h.
Let M be the mass of the body and m1 be the mass
of the element at P distance x1 from AB.
Figure 1.2
• Moment of Inertia of m1 about CD = m1(x1+h)2
= m1 (x12+h2+2x1h)
= m1x12 + m1h2 +2m1x1 h
Therefore moment of inertia of the body about
CD
I= m1x12 + m1h2 + 2 m1x1 h
If Ig is the moment of inertia of the body about
AB an axis through G then,
m1x12 = Ig
Therefore I=Ig + Mh2 +2h m1x1
• Now m1x1 is the sum of the moments of all the
particles about AB passing through G the centre
of gravity. Since the body is balanced about the
centre of mass G. therefore the algebraic sum of
all the moments about G is zero.

• Therefore m1x1 =0

• Hence I = Ig + Mh2
• Perpendicular axes theorem
Statement: It states that the moment of inertia of a
plane lamina about an axis perpendicular to the
plane of the lamina is equal to the sum of the
moments of inertia of the lamina about the two
axes at right angles to each other in its own plane,
intersecting each other at the point where the
perpendicular axis passes through it.
I=Ix + Iy
Figure 1.3
• Let OX and OY be the perpendicular axes in the
plane of the lamina (Fig. 1.3). Let m1 be the mass
of the particle at a distance r1 from a axis
through O perpendicular to the plane of XOY. The
distance of the thin particle from the Y-axis is x1
and that from X-axis is y1.
• Moment of inertia of this particle about the
X-axis = m1y12
• Moment of inertia of this particle about the
Y-axis = m1x12
• If we divide the whole lamina in a number of
particles of masses m1, m2, m3, …..etc. at
distances r1, r2, r3, ……etc. So that the
corresponding distances are y1, y2, y3, ……
from the X-axis and x1, x2, x3, …… from the
Y-axis then,
• Moment of Inertia of lamina about X-axis
Ix = m1y12 + m2y22 +……
= 𝑚𝑦2
• Moment of Inertia of lamina about Y-axis
Iy = m1x12 + m2x22 +……
= 𝑚𝑥2
Moment of Inertia of lamina about
perpendicular axis through O
 I = m1r12 + m2r22 +…… = 𝑚𝑟2
= m1 (x12+y12) + m2 (x22+y22) +……..
= m1x12 + m2x22 +…… +m1y12 + m2y22 +……
= 𝑚𝑥2 + 𝑚𝑦2
= Ix + Iy
Therefore I= Ix + Iy
 M.I of Circular disc
• Fig 1.4

O
O O
x

dx
• Moment of inertia of circular
disc about an axis through its
centre perpendicular to its
place. C

• Let M be the mass of the disc R

and R its radius. Consider an

elementary ring of radius x and O x dx
width dx. Its area is equal to the
product of circumference and
width ie. 2𝜋xdx
D
 𝑀
Mass per unit area =
𝜋𝑅2
𝑀 2𝑀
∴ Mass of the element = 2𝜋𝑥𝑑𝑥 = 𝑥𝑑𝑥
𝜋𝑅 2 𝑅2
Moment of inertia of element about an axis through
its center perpendicular to it’s plane
2𝑀
= 2 x.dx.x2
𝑅
2𝑀 3
= 2 x .dx
𝑅

2𝑀 𝑅 3 2𝑀 𝑥4 R 1
I= 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = [ ] = MR2
𝑅2 𝑜 𝑅2 4 o 2
𝑀𝑅2
∴ I=
2
Moment of inertia of a circular disc about an axis through its center
𝑀𝑅2
perpendicular to it’s plane : I=
2
 Moment of inertia of a circular disc about its
diameter
Consider perpendicular diameters
AB and CD as shown in fig1.5. As
all the diameters are symmetrical, C

the moment of inertia of disc

about one diameter is same as that R
of any other diameter.

O B
If I1 and I2 are the M.I of the disc A
about two axes perpendicular to
each other. Based on the principle
of perpendicular axis, The M.I
about an axis perpendicular to the D
plane of disc through O Fig. 1.5

I= I1 + I2
 Moment of inertia of a circular disc
about its diameter
• I=I1+I2
• Since two dimensions are symmetrical with
respect to disc I1 = I2
• Therefore I = 2I1
𝑀𝑅2
I
Or I1 = =
2 4
𝑀𝑅2
Therefore I1 =
4
𝑀𝑅2
Moment of inertia of a circular disc about its diameter : I=
4