ENGINEERING FACULTY

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Laboratory Report

Moment of inertia of a flywheel

Subject Name: Mechanics of Machines II

Subject code: MOM200S

Date: TBA

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fully acknowledged.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Aim of the Experiment

2. Theoretical Background

3. Experimental Apparatus

4. Experimental Procedure

5. Results

6. Discussion of Results

7. Conclusion

APPENDIX A: Sample of Calculations

Figure 1: flywheel image

Figure 2 & 3 : General Layout of the Experiment Set-up
1. AIM OF THE LABORATORY EXPERIMENT
The aim of this experiment is to determine the moment of inertia of a flywheel.

2. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
According to Newton’s law, F = ma, where F is The resultant of the external forces acting on the
body, ‘a” is the linear acceleration of the body and ‘m’ is its mass. The parallel relation for rotational
acceleration is,

∑ τ = Ια (1)

Here ∑τ is the resultant of external torques acting on the body about the axis of rotation, α
Is the angular acceleration and Ι is the moment of inertia of the body about the axis of rotation.

If the linear acceleration of mass ‘m’ is downward, then by Newton’s second law of motion,
T-ma = -ma,
or T = m(g – a) (2)

The torque acting on the flywheel due to tension ‘T’ in the string is given by.
τ =rT (3)
Where ‘r’ is the radius of the axle and ‘T’ is the tension in the string.

The linear acceleration ‘a’ can be determined by measuring the time taken by the mass ‘m’ to fall
from rest through a distance ‘s’. In such case,

a = 2s/t2 (4)
The torque can be determined by using,

a=rα (5)
If the flywheel is a circular disk of mass ‘m’ and radius ‘R’, the theoretical value of its moment of
inertia is given by,
Ι = ½ m R2 (6)
 3. EXPERIMENTAL APPARATUS
The following list comprises of the apparatus to be used to complete this experiment:-
a) A flywheel
b) Timer/ stop watch
c) Weights
d) Hanger
e) Meter Rule/Tape Measure
f) Cord /String

Figure 1 flywheel image.

 4. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

1. Determine ‘d’ the distance of fall of mass ‘m’ by measuring the length of the string (including
the height of the hanger). Record the mass of the hanger.
2. Place a suitable mass on the hanger, wind the string around the axle 9the black disk attached
to the side of the flywheel. Trip the platform and simultaneously start the timer or stop watch.
Start the timer as soon as the string gets detached from the small peg on the axle.
3. Repeat step 2 by changing the mass on the hanger 6 times.
4. Measure the diameter of the axle. Record the radius and the radius and mass of the flywheel.

General Layout of the Experiment Set-up

Figure 2: Figure 3:
5. RESULTS AND GRAPHS

Data Sheet : Diameter of flywheel, D = 250mm

Diameter of axle, d = 24mm
Mass of flywheel, M = 11.4kg

Tables below show all the data processing results.

Table 1: Reading of time of fall
Trial Falling mass ‘m’ Time 1 Time 2 Average
including mass of
hanger
No (g) sec sec sec
1
2
3
4
5
6

Table 2; plot a graph between τ and α

Readings Mass (m) Average (t) Linear Angular Tension (T) Torque ( τ )
No. acceleration acceleration
(a) (α )
1
2
3
4
5
6
 6. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

a) What is meant by moment of inertia?

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b) Describe practical application of flywheel?
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c) In an experiment, a mass m = 40g, attached to a string wrapped around the axle of a flywheel and
starting from rest, falls through a distance of 147 cm in 3.5s. The diameter of axle of the flywheel is
12cm what is the acceleration of the mass and the angular acceleration of the flywheel?

d) Using the results obtained from your experiment. Find :

1. The tension in the string.

2. The torque due to tension acting on the flywheel.
3. Assuming that the torque due to friction is negligible, find the moment of inertia of the flywheel.
 7. CONCLUSIONS

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APPENDIX A: SAMPLE OF CALCULATIONS

• Submit your own analysis to this construction. Marks are awarded for clarity and neatness
• The answers are your own work…..copying of answers penalised
• There is no need to re-type these pages; no need for a title page, index etc