JTKM/ BMMM 2313

LAB 2

FAKULTI TEKNOLOGI KEJURUTERAAN

MEKANIKAL DAN PEMBUATAN
UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

BMMM 2313 DYNAMICS & MECHANICS OF MACHINE

(DINAMIK & MEKANIK MESIN)

LAB REPORT 2

ROTATIONAL INERTIA

INSTRUCTOR’S
NAME

STUDENT’S NAME MATRIX NO:

S1. MUHAMMAD AJMAL BIN NASARUDIN B092110346
S2. MUHAMMAD ZAKUAN BIN JAAFAR B092110238
S3. HAFIZI TEO B092110434
S4. MUJAHID BIN AMRAN B092110179
S5. MOHAMAD TARMIZI BIN YUSOP B092110391

ASSESSEMENT RUBRICS
GIVEN MARKS
MARK
ASSESSMENT TASK/ITEMS
ALLOCATION
GROUP REPORT
1. Procedure (Ability to conduct lab 10
activity)
2. Work Process (Ability to construct and 10
understanding of Rotational Inertia)
3. Outcome (Calculation of inertia, torque 20
& angular acceleration)
4. Outcome (Discussion) 40
5. Outcome (Conclusion) 15
6. Discipline (Ability to perform lab 5
activity and submission)
TOTAL MARKS 100

Approved By: ………………………………………………..…..

(Instructor’s Signature & Stamp)

Date: ……………………………………………......
1.0 OBJECTIVES
 JTKM/ BMMM 2313

The rotational inertia of an object is a measure of how hard it is to rotate the object. The
purpose of this experiment is to find the rotational inertia of a ring and a disk
experimentally and to verify that these values correspond to the calculated theoretical
values. A known torque is applied to the pulley on the Rotary Motion Sensor, causing a
disk and ring to rotate. The resulting angular acceleration is measured using the slope of a
graph of angular velocity versus time. The rotational inertia of the disk and ring
combination is calculated from the torque and the angular acceleration. The procedure is
repeated for the disk alone to find the rotational inertias of the ring and disk separately.

2.0 EQUIPMENT

1 Large Rod Stand

1 90 cm Long Steel Rod
1 Mini-Rotational Accessory
1 Mass Set
1 Rotary Motion Sensor 1
USB Link

3.0 SYNOPSIS & THEORY

Theoretically, the rotational inertia, I, of a thick ring about an axis passing through the
center is given by

where M is the mass of the ring, R 1 is the inner radius of the ring, and R 2 is the outer
radius of the ring. The rotational inertia of a disk is given by

1
𝐼 = 𝑀𝑅² (2)
2

where M is the mass of the disk and R is the radius of the disk.
 JTKM/ BMMM 2313

To find the rotational inertia of the ring and disk experimentally, a known torque is
applied to the ring and disk, and the resulting angular acceleration, , is measured. Since 
= I,

τ
I= (3)
α

where  is the torque caused by the weight hanging from the string which is wrapped
around the 3-step pulley of the apparatus.

 = rF (4)

where r is the radius of the pulley about which the string is wound and F is the tension in
the string when the apparatus is rotating. Also, a = r ∝, where "a" is the linear acceleration
of the string.

Apply Newton's Second Law for the hanging mass, m (see Figure 2). Note that the
positive direction is chosen to be down.

∑ 𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎

𝑚𝑔 − 𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎 (5)

Figure 1: Rotational Apparatus and Free-Body Diagram

Solving for the tension in the string gives

𝐹 = 𝑚(𝑔 − 𝑎) (6)
 JTKM/ BMMM 2313

Figure 2: Rotational Apparatus and Free-Body Diagram

Once the linear acceleration of the mass (m) is determined, the torque and the angular
acceleration can be obtained for the calculation of the rotational inertia.

4.0 PROCEDURE

Setup

• Set up the rotational apparatus as shown in Figure 2 (use USB Link instead of Pasco
Passport). The thread should be tied around the smallest step on the Rotary Motion
Sensor pulley, then threaded down through the edge hole, and wrapped around the
middle step of the pulley.

• Plug the Rotary Motion Sensor into the interface.

• In PASCO Capstone, create a graph of angular velocity vs. time.

A. Measurements for the Theoretical Rotational Inertia

• Find the masses of the ring and the disk using the mass balance.

• Measure the inside and outside diameters and calculate the radii R1 and R2 and R.

B. Measurements for the Experimental Method

 Finding the Acceleration of the Ring and Disk

 JTKM/ BMMM 2313

1. Put the ring and disk on the Rotary Motion Sensor. To find the acceleration
of this combination, put about 20 g over the pulley and record the angular
velocity versus time on a graph as the mass falls to the table.
2. Use the curve fit button on the graph to find the straight line that best fits
the data. Use the mouse to select the part of the graph where the mass was
falling, so the line will be fitted only to this part of the data.
3. The slope of the best-fit line is the angular acceleration of the apparatus.
Record this acceleration.
4. Remove the ring and repeat this procedure with only the disk on the Rotary
Motion Sensor.

• Finding the Acceleration of the Rotary Motion Sensor

In Step 1 the Rotary Motion Sensor is rotating as well as the ring and disk. It is
necessary to determine the acceleration, and the rotational inertia, of the Rotary
Motion Sensor by itself so this rotational inertia can be subtracted from the total,
leaving only the rotational inertia of the ring and disk. To do this, take the ring and
disk off the rotational apparatus and repeat Step 1 for the Rotary Motion Sensor alone.
Note that it is only necessary to put about 5 g over the pulley in Step 1.

• Accounting for Friction

For the Disk with Ring and for the Disk Alone, put just enough mass on the string
over the pulley to make it go at constant speed after you give a little starting push.
This will probably only be about a gram. This is the amount of force required to
overcome friction, not to accelerate the object, and should be subtracted from the total
hanging mass in the calculations.

• Use the calipers to measure the diameter of the middle pulley and calculate the radius
of the pulley.
 JTKM/ BMMM 2313

5.0 EXPERIMENT DATA

DISK
Mass of Disk = 0.119 kg

Disk Diameter = 0.951 m

Disk Radius = 0.0476 m

RING

Mass of Ring = 0.469 kg

Ring O.D. = 0.0751 m

Ring I.D. = 0.0531 m

Outer Radius = 0.0382 m

Inner Radius = 0.0267 m

Acceleration of the Ring and Disk

Ring = 13.88 rad/s²

Disk = 114 rad/s²

Pulley (Rotary Motion Sensor Only) = 132 rad/s²

Load to Overcome Friction

Disk = 0.002 kg

Disk + Ring = 0.004 kg

Diameter Middle Pulley = 0.033 m

Radius Middle Pulley = 0.0165 m

 JTKM/ BMMM 2313

6.0 EXPERIMENT RESULTS

• Calculate the experimental value of the rotational inertia of the ring, disk, and Rotary
Motion Sensor together using Equations (3), (4), and (5). Remember to subtract off the
mass required to overcome friction from the hanging mass.
RING
r = 0.0165 m
𝛼 = 13.88 rad/s2
𝑔 = 9.81 m/s2
m = 0.016 kg

a=r𝑎
= (0.0165 m) × (13.88 rad/s2 )
= 0.229 m/s2

𝐹 = m (𝑔-a)
= 0.016 kg (9.81 m/s2 – 0.229 m/s2 )
= 0.153 𝑁

Ʈ=r𝐹
= (0.0165 m) × (0.153 𝑁)
= 2.5245 × 10 -3 𝑁m

I=Ʈ/𝛼
= 2.5245 × 10 ^−3 𝑁𝑚 / 13.88 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠2
= 1.8188 × 10 -4

DISK
r = 0.0165 m
𝛼 = 114 rad/s2
𝑔 = 9.81 m/s2
m = 0.016 kg

a=r𝑎
= (0.0165 m) × (114 rad/s2 )
= 1.881 m/s2

𝐹 = m (𝑔-a)
= 0.016 kg (9.81 m/s2 – 1.881 m/s2 )
= 0.1269 𝑁

Ʈ=r𝐹
= (0.0165 m) × (0.1269 𝑁)
= 2.09385 × 10 -3𝑁m

I=Ʈ/𝛼
= 2.09385 × 10 ^−3 𝑁𝑚 / 114 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠^2
= 1.8367 × 10 -5
 JTKM/ BMMM 2313

ROTARY MOTION
r = 0.0165 m
𝛼 = 132 rad/s2
𝑔 = 9.81 m/s2
m = 0.005 kg

a=r𝑎
= (0.0165 m) × (132 rad/s2 )
= 2.178 m/s2

𝐹 = m (𝑔-a)
= 0.005 kg (9.81 m/s2 – 2.178 m/s2 )
= 0.03816 𝑁

Ʈ=r𝐹
= (0.0165 m) × (0.03816 𝑁)
= 6.2964 × 10 -4 𝑁m

I=Ʈ/𝛼
= 6.2964 × 10 ^−4 𝑁𝑚 / 132 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠^2
= 4.77 × 10 -6

Ir + ID + IR = (1.8188 × 10 -4) + (1.8367 × 10 -5) + (4.77 × 10 -6)

= 2.05017 × 10 -4
 JTKM/ BMMM 2313

• Calculate the experimental value of the rotational inertia of the disk and Rotary
Motion Sensor together using Equations (3), (4), and (5). Remember to subtract off the
mass required to overcome friction from the hanging mass.
DISK
r = 0.0165 m
𝛼 = 114 rad/s2
𝑔 = 9.81 m/s2
m = 0.016 kg

a=r𝑎
= (0.0165 m) × (114 rad/s2 )
= 1.881 m/s2

𝐹 = m (𝑔-a)
= 0.016 kg (9.81 m/s2 – 1.881 m/s2 )
= 0.1269 𝑁

Ʈ=r𝐹
= (0.0165 m) × (0.1269 𝑁)
= 2.09385 × 10 -3𝑁m

I=Ʈ/𝛼
= 2.09385 × 10 ^−3 𝑁𝑚 / 114 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠^2
= 1.8367 × 10 -5
 JTKM/ BMMM 2313

ROTARY MOTION
r = 0.0165 m
𝛼 = 132 rad/s2
𝑔 = 9.81 m/s2
m = 0.005 kg

a=r𝑎
= (0.0165 m) × (132 rad/s2 )
= 2.178 m/s2

𝐹 = m (𝑔-a)
= 0.005 kg (9.81 m/s2 – 2.178 m/s2 )
= 0.03816 𝑁

Ʈ=r𝐹
= (0.0165 m) × (0.03816 𝑁)
= 6.2964 × 10 -4 𝑁m

I=Ʈ/𝛼
= 6.2964 × 10 ^−4 𝑁𝑚 / 132 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠^2
= 4.77 × 10 -6

ID + IR = (1.8367 × 10 -5) + (4.77 × 10 -6)

= 2.3137 × 10 -5
 JTKM/ BMMM 2313

• Calculate the experimental value of the rotational inertia of the Rotary Motion Sensor
alone using Equations (3), (4), and (5).
ROTARY MOTION
r = 0.0165 m
𝛼 = 132 rad/s2
𝑔 = 9.81 m/s2
m = 0.005 kg

a=r𝑎
= (0.0165 m) × (132 rad/s2 )
= 2.178 m/s2

𝐹 = m (𝑔-a)
= 0.005 kg (9.81 m/s2 – 2.178 m/s2 )
= 0.03816 𝑁

Ʈ=r𝐹
= (0.0165 m) × (0.03816 𝑁)
= 6.2964 × 10 -4 𝑁m

I=Ʈ/𝛼
= 6.2964 × 10 ^−4 𝑁𝑚 / 132 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠^2
= 4.77 × 10 -6

IR = 4.77 × 10 -6
 JTKM/ BMMM 2313

• Subtract the rotational inertia of the Rotary Motion Sensor from the rotational inertia
of combination of the disk and Rotary Motion Sensor. This will be the rotational
inertia of the disk alone.

I Disk + I Rotary = 2.3137 × 10 -5

I Rotary = 4.77 × 10 -6

(I Disk + I Rotary ) – I Rotary = ( 2.3137 × 10 -5 ) – ( 4.77 × 10 -6 )

I Disk (Alone) = 1.8367 × 10 -5

• Subtract the rotational inertia of the combination of the disk and Rotary Motion
Sensor from the rotational inertia of combination of the ring, disk, and Rotary Motion
Sensor. This will be the rotational inertia of the ring alone.

I Ring + I Disk + I Rotary = 2.05017 × 10 -4

I Disk + I Rotary = 2.3137 × 10 -5

(I Ring + I Disk + I Rotary ) − (I Disk + I Rotary ) = (2.05017 × 10 -4) – (2.3137 × 10 -5 )

I Ring (Alone) = 1.8188 × 10 -4

• Calculate the theoretical values of the rotational inertia of the ring and disk using
Equations (1), and (2).

RING
I = 1/2 M (R1 2 + R2 2)
= 1 /2 (0.469 kg) (0.0267 2 m + 0.0382 2 m)
= 5.0936 × 10 -4 kgm2

DISK
I = 1/2 M R2
= 1/2 (0.119 kg) (0.0476 2 m)
= 1.3481 × 10 -4 kgm2

• Use percent differences to compare the experimental values to the theoretical values.
 JTKM/ BMMM 2313

Error Percentage % = Experiment − Theory × 100

Theory

ROTATIONAL EXPERIMENT THEORY PERCENT

INERTIA (kg/ms2) DIFFERENT %
Ring 1.8188 x 10 -4 5.0936 x 10 -4 64%
Disk 1.3639 x 10 -5 1.3481 x 10 -4 86%
 JTKM/ BMMM 2313

7.0 QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION

1. Which object had the greater rotational inertia?

Ring, as a result of the distribution of mass being further from the axis of rotation. In
addition, the ring has a greater moment of inertia than the disc since it has a heavier
mass. Because the ring has a greater mass than the disc, it has a higher value of
rotational inertia, or I, which can be characterised as having a greater rotational inertia.

2. Which object was harder to accelerate?

Ring, it is because the ring has a heavier mass than the disc. The ring is difficult to
accelerate or decelerate because, although having a higher rotational inertia than the
disc, it requires a greater weight to overcome friction. It is more difficult to accelerate
an item with more rotational inertia.

3. Were the theoretical values within the uncertainties of the measured values? If not,
why not?
No, because the theoretical values are what one would anticipate from an equation
under ideal or almost ideal conditions. Given that the measurement value is actually the
result of an experiment, there may have been some human mistake while the experiment
was still running. This will alter this experiment in certain ways. Or, to put it another
way, theoretical value can be obtained from a given equation, so preventing
experimenter error. Only the experiment can provide the measurement value. Human
errors, like measurement and tool errors, are difficult to avoid during an experiment.
Only by following careful procedures and utilising high-quality tools can it be
approximated.

8.0 CONCLUSION

What is your conclusion regarding this experiment:

As conclusion, students can conclude from this experiment that weight affects inertia. Discover
then that rotational inertia can be calculated from an object's resistance to changing angular
acceleration. Once the linear acceleration of the mass has been established, the torque and angular
acceleration may be obtained to compute the rotational inertia. The conclusion drawn from the
results is that the angular acceleration depends on both the torque and the moment of inertia.
When a torque is applied to a body, the angular acceleration is given by α = ƮI , as the torque
increases, the acceleration increases. Increase in mass, rise in rotational inertia, and fall in
acceleration. Finally, this student-run experiment can be deemed successful.