Rotational Inertia

Demonstration: Rotational Inertia - Hoop and Disk

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Equipment
  • Inclined plane board
  • Disk and hoop of equal mass and radius
  • Solid cylinders of various masses and radii
  • Solid spheres of various masses and radii
  • Balance scale
Description

A solid cylinder (disk) and a hollow cylinder (hoop) with equal masses and equal radii are simultaneously allowed to start from rest and roll a common distance down an inclined plane of fixed angle. The times to reach the bottom are compared. Also, in different demonstrations, times are compared for (1) solid cylinders of different masses and radii, (2) solid spheres of different masses and radii, and independently, (3) a solid sphere and a solid cylinder.