Experiment 1: moment of inertia and angular momentum

Objective: to determine the moment of inertia of a rigid body

Apparatus and materials:

1. Hooked weight sets
2. Smart pulley
3. Rotating platform
4. 1 ruler
5. String
6. Stop watch or a timer
7. Blower
8. Vernier clipper

Procedure:
1. The apparatus is set up as shown above. The initial height, h of the bottom surface of
the slotted weight holder to the surface of the landing point (floor) is measured.
2. 10 g of slotted weight is put to its holder. It was kept remain at its position
3. The release switch is pressed (the slotted weight released), simultaneously the stop
watch is started. The time interval for slotted weight to touch the floor is measured.
The time is recorded as 𝑡𝑤1 . The second trial is recorded as 𝑡𝑤2 . The average time is
taken for both trial is calculated as 𝑡𝑤𝑎𝑣 .
4. Steps 1 until 3 are repeated by adding another 10g of slotted weight and so on. The
same height, h is used throughout the experiment and for each weight was repeated
twice.
5. The data is recorded in table 1.1
Hypothesis:
The larger the moment of inertia, the smaller the angular acceleration

Observation:
Result

Height, h = 0.8 m
Radius of ring disc (driving wheel used), r (±0.01) = 0.03 m
 1)

2) Gradient of the graph

𝑦2 −𝑦1 0.55−0.2
=
𝑥2 −𝑥1 25.5−8.5
7
=
340
 = 0.021 N/rad 𝑆 3
3) Calculate the moment of inertia, I (experimental value)
𝑇
Τ= t (average tension) x r I = ∝(𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒)

0.0135
T= 0.45 x 0.03 I=
22.33

T= 0.0135 Nm I = 6.046x10−4 kg𝑚2

4) Calculate the percentage difference between experimental value and theoretical

value of moment of inertia, I
|𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒−𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒|
Percentage difference = x 100
𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

Theoretical value for I is 0.0129 kg𝑚2

|6.046x10−4 −0.0129|
= x 100
0.0129
0.0123
= x 100
0.0129

= 95.35%

Discussion:
The theory of this experiment define that the relationship between the angular momentum
L of a rigid body in a stationary coordinate system with its origin at the centre of gravity, and
the moment Y acting on it. The relationship between the tension, T and the angular
acceleration, α is shown in the graph above is directly proportional. The moment of inertia is
the gradient of the graph. By using the newton’s second law’s equation which is T=Iα, the
value of torque is 0.0135 Nm and 6.046x10−4 kg𝑚2 is the value for the moment of
inertia, I. 0.021 kg𝑚2 is the value of the gradient and 95.35% is the percentage
difference. To improvement this experiment for the better result we should accurately take
the time it falls. The slightest change will cause the calculation to be wronged.
Conclusion:
The objective of this experiment is to determine the moment of inertia of a rigid body. So,
we can conclude that the moment of inertia is the gradient of the graph above. We get that,
the moment of inertia is equal to 0.021 kg𝑚2 . To get is answer we used Τ= t x r and I
𝑇
= as the formula. We get 6.046x10−4 kg𝑚2 as the experimental value of the
∝(𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒)
moment of inertia. Lastly, the percentage difference between the experimental and
theoretical value of the moment of inertia, I is 95.35%