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Experiment No (4) Torque and Angular Acceleration of A Flywheel

This document describes an experiment to determine the angular acceleration and torque of a flywheel. Weights are attached to the flywheel by a string and allowed to fall, causing the flywheel to rotate. The time of fall is measured to calculate the linear acceleration of the weights. Using equations that relate linear acceleration, torque, angular acceleration and moment of inertia, graphs are plotted of torque versus angular acceleration, time versus linear acceleration, and time versus torque. The results are analyzed to understand the effects of mass and linear acceleration on the torque of the flywheel.

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Nihad Mohammed
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1K views4 pages

Experiment No (4) Torque and Angular Acceleration of A Flywheel

This document describes an experiment to determine the angular acceleration and torque of a flywheel. Weights are attached to the flywheel by a string and allowed to fall, causing the flywheel to rotate. The time of fall is measured to calculate the linear acceleration of the weights. Using equations that relate linear acceleration, torque, angular acceleration and moment of inertia, graphs are plotted of torque versus angular acceleration, time versus linear acceleration, and time versus torque. The results are analyzed to understand the effects of mass and linear acceleration on the torque of the flywheel.

Uploaded by

Nihad Mohammed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Zakho University Mechanical Eng. Dept.

3rd Year
Theory of Machines 2019-2020

Experiment No (4)
Torque and angular acceleration of a flywheel
1. PURPOSE:
To determine the angular acceleration α and torque τ of a flywheel.
2. APPARATUS:
Flywheel, weight hanger, slotted weights, stop watch, meter scale.
3.THEORY:
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
analogous relation for rotational acceleration i s
∑ (1)
Here ∑ is the resultant of external torques acting on the body about the axis of
rotation, is the angular acceleration and is the moment of inertia of the body
about the axis of rotation. The kinetic energy of a mass m having a linear velocity v is
given by

(2)

In an analogous manner, the kinetic energy of a body of moment of inertia I and


having an angular acceleration is given by

(3)

Thus, in rotational motion, the moment of inertia plays a role which is analogous to
the role of mass m in linear motion. The unit of moment of inertia is Kg.m2. The
moment of inertia of a body depends on the axis of rotation and the distribution of
mass about the axis of rotation.
Equation (3) indicates that a rotating body having a large moment of inertia, like a
flywheel, can be used to store large amounts of kinetic energy.
Let a mass m be attached to the free end of a string wound around the axle of a
flywheel as shown in Fig. 1. Further, let r be the radius of the axle and T, the tension
Zakho University Mechanical Eng. Dept. 3rd Year
Theory of Machines 2019-2020

in the string. If the linear acceleration of mass m is 'a' downward, then by Newton's
second law of motion,

T - mg = - m a,
Or T = m(g - a). (4)
The torque acting on the flywheel due to tension T in the string is given by
(5)
Now if  is the torque due to the frictional forces acting on the flywheel and if  is
the angular acceleration of the flywheel, then Eq. (1) yields
(6)

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

because the initial velocity is zero.

Thus (7)
The torque can be determined by using Eqs. (4) and (5), and can be
calculated by
a=r
By determining a number of pairs of values of and (for different values of
m), and by plotting a graph between and , we shall get a straight line graph
according to Eq. (6). Here ' is assumed to be constant. If ( , ) and ( , ) are
the coordinates of two points on this graph, then
and

By subtracting, we get ( )

(8)

If the flywheel is a circular disk of mass M and radius R, the theoretical value of
its moment of inertia is given by

I = MR2. (9)

4. 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 (the black
disk attached to the side of the flywheel) and place the hanger on the small
circular platform under the flywheel. Trip the platform and simultaneously start
the timer. Stop 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 4 or 5 times.
4. Measure the diameter of the axle. Record the radius and mass of the flywheel.
Readings of time of fall:

Reading Falling mass m Time of fall


No. (including the Time t1 Time t2 Time t3 Average (t)
mass of the
hanger)
1
2
3
4
5
6

5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION


The following results are obtained

:
Reading Mass m Average t Linear accln. Angular Tension Torque
No. 'a' accln. 𝜶 T 𝝉

1. Plot a graph between  and .


2. Plot a graph between t and .
3. Plot a graph between t and .
4. Discuss the effect of mass on the torque.
5. Discuss the effect of linear acceleration on the torque.

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