BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (PCM)

PHB-1111 Mechanics and Wave Motion

Block 2: Rotational Mechanics

Unit 6: Rotational Energy and Rotational Inertia for Simple Bodies

Structure
6.0 Objectives
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Rotational Energy
6.3 Moment of Inertia
6.3.1 Moment of Inertia of a Uniform Rod
6.3.2 Moment of Inertia of a Uniform Disc
6.3.3 Moment of Inertia of a Solid Sphere
6.4 Parallel and Perpendicular Axis Theorems
6.5 Let Us Sum Up
6.6 Glossary
6.7 Questions
6.8 Suggested Readings

6.0 Objectives
Rotational energy and rotational inertia are pivotal concepts that unveil the intricacies of motion and
energy within rotating systems. Rotational energy encapsulates the kinetic energy manifested through an
object's rotation about an axis, dictated by its angular velocity and moment of inertia. This energy is
foundational in understanding the dynamics of rotating bodies, spanning from the graceful dance of
planets in space to the intricate movements of mechanical components. Conversely, rotational inertia, also
known as moment of inertia, delineates how an object's mass is distributed relative to its rotational axis,
influencing its resistance to changes in rotational motion and determining its capacity to store rotational
energy. Both rotational energy and inertia serve as cornerstones in comprehending the behavior of rotating
systems, unveiling principles essential in engineering, physics, astronomy, and various technological
advancements.
 6.1 Introduction
Introducing rotational energy and rotational inertia involves illuminating the fascinating dynamics of
objects in motion. Rotational energy encompasses the kinetic energy an object possesses due to its rotation
about an axis. This energy, dictated by the object's moment of inertia and angular velocity, plays a pivotal
role in understanding the behavior of rotating bodies, from celestial bodies like planets spinning in space
to mechanical systems like flywheels in engines.
On the other hand, rotational inertia, often referred to as moment of inertia, quantifies how an object's
mass is distributed relative to its axis of rotation. This property dictates how resistant an object is to
changes in its rotational motion and determines its ability to store rotational energy.
By exploring these concepts, we uncover the profound interplay between an object's mass distribution, its
rotation, and the energy associated with its spinning motion. Understanding rotational energy and inertia
unveils the fundamental principles governing the dynamics of rotating systems, offering insights into
various scientific, mechanical, and celestial phenomena.

6.2 Rotational Energy

Rotational energy refers to the kinetic energy possessed by an object due to its rotation around an axis. It
depends on the object's moment of inertia (a measure of how its mass is distributed relative to the axis of
rotation) and its angular velocity (how fast it's spinning).
The formula for rotational kinetic energy is similar to that for linear kinetic energy, but it involves
rotational variables. Rotational Kinetic Energy is given by

I is the moment of inertia of the object, ω is the angular velocity of the object in radians per second. This
energy is crucial in understanding the dynamics of rotating objects, such as wheels, flywheels, planets,
and various mechanical systems.
Consider a body rotating about its axis, the kinetic energy of the ith particle about the rotation axis is
So, we can rewrite the total KE as
 6.3 Moment of Inertia
The moment of inertia, often denoted as I, is a measure of an object's resistance to changes in its rotational
motion. It's analogous to mass in linear motion—it measures how mass is distributed around an axis of
rotation.
For a single point mass m at a distance r from the axis of rotation, the moment of inertia is I = m.r 2
The units for moment of inertia depend on the units used for mass and distance. In the International
System of Units (SI), the unit of moment of inertia is kilogram square meters (kg·m²).
Moment of inertia is an essential concept in physics, especially in understanding rotational dynamics, such
as calculating torque, angular momentum, and rotational kinetic energy.
For extended objects or systems of multiple masses, the formula becomes more complex and involves
integration or summation over all the individual mass elements at distances from the axis of rotation is

For discreate masses

Similar to how mass determines the force required for a desired acceleration, the moment of inertia of a
rigid body, also referred to as the mass moment of inertia, angular mass, second moment of mass, or, most
accurately, rotational inertia, is a quantity that establishes the torque required for a desired angular
acceleration about a rotational axis. Larger moments need more torque to alter the body's rotational rate by
a specific amount; this depends on the body's mass distribution and the selected axis.
Similar to how mass (inertia) functions in linear kinetics, the moment of inertia in rotational kinetics
describes how resistant a body is to changes in motion. The distribution of mass around an axis of rotation
determines the moment of inertia, which varies according on the axis selected. The moment of inertia of a
point-like mass about an axis can be found using the formula, where m is the mass and r is the distance
from the axis. The moment of inertia of an extended rigid body is equal to the product of all the minor
mass components times the square of their separations from the rotational axis. Sometimes, this
summation yields a straightforward expression that depends on the dimensions, form, and total mass of
the item for an extended body with a regular shape and homogeneous density.

6.3.1 Moment of Inertia of a Uniform Rod

Consider a uniform rod of length L and mass M. The moment of inertia of a thin rod rotating about its
center, perpendicular to its length as shown in figure

For this, consider the mass element ‘dm’ between x and x + dx from the origin (at the centre of the rod).
As the rod is uniform, mass per unit length (linear mass density) remains constant, i.e.
𝑀/𝐿 = 𝑑𝑚/𝑑x
We Have
𝑑𝑚 = (𝑀/𝐿)𝑑𝑥
Therefore, the moment of inertia of mass element dm is,
𝑑𝐼 = 𝑑𝑚 𝑥 2
6.3.2 Moment of Inertia of a Uniform Disc
Consider a unform disc of mass M and radius R. We want to determine moment of inertia of the disc
about an axis passing through its centre and perpendicular to its plane of the disc. The mass element
considered is a thin ring between x and x+dx with thickness dx and mass dm.
As the plane is uniform, the surface mass density is constant. Therefore, mass to area ratio is always
constant for the uniform and regular bodies.
𝑀/𝐴 = 𝑑𝑚/𝑑𝑎
Then,
𝑀/𝜋𝑅 2 = 𝑑𝑚/(2𝜋𝑥𝑑𝑥)
Or
𝑑𝑚 = (𝑀/𝜋𝑅 2 )2𝜋𝑥𝑑𝑥
Therefore, the moment of inertia of elemental ring of mass dm
𝑑𝐼 = ∫ 𝑥 2 𝑑𝑚
Therefore, the moment of inertia of whole disc is

The moment of inertia of disc along its diameter: using perpendicular axis theorem, we have
𝐼𝑧 = 𝐼𝑥 + 𝐼𝑦
Since 𝐼𝑥 = 𝐼𝑦, therefore
𝐼𝑧 = 2𝐼𝑥
We know

Therefore,
6.3.3 Moment of Inertia of a Solid Sphere
Consider a sphere of radius of radius R and mass M having center at O. Let 𝜌 be the volume mass density
of the material of the sphere. To determine the moment of inertia of solid sphere, we cut the solid sphere
into large number of slices of infinitesimally thin disc as shown in figure. Then we must sum the moments
of exceedingly small thin disks in a given axis from left to right.
 6.4 Parallel and Perpendicular Axis Theorem
Parallel Axis Theorem: The parallel axis theorem is a principle in physics that relates to the calculation
of the moment of inertia of a rigid object about an axis when it is known about a parallel axis.
In simple terms, it states that the moment of inertia of an object about any axis parallel to an axis through
its center of mass is equal to the moment of inertia about the center of mass plus the product of the object's
mass and the square of the perpendicular distance between the two parallel axes.

I = is the moment of inertia about the parallel axis.

Icm =is the moment of inertia about the center of mass.
M is the mass of the object.
d is the perpendicular distance between the two parallel axes.
This theorem is quite useful in various areas of physics, particularly in mechanics and engineering, for
determining the moment of inertia of complex objects by considering simpler shapes and their known
moments of inertia about their respective axes.
Perpendicular Axis Theorem: The perpendicular axis theorem is another principle in physics,
specifically in the context of planar objects with uniform density. It pertains to calculating the moment of
inertia of a two-dimensional object about an axis perpendicular to its plane by using the moments of
inertia about two perpendicular axes lying in the plane of the object.
For a planar object situated in the xy-plane, the perpendicular axis theorem states that the sum of the
moments of inertia about two perpendicular axes (x and y axes, for instance) is equal to the moment of
inertia about an axis perpendicular to the object's plane (z-axis) passing through the point of intersection
of the x and y axes.
Here, 𝐼𝑥, 𝐼y are the moments of inertia of the object about the x and y axes, respectively.
Iz is the moment of inertia of the object about an axis perpendicular to its plane passing through the point
of intersection of the x and y axes.
This theorem is valuable for determining the moment of inertia of a planar object about an axis
perpendicular to its plane, especially when the moments of inertia about two perpendicular axes within the
object's plane are known. It's a fundamental concept used in mechanics and engineering to simplify the
calculation of moments of inertia for various shapes and systems.

6.5 Let Us Sum Up

 Rotational inertia depends on an object's mass distribution.
 Rotational energy is directly related to the object's moment of inertia and the square of its angular
velocity.
 Objects with larger moments of inertia require more energy to rotate at a given angular velocity.
 Understanding these concepts is crucial for predicting and analyzing the behavior of rotating
objects in various fields like physics, engineering, and technology.
Rotational Energy: Rotational energy is the kinetic energy associated with an object's rotation. When an
object rotates about an axis, it possesses kinetic energy due to this motion.
Rotational Inertia (Moment of Inertia): This property refers to an object's resistance to changes in its
rotational motion. Just as mass measures an object's resistance to linear motion (Newton's first law),
rotational inertia measures how difficult it is to change the rotational state of an object. It depends not only
on an object's mass but also on how the mass is distributed relative to the axis of rotation.

6.6 Glossary
Rotational Energy: Rotational energy represents the energy associated with an object's rotational motion.
Similar to how kinetic energy characterizes linear motion, rotational energy quantifies the energy due to
an object's rotation. For simple bodies like spheres, cylinders, or disks, rotational energy is calculated
using Iω2 /2.
Where I is the moment of inertia and ω is the angular velocity. This concept is pivotal in understanding
the efficiency of rotating systems and plays a vital role in engineering applications, determining the
energy requirements and performance of rotational machinery.
Rotational Inertia for Simple Bodies: Rotational inertia, often referred to as the moment of inertia,
measures an object's resistance to changes in its rotational motion. For simple bodies with regular shapes,
such as spheres or cylinders, specific formulas exist to calculate their moment of inertia.
These simplified formulas facilitate easier prediction and analysis of how mass is distributed around an
axis of rotation. Engineers heavily rely on the moment of inertia for simple bodies in designing
mechanisms and systems, as it influences stability, efficiency, and mechanical behavior.

6.7 Questions
1. What is the definition of rotational inertia?
2. How does rotational inertia differ from mass?
3. Explain the factors that affect the moment of inertia of an object.
4. Define rotational kinetic energy.
5. How does an object's mass distribution affect its moment of inertia?
6. Describe the relationship between angular velocity and rotational kinetic energy.
7. How does increasing the moment of inertia affect an object's rotational motion?
8. Can you name a factor that influences an object's rotational energy?
9. What is the mathematical representation of moment of inertia for a continuous body?

6.8 References and Suggested Readings

1. https://www2.tntech.edu/leap/murdock/books/v1chap6.pdf
2. https://physicscourses.colorado.edu/phys1110/phys1110_fa15/LectureNotes/10_RotationalMotio
n.pdf
3. J.C. Upadhyay: ‘Mechanics’. Ram Prasad Publications, Agra.
4. D.S, Mathur “Mechanics”. S Chand Publication, New Delhi.
5. D. Kleppner and R. Kolenkow, An Introduction to Mechanics, TMH

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